# Countdown@ vs Pendulum

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown@ at 4.7 against Pendulum's 4.2. Countdown@ also leads on ratings volume (39K vs 16). Pendulum's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (67% vs 37%). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown@ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Pendulum sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown@ holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown@ has 39K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 37% of Countdown@'s written reviews are positive against 67% of Pendulum's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown@ ships an update every 5 days, Pendulum every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown@ | Pendulum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (39K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1456997268/reviews)** | [4.2 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pendulum-pen-pal-tracker/id6444290573/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **39K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 37.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wuhan Linggu Dingdang Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/612318541) | [Benjamin Cardy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588708175) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown@

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1456997268)

Easily track important life events with stylish countdown timers. Create custom events like vacations, birthdays, and holidays. View upcoming events with a convenient widget and even count up from past milestones.

**Highlights:** Create custom event countdowns, Count up from past events, Event timeline with diary and notes, Widget for important events, Stylish event tracking

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown Premium | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Customizable countdown
- 👍 Aesthetically pleasing
- 🎨 Ability to select background and music

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔔 Countdown only triggers a notification, not an alarm
- 🔒 Widget functionality locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Inconsistent widget behavior
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 💰 Paywall for basic features

**Reported bugs**

- Countdown not updating correctly
- Widget not displaying as customized
- Inability to delete past events

**Requested features**

- Ability to set countdown as alarm
- Sync countdowns across devices
- More customization options for widget
- Allow multiple countdowns in widget


### Pendulum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pendulum-pen-pal-tracker/id6444290573)

This app helps you manage your pen pal relationships by tracking correspondence. Record when you send and receive letters, note writing materials, and set reminders to stay in touch. Sync your data across devices for seamless management.

**Highlights:** Track sent and received letters, Record pen, ink, and paper used, Set reminders to write and post, Monitor letter delivery times, iCloud sync across devices

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra Fine Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fine Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Broad Tip | $5.99 | one-time |
| Stub Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown@ free?

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

### Is Pendulum free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown@ or Pendulum?

Countdown@ is rated higher. Countdown@ averages 4.7 out of 5 from 39K ratings, while Pendulum averages 4.2 from 16 ratings.

### Do Countdown@ or Pendulum have ads?

Countdown@ shows ads; Pendulum does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown@ or Pendulum?

Countdown@ ships an update every 5 days, and Pendulum every 9 days. Most recently, Countdown@ was updated on September 24, 2026 and Pendulum on September 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.*