# Countdown vs Big Tap Digital Stopwatch

The clearest difference is price: Big Tap Digital Stopwatch at Free against Countdown's $1.99. Big Tap Digital Stopwatch also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 2 months). Countdown's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Big Tap Digital Stopwatch is free to download; Countdown costs $1.99 up front. Big Tap Digital Stopwatch sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Countdown asks for nothing beyond the download.

Big Tap Digital Stopwatch holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Big Tap Digital Stopwatch has 221 ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 79% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 69% of Big Tap Digital Stopwatch's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown ships an update every 2 months, Big Tap Digital Stopwatch every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | Big Tap Digital Stopwatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-big-timer-and-clock/id582556043/reviews) | **[4.6 (221 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-tap-digital-stopwatch/id1348082069/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **221** |
| Positive reviews | **79.4% of reviews** | 69.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BitBit Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/507383985) | [David Dempsey](https://appshunter.io/developer/437042641) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-big-timer-and-clock/id582556043)

A minimalist, full-screen timer app designed for high visibility. It offers stopwatch, timer, and clock modes with customizable alerts and advanced control options. Ideal for events and games where a clear time display is essential.

**Highlights:** Full-screen countdown timer, Stopwatch, timer, and clock modes, Customizable chime or air horn alerts, Adjustable countdown duration up to 10 hours, Color-coded time display, Optional tenths of a second display, Bluetooth keyboard control

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🖥️ Large, clear display
- ⏱️ Works as a countdown, stopwatch, and clock
- 🎨 Customizable colors
- 🔊 Audible alarms (air horn/chime)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Perceived as expensive for simplicity
- 🔊 Alarm sounds could be higher quality
- 🔄 AirPlay/external display rotation issues
- ⏳ Screen can turn off after timer ends
- 🚫 No standard white number option

**Reported bugs**

- App cannot be quit on iOS 12.4
- Phone heats up and slows down (reported once)
- AirPlay/external display rotation issues (upside down/cut off)
- Screen turns off after timer ends, requiring unlock

**Requested features**

- Show elapsed time after countdown ends
- Airhorn as an option to start a countdown
- European clock format (24h)
- Countdown to a specific date and time
- Add seconds to the clock display


### Big Tap Digital Stopwatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-tap-digital-stopwatch/id1348082069)

This stopwatch app allows for easy start and stop by tapping anywhere on the screen. It offers large, clear displays in both landscape and portrait modes, with extensive customization options for colors and fonts. The app also prevents screen locking and can maintain landscape orientation.

**Highlights:** Tap anywhere to start/stop, Large landscape and portrait displays, Customizable background and text colors, Multiple font options, Saves previous times, Prevents screen lock

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove adverts | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

Countdown costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Big Tap Digital Stopwatch free?

Big Tap Digital Stopwatch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Countdown or Big Tap Digital Stopwatch?

Big Tap Digital Stopwatch is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.1 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Big Tap Digital Stopwatch averages 4.6 from 221 ratings.

### Do Countdown or Big Tap Digital Stopwatch have ads?

Big Tap Digital Stopwatch shows ads; Countdown does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown or Big Tap Digital Stopwatch?

Countdown ships an update every 2 months, and Big Tap Digital Stopwatch every 11 days. Most recently, Countdown was updated on October 16, 2026 and Big Tap Digital Stopwatch on October 18, 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.*