Comparison

Countdown vs Dots

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

Head to head
About

Countdown

Features
Read full description

Time passes quietly. Memento Calendar makes it visible. See your year as a grid of days. Filled squares show the days behind you; open squares show the time still ahead. No noise, no streaks, no pressure—just a clear view of where you are. Track: • Your year, month, or week at a glance • Custom timelines for projects, seasons, goals, and milestones • Multiple timelines in one calm, focused view • A Home Screen widget that keeps your timeline visible • Dark mode and flexible grid colors • Local-first data with no account required Memento Calendar is for people who want awareness, not another productivity system. It does not ask you to check in, build a streak, or follow a plan. It simply turns time into a visual grid so you can notice it—and choose how to use what remains. Built with Stoic simplicity in mind. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Dots

Features
Read full description

Time isn’t just a ticking number—it’s a canvas. Dots transforms deadlines, vacations, exams, product launches, and personal milestones into an intuitive, visual temporal heatmap. See your time progress the way your brain naturally grasps it: patterns, density, and momentum compressed into clean, editorial dots you can scan in seconds. WHY YOU’LL LOVE DOTS: ◆ THE TEMPORAL HEATMAP Watch your days fill in as you approach your target. Whether it is 10 days or 100 days, the dynamic dot grid gives you immediate perspective on elapsed time and what remains. ◆ ELEGANT HOME & LOCK SCREEN WIDGETS Bring your most anticipated moments right to your Home Screen and Lock Screen. Choose from multiple layout families: • Compact (1×1 / 2×2) • Detailed Stats (4×2) • Frosted Glass Canvas (4×4) Widgets stay automatically synchronized with your events. ◆ CURATED DESIGN THEMES Give each countdown its own mood. Pick from meticulously crafted color palettes—Nova, Serene, Celestial, Ember, and Dark Minimal—complemented by custom emojis and typography. ◆ SMART MILESTONE NUDGES Never let critical dates sneak up on you. Receive gentle notifications when you hit key milestones: halfway mark (50%), the final stretch (90%), one week, and the day before. ◆ WALLPAPER & SHORTCUTS STUDIO Generate high-resolution countdown wallpapers directly from your events. Seamlessly integrate with Apple Shortcuts to automatically refresh your lock screen wallpaper every day. ◆ COMPLETE DATA PRIVACY & PORTABILITY • No forced account creation or intrusive sign-ins. • Seamless iCloud backup & restore to keep your data synced across your iPhone and iPad. • Full CSV import and export for ultimate data ownership. FREE TIER: • Create and track up to 3 active countdowns with full heatmap visualization and curated themes. DOTS PRO (One-time Lifetime Purchase): Unlock the complete temporal experience: • Unlimited countdowns • All Home Screen and Lock Screen widget styles • iCloud sync & automatic backup • Smart Nudge milestone notifications • Daily wallpaper generation and automation • Custom photo background albums Stop watching numbers tick away in stressful lists. Download Dots and give your time the perspective it deserves.

Screenshots

Countdown4 screens
Dots4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Dots at every 4 days against Countdown's every 10 days. Dots also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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. Countdown sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Dots sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Countdown ships an update every 10 days, Dots every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
Countdown versus Dots: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCountdownDots
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB69 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperILYAS TORUNChuong Le

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Countdown

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly3 Days trial$14.991 Year
1 purchases

Dots

One-time1
  • Premium$6.99

Questions

Is Countdown free?
Countdown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dots free?
Dots is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Countdown or Dots have ads?
Neither Countdown nor Dots shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Countdown or Dots?
Countdown ships an update every 10 days, and Dots every 4 days. Most recently, Countdown was updated on October 4, 2026 and Dots on October 11, 2026.

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