# BLACKBOOK JOURNAL vs Countdown

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BLACKBOOK JOURNAL at none against Countdown's 18. Countdown's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 50%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. BLACKBOOK JOURNAL asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for BLACKBOOK JOURNAL against 4.7 for Countdown. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 3.1K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of BLACKBOOK JOURNAL's written reviews are positive against 82% of Countdown's.

BLACKBOOK JOURNAL ships an update every 4 months, Countdown weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BLACKBOOK JOURNAL | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbook-journal/id1558317178/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-pretty-progress/id1597616326/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **3.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **81.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 183 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Delilah Pistol LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1558317180) | [keinois OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1597616328) |

## What reviewers say

### BLACKBOOK JOURNAL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbook-journal/id1558317178)

This app helps you meticulously track your sensual experiences with a simple yet detailed journaling system. It offers a structured yet flexible way to record important moments, allowing you to add as much or as little detail as you wish.

**Highlights:** Detailed record keeping, Simple journaling interface, Flexible detail entry, Structured experience logging, Personalized tracking

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 BLACKBOOK JOURNAL free?

BLACKBOOK JOURNAL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BLACKBOOK JOURNAL or Countdown?

Countdown is rated higher. BLACKBOOK JOURNAL averages 4.6 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.7 from 3.1K ratings.

### Do BLACKBOOK JOURNAL or Countdown have ads?

Neither BLACKBOOK JOURNAL nor Countdown shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BLACKBOOK JOURNAL or Countdown?

BLACKBOOK JOURNAL ships an update every 4 months, and Countdown weekly. Most recently, BLACKBOOK JOURNAL was updated on October 7, 2026 and Countdown on October 15, 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.*