# Countdown by Holiday Extras — Create, countdown & share! > Customizable countdowns for holidays, birthdays, and any event with widgets and packing lists. (iPhone/iPad app by Holiday Extras.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-by-holiday-extras/id915429488 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Holiday Extras](https://appshunter.io/developer/783591491) - Category: Travel, Utilities - Price: Free - Rating: 4.70/5 from 64 App Store ratings · 122 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 26.0 · 21 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2014-09-14 - Data updated: 2026-08-27 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-by-holiday-extras/id915429488/reviews.md ## What is Countdown by Holiday Extras? Make the wait feel like part of the adventure. Turn every holiday, birthday, wedding, festival and big day into a beautiful live countdown — with photos, widgets, reminders, social sharing and smarter trip planning built in. COUNT DOWN TO ANYTHING See the days, hours, minutes and seconds tick away in a beautifully simple, full-screen countdown. Keep every moment together in a grid of photo cards, then swipe between upcoming countdowns or revisit the good times in Past. MAKE IT YOURS Choose a favourite photo, position and crop it perfectly for the countdown and its widget, or pick one of our colourful backgrounds. Light and dark appearances follow your iPhone automatically. CREATE WITH PIÑATA MAGIC On supported iPhones, Piñata Magic uses Apple Intelligence on your device to make setup feel effortless. Tell Piñata what you’re looking forward to in your own words, or start with a screenshot of a booking. It can suggest the event, dates, trip details, flights and a useful reminder schedule — and everything stays editable before you create it. PLAN HOLIDAYS FASTER The guided holiday flow keeps dates, airports and flights clear from start to finish. Search real flights, choose a simple outbound and return journey, and see whether each result is a prediction, a potential match from your screenshot or a confirmed flight. KEEP THE EXCITEMENT CLOSE Add beautiful Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets so the next big moment is always in sight. Choose milestone, weekly, daily or custom reminders, scheduled privately on your iPhone, and let the app move naturally from counting down to “On holiday now” and “Welcome home”. SHARE THE COUNTDOWN Turn your countdown and photo into an eye-catching social post. Share a story, portrait post or square image through Instagram, Facebook, Messages and your other favourite apps — complete with days, hours, minutes and seconds, not just the number of days. SMASH THE PIÑATA When a birthday reaches zero, the celebration takes over the whole screen. Tap or shake the Piñata until it bursts open, then watch the confetti and sweets tumble out. It’s the most fun you can have waiting for a birthday. READY FOR HOLIDAY EXTRAS Add your holiday to Holiday Extras without retyping the dates and flight details. Open the trip in the Holiday Extras app when you’re ready to keep everything together and add airport parking, hotels, lounges and more. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your countdowns, photos and reminder schedules are stored on your device. Piñata Magic processes your request on-device using Apple Intelligence. You can create and enjoy countdowns without connecting a Holiday Extras account. Whatever you’re looking forward to, make every day before it count. ## Key features - Home screen widget - AI-powered packing checklist - Customizable backgrounds - Countdown to any event - Multiple countdown tracking - Suggested and recurring events ## What do users think of Countdown by Holiday Extras? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Easy to use - 🤩 Great for reminders - 💖 Love the countdown feature - 🌟 Accurate time tracking - 🥰 Helpful for planning - ✨ No annoying ads - 🥳 Good for special occasions - 💯 Free to use - 😊 Makes users excited - 👍 Simple and effective - ❤️ Good for all ages - 👍 Useful and practical - 👍 Highly recommended - 👍 Best countdown app - 👍 No limit on countdowns - 👍 Can add own photos - 👍 No ads or pop-ups - 👍 Best seen so far - 👍 Helpful for remembering **Cons** - 😞 New layout disliked - 👎 Old layout preferred - 😠 Photos deleted after updates - 😟 Past events lost - 😩 App crashes after updates - 😤 Widgets not updating - 😕 Confusing new format - 🫥 Clunky new design - 😥 Lost memories - 😵‍💫 Time zone issues - 😭 App no longer opens - 💔 Ruined by updates - 😖 Old version better - 😤 Lost packing list - 😔 Photos disappear - 😠 New layout dreadful - 🙁 Not as fun anymore - 😞 Previous version better - 👎 New update awful - 🙁 Past vacations showing - 😥 App deleted all trips - 🙁 Widgets not working - 😞 Latest update does not work - 😭 App immediately closes - 😵‍💫 Broken app - 😠 Technical difficulties - 😩 Not working properly - 😞 App crash - 👎 Waste of time - 😤 Disappeared before travel - 😖 Out of date - 😥 Christmas pop-up in March - 😕 Not working - 😟 Layout changed - 😭 New layout terrible - 🫥 Lost past information - 😩 Holidays gone - 😥 Revamp terrible - 😠 Can't edit countdowns - 😔 New