# Visual Countdown Timer vs Smart Tales ® Learning Games

The clearest difference is ads: Smart Tales ® Learning Games at none against Visual Countdown Timer's shown. Smart Tales ® Learning Games also leads on chart position (#196 vs unranked). Visual Countdown Timer's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 55%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Visual Countdown Timer sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Smart Tales ® Learning Games sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Visual Countdown Timer against 4.6 for Smart Tales ® Learning Games. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 40K and 18K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Visual Countdown Timer's written reviews are positive against 55% of Smart Tales ® Learning Games's.

Visual Countdown Timer ships an update monthly, Smart Tales ® Learning Games every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Visual Countdown Timer | Smart Tales ® Learning Games |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (40K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visual-countdown-timer/id541364004/reviews) | [4.6 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tales-learning-games/id1452196861/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **40K** | 18K |
| Positive reviews | **80.3% of reviews** | 55.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#196** |
| Size | 185 MB | 288 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fehners Software LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/395357584) | [Marshmallow Games SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/955873246) |

## What reviewers say

### Visual Countdown Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/visual-countdown-timer/id541364004)

This app uses a visual countdown to help children understand time and complete tasks. A picture is revealed as time elapses, and an exciting animation and sound reward completion. It aims to turn daily struggles into fun and encourage quicker task completion.

**Highlights:** Visual countdown from green to red, Picture revealed as time elapses, Exciting sound and animation reward, Customizable background images, User-selected reveal images, Adaptable for various tasks

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ocean Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Transport Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Animal Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Cartoon Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Mask Maker | $0.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Premium Upgrade | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for classroom/special needs use
- 👍 Simple and visual design
- 👍 Customizable pictures and sounds
- 👍 Helps with transitions and routines
- 👍 Motivates kids to complete tasks

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔊 Loud ticking sound
- 🔒 Ads in free version
- 🔒 Can't pause or stop timer

**Reported bugs**

- Custom pictures load rotated
- Timer stops working when app is in background

**Requested features**

- Option to set timer to countdown to a specific time
- Ability to adjust timer in smaller increments
- Option to keep picture displayed after timer ends
- Background timer functionality
- Custom sound/music options


### Smart Tales ® Learning Games

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-tales-learning-games/id1452196861)

**Currently charting:** #196 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

This app offers over 2500 interactive educational games and stories for children aged 2-11. It covers reading, writing, STEM, and math, with a focus on personalized learning paths and inclusivity for all learners, including neurodivergent children. Parents can monitor progress and set limits.

**Highlights:** Interactive educational games, Award-winning stories, Math skills development, Reading and vocabulary building, STEM and science exploration, Logic and reasoning challenges, Personalized learning paths

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $5.49 | per month |
| Welcome Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Monthly Learning Plan for Kids | $11.99 | per month |
| Monthly Learning Plan for Kids | $14.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Smart Tales Semi Annual | $29.99 | per 6 months |
| Smart Tales Quarterly | $34.99 | per 3 months |
| Smart Family Promo | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Promo Subscription | $54.99 | per year |
| SmartTales Yearly Offer Plus | $59.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $71.99 | per year |
| Yearly Learning Plan for Kids | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $89.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Printables unlock | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Improved school performance
- 👍 Engaging and fun for kids
- 🤩 Positive impact on child's mood
- 🎉 Great content and creativity
- 💯 Effective learning tool

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Errors and bugs in the app
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Lack of family sharing
- ⚠️ Inappropriate content for kids
- 🤯 Confusing and frustrating user experience

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes
- Incorrect shape identification
- Subscription issues and double charges
- Content not loading properly
- Accessibility features not working as expected

**Requested features**

- More writing and grade-level options
- Improved voice-text synchronization
- Better customization for child's level
- Easier unsubscription process
- Compatibility with family sharing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Visual Countdown Timer free?

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

### Is Smart Tales ® Learning Games free?

Smart Tales ® Learning Games is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Visual Countdown Timer or Smart Tales ® Learning Games?

Visual Countdown Timer and Smart Tales ® Learning Games are both rated 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store, from 40K and 18K ratings respectively.

### Do Visual Countdown Timer or Smart Tales ® Learning Games have ads?

Visual Countdown Timer shows ads; Smart Tales ® Learning Games does not.

### Which is updated more often, Visual Countdown Timer or Smart Tales ® Learning Games?

Visual Countdown Timer ships an update monthly, and Smart Tales ® Learning Games every 3 weeks. Most recently, Visual Countdown Timer was updated on October 5, 2026 and Smart Tales ® Learning Games on October 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*