# Countdown Widget & Photos vs SAM

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SAM at none against Countdown Widget & Photos's 1. SAM also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Countdown Widget & Photos's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 4 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown Widget & Photos sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SAM asks for nothing beyond the download.

Countdown Widget & Photos ships an update every 10 days, SAM every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown Widget & Photos | SAM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-widget-and-photos/id6450153688/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **7** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 51 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Costhap](https://appshunter.io/developer/1690822307) | [Schulte-Schlagbaum AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1599317246) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown Widget & Photos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-widget-and-photos/id6450153688)

This app helps you visualize time to upcoming events or track time since past milestones. Customize countdowns with personalized backgrounds and add them as widgets to your Home and Lock Screen. Receive smart reminders for approaching dates and share your countdowns with others.

**Highlights:** Countdown and count-up timers, Customizable Home and Lock Screen widgets, Personalized backgrounds and themes, Smart event reminders, Easy countdown sharing, Ad-free experience

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Unlock | $2.99 | one-time |


### SAM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sam-app/id6756646730)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown Widget & Photos free?

Countdown Widget & Photos is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SAM free?

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

### Do Countdown Widget & Photos or SAM have ads?

Neither Countdown Widget & Photos nor SAM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown Widget & Photos or SAM?

Countdown Widget & Photos ships an update every 10 days, and SAM every 4 months. Most recently, Countdown Widget & Photos was updated on October 27, 2026 and SAM on October 17, 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.*