# Countdown Buddy vs Almost

The clearest difference is ads: Countdown Buddy at none against Almost's shown. Countdown Buddy also leads on ratings volume (25K vs 2) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 weeks). Almost's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Buddy sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Almost sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Almost holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Buddy has 25K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, Almost every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Buddy | Almost |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (25K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-buddy/id1534850579/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/almost-countdown-and-day-widget/id6760205597/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **25K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 67.7% 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 | 35 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) | [LPAIM TECH LTDA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1796169144) |

## 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


### Almost

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/almost-countdown-and-day-widget/id6760205597)

This app helps you beautifully track important upcoming events with customizable countdowns. It offers widgets for your home and lock screens, Live Activities, and smart reminders to ensure you never miss a moment. Organize events with custom groups, notes, and photos.

**Highlights:** Countdown widgets for Lock Screen, Home Screen, and Dynamic Island, Live Activities for real-time countdown updates, Apple Watch app and complications, Siri Shortcuts and voice control, Smart reminders before events, Recurring event support, Customizable event organization with groups, notes, and photos

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Pro (Monthly Plan) | $1.99 | per month |
| Unlock Pro (Yearly Plan) | $9.99 | per year |
| Unlock Pro Forever | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Buddy free?

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

### Is Almost free?

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

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

Almost is rated higher. Countdown Buddy averages 4.6 out of 5 from 25K ratings, while Almost averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Countdown Buddy or Almost have ads?

Almost shows ads; Countdown Buddy does not.

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

Countdown Buddy ships an update every 9 days, and Almost every 3 weeks. Most recently, Countdown Buddy was updated on October 16, 2026 and Almost on October 12, 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.*