# BlackNote vs Countdown

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown at 4.5 against BlackNote's 2.6. Countdown also leads on ratings volume (102 vs 20) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). BlackNote's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BlackNote sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Countdown sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 102 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of BlackNote's written reviews are positive against 62% of Countdown's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

BlackNote ships an update every 6 weeks, Countdown every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 12, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | BlackNote | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.6 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blacknote-dark-notes-notepad/id6483305262/reviews) | **[4.5 (102 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-countdown-widget/id6499182059/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 20 | **102** |
| Positive reviews | **68.0% of reviews** | 61.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 13 MB | 184 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ZTECH ASIA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1765522178) | [HK SHENGUANGYUAN TECH LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851942593) |

## What reviewers say

### BlackNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blacknote-dark-notes-notepad/id6483305262)

A minimalist dark notepad app for capturing ideas, to-do lists, and daily thoughts. It offers a focused writing experience with a sleek black interface, offline functionality, and efficient task management.

**Highlights:** Dark mode interface, Offline note-taking, Checklist creation, Task management, Minimalist design, Lightweight and fast

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


### Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-countdown-widget/id6499182059)

Easily track important life events with a customizable countdown timer. Set reminders, add personal backgrounds, and view upcoming dates directly from your home or lock screen. Never miss a special moment again.

**Highlights:** Unlimited event countdowns, Customizable widget backgrounds, Home screen widgets, Lock screen widgets, Advance event reminders, Personalized countdown calendar, Password protection for events

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| One week membership | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Member | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly Member | $4.99 | per month |
| One week membership | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| One week membership | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| one year membership | $19.99 | per year |
| one year membership | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- ✨ Nice designs
- ✅ Useful for reminders
- 🎨 Customizable widgets
- 🚀 Fast loading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive premium
- 💰 Forced subscription
- 😩 Constant ads
- 🗑️ Deletes events
- ❌ Not free

**Reported bugs**

- Widgets don't update
- Events deleted randomly
- App crashes
- App freezes on loading screen
- Countdowns disappear

**Requested features**

- Make widgets free
- Offer more free features
- Reduce premium cost
- Improve free tier functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BlackNote free?

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

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BlackNote or Countdown?

Countdown is rated higher. BlackNote averages 2.6 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.5 from 102 ratings.

### Do BlackNote or Countdown have ads?

Countdown shows ads; BlackNote does not.

### Which is updated more often, BlackNote or Countdown?

BlackNote ships an update every 6 weeks, and Countdown every 3 weeks. Most recently, BlackNote was updated on November 12, 2026 and Countdown on November 12, 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.*