version ruined app - 👎 Not nice to look at - 😞 Lost photos on update - 😥 Update is horrific - 🙁 New screen with icons awful - 😖 Years of countdowns boring - 😩 Not great since update - 😥 No pictures included - 😠 Unable to upload own photos - 👎 Cannot scroll through dates - 😞 Confusing new format - 😥 Do not like new format - 😖 Editing not easy - 😩 Old layout better - 😠 Disappointed - 😔 New app is awful - 😥 Rubbish new view - 😞 Not as good as old version - 👎 Screen full of dates - 😭 Absolutely Fuming! - 🫥 Complicated and worse look - 😥 Separated events - 😠 Taken away photos - 😔 Tap on events instead of swipe - 😞 Shame about the update - 😥 Not user friendly - 😩 Photos wiped - 😖 Past events not editable - 😠 Where’s my photos gone? - 👎 Have to re-upload photos - 😥 Low rating - 😞 Bad picture - 🙁 Can't see whole picture - 😩 Time zone issues - 😥 Stuck in US time zone - 😖 New version too bawdy - 😠 Don't want to add other apps - 😔 Incomplete page - 😥 Distracting banners - 😞 Holiday extras and sharing banner unnecessary - 👎 New layout terrible - 😭 Lost all past information - 🤮 Old layout preferred - 🤮 Much preferred old layout - 🤮 Change it back - 🤮 Updated and spoiled - 🤮 They have ruined the app - 🤮 Now dreadful - 🤮 What did you do to this app !!!!! - 🤮 Don’t bother - 🤮 Technical difficulties - 🤮 Widget doesn’t count down - 🤮 Since the updates in feb, app no longer opens - 🤮 Shocking - 🤮 Notifications problem - 🤮 Recent Bugs! - 🤮 What happened to the layout? - 🤮 Not Working - 🤮 Updated countdown - 🤮 Hollidays - 🤮 Layout awful since revamp - 🤮 Not nice to look at anymore - 🤮 Bring back the old app! - 🤮 Update is horrific - 🤮 Not great since update - 🤮 Updated format - 🤮 Disappointed - 🤮 Bad layout - 🤮 New app is awful - 🤮 New view - 🤮 Absolutely Fuming! - 🤮 Shame about the update - 🤮 Where’s my photos gone? - 🤮 Bad picture - 🤮 Time zone issues - 🤮 UPDATE RUINED IT - 🤮 Updated countdown - 🤮 Layout - 🤮 Hollidays - 🤮 Updated version has spoiled what was a good app - 🤮 Layout awful since revamp - 🤮 Not nice to look at anymore - 🤮 Bring back the old app! - 🤮 Update is horrific - 🤮 Not great since update - 🤮 Updated format - 🤮 Disappointed - 🤮 Bad layout - 🤮 New app is awful - 🤮 New view - 🤮 Absolutely Fuming! - 🤮 Shame about the update - 🤮 Where’s my photos gone? **Commonly reported bugs** - App won't open after update - App crashes on opening - Widget not updating - App deleted all trips - App crashed and doesn't store new trips - Past vacations showing in countdown - App not working after upgrade - Countdown notifications incorrect - App crashes frequently - Photos deleted after updates - Countdown disappears - Image on countdown wiped - App resets - Cannot edit countdowns - Countdown goes from days to years - Past travels photos lost - Active countdown images lost on update - App doesn't open or takes many attempts - Cannot see whole picture on screen - Time zone issues - New version too 'bawdy' - Banners are distracting - Lost all past information - Past events separated from upcoming events - Have to re-upload photos - App no longer user friendly - Images for past events not editable - App deleted all my trips - Widget doesn't count down - App no longer opens since February updates - Notifications show incorrect days - Past vacations showing in countdown - App completely stopped working after upgrade - New layout is confusing - Editing is not easy - New app is awful - New view is rubbish - Older version was more beneficial - App has become more complicated - Look is a lot worse - Separated events that have happened and what hasn't yet - Taken away all photos for events - Have to tap on different events instead of swiping - Photos from events have been wiped - Cannot see the whole picture on my screen - Time zone issues - New version too bawdy - Banners across the bottom of the screen are distracting - Holiday extras and banner for sharing are unnecessary - New layout terrible - Lost all past information - All holidays have gone - Revamp is terrible - Cannot edit a countdown anymore - Latest update ruined the app - Updating loses all photos - New update is awful - Full page countdown and swiping gone - New screen with multiple icons is awful - All countdowns set with photos gone - Years of countdowns now boring - Not great since update - No pictures included in app - Unable to upload own photos - Cannot scroll through dates as used to - New format is confusing - Do not like new format and view - Editing not easy - Old layout was far better - New app is awful - New view is rubbish - Older version was much more beneficial - Screen full of dates - App has now made the app so much more complicated - Look is a lot worse - Separated the events that have happened and what hasn’t yet - Taken away all of the photos for your events - Made it so you have to tap on the different events instead of just having them immediately on your screen to swipe through - All my photos from events have been wiped - Images for past events cannot be edited back in - All my photos have been taken off - Have to update them all over again - Cannot see the whole picture on my screen - Time zone issues - New version of countdown is too bawdy - Banners