# Countdown Star vs Noise machine

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown Star at 4.8 against Noise machine's 4.0. Countdown Star also leads on ratings volume (216K vs 8) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Noise machine's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Star sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Noise machine asks for nothing beyond the download.

Countdown Star holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Star has 216K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Countdown Star's written reviews are positive against 67% of Noise machine's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, Noise machine every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Star | Noise machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593/reviews)** | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noise-machine/id1208076982/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 59.4% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 55 MB | 14 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) | [andrzej kar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1197919669) |

## 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


### Noise machine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noise-machine/id1208076982)

Fall asleep faster and reduce stress with high-quality ambient sounds. This app offers various noise types, a sleep timer, and background playback. It helps mask distractions, improve focus, and soothe headaches.

**Highlights:** High quality sounds, Multiple noise types (White, Pink, Brown, etc.), Background playback, Sleep timer, Volume control, Listen to music simultaneously

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Star free?

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

### Is Noise machine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown Star or Noise machine?

Countdown Star is rated higher. Countdown Star averages 4.8 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while Noise machine averages 4.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Countdown Star or Noise machine have ads?

Countdown Star shows ads; Noise machine does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown Star or Noise machine?

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, and Noise machine every 2 months. Most recently, Countdown Star was updated on October 18, 2026 and Noise machine 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.*