# Countdown Star vs Swift Alert

The clearest difference is ads: Swift Alert at none against Countdown Star's shown. Swift Alert also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 59%) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Countdown Star's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (217K vs 40K). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Star sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Swift Alert sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Countdown Star against 4.9 for Swift Alert. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Star has 217K ratings behind it against 40K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 59% of Countdown Star's written reviews are positive against 81% of Swift Alert's.

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, Swift Alert every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Star | Swift Alert |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (217K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593/reviews) | **[4.9 (40K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swift-alert/id6462791583/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **217K** | 40K |
| Positive reviews | 59.2% of reviews | **81.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 118 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988) | [Swift Alert LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1703393319) |

## 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


### Swift Alert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swift-alert/id6462791583)

Stay updated with all things related to a popular artist's tour and music. Get news, concert dates, real-time alerts for livestreams, track surprise songs, and test your knowledge with trivia.

**Highlights:** Fan newsfeed, Concert dates, Real-time livestream alerts, Surprise Song Tracker, Trivia quizzes

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $12.99 | per year |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $17.99 | per year |
| Swift Alert Games Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Become a Swiftie | $0.99 | one-time |
| Become a Swiftie | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💗 Amazing app for Swifties
- 🤩 Incredibly fun and engaging
- 🎉 Excellent way to stay updated on Eras Tour
- 🎮 Enjoyable games and quizzes
- 🔔 Helpful notifications and alerts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Some features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 📱 Layout issues on certain devices
- 🔔 Inconsistent notification reliability

**Reported bugs**

- Mastermind scores not tracking correctly
- Trivia questions not loading properly
- Calendar events not clearing after shows

**Requested features**

- More interactive features (outfit history, song rankings, etc.)
- Ability to edit Mastermind submissions
- Merch/announcement notifications
- Syncing progress across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Star free?

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

### Is Swift Alert free?

Swift Alert is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Countdown Star or Swift Alert?

Swift Alert is rated higher. Countdown Star averages 4.8 out of 5 from 217K ratings, while Swift Alert averages 4.9 from 40K ratings.

### Do Countdown Star or Swift Alert have ads?

Countdown Star shows ads; Swift Alert does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown Star or Swift Alert?

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, and Swift Alert every 10 days. Most recently, Countdown Star was updated on November 2, 2026 and Swift Alert on November 1, 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.*