# Looking FWD vs Countdown@

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown@ at 4.7 against Looking FWD's 4.0. Countdown@ also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (40K vs 32). Looking FWD's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (63% vs 37%). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown@ holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown@ has 40K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Looking FWD's written reviews are positive against 37% of Countdown@'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Looking FWD ships an update every 10 days, Countdown@ every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 22, 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) | **[4.7 (40K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1456997268/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32 | **40K** |
| Positive reviews | **62.5% of reviews** | 37.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 244 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [John Mackay](https://appshunter.io/developer/993038359) | [Wuhan Linggu Dingdang Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/612318541) |

## 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/id1456997268)

Easily track important life events with stylish countdown timers. Create custom events like vacations, birthdays, and holidays. View upcoming events with a convenient widget and even count up from past milestones.

**Highlights:** Create custom event countdowns, Count up from past events, Event timeline with diary and notes, Widget for important events, Stylish event tracking

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown Premium | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Customizable countdown
- 👍 Aesthetically pleasing
- 🎨 Ability to select background and music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔔 Countdown only triggers a notification, not an alarm
- 🔒 Widget functionality locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Inconsistent widget behavior
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 💰 Paywall for basic features

**Reported bugs**

- Countdown not updating correctly
- Widget not displaying as customized
- Inability to delete past events

**Requested features**

- Ability to set countdown as alarm
- Sync countdowns across devices
- More customization options for widget
- Allow multiple countdowns in widget


## 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 4.7 from 40K 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 5 days. Most recently, Looking FWD was updated on October 17, 2026 and Countdown@ on October 22, 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.*