Comparison

Best Timer vs Countdown

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Best Timer

This app offers a versatile suite of timekeeping tools, including a sand timer, kitchen timer, countdown, and stopwatch. It visually represents time, making it easy to understand for all ages, and provides customizable alarm sounds and color themes.

Highlights
  • Digitized sand timer with artistic design
  • Kitchen timer with visual minute indicator
  • Futuristic countdown/count up timer
  • Powerful stopwatch with lap/split modes
  • Kid-friendly time visualization
  • Customizable alarm sounds and repeat options
  • Multiple color themes
Features
Read full description

Great way to measure and visualize time. Beautifully designed sand timer, stylish kitchen timer, countdown and powerful stopwatch to enjoy counting time, feel time or visualize time to kids. Turn your timer to attractive ultramodern fashion accessory! * ALL-IN-ONE CREATIVELY COMBINED TIMER APPLICATION: - Sand timer is a digitized hourglass with artistic design which can be used to time anything for up to 60 minutes. It's an elegant visualization of the time flow. - Kitchen timer can also be used to time your activities up to 60 minutes. It has both a minute and a second visual indicator to quickly see how much time is left (in minutes) without having to know the numbers. - Ultramodern countdown (or count up) timer with futuristic design can be set up to 100 hours. Excellent visual indicator for your activities - it shows graphically the ratio of time spent and time remaining. - Powerful stopwatch to measure elapsed time in lap and split time modes. It is great for timing sport events and contests (it is accurate to 1/100 of a second) as well as just timing your activities or measuring an event duration. * KIDS FRIENDLY Timer visualizes time to kids and lets them feel the time. Without reading or even knowing the numbers one can look at the visualized time flow, feel it and understand how long to wait or whether to hurry up. * STAY NOTIFIED It lets you set the alarm sound that will play when the timer is finished. You can choose from 16 unique alarm sounds, melodies and loops. You’ll be notified when your time is up even if you’re using another app or your device is locked. It can also repeat the sound alarm (up to 3 times) at the given interval if it was missed/snoozed. * COLOR YOUR TIME You can easily change the timer color to fit your personal lifestyle. There are 5 color themes: turquoise, red, green, amber and pink. Just pick the one you like in the application settings. * UNIVERSAL APP Timer works both on your iPhone/iPod and iPad, contains HD graphics for retina and iPad displays and supports all screen orientations for all devices. * Your girlfriend says she'll be ready in 2 minutes? Just check how long it really takes :) ***Important for iOS5+ devices: if there is no alarm played please go to system Settings / Notifications, select the application name and configure the timer's alarms, whether they perform sound and if they're to appear on lock screen. VISIT US: smartphoneware.com

About

Countdown

A minimalist, full-screen timer app designed for high visibility. It offers stopwatch, timer, and clock modes with customizable alerts and advanced control options. Ideal for events and games where a clear time display is essential.

Highlights
  • Full-screen countdown timer
  • Stopwatch, timer, and clock modes
  • Customizable chime or air horn alerts
  • Adjustable countdown duration up to 10 hours
  • Color-coded time display
  • Optional tenths of a second display
  • Bluetooth keyboard control
Features
Read full description

Replace the old sand timer in your favorite game with one that packs a punch! The countdown takes center stage in this app as a full-screen timer counts down the seconds. Run silently, or play a chime or air horn sound to let everyone know that time is up! Perfect for TV broadcasts, classrooms, debates, game shows, sporting events, or anywhere a highly visible stopwatch, timer, or clock with a streamlined appearance is needed. Features: + Beautiful design, maximizing countdown visibility + Tap anywhere to start or stop the countdown + Three modes - stopwatch, timer, or clock + Set a countdown up to 10 hours + Display the time in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple Advanced features: + Optionally show tenths of a second during the last minute for extra excitement + Optionally flash during the last ten seconds + Optionally play an air horn or a chime sound when time is up + Optionally show elapsed time after the timer reaches 0:00 (double-tap or long-press the Timer icon on the settings screen to choose) + The device will not sleep while the timer is running + Background notifications make sure you know when your timer ends + Double-tap the time on the settings screen to switch between 1, 5, and 15-second increments Super-advanced features: + Control the timer remotely using a Bluetooth keyboard: The space bar starts/stops, escape resets, and you can change the countdown time by typing a number followed by enter. + Display the timer on an external screen using AirPlay mirroring, while keeping the controls visible only on your device! + Use side-by-side with other apps on iPad in slide-over or split-view mode

