# Countdown Buddy vs Pendulum

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown Buddy at 4.6 against Pendulum's 4.2. Countdown Buddy also leads on ratings volume (25K vs 16). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Pendulum sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown Buddy holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 16, 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 67% of Pendulum's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Buddy | Pendulum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews)** | [4.2 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pendulum-pen-pal-tracker/id6444290573/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **67.7% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 149 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) | [Benjamin Cardy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1588708175) |

## 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


### Pendulum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pendulum-pen-pal-tracker/id6444290573)

This app helps you manage your pen pal relationships by tracking correspondence. Record when you send and receive letters, note writing materials, and set reminders to stay in touch. Sync your data across devices for seamless management.

**Highlights:** Track sent and received letters, Record pen, ink, and paper used, Set reminders to write and post, Monitor letter delivery times, iCloud sync across devices

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extra Fine Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Fine Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| Broad Tip | $5.99 | one-time |
| Stub Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Buddy free?

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

### Is Pendulum free?

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

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

Countdown Buddy is rated higher. Countdown Buddy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Pendulum averages 4.2 from 16 ratings.

### Do Countdown Buddy or Pendulum have ads?

Neither Countdown Buddy nor Pendulum shows ads.

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

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, and Pendulum every 9 days. Most recently, Countdown Buddy was updated on October 16, 2026 and Pendulum on September 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*