# Countdown Star vs Cruise Countdown ‎

Countdown Star and Cruise Countdown ‎ both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 60% of Countdown Star's written reviews are positive against 29% of Cruise Countdown ‎'s. Countdown Star also leads on ratings volume (216K vs 542) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Star sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Cruise Countdown ‎ sells 4 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 4.7 for Cruise Countdown ‎. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown Star has 216K ratings behind it against 542, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Countdown Star's written reviews are positive against 29% of Cruise Countdown ‎'s.

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, Cruise Countdown ‎ every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Star | Cruise Countdown ‎ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (216K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-star/id576177593/reviews)** | [4.7 (542 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruise-countdown/id6747145485/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **216K** | 542 |
| Positive reviews | **59.5% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 55 MB | 177 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joseph Merrill](https://appshunter.io/developer/1099488988) | [Zaffles](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078438438) |

## 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


### Cruise Countdown ‎

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cruise-countdown/id6747145485)

Build anticipation for your next cruise with a live countdown and customizable home screen widgets. Track days, hours, and minutes until you board your ship, and share your excitement with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Live countdown (days, hours, minutes), Home and Lock Screen widgets, Customizable destination name, Simple and beautiful design, Daily excitement reminders, Share countdowns

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cruise Supporter/Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Cruise Supporter/Annual | $7.99 | per year |
| Cruise Countdown Lifetime Supporter | $3.99 | one-time |
| Cruise Countdown Lifetime Supporter | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Star free?

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

### Is Cruise Countdown ‎ free?

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

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

Countdown Star is rated higher. Countdown Star averages 4.8 out of 5 from 216K ratings, while Cruise Countdown ‎ averages 4.7 from 542 ratings.

### Do Countdown Star or Cruise Countdown ‎ have ads?

Both Countdown Star and Cruise Countdown ‎ show ads.

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

Countdown Star ships an update fortnightly, and Cruise Countdown ‎ every 6 weeks. Most recently, Countdown Star was updated on October 3, 2026 and Cruise Countdown ‎ on September 30, 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.*