# Big Day Lite vs Countdown

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Big Day Lite at none against Countdown's 23. Big Day Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0). Countdown's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 23 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Big Day Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 103 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 61% and 62% positive.

Big Day Lite ships an update every 2 months, Countdown every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Big Day Lite | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-day-lite-event-countdown/id303102667/reviews) | **[4.5 (103 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-countdown-widget/id6499182059/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 35 | **103** |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **61.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 44 MB | 184 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [whatisid](https://appshunter.io/developer/295759192) | [HK SHENGUANGYUAN TECH LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851942593) |

## What reviewers say

### Big Day Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-day-lite-event-countdown/id303102667)

Easily track important upcoming events with visually appealing widgets for your home screen. Customize backgrounds with your own photos and enjoy a simple, intuitive interface. Get timely reminders and share your special days with friends.

**Highlights:** Home screen widgets, Customizable photo backgrounds, Event sharing, Notification alarms, Color theme customization, Ad-free experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🖼️ Ability to add custom background image
- 💡 Counts up after event has passed
- 🕰️ Useful for tracking important dates

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited to only one countdown event in free version
- 🔀 Difficulty rearranging/sorting multiple events
- 🔍 Lack of detailed countdown information (hours, minutes, seconds)

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect date changes when crossing international date line
- Widget option disappearing for some users

**Requested features**

- Allow multiple countdown events in free version
- Add option to display countdown on home/lock screen
- Provide more countdown details (hours, minutes, seconds)


### 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 |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- ✨ Nice designs
- ✅ Useful for reminders
- 🎨 Customizable widgets
- 🚀 Fast loading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive premium
- 💰 Forced subscription
- 😩 Constant ads
- 🗑️ Deletes events
- ❌ Not free

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets don't update
- Events deleted randomly
- App crashes
- App freezes on loading screen
- Countdowns disappear

**Requested features**

- Make widgets free
- Offer more free features
- Reduce premium cost
- Improve free tier functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Big Day Lite free?

Big Day Lite 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, Big Day Lite or Countdown?

Countdown is rated higher. Big Day Lite averages 4.0 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.5 from 103 ratings.

### Do Big Day Lite or Countdown have ads?

Countdown shows ads; Big Day Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Big Day Lite or Countdown?

Big Day Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Countdown every 3 weeks. Most recently, Big Day Lite was updated on October 22, 2026 and Countdown on October 24, 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.*