# IPA Phonetic Keyboard vs Countdown Counter

The clearest difference is update cadence: Countdown Counter at every 4 days against IPA Phonetic Keyboard's every 4 months. IPA Phonetic Keyboard's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IPA Phonetic Keyboard sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Countdown Counter sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, Countdown Counter every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | IPA Phonetic Keyboard | Countdown Counter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **172** | — |
| Positive reviews | 92.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 2 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vincent Cai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1453621798) | [Maxim Rustamov](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785886150) |

## What reviewers say

### IPA Phonetic Keyboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ipa-phonetic-keyboard/id1440241497)

This free keyboard provides easy access to all IPA and extended IPA symbols. Its intuitive layout mirrors the IPA chart, making symbol input fluid and efficient for linguists, language learners, and enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Full IPA chart (2020) symbols, ExtIPA chart (2016) symbols, Organized symbol sections, Intuitive symbol layout, Convenient input for common characters, Completely free, no ads

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donation: Buy me a drink | $2.99 | one-time |
| Obsolete/Non-Standard Symbols | $5.99 | one-time |
| Donation: Buy me a meal | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient IPA keyboard
- 💡 Extensive IPA symbol coverage
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🤩 Great for linguistics and conlanging
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Paid access for some symbols
- 🔍 Keyboard layout could be more customizable
- 🐛 Occasional keyboard switching issues
- 🔇 Keyboard clicking sounds can't be disabled

**Reported bugs**

- Vowel [ʁ] displays incorrectly
- Keyboard disappears after switching, requiring settings access to re-enable

**Requested features**

- Add angle brackets and parentheses for orthographic notation
- Implement a 'frequently used' section for common symbols
- Allow users to rearrange the keyboard layout
- Add support for laryngeal notation in Proto-Indo-European


### Countdown Counter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-counter-big-day/id6794698658)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Countdown Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Countdown Pro — Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is IPA Phonetic Keyboard free?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Countdown Counter free?

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

### Do IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Countdown Counter have ads?

Neither IPA Phonetic Keyboard nor Countdown Counter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, IPA Phonetic Keyboard or Countdown Counter?

IPA Phonetic Keyboard ships an update every 4 months, and Countdown Counter every 4 days. Most recently, IPA Phonetic Keyboard was updated on October 9, 2026 and Countdown Counter on October 10, 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.*