# Countdown Star vs TheatreSound

The clearest difference is price: Countdown Star at Free against TheatreSound's $7.99. Countdown Star also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 31 months) and ratings volume (216K vs 1). TheatreSound's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Countdown Star is free to download; TheatreSound costs $7.99 up front. Countdown Star sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. TheatreSound asks for nothing beyond the download.

TheatreSound holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Star has 216K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, TheatreSound every 31 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Star | TheatreSound |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $7.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theatresound/id1066291874/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 59.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 31 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#197** |
| Size | 55 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988) | [Cache Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/375816893) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown Star

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593)

Track time until or since important life events. Set custom timers for birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, and more. Personalize with your own photos and share progress with friends.

**Highlights:** Add custom events, Customize event visuals, Apple Watch display, Today Widget integration, Set exact event times, Adjust time units, Share event progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 💡 Customizable backgrounds
- 👍 Helpful for tracking events
- 👍 Useful for long-distance relationships

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Widget not working
- 🐛 Wallpaper feature not working
- 🐛 Countdown inaccuracies
- 🐛 Notifications not working
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Widget not displaying events
- Wallpaper not saving
- Countdown off by one day
- Notifications not working as expected
- Crashes and glitches after updates

**Requested features**

- Add weeks option
- Allow multiple countdowns on one screen
- Provide Apple Watch complications
- Add ability to export/backup data
- Improve wallpaper customization


### TheatreSound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/theatresound/id1066291874)

**Currently charting:** #197 Top Paid · Entertainment (US App Store)

Cue sounds like a professional for live performances without manual fading or frantic media loading. Set up entire shows using your iTunes library and make last-minute changes on the fly for perfect theater sound.

**Highlights:** Professional sound cueing, No manual fading, No frantic media loading, Set up entire performances, Last-minute changes on the fly, Control background ambience, Cue sound effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Star free?

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

### Is TheatreSound free?

TheatreSound costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Countdown Star or TheatreSound?

TheatreSound is rated higher. Countdown Star averages 4.8 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while TheatreSound averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Countdown Star or TheatreSound have ads?

Countdown Star shows ads; TheatreSound does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown Star or TheatreSound?

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, and TheatreSound every 31 months. Most recently, Countdown Star was updated on October 19, 2026 and TheatreSound on September 17, 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.*