# GamingBuddy vs VI Countdown

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VI Countdown at none against GamingBuddy's 3. GamingBuddy's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GamingBuddy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. VI Countdown asks for nothing beyond the download.

GamingBuddy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GamingBuddy has 201 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of GamingBuddy's written reviews are positive against 67% of VI Countdown's.

GamingBuddy ships an update every 2 weeks, VI Countdown every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GamingBuddy | VI Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (201 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gamingbuddy-game-tracker/id6447783408/reviews)** | [4.4 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vi-countdown-widgets-and-lock/id6808648895/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **201** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **84.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 66 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Filip Nemecek](https://appshunter.io/developer/1291909818) | [Baptiste Penel](https://appshunter.io/developer/6808648897) |

## What reviewers say

### GamingBuddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gamingbuddy-game-tracker/id6447783408)

This app helps gamers track their game backlog, wishlist, and upcoming releases. It integrates with critic scores and news sources, offering widgets for countdowns and release calendars. An optional paid version unlocks advanced features and content.

**Highlights:** Track backlog and wishlist, Follow new releases and events, Add home screen widgets, Discover new games, Search IGDB database, Share game details

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Monthly | $1.49 | per month |
| Unlimited | $13.99 | per year |
| One-time unlock | $29.99 | one-time |


### VI Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vi-countdown-widgets-and-lock/id6808648895)

Track the days until major events with customizable widgets and lock screen displays. Offers multiple visual styles and live countdowns for the final 24 hours. Receive milestone alerts and daily reminders.

**Highlights:** Customizable home screen widgets, Lock screen countdown layouts, Dynamic Island integration, Live second-by-second countdown, Milestone and daily notifications, Multiple visual themes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GamingBuddy free?

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

### Is VI Countdown free?

VI Countdown is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, GamingBuddy or VI Countdown?

GamingBuddy is rated higher. GamingBuddy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 201 ratings, while VI Countdown averages 4.4 from 12 ratings.

### Do GamingBuddy or VI Countdown have ads?

Neither GamingBuddy nor VI Countdown shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GamingBuddy or VI Countdown?

GamingBuddy ships an update every 2 weeks, and VI Countdown every 2 months. Most recently, GamingBuddy was updated on November 14, 2026 and VI Countdown on November 15, 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.*