# Countdown Star (Ad vs eXaRt

The clearest difference is price: eXaRt at Free against Countdown Star (Ad's $1.99. eXaRt also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Countdown Star (Ad's advantage is chart position (#34 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

eXaRt 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 ships an update fortnightly, eXaRt every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Star (Ad | eXaRt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star-ad-free/id569371565/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 53 MB | 166 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988) | [Waschhaus Potsdam gGmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1748828330) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown Star (Ad

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

**Currently charting:** #34 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


### eXaRt

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exart/id6503300353)

**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 eXaRt free?

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

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

Neither Countdown Star (Ad nor eXaRt shows ads.

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

Countdown Star (Ad ships an update fortnightly, and eXaRt every 5 days. Most recently, Countdown Star (Ad was updated on October 26, 2026 and eXaRt on October 11, 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.*