across the bottom of the screen are distracting - Holiday extras and banner for sharing is unnecessary - New layout terrible - Lost all past information - All my holidays have gone - Revamp is terrible - Cannot edit a countdown anymore - Latest update ruined the app - Updating loses all photos - New update is awful - Full page countdown and swiping gone - New screen with multiple icons is awful - All my countdowns set with photos gone - Years of countdowns now boring - Not great since update - No pictures included in app - Unable to upload my own - Cannot scroll through the dates as used to - New format quite confusing - Do not like your new format and view - Editing not easy - Old layout was far better - New app is awful - New view is rubbish - Older version was much more beneficial - Screen full of dates - App has now made the app so much more complicated - Look is a lot worse - Separated the events that have happened and what hasn’t yet - Taken away all of the photos for your events - Made it so you have to tap on the different events instead of just having them immediately on your screen to swipe through - All my photos from events have been wiped - Images for past events cannot be edited back in - All my photos have been taken off - Have to update them all over again - App won't allow display on front screen - Logo for 'holiday extras' obstructs photo when sharing **Most requested features** - Automatically add holidays (Christmas, Halloween, New Year's Eve/Day) - Widgets update time remaining without opening app - Add a checklist for holidays - Option to revert to old layout - Sync across devices - More notification options - Ability to keep past events with photos - Dark mode - Improved time zone handling ## Recent user reviews (10 of 122) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-by-holiday-extras/id915429488/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Rubbish…. *2026-08-25, version 5.0.0* Doesn’t work after update. ### 5/5 — Great *2026-07-24, version 4.7.8* Great ### 4/5 — Miami *2026-07-18, version 4.7.7* Fabulous ### 1/5 — Wrong calculation *2026-06-25, version 4.7.5* Add an event for Saturday 8am , it is currently Thursday 3am, the countdown states it starts in 5 hours ? What happened to the missing 2 days ? ### 5/5 — Gracie *2026-06-11, version 4.7.5* Very good app reminds me of my holidays every single day!! ### 5/5 — Trip *2026-06-02, version 4.7.5* Holiday ### 1/5 — Silly app *2026-05-25, version 4.7.5* -1 star review If I could. Ask u where you are going on holiday you type it then it asks u for a date ! Like how can I give a date when all ur asking is where am going ! Stupid app deleted immediately ### 1/5 — Out of date *2026-05-24, version 4.7.5* It’s nearly the end of May 2026 and it’s still having a Christmas pop up!!! ### 5/5 — Excellent countdown app *2026-05-04, version 4.7.5* The best countdown app I’ve come across, would thoroughly recommend it. ### 4/5 — Holiday countdown *2026-04-03, version 4.7.5* Really good it’s a very good app so I can see how many days to events and other things Just one more thing I think you should automatically have Christmas, Halloween, New Year’s Eve and day Other wise really brilliant app ## Frequently asked questions about Countdown by Holiday Extras ### What does the Holiday Countdown app do? This app helps you create and track countdowns to any event, such as holidays, birthdays, or anniversaries. It aims to build excitement and keep you organized by providing visual countdowns and smart features. ### What are the key features of the Holiday Countdown app? Key features include a home screen widget for easy viewing, an AI-powered smart packing checklist, custom backgrounds, the ability to count down to any event, track multiple events simultaneously, and set up suggested or recurring countdowns. ### Is the Holiday Countdown app free to use? Yes, the app is free to use and offers an ad-free experience. There are no in-app purchases mentioned. ### What kind of events can I count down to? You can count down to virtually any event that makes you smile, including holidays like Christmas and New Year's, birthdays, anniversaries, or even personal goals and trips. ### Can I share my countdowns with others? Yes, you can instantly share your countdowns across social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, or directly with friends. This helps build shared excitement for upcoming events. