# Countdown Widget & Counter vs CountdownerSMS

The clearest difference is update cadence: Countdown Widget & Counter at every 3 weeks against CountdownerSMS's every 4 months. Countdown Widget & Counter also leads on ratings volume (2.4K vs 4) and device support (3 vs 1). CountdownerSMS's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 76%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 CountdownerSMS sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. 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 4.5 for CountdownerSMS. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Widget & Counter has 2.4K ratings behind it against 4, 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 100% of CountdownerSMS's.

Countdown Widget & Counter ships an update every 3 weeks, CountdownerSMS every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Widget & Counter | CountdownerSMS |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-widget-and-counter/id1533996161/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdownersms/id6753716974/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 75.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 160 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sovereign Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6784378952) | [Braden Aron Mc Corkle](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673607393) |

## 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


### CountdownerSMS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdownersms/id6753716974)

Create dynamic countdowns for any event and share them directly within iMessage conversations. Choose from a variety of themes and animated effects to make waiting more exciting for everyone involved.

**Highlights:** Live countdown creation for any date, Share timers directly via iMessage, 51 free and premium themes, Animated ambient effects, Confetti celebration on completion, Built-in Theme Shop

**Features:** Family Sharing, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Patriotic Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Summer Days Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Weather Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Celestial Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Luxe Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bloom Theme Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| All Packs Unlock | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Widget & Counter free?

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

### Is CountdownerSMS free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown Widget & Counter or CountdownerSMS?

Countdown Widget & Counter is rated higher. Countdown Widget & Counter averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while CountdownerSMS averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

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

Neither Countdown Widget & Counter nor CountdownerSMS shows ads.

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

Countdown Widget & Counter ships an update every 3 weeks, and CountdownerSMS every 4 months. Most recently, Countdown Widget & Counter was updated on October 18, 2026 and CountdownerSMS on October 13, 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.*