# Countdown Star — Countdowns for Every Event

> Event countdown and count-up timer with customization and sharing. (iPhone/iPad app by Joseph Merrill.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988)
- Category: Entertainment, Lifestyle
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.80/5 from 214,803 App Store ratings · 1,259 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 55 MB
- Languages: Australian English, Danish, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish and 7 more
- Released: 2012-11-20
- Data updated: 2026-08-29
- Monetization: ad-supported
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593/reviews.md

## What is Countdown Star?

Countdown Star is the best way to countdown to — and count up from — all of your favorite events.

Countdown to birthdays, holidays, an upcoming vacation, a wedding, the New Year, parties, sporting events, concerts and more.
Count up from anniversaries, the day you were born, and other special events in the past.

* How many seconds until your next birthday?
* How many months since you were born?
* How many days until you graduate from college?
* How many hours until your anniversary?
* How much time is left until your vacation starts?
* How many days until Christmas?
* How many minutes until your party begins?
* How much time is left until your baby's due date?

Countdown Star is the countdown app that lets you choose which events to add, then keeps them in sync across all of your devices.

Features:

* iCloud Sync — events and wallpapers sync automatically across all your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch devices
* Celebration Animations — choose Confetti, Fireworks, Balloons, Stars, or Lasers when your countdown reaches zero
* Repeating Events — annual events automatically advance to the next year so you never have to update them
* Home Screen Widgets — Small, Medium, and Large widgets let you glance at your countdowns without opening the app
* Apple Watch — view your events right on your wrist
* Add Your Own Events — add as many events as you like
* Custom Wallpapers — choose from 15+ built-in wallpapers or use your own photos
* Time Zone Support — set each event in any time zone with localized city names
* Sort and Search — sort by date, title, or your own custom order; events are sectioned into Countdown and Count Up groups
* Favorites and Notifications — mark events as favorites to receive a notification when their countdown reaches zero
* Interactive Slider — instantly switch between seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or years to see your countdown exactly how you want it
* Customizable Timer — choose timer position (Top, Middle, or Bottom), show or hide weeks, and toggle the leading zero
* Multiple App Icons — personalize the app icon on your Home Screen

Note: Countdown Star is available as a free version (with ads and an optional Remove Ads purchase) and as a paid ad-free version.

## Key features

- Add custom events
- Customize event visuals
- Apple Watch display
- Today Widget integration
- Set exact event times
- Adjust time units
- Share event progress

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Countdown Star?

Overall sentiment: positive

**Pros**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Customizable backgrounds
- 👍 Helpful for tracking events
- 👍 Useful for long-distance relationships
- 👍 Excellent for planning and motivation

**Cons**

- 🐛 Widget not working
- 🐛 Wallpaper feature not working
- 🐛 Countdown inaccuracies
- 🐛 Notifications not working
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 💰 Paid features required for full functionality

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Widget not displaying events
- Wallpaper not saving
- Countdown off by one day
- Notifications not working as expected
- Crashes and glitches after updates

**Most requested features**

- Add weeks option
- Allow multiple countdowns on one screen
- Provide Apple Watch complications
- Add ability to export/backup data
- Improve wallpaper customization
- Add option for annual/recurring events

## Recent user reviews (10 of 1,259)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593/reviews.md

### 5/5 — GET THIS APP!

*2026-08-23*

I love this app and it is so awesome. You should definitely get it if you haven’t already.

### 3/5 — New update August 20/26

*2026-08-20*

Just updated the app and now when you open the app it says sync error. I rebooted the phone and it says the same thing each time. iPhone 14 Pro Max.

### 5/5 — Contagem regressiva para reserva

*2026-08-15*

Excelente

### 1/5 — 客

*2026-08-15*

レビューを書くよう要求するのが多すぎます

### 5/5 — 神対応！！現状維持望む！

*2026-08-14*

先ず迅速な対応を毎回して頂ける事にもありがたい

前までカレンダーの時間表示が眩しい事や！
画像が大き過ぎて見にくかった問題点もスリガラス等で対応して頂けました

また画像の追加とかが重かったり同期の表示が気になってた点も改善してくれて、、

正直なところ現状維持で良いと思える程に素晴らしい👍🏻て思っています！！

いつも重宝させて貰っててこのアプリが長く続く事が今の要望

**Developer response:** こんにちは。貴重なご意見をありがとうございます。そして使いづらくしてしまい申し訳ありません。最新のアップデート（3.0.2、配信中）で、時間表示を小さくし、パネルを透明にして 背景の壁紙がしっかり見えるように改善しました。さらに「設定 → タイマーの設定 → タイマーの背景」から表示スタイルを選べるようになっています（「ガラス」が以前のような透明な見 た目で、不透明度の調整も可能です）。よろしければ一度お試しいただけると嬉しいです。今後ともよろしくお願いいたします。Joe

### 5/5 — Addictive

*2026-08-13*

I just wanted a simple countdown app to keep track of one thing.  One thing.  This app is so easy to use I’ve been setting countdowns for everything!!!  Get it.

### 1/5 — Downhill

*2026-08-12, version 3.0.5*

I’ve had this app for a while but lately I get a sync error and now when I try to add a new event the app freezes up. It’s the app I know because my phone is normal otherwise. What happened?! Can we fix it? Is the dev even listening anymore??

### 1/5 — Deleted all my countdowns

*2026-08-10, version 3.0.5*

I had a series of sentimental counters that I had been saving for years. I used to love this app but they recently deleted all my countdowns without consulting me or notifying me or informing me there would be a disruptive update. 
It was actually deeply upsetting and I’m pretty upset about it.