Screenshots

Best Timer4 screens
Countdown4 screens

Verdict

The call

Best Timer and Countdown both sit at 3.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 61% of Best Timer's. Countdown also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). Best Timer's advantage is price ($0.99 vs $1.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 18.0). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Best Timer costs $0.99 and Countdown $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 22 and 41 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Best Timer's written reviews are positive against 79% of Countdown's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Best Timer ships an update every 7 months, Countdown every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Best Timer versus Countdown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBest TimerCountdown
Price$0.99 — better$1.99
Rating3.9 (22 ratings)4.1 (41 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.8% of reviews79.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2241 — better
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSerhii SimkovskyiBitBit Apps

Customer experience

Best Timer

All ratings22 ratings
Positive68.2%
Neutral13.6%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews260 reviews
Positive60.8%
Neutral10.4%
Negative28.8%

Countdown

All ratings41 ratings
Positive78.0%
Neutral9.8%
Negative12.2%
Written reviews63 reviews
Positive79.4%
Neutral12.7%
Negative7.9%

User reviews

Best Timer

From 22 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Elegant design
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🕰️ Versatile timer options
  • 🔊 Nice selection of alarm sounds

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Sound issues (no sound, alarm not working)
  • ⏱️ Limited timer duration (e.g. hourglass max 12 mins)
  • 🎨 Limited color/theme options
  • 🔍 Lack of high-contrast mode

Countdown

From 41 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🖥️ Large, clear display
  • ⏱️ Works as a countdown, stopwatch, and clock
  • 🎨 Customizable colors
  • 🔊 Audible alarms (air horn/chime)

Room to improve

  • 💰 Perceived as expensive for simplicity
  • 🔊 Alarm sounds could be higher quality
  • 🔄 AirPlay/external display rotation issues
  • ⏳ Screen can turn off after timer ends
  • 🚫 No standard white number option

Bugs and requests

Best Timer

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Stopwatch lap timer bug
  • Compatibility issues with iOS updates
  • Freezing/crashing on certain devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to use custom music/sounds for alarms
  • Interval/workout timer mode
  • Vibration option for alerts
  • More color/theme customization
  • Larger/full-screen timer display

Countdown

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App cannot be quit on iOS 12.4
  • Phone heats up and slows down (reported once)
  • AirPlay/external display rotation issues (upside down/cut off)
  • Screen turns off after timer ends, requiring unlock

Requested features

24 requests
  • Show elapsed time after countdown ends
  • Airhorn as an option to start a countdown
  • European clock format (24h)
  • Countdown to a specific date and time
  • Add seconds to the clock display
Show 19 more
  • Fully hide menu/iPhone switchbar
  • Six-digit format
  • Multiple timers open simultaneously
  • Changeable background colors
  • Selectable/longer horn sound
  • Control from Apple Watch
  • Timer visible in other apps/home screen
  • Beep chime for the last 3 seconds
  • Flash color matching clock color
  • Prevent screen from shutting off when app is open
  • Option for alarm to repeat
  • Customizable 'countdown to start' feature
  • More sound variations
  • Visual clue for count-up feature
  • Count up screen background white only if flash is on
  • Tap twice anywhere to reset
  • Second, non-air horn, pleasant chime sound
  • Option to show seconds for clock display
  • Portrait mode option

In-app purchases

None

Best Timer

No in-app purchases

None

Countdown

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Best Timer free?
Best Timer costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Countdown free?
Countdown costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Best Timer or Countdown?
Countdown is rated higher. Best Timer averages 3.9 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.1 from 41 ratings.
Do Best Timer or Countdown have ads?
Neither Best Timer nor Countdown shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Best Timer or Countdown?
Best Timer ships an update every 7 months, and Countdown every 2 months. Most recently, Best Timer was updated on October 19, 2026 and Countdown on October 16, 2026.

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