Comparison

Stylus vs Countdown Widget

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Stylus

This task manager helps you focus on today's priorities without overwhelming features. It encourages a daily review of tasks, allowing you to decide what still matters, and supports rapid capture of new ideas.

Highlights
  • Daily task review and prioritization
  • Focus on one task at a time
  • Rapid task capture
  • Control Centre and Live Activities integration
  • Widgets for at-a-glance progress
  • Siri and Shortcuts support
  • iCloud sync across devices
Features
Read full description

Begin every day with a fresh start. Stylus is the task manager for people who are tired of bloated productivity apps. No endless backlogs. No guilt-inducing overdue tasks. Just today's priorities, beautifully organised and ready for action. Most to-do apps bury you in features. Stylus takes a different approach: it helps you focus on what matters right now. HOW IT WORKS Daily Review: Every morning, Stylus presents yesterday's unfinished tasks and asks one simple question: does this still matter today? This daily ritual keeps your list intentional and your mind clear. No task carries over automatically — you choose what deserves your attention. One Thing at a Time: Stylus is organised around your priorities. Work through tasks in order, stay present with what's in front of you, and move on. Helpful friction prevents needless over-tracking and keeps you focused on positive action. Rapid Capture: When something pops into your head, get it into Stylus instantly. Capture thoughts before they disappear, then prioritise them during your next review. DEEPLY INTEGRATED Stylus can't be compared to a web app — it's woven into the way you already use your devices. - Control Centre: Check off tasks without even opening the app - Live Activities: See your current task right on your Lock Screen - Widgets: Track your progress at a glance from your Home Screen - Siri & Shortcuts: Add tasks with your voice or automate your workflow - iCloud Sync: Seamless across iPhone, iPad, and Mac Stylus is deliberately simple. There are no Gantt charts, no collaboration features, no project management overhead. If you've ever abandoned a to-do app because it felt like a second job to maintain, Stylus was built for you. - Smart prioritisation that adapts as your day evolves - Gentle reminders that keep you on track without adding stress - A beautiful, distraction-free interface designed for iOS 26 - Markdown notes for adding context to any task - Search and diary features to look back on what you've accomplished FLEXIBLE PLANS Stylus is free to use. Upgrade to Stylus Premium for the full experience, including unlimited tasks, advanced widgets, and priority support. Available as monthly, annual, or lifetime plans — with Family Sharing support. Start today. Focus on what matters.

About

Countdown Widget

Easily create and track important dates like birthdays and deadlines. Organize events in a timeline with filters for upcoming, past, and all items. Personalize events with icons and receive optional reminders.

Highlights
  • Create and edit countdown events
  • Personalize events with icons
  • Optional local reminders
  • Home screen widgets
  • Customizable widget styles and colors
  • Upcoming, Past, and All filters
Features
Read full description

Countdown helps you stay focused on the dates that matter most. Create countdowns for birthdays, trips, deadlines, and milestones in seconds, then track everything in one clean timeline. Use Upcoming, Past, and All filters to quickly see what is next, what is done, and what still needs your attention. KEY FEATURES • Create and edit countdown events quickly • Set a date with optional time for precise countdowns • Personalize events with built-in icons • Turn on optional local reminders at event time • See event progress at a glance with clear indicators • Add Home Screen widgets in small and medium sizes • Choose active widget styles: Minimal and Days • Customize widget colors with solid backgrounds and light or dark text • Use a “Next Event” widget or pin a specific event Whether you are planning ahead or counting down to something exciting, Countdown keeps your important moments front and center. For in-app purchases and subscriptions, see https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Stylus4 screens
Countdown Widget4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown Widget at 4.0 against Stylus's 3.0. Countdown Widget also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium). Stylus's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 4 weeks). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Stylus sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Countdown Widget sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Countdown Widget holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stylus ships an update every 11 days, Countdown Widget every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Stylus versus Countdown Widget: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStylusCountdown Widget
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings)4.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobert OwenCraig Osborne

Customer experience

Stylus

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Countdown Widget

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Stylus

Subscriptions4
  • Stylus Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Stylus Premium (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Stylus Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$19.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Stylus Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time2
  • Stylus Lifetime$59.99
  • Stylus Lifetime - Family$89.99
2 purchases

Countdown Widget

Subscriptions2
  • Countdown Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Countdown Pro Yearly7 Days trial$6.991 Year

Questions

Is Stylus free?
Stylus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Countdown Widget free?
Countdown Widget is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Stylus or Countdown Widget?
Countdown Widget is rated higher. Stylus averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Countdown Widget averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Stylus or Countdown Widget have ads?
Countdown Widget shows ads; Stylus does not.
Which is updated more often, Stylus or Countdown Widget?
Stylus ships an update every 11 days, and Countdown Widget every 4 weeks. Most recently, Stylus was updated on September 28, 2026 and Countdown Widget on October 2, 2026.

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