# Countdown Widget & Counter vs Countdown Buddy

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Countdown Buddy at 25K against Countdown Widget & Counter's 2.4K. On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Widget & Counter sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Countdown Widget & Counter against 4.6 for Countdown Buddy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 2.4K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Countdown Widget & Counter's written reviews are positive against 68% of Countdown Buddy's.

Countdown Widget & Counter ships an update fortnightly, Countdown Buddy every 9 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Widget & Counter | Countdown Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-widget-and-counter/id1533996161/reviews) | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2.4K | **25K** |
| Positive reviews | **75.9% of reviews** | 68.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 159 MB | 149 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The Good App Company, Limited Liability Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1086171798) | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### 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 Widget & Counter free?

Countdown Widget & Counter 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 Widget & Counter or Countdown Buddy?

Countdown Widget & Counter and Countdown Buddy are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.4K and 25K ratings respectively.

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

Neither Countdown Widget & Counter nor Countdown Buddy shows ads.

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

Countdown Widget & Counter ships an update fortnightly, and Countdown Buddy every 9 days. Most recently, Countdown Widget & Counter 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.*