# Christmas Countdown (2026) vs Smartlights countdown

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Christmas Countdown (2026) at 98% against Smartlights countdown's 25%. Christmas Countdown (2026) also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.5) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). Smartlights countdown's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Christmas Countdown (2026) sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Smartlights countdown asks for nothing beyond the download.

Christmas Countdown (2026) holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Christmas Countdown (2026) has 3.5K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of Christmas Countdown (2026)'s written reviews are positive against 25% of Smartlights countdown's.

Christmas Countdown (2026) ships an update every 6 days, Smartlights countdown every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Christmas Countdown (2026) | Smartlights countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-countdown-2026/id1175449517/reviews)** | [2.5 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartlights-countdown/id1248150372/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **97.5% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 27 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jupli](https://appshunter.io/developer/988757514) | [Gemmy Industries Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/889851671) |

## What reviewers say

### Christmas Countdown (2026)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/christmas-countdown-2026/id1175449517)

Track the days until Christmas with a festive snowy countdown. Personalize your experience with various backgrounds and classic holiday music. Unlock daily advent calendar gifts and enjoy an ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Snowy countdown screen, Selection of Christmas backgrounds, Classic Christmas music, Daily advent calendar gifts, Ad-free experience, Premium upgrade for widget and more content

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (2024) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium (2025) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium (2026) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Premium (Lifetime) | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐️ Excellent Christmas countdown app
- 🎄 Fun and interactive advent calendar
- 🎅 Customizable countdown and backgrounds
- 🎶 Enjoyable Christmas music
- 🎁 Daily gifts and activities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Occasional inaccuracies in countdown timer
- 💰 Some premium features locked behind paywall
- 🔋 Can be a battery drain on devices
- 🎨 Limited free background and music options

**Reported bugs**

- Countdown timer sometimes off by a day
- Music playback issues for some users
- Occasional app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- More free background and music options
- Ability to use own photos for backgrounds
- Additional mini-games and activities
- Countdown for other holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc.)
- Improved widget functionality


### Smartlights countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartlights-countdown/id1248150372)

Control Christmas projectors with Bluetooth, set custom countdown dates and titles, and read time. Get technical support directly from the developer.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth connectivity, Projector password function, Read time in phone, Calculate Christmas distance, Set custom countdown dates, Type custom titles for countdowns

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Christmas Countdown (2026) free?

Christmas Countdown (2026) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Smartlights countdown free?

Smartlights countdown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Christmas Countdown (2026) or Smartlights countdown?

Christmas Countdown (2026) is rated higher. Christmas Countdown (2026) averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Smartlights countdown averages 2.5 from 20 ratings.

### Do Christmas Countdown (2026) or Smartlights countdown have ads?

Neither Christmas Countdown (2026) nor Smartlights countdown shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Christmas Countdown (2026) or Smartlights countdown?

Christmas Countdown (2026) ships an update every 6 days, and Smartlights countdown every 2 months. Most recently, Christmas Countdown (2026) was updated on September 24, 2026 and Smartlights countdown on June 5, 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.*