# Countdown vs Countdown Widget & Counter

The clearest difference is ads: Countdown Widget & Counter at none against Countdown's shown. Countdown's advantage is ratings volume (186K vs 2.4K) and update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Countdown Widget & Counter sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. 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 186K ratings behind it against 2.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 76% of Countdown Widget & Counter's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown ships an update every 4 days, Countdown Widget & Counter fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | Countdown Widget & Counter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (186K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1403367428/reviews)** | [4.6 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-widget-and-counter/id1533996161/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **186K** | 2.4K |
| Positive reviews | 71.9% of reviews | **75.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#32** | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 159 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Find Appiness LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1685887104) | [The Good App Company, Limited Liability Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1086171798) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown

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

**Currently charting:** #32 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


### Countdown Widget & Counter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-widget-and-counter/id1533996161)

Create customizable widgets to track upcoming events directly on your home screen. Visualize your countdowns with beautiful designs, icons, and color gradients. Receive real-time notifications for important dates.

**Highlights:** Live countdown widgets, Customizable widget templates, Event editor with live preview, Color gradients, Over 50 icons, Real-time push notifications

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Widget Studio PRO | $1.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Widget Studio PRO | $4.99 | per year |
| Widget Studio PRO | $5.99 | per year |
| Widget Studio PRO | $7.99 | per year |
| Widget Studio PRO | $8.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $12.99 | per year |
| Widget Studio PRO | $12.99 | per year |
| Widget Studio Pro Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |
| Widget Studio Pro Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 👍 Fantastic for glancing at events
- 👍 Cool app
- 👍 Nice widgets
- 👍 Good countdown app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Extremely buggy
- 🔕 NOT IMPRESSED (no sound)
- 💰 Expensive price
- 💰 Money
- 💰 Only 2 for free

**Reported bugs**

- Time calculation isn't correct
- Widget and in-app display show different days remaining
- Widget goes blank after phone restart
- Countdowns freeze or count up unexpectedly
- Paid version still shows ads

**Requested features**

- Better integration with calendar and reminder API
- Ability to rearrange events in the countdown list
- Option to default 'What's Next' to user's choice
- Larger photo frame in widget
- Ability to group events into categories


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is Countdown Widget & Counter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown or Countdown Widget & Counter?

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.8 out of 5 from 186K ratings, while Countdown Widget & Counter averages 4.6 from 2.4K ratings.

### Do Countdown or Countdown Widget & Counter have ads?

Countdown shows ads; Countdown Widget & Counter does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown or Countdown Widget & Counter?

Countdown ships an update every 4 days, and Countdown Widget & Counter fortnightly. Most recently, Countdown was updated on September 24, 2026 and Countdown Widget & Counter on September 24, 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.*