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 5.0.1 — 2026-08-26 NEW: Piñata Magic now understands even more of the moments you’re looking forward to, including work anniversaries, with smoother trip editing and thoughtful refinements throughout the app. Meet the all-new Countdown app — rebuilt from the ground up to make looking forward to something feel almost as good as being there. • A completely redesigned native iPhone experience with beautiful full-screen countdowns, Liquid Glass controls and automatic light and dark appearances. • Piñata Magic, powered by Apple Intelligence on supported iPhones. Describe a countdown in your own words and get an editable event, trip, flight and reminder plan created on-device. • Start with a screenshot. Add a booking image and Piñata Magic will pull out the useful details, then show you a clean summary instead of a wall of extracted text. • Smarter holiday setup with guided dates, airport search, live flight lookup and simple outbound and return selection. Predicted, potential-match and confirmed flights are always clearly labelled. • Beautiful Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets with the full countdown, your chosen photo and the Piñata mark. • Flexible private reminders, including milestone, weekly, daily and custom schedules — plus intelligent schedule suggestions. • Social sharing made for Instagram, Facebook and Messages, with polished story, portrait and square layouts featuring your full countdown. • Better photo controls. Drag, zoom and position an image once, then perfect separate crops for the countdown and widget. • A brand-new birthday celebration: tap or shake the full-screen Piñata until it bursts into confetti and falling sweets. • Add a holiday to Holiday Extras and carry your dates and flight details with you, ready to add parking, airport hotels, lounges and more. • Your previous countdowns come with you, including past countdowns, so the moments you’ve already saved aren’t left behind. This is our biggest update ever. We can’t wait to see what you’re counting down to. ### 5.0.0 — 2026-08-25 Meet the all-new Countdown app — rebuilt from the ground up to make looking forward to something feel almost as good as being there. • A completely redesigned native iPhone experience with beautiful full-screen countdowns, Liquid Glass controls and automatic light and dark appearances. • Piñata Magic, powered by Apple Intelligence on supported iPhones. Describe a countdown in your own words and get an editable event, trip, flight and reminder plan created on-device. • Start with a screenshot. Add a booking image and Piñata Magic will pull out the useful details, then show you a clean summary instead of a wall of extracted text. • Smarter holiday setup with guided dates, airport search, live flight lookup and simple outbound and return selection. Predicted, potential-match and confirmed flights are always clearly labelled. • Beautiful Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets with the full countdown, your chosen photo and the Piñata mark. • Flexible private reminders, including milestone, weekly, daily and custom schedules — plus intelligent schedule suggestions. • Social sharing made for Instagram, Facebook and Messages, with polished story, portrait and square layouts featuring your full countdown. • Better photo controls. Drag, zoom and position an image once, then perfect separate crops for the countdown and widget. • A brand-new birthday celebration: tap or shake the full-screen Piñata until it bursts into confetti and falling sweets. • Add a holiday to Holiday Extras and carry your dates and flight details with you, ready to add parking, airport hotels, lounges and more. • Your previous countdowns come with you, including past countdowns, so the moments you’ve already saved aren’t left behind. This is our biggest update ever. We can’t wait to see what you’re counting down to. ### 4.7.8 — 2026-07-24 - Updated theme ### 4.7.7 — 2026-06-25 App improvements ### 4.7.5 — 2025-12-18 - Bug fixes and Improvements ## Apps similar to Countdown by Holiday Extras | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Countdown for Disney World](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-for-disney-world/id1532628272) | 4.6 (8,805) | Free | Travel | | [Vacation Countdown App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vacation-countdown-app/id937072424) | 4.8 (18,243) | Free | Travel | | [Holiday and Vacation Countdown](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holiday-and-vacation-countdown/id669398769) | 4.7 (21) | $3.99 | Travel | | [Cruise Countdown & Picker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruise-countdown-and-picker/id1072175149) | 4.7 (2,823) | Free | Travel | | [Holiday & Vacation Countdown](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holiday-and-vacation-countdown/id1034678674) | 3.5 (74) | Free | Travel | | [Vacation Countdown ‎](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vacation-countdown/id1638144543) | 4.8 (1,080) | Free | Travel | ## More apps by Holiday Extras - [Holiday Extras](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/holiday-extras/id783591488) All apps by Holiday Extras: https://appshunter.io/developer/783591491 ## Related topics [holiday countdown app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/holiday-countdown-app) · [holiday countdown timer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/holiday-countdown-timer) · [holiday countdowns](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/holiday-countdowns) · [holiday countdown](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/holiday-countdown) · [holiday countdown planner](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/holiday-countdown-planner) · [holiday reminder](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/holiday-reminder) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*