# Countdown Buddy vs Countdown

The clearest difference is ads: Countdown Buddy at none against Countdown's shown. Countdown Buddy also leads on ratings volume (25K vs 103) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). Countdown's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Countdown sells 23 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. 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 4.5 for Countdown. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 103, 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 62% of Countdown's.

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, Countdown every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 23, 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)** | [4.5 (103 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-countdown-widget/id6499182059/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 103 |
| Positive reviews | **68.0% of reviews** | 61.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 149 MB | 184 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Taptics Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1512213514) | [HK SHENGUANGYUAN TECH LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851942593) |

## 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-countdown-widget/id6499182059)

Easily track important life events with a customizable countdown timer. Set reminders, add personal backgrounds, and view upcoming dates directly from your home or lock screen. Never miss a special moment again.

**Highlights:** Unlimited event countdowns, Customizable widget backgrounds, Home screen widgets, Lock screen widgets, Advance event reminders, Personalized countdown calendar, Password protection for events

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One week membership | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Member | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly Member | $4.99 | per month |
| One week membership | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| one year membership | $19.99 | per year |
| one year membership | $29.99 | per year |
| one year membership | $39.99 | per year |
| one year membership | $47.99 | per year |
| one year membership | $69.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Member | $23.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Member | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Member | $35.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Member | $59.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Member | $71.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Member | $95.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Member | $119.99 | 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 4.5 from 103 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 3 weeks. Most recently, Countdown Buddy was updated on September 24, 2026 and Countdown on September 23, 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.*