Comparison

CalDown vs Inbox Zero

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

Head to head
About

CalDown

This app transforms your Apple Calendar into a clear, focused timeline. It highlights your current event with a countdown and remaining time bar, and offers customizable widgets for quick glances on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Manage your schedule with enhanced time awareness and notifications.

Highlights
  • Focused event timeline
  • Countdown and remaining time bar
  • Customizable widgets
  • Live Activities on Lock Screen/Dynamic Island
  • Calendar notifications
  • Apple Watch complications
  • Reminders integration (beta)
Features
Read full description

CalDown – Focus. Clarity. Time Awareness. What is happening now? What comes next? How much time is left? CalDown turns Apple Calendar events into a focused timeline across iPhone, iPad, widgets and Apple Watch. Choose your calendars and see your day without the clutter. A TIMELINE BUILT AROUND NOW • Follow your current event with a countdown and remaining-time bar • See all-day, upcoming and recently ended events • Look ahead by 3, 5 or 7 days • See gaps, overlaps and timed reminders • Create and edit events with the Apple Calendar editor • Hide individual occurrences without changing Apple Calendar, and restore them whenever you need LIVE ACTIVITIES Keep a large countdown on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, optionally showing upcoming events. Start from CalDown, an event’s play button or the dedicated Lock Screen control. You can also enable starting when opening CalDown. Live Activities do not automatically start for every event while the app is closed. Calendar changes refresh when CalDown runs or you request a refresh. WIDGETS FOR A QUICK GLANCE • See your current or next event on the Home Screen or Lock Screen • Choose focused countdowns or event overviews • Place Presentation A and B side by side for a larger Lock Screen countdown • Show gaps and overlaps, or hide the highlighted event, in supported layouts APPLE WATCH — WITH PRO • View events available on your Watch without your iPhone nearby • Follow your iPhone’s calendar selection or choose separate calendars • Choose circular, corner, inline and rectangular complications • Presentation Dynamic emphasizes the leading time unit • Presentation Fixed keeps hours, minutes and seconds in a consistent layout • A prominent “In” distinguishes upcoming events from running events • Event Overview shows two events and highlights the current one • Expand event and reminder details Widgets and complications use your selected Upcoming range. Refreshes and Always On updates are managed by the system. CALENDAR NOTIFICATIONS Create calendar groups with alerts before, at, during or near the end of events. Choose sound settings for each group on iPhone. CalDown alerts are separate from Apple Calendar alerts, so both may notify you. Delivery depends on permissions, Focus settings and system background refresh. APPLE REMINDERS — BETA, WITH PRO Show dated tasks alongside events, keep overdue tasks in Today, complete tasks and review dated tasks completed today. Use Apple Reminders to create, edit or reopen them. Undated tasks are not shown. Reminders do not occupy time or appear in widgets and complications. Watch completion requires the paired iPhone; offline requests remain pending. Both devices need reminder access and the same account. Some accounts may not match tasks reliably. NOTES AND CHECKLISTS Keep notes and checklists with events. Watch changes require the paired iPhone to save and confirm them. Your calendar account manages synchronization. MAKE TIME EASIER TO READ Choose System or OpenDyslexic for CalDown, widgets, Live Activities and Apple Watch. Preview and customize Remaining Time Colors and warning thresholds. Apply them to the timeline, widgets and Watch independently. These are visual cues; notifications are configured separately. SIRI AND SHORTCUTS Ask about Current, Next or Today’s schedule. Hide an occurrence, restore the last hidden event, or open Today and Upcoming. YOUR DATA, YOUR RULES • No CalDown account, ads, subscriptions or analytics • On-device processing, with no external CalDown server • Hidden-event preferences sync only with your paired Watch • Optional diagnostic reports you review and choose to share START SIMPLE. UNLOCK MORE WITH PRO. Use one calendar at a time and basic widgets for free. A one-time purchase unlocks multiple calendars, additional widget layouts, Apple Watch and Apple Reminders integration. Your time. Your focus. CalDown.

About

Inbox Zero

Features
Read full description

Inbox Zero — Email Sorter is a reply-time tracker for busy professionals. Log incoming emails, set response targets per priority, snooze for follow-up, and watch your Inbox Score climb as you reply on time. WHAT YOU CAN DO: • Track every pending email with priority, age, and missed-target badges • Set per-priority response windows (Urgent / High / Medium / Low) with on-time reminders • Snooze emails into a Follow-Up list grouped Overdue / Today / Later • Build auto-sorting rules that classify new emails by keyword • Watch your weekly Inbox Score with a four-quadrant breakdown • Smart tips appear when your backlog grows or targets are missed • No account, no email sync — your data stays on your device FREE PLAN: • 20 emails tracked per week • 4 starter sorting rules • 7-day statistics history • Core response targets and Follow-Up list INBOX ZERO PREMIUM — $2.99/month: • Unlimited email tracking (no weekly cap) • Unlimited sorting rules • Custom email categories • Full Inbox Score breakdown with per-priority on-time rate • All-time reply-time charts and category trends • CSV export of your full history • Ad-free experience PERFECT FOR: Busy professionals, remote workers, freelancers, customer-success managers, founders, and anyone who needs to reply on time without missing follow-ups. Choose the plan that suits you: monthly, yearly, or a one-time Lifetime purchase that never renews. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel any time in your Apple ID subscription settings. The Lifetime option is a single purchase with no renewal. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tabishapps.com/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

CalDown4 screens
Inbox Zero4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: CalDown at none against Inbox Zero's shown. CalDown also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Inbox Zero's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. CalDown sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Inbox Zero sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CalDown ships an update weekly, Inbox Zero every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
CalDown versus Inbox Zero: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCalDownInbox Zero
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB30 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperValentin HaberlingTabish Hassan

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CalDown

One-time1
  • Unlock CalDown Pro$9.99
3 purchases

Inbox Zero

Subscriptions2
  • InboxZero Premium$2.991 Month
  • InboxZero Premium Yearly$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is CalDown free?
CalDown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Inbox Zero free?
Inbox Zero is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CalDown or Inbox Zero have ads?
Inbox Zero shows ads; CalDown does not.
Which is updated more often, CalDown or Inbox Zero?
CalDown ships an update weekly, and Inbox Zero every 2 months. Most recently, CalDown was updated on October 30, 2026 and Inbox Zero on October 25, 2026.

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