# Countdown Star (Ad vs Smartlights countdown

The clearest difference is price: Smartlights countdown at Free against Countdown Star (Ad's $1.99. Smartlights countdown also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). Countdown Star (Ad's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 2.5) and review sentiment (56% vs 25%). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Smartlights countdown is free to download; Countdown Star (Ad costs $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 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Star (Ad has 3.7K ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of Countdown Star (Ad's written reviews are positive against 25% of Smartlights countdown's.

Countdown Star (Ad ships an update fortnightly, Smartlights countdown every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Star (Ad | Smartlights countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star-ad-free/id569371565/reviews)** | [2.5 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartlights-countdown/id1248150372/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.7K** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **56.3% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#124** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988) | [Gemmy Industries Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/889851671) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown Star (Ad

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

**Currently charting:** #124 Top Paid · Entertainment (US App Store)

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


### Smartlights countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartlights-countdown/id1248150372)

Control Christmas projectors with Bluetooth, set custom countdown dates and titles, and read time. Get technical support directly from the developer.

**Highlights:** Bluetooth connectivity, Projector password function, Read time in phone, Calculate Christmas distance, Set custom countdown dates, Type custom titles for countdowns

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Star (Ad free?

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

### Is Smartlights countdown free?

Smartlights countdown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Countdown Star (Ad or Smartlights countdown?

Countdown Star (Ad is rated higher. Countdown Star (Ad averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3.7K ratings, while Smartlights countdown averages 2.5 from 20 ratings.

### Do Countdown Star (Ad or Smartlights countdown have ads?

Neither Countdown Star (Ad nor Smartlights countdown shows ads.

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

Countdown Star (Ad ships an update fortnightly, and Smartlights countdown every 2 months. Most recently, Countdown Star (Ad was updated on September 26, 2026 and Smartlights countdown on June 5, 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.*