# Countdown vs ShelfPulse

Countdown and ShelfPulse both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 80% of ShelfPulse's. ShelfPulse's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and ShelfPulse sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Countdown against 4.9 for ShelfPulse. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 9 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 80% of ShelfPulse's.

Countdown ships an update monthly, ShelfPulse every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | ShelfPulse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-minimal-event-timer/id6753778108/reviews)** | [4.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfpulse/id6754263899/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 80.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 5 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oluwadunsin Agbolabori](https://appshunter.io/developer/1836054537) | [Eric Randall](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807554805) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-minimal-event-timer/id6753778108)

Visually track upcoming events with a unique battery-style progress indicator. Offers customizable widgets, smart reminders, and instant calendar import. Designed for privacy and offline use, it helps you stay motivated by seeing time fill up towards your goals.

**Highlights:** Battery-style progress visualization, Multiple home screen widget styles, Lock screen widget support, Customizable smart reminders, Instant calendar event import, Private and offline functionality, Color and icon customization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Big Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Huge Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Massive Tip | $19.99 | one-time |


### ShelfPulse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shelfpulse/id6754263899)

Monitor your Audiobookshelf server with real-time dashboards, deep listening analytics, and library insights. Manage users, view beautiful home screen widgets, and gain personal or administrative perspectives on your audiobook collection. Enjoy a privacy-first experience with direct server connection.

**Highlights:** Real-time session monitoring, Deep listening analytics, Library and server insights, User management, Home screen widgets, Direct server connection

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShelfPulse Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Full Access | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is ShelfPulse free?

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

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

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 5.0 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while ShelfPulse averages 4.9 from 9 ratings.

### Do Countdown or ShelfPulse have ads?

Neither Countdown nor ShelfPulse shows ads.

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

Countdown ships an update monthly, and ShelfPulse every 2 weeks. Most recently, Countdown was updated on October 30, 2026 and ShelfPulse 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.*