# X vs Countdown

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: X at none against Countdown's 2. X also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). Countdown's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (192K vs 1). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. X asks for nothing beyond the download.

X holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 192K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of X's written reviews are positive against 72% of Countdown's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

X ships an update every 9 months, Countdown every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | X | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x-ring/id318017748/reviews)** | [4.8 (192K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1403367428/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **192K** |
| Positive reviews | 58.3% of reviews | **72.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#53** |
| Size | 11 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Colton White](https://appshunter.io/developer/318017751) | [Find Appiness LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1685887104) |

## What reviewers say

### X

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/x-ring/id318017748)

A simple utility app that provides a countdown to the annual X-Ring ceremony. Users can customize the countdown date and time for their specific event.

**Highlights:** Countdown to X-Ring day, Customizable ceremony date, Customizable countdown time, iOS device integration, Developed with alumni support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id1403367428)

**Currently charting:** #53 Top Free · Utilities (US App Store)

Easily track upcoming events with a free countdown and reminder app. Customize each event with emojis and colors, and stay organized with tags and widgets. Syncs across devices and offers optional premium features for enhanced functionality.

**Highlights:** Unlimited event creation, Customizable event colors and emojis, Lock Screen and Home Screen widgets, Customizable reminders and alarms, iCloud sync across devices, Import events from calendars and contacts, Event grouping with tags

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown Widget Offer | $2.29 | one-time |
| Countdown Widget | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Customizable colors and emojis
- ⏰ Accurate countdown tracking
- 🔔 Helpful reminders and notifications
- 💰 One-time payment for premium features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Paid widget feature
- 🔍 Lack of instructions/guidance
- 🔀 Inconsistent countdown display on widget
- 📅 Limited repeat options for events
- 🖼️ No option to use custom photos

**Reported bugs**

- Widget not updating automatically
- Countdown display issues after iOS 14 update
- Inability to delete archived events

**Requested features**

- Add ability to count up from past events
- Provide more date/time format options
- Implement calendar view for all events
- Allow custom backgrounds for widgets
- Add support for weekly/monthly repeating events


## Frequently asked questions

### Is X free?

X 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, X or Countdown?

X is rated higher. X averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.8 from 192K ratings.

### Do X or Countdown have ads?

Countdown shows ads; X does not.

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

X ships an update every 9 months, and Countdown every 2 days. Most recently, X was updated on October 31, 2026 and Countdown on November 14, 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.*