# Year Countdown vs Countdown Star (Ad

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown Star (Ad at 4.7 against Year Countdown's 3.7. Countdown Star (Ad also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 12 months) and ratings volume (3.7K vs 3). Year Countdown's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $1.99) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

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 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Star (Ad has 3.7K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Year Countdown's written reviews are positive against 56% of Countdown Star (Ad's.

Year Countdown ships an update every 12 months, Countdown Star (Ad fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Year Countdown | Countdown Star (Ad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$0.99** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-countdown/id343118794/reviews) | **[4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star-ad-free/id569371565/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **3.7K** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **56.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 7 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sebastien BUET](https://appshunter.io/developer/321941181) | [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988) |

## What reviewers say

### Year Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-countdown/id343118794)

This app provides a real-time countdown to the next year and Christmas. Customize the visual experience with animated snow, selectable snowflakes, and background frames. Easily switch between the countdown and a clock display with a double tap.

**Highlights:** Countdown to New Year, Countdown to Christmas, Portrait and landscape orientation, Snowfall and color animations, Customizable snowflakes and backgrounds, Switch between countdown and clock

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 Year Countdown free?

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, Year Countdown or Countdown Star (Ad?

Countdown Star (Ad is rated higher. Year Countdown averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Countdown Star (Ad averages 4.7 from 3.7K ratings.

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

Neither Year Countdown nor Countdown Star (Ad shows ads.

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

Year Countdown ships an update every 12 months, and Countdown Star (Ad fortnightly. Most recently, Year Countdown was updated on September 10, 2026 and Countdown Star (Ad on September 28, 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.*