# Countdown Timer vs Countdown Buddy

The clearest difference is monetization model: Countdown Buddy at free with in-app purchases against Countdown Timer's subscription. Countdown Buddy also leads on ratings volume (25K vs 371). Countdown Timer's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 68%) and device support (5 vs 2). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Timer sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 371, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Countdown Timer's written reviews are positive against 68% of Countdown Buddy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown Timer ships an update every 3 weeks, Countdown Buddy every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Timer | Countdown Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (371 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-timer-count-to-days/id1069060573/reviews) | **[4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 371 | **25K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.9% of reviews** | 67.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 38 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AlgoTwist Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/543053355) | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-timer-count-to-days/id1069060573)

Track and manage upcoming events with a customizable countdown timer. Organize occasions by category, add personal photos, and stay updated with a home screen widget. Share your excitement with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Unlimited event categories, Customizable photos, Home screen widget, Event reminders, Countdown in various units, Shareable countdowns, iCloud sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Month Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Countdown Full Access | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Access | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Access + Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Access + Huge Tip | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for remembering events
- 👍 Useful tool
- 👍 Good design
- 👍 Works on Apple Watch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App doesn't work
- 🐛 Too many bugs
- 🐛 Link to share won't work
- 🐛 Requires payment for more than one countdown
- 🐛 Pictures turn sideways

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work
- Too many bugs
- Link to share won't work
- Pictures turn sideways
- Widget broken

**Requested features**

- Option to choose years, weeks, days, and hours for countdowns
- Event can have multiple pictures like a slideshow
- Ability to set repeat dates for 2 or 3 weeks


### Countdown Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579)

Create personalized countdown and count-up widgets for your home and lock screens. Visually track important dates like birthdays, vacations, or deadlines with custom designs, colors, and photos. Stay motivated and make waiting more exciting.

**Highlights:** Personalized countdown widgets, Count-up widgets, Home screen and lock screen support, Customizable designs, Background color options, Photo integration, Font selection

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown + | $3.59 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app overall
- 👍 Customizable widgets and designs
- 🔒 No subscription, one-time purchase
- 📈 Helpful for tracking events and milestones
- 🎨 Visually appealing interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free features, need to pay for more
- 🐛 Widgets not updating properly
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches after updates
- 📊 Lack of advanced countdown options (e.g., weeks)

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets disappearing or not working after updates
- Countdown timers not updating correctly
- Inability to add new widgets or countdowns

**Requested features**

- Add ability to display multiple countdowns at once
- Implement automatic countdown reset/repeat functionality
- Allow custom countdown units (e.g., weeks, business days)
- Improve widget handling and update reliability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Timer free?

Countdown Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Countdown Buddy free?

Countdown Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Countdown Timer or Countdown Buddy?

Countdown Buddy is rated higher. Countdown Timer averages 4.4 out of 5 from 371 ratings, while Countdown Buddy averages 4.6 from 25K ratings.

### Do Countdown Timer or Countdown Buddy have ads?

Neither Countdown Timer nor Countdown Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown Timer or Countdown Buddy?

Countdown Timer ships an update every 3 weeks, and Countdown Buddy every 9 days. Most recently, Countdown Timer was updated on September 8, 2026 and Countdown Buddy on October 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*