Comparison

Play Countdown vs Simple Match Three

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

Head to head
About

Play Countdown

Engage in a daily mental math challenge with a numbers puzzle. Use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to reach a target number using six given numbers. It's a fun way to improve arithmetic skills and keep your mind sharp.

Highlights
  • Daily math puzzles
  • Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division
  • Whole number results only
  • Relax Mode (no timer)
  • Progress tracking and trophies
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Give your mental math a workout. Six numbers. One target. With a fresh puzzle every day, and unlimited practice whenever you want more. Play Countdown turns arithmetic practice into a satisfying numbers game. Combine six numbers using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to reach the target exactly. Each number can be used once, and division must produce a whole number. The rules are simple. Finding the right combination is the challenge. And close counts too. Every daily scores points: 10 for hitting the target, then 7, 5, 3 or 1 the closer you get. Solve it in the fewest possible moves for a bonus point. Stuck? Bank your closest number to lock in your points, then see how everyone did on today's puzzle. Can you score a perfect week of 70? Make it a small daily habit: a puzzle over coffee, a challenge during your commute, or a few minutes of focused play whenever you want a break. Watch the timer or switch to Relax Mode and take your time. Every puzzle gives you a reason to practise mental arithmetic. Try different combinations, put your multiplication tables to work, and look for a clever route to the answer. Whether you're brushing up on everyday maths or enjoy solving number puzzles, there's a new target waiting each day. And when one a day isn't enough, Countdown Extended gives you unlimited Challenges, so you can keep practising for as long as you like. Your daily game includes: - A fresh puzzle every day, the same for everyone - Points for every daily, plus a bonus for the fewest moves - Bank your closest number when you're stuck - The shortest way to the target after a miss - How everyone did: the spread of scores, where you stand and the median solve time - A weekly scorecard, points milestones and lifetime badges - A quick interactive tutorial to get you started - Clear, step-by-step calculations as you play - Relax Mode to hide the timer - Daily streaks and 24 trophies to collect - Recent game history with your moves and solve times - Optional reminders at the time you choose - Share your score without revealing the numbers - Satisfying buttons, confetti celebrations, and light and dark modes Play your daily puzzle for free, with access to the last seven days. Want more practice? Unlock Countdown Extended with a one-time purchase: - Unlimited Challenges: a fresh puzzle whenever you want, as many as you like - 31 days of daily puzzles instead of the last seven - Resume unfinished games and pick up where you left off - Full stats: your solve times, fastest games and how you're improving - All future updates included Pay once. Play forever. No subscription. No ads, no account, no tracking. The daily puzzles are built in, so you can play offline. Sharing your results for "How everyone did" is optional and can be turned off in Settings. Six numbers. One target. Can you solve the puzzle?

About

Simple Match Three

Engage in over 100 levels of vibrant puzzle challenges. Swap and match colorful gems to create powerful combos and unwind with this engaging game.

Highlights
  • Over 100 levels
  • Match gems
  • Trigger magical combos
  • Relaxing gameplay
Features
Read full description

Dive into more than 100 levels of colorful puzzle fun. Match gems, trigger magical combos, and relax with Simple Match Three.

Screenshots

Play Countdown4 screens
Simple Match Three4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simple Match Three at none against Play Countdown's 1. Simple Match Three also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Play Countdown sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Simple Match Three asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Play Countdown against 5.0 for Simple Match Three. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Play Countdown ships an update fortnightly, Simple Match Three every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Play Countdown versus Simple Match Three: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPlay CountdownSimple Match Three
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoachim DorelJoe Blough

Customer experience

Play Countdown

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Simple Match Three

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Play Countdown

One-time1
  • Countdown Extended$1.99
None

Simple Match Three

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Play Countdown free?
Play Countdown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Match Three free?
Simple Match Three is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Play Countdown or Simple Match Three?
Play Countdown and Simple Match Three are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do Play Countdown or Simple Match Three have ads?
Neither Play Countdown nor Simple Match Three shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Play Countdown or Simple Match Three?
Play Countdown ships an update fortnightly, and Simple Match Three every 3 days. Most recently, Play Countdown was updated on October 17, 2026 and Simple Match Three on October 2, 2026.

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