# Countdown Buddy vs Countdown

Countdown Buddy and Countdown both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 82% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 68% of Countdown Buddy's. Countdown Buddy's advantage is ratings volume (25K vs 3K). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Countdown sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. 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 Buddy against 4.7 for Countdown. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of Countdown Buddy's written reviews are positive against 82% of Countdown's.

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, Countdown every 10 days. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Buddy | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews) | **[4.7 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-pretty-progress/id1597616326/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 3K |
| Positive reviews | 68.0% of reviews | **81.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 149 MB | 183 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) | [keinois OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1597616328) |

## 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-pretty-progress/id1597616326)

Visually track important dates and goals with customizable widgets for your Home Screen and Lock Screen. Set up countdowns and count-ups for personal milestones, habits, or deadlines. Sync across devices and receive timely notifications.

**Highlights:** Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, Count up and down timers, Recurrent event tracking, Calendar and Reminders synchronization, Customizable designs and templates, iCloud synchronization, Notifications for key dates

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited access | $1.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $2.99 | per month |
| Pretty Progress PRO (Weekly) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pretty Progress PRO (Weekly) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pretty Progress PRO (Monthly) | $4.99 | per month |
| Unlimited access | $5.99 | per year |
| Unlimited access | $8.99 | per year |
| Pretty Progress Pro (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |
| Pretty Progress Pro (Annual) | $24.99 | per year |
| Pretty Progress Pro (Annual) | $24.99 | per year |
| Pretty Progress PRO (Lifetime) | $29.99 | one-time |
| Pretty Progress PRO (Lifetime) | $34.99 | one-time |
| Pretty Progress PRO (Lifetime) | $49.99 | one-time |
| Pretty Progress PRO (Lifetime) | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Handy and useful app
- 🚀 Helpful for tracking goals and projects
- 💡 Great customization options
- 👍 Sleek and visually appealing design
- 👍 Seamless integration with Apple ecosystem

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited functionality in free version
- 💰 Paid features can be expensive for some users
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches reported
- 🔒 Restricted customization options without paying

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Widgets not updating in real-time as expected
- Countdown data resetting unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- More customization options for widgets
- Ability to track non-time-based progress
- Improved recurring event management
- Notification/alarm feature when countdown ends
- Wider range of color and font options


## 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 is rated higher. Countdown Buddy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Countdown averages 4.7 from 3K ratings.

### Do Countdown Buddy or Countdown have ads?

Neither Countdown Buddy nor Countdown shows ads.

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

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, and Countdown every 10 days. Most recently, Countdown Buddy was updated on September 24, 2026 and Countdown 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.*