# Special Dates vs Pinning

The clearest difference is rating: Pinning at 4.7 against Special Dates's 4.0. Pinning also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (51 vs 5). Special Dates's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Special Dates sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Pinning sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pinning holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pinning has 51 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Special Dates's written reviews are positive against 75% of Pinning's.

Special Dates ships an update every 4 months, Pinning every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Special Dates | Pinning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/special-dates/id1532853488/reviews) | **[4.7 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinning-countdown-events/id6472634746/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **51** |
| Positive reviews | 63.2% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ernesto Fernández Calles](https://appshunter.io/developer/548312732) | [Anybox LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1518223648) |

## What reviewers say

### Special Dates

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/special-dates/id1532853488)

Easily save and track important dates with a minimalist countdown widget. This app helps you remember upcoming events like birthdays or bills, syncing them across your devices.

**Highlights:** Save important dates, Track days remaining, Periodic event saving, Birthday reminders, Bill tracking, iOS 14 widget support, Cross-device syncing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coffee | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cake | $2.99 | one-time |
| Party | $4.99 | one-time |


### Pinning

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinning-countdown-events/id6472634746)

Track important dates and milestones with a visually appealing countdown and calendar app. Organize events with notebooks, add custom icons, and display them on your home or lock screen with widgets. Share events with others via iCloud collaboration.

**Highlights:** Event countdown and count-up, Calendar event syncing, Birthday and anniversary tracking, Event organization with notebooks, Home and Lock Screen widgets, iCloud collaboration, Recurring event notifications

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Monthly (Family Sharing) | $2.49 | per month |
| Yearly | $11.99 | per year |
| Yearly (Family Sharing) | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime (Family Sharing) | $31.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Special Dates free?

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

### Is Pinning free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Special Dates or Pinning?

Pinning is rated higher. Special Dates averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Pinning averages 4.7 from 51 ratings.

### Do Special Dates or Pinning have ads?

Neither Special Dates nor Pinning shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Special Dates or Pinning?

Special Dates ships an update every 4 months, and Pinning every 3 weeks. Most recently, Special Dates was updated on September 19, 2026 and Pinning on September 22, 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.*