# Time Ago vs Countdown

The clearest difference is ads: Time Ago at none against Countdown's shown. Time Ago also leads on iOS requirement (10.0 vs 17.0). Countdown's advantage is ratings volume (189K vs 230) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Time Ago sells 3 one-off in-app purchases 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 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 189K ratings behind it against 230, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 77% of Time Ago's written reviews are positive against 72% of Countdown's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Time Ago ships an update every 4 days, Countdown every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Time Ago | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (230 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-ago/id1374753658/reviews) | **[4.8 (189K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1403367428/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 230 | **189K** |
| Positive reviews | **77.3% of reviews** | 72.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#78** |
| Size | 16 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Centrip Studios](https://appshunter.io/developer/1008501107) | [Find Appiness LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1685887104) |

## What reviewers say

### Time Ago

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-ago/id1374753658)

Easily track past and future events with customizable time units and visual differentiation. Syncs across devices and offers optional notifications and dark mode for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Track past and future events, Switch time units (years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds), Edit and rearrange events, Differentiate events with up to 20 colors, iCloud sync across devices, Set event notifications, Dark mode option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Advanced Package Upgrade | $0.99 | one-time |
| Basic Package Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Package Upgrade | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and useful
- 👍 Great for tracking dates
- 👍 Good at counting days
- 👍 Stores records on multiple devices
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Cannot delete events
- 🐛 Freezing issues
- 🐛 Difficulty opening/editing events
- 🐛 HUD too large
- 🐛 Zoom not adjusted for newer phones

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot delete events
- App keeps losing dates
- App is constantly freezing
- HUD is slightly too large
- Zoom needs adjustment for newer phone displays

**Requested features**

- Widget for Lock Screen
- Categories/folders for organization
- Longer text for event description
- Facility to insert location of event
- More space for entries


### Countdown

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

**Currently charting:** #78 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 Time Ago free?

Time Ago 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, Time Ago or Countdown?

Countdown is rated higher. Time Ago averages 4.6 out of 5 from 230 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.8 from 189K ratings.

### Do Time Ago or Countdown have ads?

Countdown shows ads; Time Ago does not.

### Which is updated more often, Time Ago or Countdown?

Time Ago ships an update every 4 days, and Countdown every 3 days. Most recently, Time Ago was updated on October 8, 2026 and Countdown on October 17, 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.*