# Countdown vs Countdown Buddy

The clearest difference is ads: Countdown Buddy at none against Countdown's shown. Countdown's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days). 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 Buddy 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, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 186K ratings behind it against 25K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 68% of Countdown Buddy's.

Countdown ships an update every 4 days, Countdown Buddy every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | Countdown Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (186K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1403367428/reviews)** | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **186K** | 25K |
| Positive reviews | **71.9% of reviews** | 68.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Find Appiness LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1685887104) | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown

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

**Currently charting:** #37 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 Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579)

Create personalized countdown and count-up widgets for your home and lock screens. Visually track important dates like birthdays, vacations, or deadlines with custom designs, colors, and photos. Stay motivated and make waiting more exciting.

**Highlights:** Personalized countdown widgets, Count-up widgets, Home screen and lock screen support, Customizable designs, Background color options, Photo integration, Font selection

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown + | $3.59 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app overall
- 👍 Customizable widgets and designs
- 🔒 No subscription, one-time purchase
- 📈 Helpful for tracking events and milestones
- 🎨 Visually appealing interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free features, need to pay for more
- 🐛 Widgets not updating properly
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches after updates
- 📊 Lack of advanced countdown options (e.g., weeks)

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets disappearing or not working after updates
- Countdown timers not updating correctly
- Inability to add new widgets or countdowns

**Requested features**

- Add ability to display multiple countdowns at once
- Implement automatic countdown reset/repeat functionality
- Allow custom countdown units (e.g., weeks, business days)
- Improve widget handling and update reliability


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is Countdown Buddy free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown or Countdown Buddy?

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.8 out of 5 from 186K ratings, while Countdown Buddy averages 4.6 from 25K ratings.

### Do Countdown or Countdown Buddy have ads?

Countdown shows ads; Countdown Buddy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown or Countdown Buddy?

Countdown ships an update every 4 days, and Countdown Buddy every 9 days. Most recently, Countdown was updated on September 24, 2026 and Countdown Buddy 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.*