### 2/5 — Had to delete

*2026-08-10, version 3.0.5*

Had the app for years but in the last two months it has complete deleted all of my dates twice.

### 2/5 — All countdowns lost

*2026-08-09*

Used to love this app! Would use it to countdown to every major event and look back on ones that had passed. Open the app now and all my countdowns are wiped and someone else’s are in there! Instead of counting down to my wedding in October it’s counting down to ‘my birthday’ in September (I’m born in June). So disappointing to lose all past milestones too!

## Frequently asked questions about Countdown Star

### What does Countdown Star do?

Countdown Star helps you track the time remaining until your favorite events or count up from past significant dates. You can set timers for birthdays, holidays, vacations, anniversaries, and more, seeing the exact time left in seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or years.

### What are the key features of Countdown Star?

Key features include the ability to add and customize your own events with personal wallpapers or photos, display timers on Apple Watch and in the Today Widget, set precise event times, adjust time units with a slider, and share event progress with friends.

### Is Countdown Star free to use?

The application is free to use and includes advertisements. A paid version is available which removes these advertisements.

### What devices is Countdown Star compatible with?

The app is designed for mobile devices and also offers integration with Apple Watch and the Today Widget for quick access to your event timers.

### What are common use cases for Countdown Star?

Common use cases include counting down to major holidays like Christmas, tracking the days until a vacation or graduation, monitoring anniversaries, or counting up from the birth of a child. It's useful for any event you want to keep track of.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.0.8 — 2026-08-19

This update is about knowing whether your events have really made it to iCloud.

* The sync status is now more accurate. It only says "Synced with iCloud" once your events have actually reached it
* Editing while offline shows "Saved on this device" — your change is safe, and it uploads as soon as you're back online
* If Countdown Star is switched off in your iCloud settings, the app now says so and explains how to turn it back on. Your events are still in iCloud and come back when it can sync again
* No more "Sync error" when you simply aren't signed in to iCloud
* Your Apple Watch no longer shows out-of-date events after changes sync from another device
* Choosing a photo that isn't downloaded to your device now tells you, instead of quietly doing nothing

If your events look missing, open Settings › Apple Account › iCloud and check that Countdown Star is turned on.

Thank you for using Countdown Star!

### 3.0.7 — 2026-08-13

This update is about keeping your events safe — and getting them back if they went missing.

* Fixed the cause of events disappearing after an update. When the app has trouble opening your library, it now tries every safe option instead of setting your data aside
* New: Recover My Events, in Settings, brings your events and photos back from a saved copy on your device
* If a saved copy is found, the app now offers to restore it when you open the app
* Restoring adds your events back alongside anything you've created since, and never deletes the saved copy

If your events went missing in an earlier version, try Recover My Events first — in most cases they're still on your device.

Thank you for using Countdown Star!

### 3.0.5 — 2026-07-29

Thanks for your feedback — this update is all about stability. We tracked down the most common crashes and fixed them, so Countdown Star stays smooth and reliable:

* Fixed the most frequent crash — some countdowns could close unexpectedly right after your events synced from iCloud
* Fixed a rare crash that could stop the app from opening on some devices
* More reliability improvements and polish under the hood

Thank you for using Countdown Star!

### 3.0.4 — 2026-07-16

Thanks for your feedback — this update makes iCloud sync easier to follow and lets you choose where the app opens:

* Sync status at a glance — a new banner shows when your events and wallpapers are syncing with iCloud, so a new device or fresh install no longer looks empty while your data is still on its way
* Home Event — pick the countdown the app opens to (Settings → Event Options → Home Event); if you're upgrading, your previous favourite comes back automatically
* Tidier event options — Favourite and Home Event are quick toggles in the event menu, and you can now favourite an event while adding or editing it
* Smoother and more reliable — faster wallpaper loading, no blank backgrounds while photos sync, crisper widget thumbnails, and general polish

Thank you for using Countdown Star!

### 3.0.3 — 2026-07-01

Thanks for all your feedback — this update brings back the classic timer look:

* Classic timer by default — lighter, thinner numbers and a clean, compact panel, with more of your wallpaper showing through again
* Your timer, your way — choose Light or Regular digits and a Glass, Frosted, or Solid background (Settings → Timer Options)
* More reliable — fixes for crashes on launch, widget improvements, and better support for older iOS versions

Thank you for using Countdown Star!

## Apps similar to Countdown Star

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Countdown Star (Ad-Free)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star-ad-free/id569371565) | 4.7 (3,659) | $1.99 | Entertainment |
| [Christmas Countdown!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-countdown/id295350675) | 4.8 (70,705) | Free | Entertainment |
| [Christmas Countdown! 2026](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-countdown-2026/id1439014968) | 4.7 (6,165) | Free | Entertainment |
| [Christmas Countdown (2026)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-countdown-2026/id1175449517) | 4.8 (3,486) | Free | Entertainment |
| [Christmas Countdown Live 2026](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-countdown-live-2026/id1541858661) | 4.8 (2,267) | Free | Entertainment |
| [Wedding Countdown Widget](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wedding-countdown-widget/id6443833581) | 4.8 (1,489) | Free | Entertainment |

## More apps by Joseph Merrill

- [Countdown Star (Ad-Free)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star-ad-free/id569371565)
- [Number Mash: Math Puzzle Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/number-mash-math-puzzle-game/id1130712591)

All apps by Joseph Merrill: https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988

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*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 2026-08-29.*