# Countdown Buddy vs Countdown  ™

The clearest difference is ads: Countdown Buddy at none against Countdown  ™'s shown. Countdown Buddy also leads on review sentiment (68% vs 42%) and ratings volume (25K vs 180). Countdown  ™'s advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 9 days) and iOS requirement (14.1 vs 18.0). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Countdown  ™ sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 180, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of Countdown Buddy's written reviews are positive against 42% of Countdown  ™'s.

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, Countdown  ™ every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Buddy | Countdown  ™ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews)** | [4.4 (180 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1567017151/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 180 |
| Positive reviews | **67.9% of reviews** | 42.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 149 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **14.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) | [MatechMobile Software JSC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1567017153) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Countdown  ™

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1567017151)

Create custom countdown widgets for your home screen to track important events. Personalize with photos, themes, and preset designs. Receive smart reminders so you never miss a moment.

**Highlights:** Customizable home screen widgets, Preset event designs, Personalize with photos and themes, Smart event reminders, Easy event sharing, Dark mode support

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Week | $0.49 | per 7 days |
| Premium month | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium year | $3.99 | per year |
| Countdown Pro lifetime | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Buddy free?

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

### Is Countdown  ™ free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown Buddy or Countdown  ™?

Countdown Buddy is rated higher. Countdown Buddy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Countdown  ™ averages 4.4 from 180 ratings.

### Do Countdown Buddy or Countdown  ™ have ads?

Countdown  ™ shows ads; Countdown Buddy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown Buddy or Countdown  ™?

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, and Countdown  ™ every 4 days. Most recently, Countdown Buddy was updated on September 27, 2026 and Countdown  ™ on September 1, 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.*