# Countdowns ※ vs Countdown Buddy

The clearest difference is update cadence: Countdown Buddy at every 9 days against Countdowns ※'s every 27 months. Countdown Buddy also leads on ratings volume (25K vs 23). Countdowns ※'s advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (83% vs 68%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdowns ※ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Countdowns ※ against 4.6 for Countdown Buddy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Countdowns ※'s written reviews are positive against 68% of Countdown Buddy's.

Countdowns ※ ships an update every 27 months, Countdown Buddy every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdowns ※ | Countdown Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdowns/id1086514260/reviews) | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **25K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 67.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 27 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 20 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [iReka Soft](https://appshunter.io/developer/430308890) | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdowns ※

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdowns/id1086514260)

Create stylish countdowns to important events like vacations, birthdays, or concerts. Customize units from years to seconds and use your own photos as backgrounds. Receive notifications and share your countdowns easily.

**Highlights:** Customizable countdown units (years to seconds), Personalized photo backgrounds, Event notifications, Screenshot sharing, Multiple sharing platforms

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extras Awesomeness | $1.99 | one-time |


### 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 Countdowns ※ free?

Countdowns ※ 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, Countdowns ※ or Countdown Buddy?

Countdowns ※ and Countdown Buddy are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 23 and 25K ratings respectively.

### Do Countdowns ※ or Countdown Buddy have ads?

Neither Countdowns ※ nor Countdown Buddy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Countdowns ※ or Countdown Buddy?

Countdowns ※ ships an update every 27 months, and Countdown Buddy every 9 days. Most recently, Countdowns ※ was updated on September 12, 2026 and Countdown Buddy on September 25, 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.*