# SimpleCal vs Birthday Countdown

The clearest difference is ratings volume: SimpleCal at 18K against Birthday Countdown's 28. Birthday Countdown's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SimpleCal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Birthday Countdown sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Birthday Countdown holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SimpleCal has 18K ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of SimpleCal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Birthday Countdown's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SimpleCal | Birthday Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplecal-simple-calendar/id1227579630/reviews) | **[5.0 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birthday-countdown-mindfull/id6747055174/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 23 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [LandLake LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1865321426) | [Matthew Tesimale](https://appshunter.io/developer/1815824616) |

## What reviewers say

### SimpleCal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simplecal-simple-calendar/id1227579630)

This calendar app offers a streamlined way to manage your schedule with features like event syncing, customizable interfaces, and helpful reminders. It provides a clear overview of your day and integrates with popular calendar services for easy data backup and access across devices.

**Highlights:** Syncs with iCloud and Google Calendar, Customizable interface with color themes, Event reminders with repeat options, Widget for quick event overview, Weather forecast integration, Dark mode support, Data backup to external servers

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ads removal | $0.99 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 😍 Awesome!!
- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Well-organized
- 🎨 Helpful color-coding
- ⏰ Useful reminders

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Deleted events/data loss
- 🔒 Requires full access to Apple Calendar
- 🗓️ Can't edit read-only events
- 🎨 Limited color options
- 🗓️ Can't add events on days with existing events

**Reported bugs**

- Calendar stuck on one date
- Home screen widget not working
- Issues with setting recurring events

**Requested features**

- Add more color options
- Ability to gray out past days
- Custom reminder times
- Separate work and personal calendars
- Printable calendar view


### Birthday Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birthday-countdown-mindfull/id6747055174)

Never forget important dates again with this elegant reminder and tracker app. It helps you remember birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions, and even assists with gift planning. Keep your relationships strong with timely alerts and organized notes.

**Highlights:** Birthday & Anniversary Reminders, Special Date Tracking, Gift Idea Planner, Contact Management, Data Sync Across Devices, Customizable Reminders

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SimpleCal free?

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

### Is Birthday Countdown free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SimpleCal or Birthday Countdown?

Birthday Countdown is rated higher. SimpleCal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Birthday Countdown averages 5.0 from 28 ratings.

### Do SimpleCal or Birthday Countdown have ads?

Both SimpleCal and Birthday Countdown show ads.

### Which is updated more often, SimpleCal or Birthday Countdown?

SimpleCal ships an update fortnightly, and Birthday Countdown fortnightly. Most recently, SimpleCal was updated on November 6, 2026 and Birthday Countdown on November 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.*