# New Year Countdown vs Countdown Star (Ad

The clearest difference is review sentiment: New Year Countdown at 100% against Countdown Star (Ad's 56%. New Year Countdown also leads on price ($0.99 vs $1.99). Countdown Star (Ad's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

New Year Countdown costs $0.99 and Countdown Star (Ad $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Countdown Star (Ad holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Star (Ad has 3.7K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of New Year Countdown's written reviews are positive against 56% of Countdown Star (Ad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

New Year Countdown ships an update every 10 months, Countdown Star (Ad fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | New Year Countdown | Countdown Star (Ad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/new-year-countdown/id336363694/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star-ad-free/id569371565/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3.7K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 56.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 51 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JS Digital Productions, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1012108950) | [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988) |

## What reviewers say

### New Year Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/new-year-countdown/id336363694)

Experience the magic of New Year's Eve daily with realistic fireworks and personalized backgrounds. Enjoy the countdown on your Apple Watch, mirror to your TV, and celebrate any occasion year-round.

**Highlights:** Realistic fireworks displays, Personalized backgrounds, Apple Watch compatibility, AirPlay mirroring, Year-round celebration, Badge display

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Countdown Star (Ad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star-ad-free/id569371565)

Track time until or since important events with customizable timers. Set up countdowns for birthdays, holidays, and vacations, or count up from anniversaries and special dates. Share your event timers with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Add custom events, Customize event visuals, Apple Watch display, Today Widget integration, Set exact event times, Adjust time units, Share event timers

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 Customizable backgrounds
- 🚀 Simple and functional
- 🎨 Nice visual design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable widget functionality
- 🔍 Limited event management options
- 💰 Paid version doesn't import free version data
- 🔧 Lack of customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Custom wallpapers not saving
- Countdown not updating correctly
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Notification system not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Recurring event support
- Ability to exclude weekends/holidays from countdown
- Multiple event display on main screen
- Improved widget functionality
- Sync across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is New Year Countdown free?

New Year Countdown costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Countdown Star (Ad free?

Countdown Star (Ad costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, New Year Countdown or Countdown Star (Ad?

Countdown Star (Ad is rated higher. New Year Countdown averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Countdown Star (Ad averages 4.7 from 3.7K ratings.

### Do New Year Countdown or Countdown Star (Ad have ads?

Neither New Year Countdown nor Countdown Star (Ad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, New Year Countdown or Countdown Star (Ad?

New Year Countdown ships an update every 10 months, and Countdown Star (Ad fortnightly. Most recently, New Year Countdown was updated on September 25, 2026 and Countdown Star (Ad on September 26, 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.*