Comparison

Countdown Game & Solver vs Play Countdown

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Countdown Game & Solver

Experience the "Numbers" round of a popular TV game show as a tile-based puzzle game. Solve arithmetic challenges by combining numbered tiles to reach a target number. Includes a powerful solver to find all possible solutions and share your progress with friends.

Highlights
  • Numbers game show rounds
  • Tile-based arithmetic puzzle
  • Universal solution solver
  • Millions of starting configurations
  • Share accomplishments via Messages
  • Runs on iPhone and iPad
Features
Read full description

Countdown is a game show on British television (French original: Des chiffres et des lettres). This app reworks the “Numbers” portion of the game show as a Scrabble®-like tile game for your iPhone or iPad. It includes a Universal Solver that finds all possible solutions to any Numbers puzzle you care to throw at it. Feature List: • The “Numbers” rounds of the Countdown game show, reworked as a Scrabble®-like tile game. • More than 11 million unique starting configurations at your disposal. (The precise figure is 11 918 700.) • Play the game by dragging numbered tiles onto the game board and progressively building up arithmetic expressions to a final result that matches the target number (or comes within ten of it). • Includes a Universal Solver that finds, within a few seconds, all possible solutions for a given initial configuration. Furthermore, if no solution is found, you can be sure that no solution exists. • In generating the list of solutions, the Universal Solver recognizes new solutions that are near-duplicates of pre-existing solutions — e.g., with minor variations in the order of the arithmetic expressions — and culls such new solutions in order to the keep the list of solutions manageable. • Fully integrated with Apple’s Messages app, so you can share your accomplishments with your friends and issue challenges to them. • A single universal app which runs on all your iOS devices: iPhone, iPad, and/or iPod touch.

About

Play Countdown

Engage in a daily mental math challenge with a numbers puzzle. Use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to reach a target number using six given numbers. It's a fun way to improve arithmetic skills and keep your mind sharp.

Highlights
  • Daily math puzzles
  • Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
  • Whole number results only
  • Relax Mode (no timer)
  • Progress tracking and trophies
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Give your mental math a workout. Six numbers. One target. With a fresh puzzle every day, and unlimited practice whenever you want more. Play Countdown turns arithmetic practice into a satisfying numbers game. Combine six numbers using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to reach the target exactly. Each number can be used once, and division must produce a whole number. The rules are simple. Finding the right combination is the challenge. And close counts too. Every daily scores points: 10 for hitting the target, then 7, 5, 3 or 1 the closer you get. Solve it in the fewest possible moves for a bonus point. Stuck? Bank your closest number to lock in your points, then see how everyone did on today's puzzle. Can you score a perfect week of 70? Make it a small daily habit: a puzzle over coffee, a challenge during your commute, or a few minutes of focused play whenever you want a break. Watch the timer or switch to Relax Mode and take your time. Every puzzle gives you a reason to practise mental arithmetic. Try different combinations, put your multiplication tables to work, and look for a clever route to the answer. Whether you're brushing up on everyday maths or enjoy solving number puzzles, there's a new target waiting each day. And when one a day isn't enough, Countdown Extended gives you unlimited Challenges, so you can keep practising for as long as you like. Your daily game includes: - A fresh puzzle every day, the same for everyone - Points for every daily, plus a bonus for the fewest moves - Bank your closest number when you're stuck - The shortest way to the target after a miss - How everyone did: the spread of scores, where you stand and the median solve time - A weekly scorecard, points milestones and lifetime badges - A quick interactive tutorial to get you started - Clear, step-by-step calculations as you play - Relax Mode to hide the timer - Daily streaks and 24 trophies to collect - Recent game history with your moves and solve times - Optional reminders at the time you choose - Share your score without revealing the numbers - Satisfying buttons, confetti celebrations, and light and dark modes Play your daily puzzle for free, with access to the last seven days. Want more practice? Unlock Countdown Extended with a one-time purchase: - Unlimited Challenges: a fresh puzzle whenever you want, as many as you like - 31 days of daily puzzles instead of the last seven - Resume unfinished games and pick up where you left off - Full stats: your solve times, fastest games and how you're improving - All future updates included Pay once. Play forever. No subscription. No ads, no account, no tracking. The daily puzzles are built in, so you can play offline. Sharing your results for "How everyone did" is optional and can be turned off in Settings. Six numbers. One target. Can you solve the puzzle?

Screenshots

Countdown Game & Solver4 screens
Play Countdown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Countdown Game & Solver at none against Play Countdown's 1. Countdown Game & Solver also leads on ratings volume (40 vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). Play Countdown's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Play Countdown sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Countdown Game & Solver asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Play Countdown holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Game & Solver has 40 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Countdown Game & Solver ships an update every 3 weeks, Play Countdown fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Countdown Game & Solver versus Play Countdown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCountdown Game & SolverPlay Countdown
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (40 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings40 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB11 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLawrence AnthonyJoachim Dorel

Customer experience

Countdown Game & Solver

All ratings40 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral2.5%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative9.5%

Play Countdown

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Countdown Game & Solver

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Play Countdown

One-time1
  • Countdown Extended$1.99

Questions

Is Countdown Game & Solver free?
Countdown Game & Solver is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Play Countdown free?
Play Countdown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Countdown Game & Solver or Play Countdown?
Play Countdown is rated higher. Countdown Game & Solver averages 4.7 out of 5 from 40 ratings, while Play Countdown averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Countdown Game & Solver or Play Countdown have ads?
Countdown Game & Solver shows ads; Play Countdown does not.
Which is updated more often, Countdown Game & Solver or Play Countdown?
Countdown Game & Solver ships an update every 3 weeks, and Play Countdown fortnightly. Most recently, Countdown Game & Solver was updated on October 15, 2026 and Play Countdown on October 17, 2026.

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