# Shortcuts (Quick Open) vs Countdown Widget

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Countdown Widget at 100% against Shortcuts (Quick Open)'s 16%. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shortcuts (Quick Open) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Countdown Widget sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Shortcuts (Quick Open) ships an update every 4 months, Countdown Widget every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shortcuts (Quick Open) | Countdown Widget |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortcuts-quick-open/id1071033222/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 15.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 34 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Fang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1037394382) | [技 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1369730815) |

## What reviewers say

### Shortcuts (Quick Open)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shortcuts-quick-open/id1071033222)

Access your most used applications instantly from various convenient locations. Launch apps directly from your lock screen, a dedicated widget, or through a long-press on their icons. Supports a wide range of system and third-party applications for rapid access.

**Highlights:** Launch apps from lock screen, Today View widget shortcuts, Haptic touch app icon shortcuts, System app shortcuts, Third-party app shortcuts, Quick call to contacts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Works great
- 💡 Useful app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🔒 Requires payment for basic features
- 👎 Confusing and not intuitive
- 💸 Waste of money
- 🤔 Doesn't work as expected

**Reported bugs**

- Incompatible with latest iOS version
- Google Maps shortcut keeps crashing
- Can't add shortcuts to home screen

**Requested features**

- Add ability to create custom app shortcuts
- Improve instructions and tutorials
- Integrate with more third-party apps
- Allow adding widgets to home screen


### Countdown Widget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-widget-great/id1560759237)

Organize and beautify your mobile desktop with customizable widgets. Choose from various templates, fonts, colors, and backgrounds to create a unique and functional home screen experience.

**Highlights:** Customizable widgets, To-do lists, Step counter, Digital clock, Calendar integration, Countdown timers, Personalized backgrounds and fonts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock all functions | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shortcuts (Quick Open) free?

Shortcuts (Quick Open) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Countdown Widget free?

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

### Do Shortcuts (Quick Open) or Countdown Widget have ads?

Neither Shortcuts (Quick Open) nor Countdown Widget shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shortcuts (Quick Open) or Countdown Widget?

Shortcuts (Quick Open) ships an update every 4 months, and Countdown Widget every 5 months. Most recently, Shortcuts (Quick Open) was updated on October 11, 2026 and Countdown Widget on September 29, 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.*