# Countdown  ‎ vs My Bookshelf

The clearest difference is rating: My Bookshelf at 4.6 against Countdown  ‎'s 3.8. My Bookshelf also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Countdown  ‎'s advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 171). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown  ‎ sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 3 months and My Bookshelf sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

My Bookshelf holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown  ‎ has 11K ratings behind it against 171, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Countdown  ‎'s written reviews are positive against 57% of My Bookshelf's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown  ‎ ships an update every 2 months, My Bookshelf fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown  ‎ | My Bookshelf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id424216726/reviews) | **[4.6 (171 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-bookshelf/id1456194495/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 171 |
| Positive reviews | **61.0% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 76 MB | 29 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sevenlogics, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/346249545) | [Stewart Lynch](https://appshunter.io/developer/428795637) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown  ‎

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown/id424216726)

Visually track upcoming events with customizable countdowns. Set timers for vacations, concerts, or anniversaries using your own photos, music, and phrases. Share your progress with friends and family.

**Highlights:** iOS 16 Lock Screen Widgets, Home Screen Widgets, Customizable Background Photos, Personalized Music & Fonts, Calendar Event Integration, Count Up from Past Events, Event Reminders

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown Premium - 3 Months | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Countdown Premium - Yearly | $14.99 | per year |
| Premium Backgrounds I | $0.99 | one-time |
| Holiday Backgrounds I | $0.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Countdown app with customization
- 🎨 Ability to use own photos
- ⏱️ Counts down in various units
- 🎉 Exciting for upcoming events

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Premium features locked behind paywall
- 📢 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔄 Resets countdown settings
- 📱 Widget not working as expected

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- Countdown not displaying correctly
- Widget not loading properly
- Purchased premium features not working

**Requested features**

- Ability to have multiple countdowns
- Option to repeat countdown events
- Countdown widget on home screen
- Improved sharing capabilities


### My Bookshelf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-bookshelf/id1456194495)

Easily track books you're reading, want to read, or have finished. Add books via search, manual entry, or barcode scanning. Organize, rate, and review your collection, then share recommendations with friends.

**Highlights:** Book search via Google Books, Manual book entry, Barcode scanning for books, Organize by author, category, title, Rate and review books, Share book lists with friends, Multiple theme options, Cross-device syncing (iPhone/iPad)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Books | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown  ‎ free?

Countdown  ‎ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is My Bookshelf free?

My Bookshelf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Countdown  ‎ or My Bookshelf?

My Bookshelf is rated higher. Countdown  ‎ averages 3.8 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while My Bookshelf averages 4.6 from 171 ratings.

### Do Countdown  ‎ or My Bookshelf have ads?

Countdown  ‎ shows ads; My Bookshelf does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown  ‎ or My Bookshelf?

Countdown  ‎ ships an update every 2 months, and My Bookshelf fortnightly. Most recently, Countdown  ‎ was updated on October 16, 2026 and My Bookshelf on October 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.*