# Countdown vs Shwidget

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown at 4.7 against Shwidget's 3.4. Countdown also leads on review sentiment (82% vs 50%) and ratings volume (3K vs 5). Shwidget's advantage is iOS requirement (16.1 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Shwidget sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 3K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 50% of Shwidget's.

Countdown ships an update every 10 days, Shwidget fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and August 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | Shwidget |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-pretty-progress/id1597616326/reviews)** | [3.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shwidget/id6466997335/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **81.6% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 183 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [keinois OU](https://appshunter.io/developer/1597616328) | [Appsipaja Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/462383203) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Shwidget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shwidget/id6466997335)

Display your Google Sheets data directly on your iOS device's Home or Lock Screen. Monitor key values and KPIs automatically without needing to open the Sheets app.

**Highlights:** Display Google Sheets data in widgets, Automatic widget updates, Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, No account required, Privacy-friendly data handling, Easy setup with Sheet and Cell IDs

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly payment | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly payment | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is Shwidget free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown or Shwidget?

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3K ratings, while Shwidget averages 3.4 from 5 ratings.

### Do Countdown or Shwidget have ads?

Neither Countdown nor Shwidget shows ads.

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

Countdown ships an update every 10 days, and Shwidget fortnightly. Most recently, Countdown was updated on September 25, 2026 and Shwidget on August 16, 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.*