# Home screen countdown widgets vs App Lock

The clearest difference is monetization model: Home screen countdown widgets at freemium against App Lock's subscription. App Lock's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Home screen countdown widgets sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and App Lock sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

App Lock holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: App Lock has 348 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Home screen countdown widgets ships an update every 4 months, App Lock every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Home screen countdown widgets | App Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/home-screen-countdown-widgets/id6740415661/reviews) | **[4.5 (348 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-password-for-apps/id6746766591/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **348** |
| Positive reviews | — | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 50 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [9arch OÜ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1723230625) | [LYKOV STUDIO LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1783754094) |

## What reviewers say

### Home screen countdown widgets

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/home-screen-countdown-widgets/id6740415661)

Display customizable countdown and count-up widgets on your home screen for important events. Track birthdays, holidays, deadlines, habits, and more with personalized themes and icons. Unlock unlimited widgets and customization options with a premium upgrade.

**Highlights:** Countdown and count-up widgets, Home screen customization, Personalized themes and icons, Light and dark mode support, Habit and goal tracking, Unlimited widget creation (premium)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countup Premium • Weekly | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Countup Premium • Annually | $11.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $5.99 | one-time |


### App Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/app-lock-password-for-apps/id6746766591)

Take control of your device by instantly locking any application. Block distractions, protect sensitive data, or manage screen time with scheduled locking and biometric authentication. Secure up to 50 apps with a clean, private, and offline experience.

**Highlights:** Lock apps with Face ID/fingerprint, Lock directly from widgets, Scheduled app locking, Lock up to 50 apps, Private and offline operation, Native iOS design

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $18.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Home screen countdown widgets free?

Home screen countdown widgets is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is App Lock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Home screen countdown widgets or App Lock?

App Lock is rated higher. Home screen countdown widgets averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while App Lock averages 4.5 from 348 ratings.

### Do Home screen countdown widgets or App Lock have ads?

Neither Home screen countdown widgets nor App Lock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Home screen countdown widgets or App Lock?

Home screen countdown widgets ships an update every 4 months, and App Lock every 4 days. Most recently, Home screen countdown widgets was updated on October 4, 2026 and App Lock 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.*