# Looking FWD vs Countdown

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown at 4.8 against Looking FWD's 4.0. Countdown also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (189K vs 32). Looking FWD's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Looking FWD sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.29 per 7 days and Countdown sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 189K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Looking FWD's written reviews are positive against 72% of Countdown's.

Looking FWD ships an update every 10 days, Countdown every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Looking FWD | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/looking-fwd-event-countdown/id1232672943/reviews) | **[4.8 (189K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1403367428/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32 | **189K** |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | **71.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#43** |
| Size | 244 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John Mackay](https://appshunter.io/developer/993038359) | [Find Appiness LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1685887104) |

## What reviewers say

### Looking FWD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/looking-fwd-event-countdown/id1232672943)

Track upcoming events with a customizable countdown. Add photos, emojis, and checklists to your events. View upcoming events on your home screen with widgets. Syncs securely across devices via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Customizable event countdowns, Event reminders, Home screen widgets, Photo and emoji customization, Checklists for events, iCloud sync across devices

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Looking FWD | $0.29 | per 7 days |
| Unlock Looking FWD | $0.79 | per month |
| Unlock Looking FWD | $7.99 | per year |
| Unlock Looking FWD | $9.99 | one-time |


### Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1403367428)

**Currently charting:** #43 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Easily track important dates and events with a customizable countdown timer. Set reminders, organize events with tags, and view upcoming dates on your home screen or Apple Watch. Syncs across devices and offers various counting options.

**Highlights:** Customizable countdown timer, Event reminders, Home screen widgets, Apple Watch support, Event sharing, iCloud sync, Repeatable countdowns

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Start 7-Day Free Trial | Free | one-time |
| Countdown Widget Offer | $3.99 | one-time |
| Countdown Widget | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Customizable colors and emojis
- ⏰ Accurate countdown tracking
- 🔔 Helpful reminders and notifications
- 💰 One-time payment for premium features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Paid widget feature
- 🔍 Lack of instructions/guidance
- 🔀 Inconsistent countdown display on widget
- 📅 Limited repeat options for events
- 🖼️ No option to use custom photos

**Reported bugs**

- Widget not updating automatically
- Countdown display issues after iOS 14 update
- Inability to delete archived events

**Requested features**

- Add ability to count up from past events
- Provide more date/time format options
- Implement calendar view for all events
- Allow custom backgrounds for widgets
- Add support for weekly/monthly repeating events


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Looking FWD free?

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

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Looking FWD or Countdown?

Countdown is rated higher. Looking FWD averages 4.0 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.8 from 189K ratings.

### Do Looking FWD or Countdown have ads?

Countdown shows ads; Looking FWD does not.

### Which is updated more often, Looking FWD or Countdown?

Looking FWD ships an update every 10 days, and Countdown every 2 days. Most recently, Looking FWD was updated on October 17, 2026 and Countdown on October 20, 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.*