# Exam Countdown vs Cognito

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cognito at none against Exam Countdown's 5. Cognito also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.1 vs 15.0). Exam Countdown's advantage is ratings volume (1.7K vs 10) and review sentiment (82% vs 60%). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Exam Countdown sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 3 months. Cognito asks for nothing beyond the download.

Cognito holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exam Countdown has 1.7K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of Exam Countdown's written reviews are positive against 60% of Cognito's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exam Countdown | Cognito |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exam-countdown-school-and-uni/id873279955/reviews) | **[4.9 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cognito-universal-study-app/id1479567470/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 10 |
| Positive reviews | **82.2% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 102 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ROOT38 LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1206411222) | [Kram Technologies, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479567469) |

## What reviewers say

### Exam Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exam-countdown-school-and-uni/id873279955)

This app helps students, teachers, and schools keep track of important dates. It provides countdown timers for exams, tests, and coursework deadlines, with options for reminders and sharing progress with others. Users can organize their academic schedule and stay on top of their responsibilities.

**Highlights:** Countdown timers for exams and tests, Unlimited exam countdowns, Color-coded exams, Icon customization, Share countdowns with others, Add notes to exams, Basic and detailed notifications

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium 3 Months | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly Subscription | $5.49 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for organizing exams
- 🎨 Customizable with colors and icons
- ⏱️ Countdown timer for exams
- 🎯 Tracks completed exams
- 🆓 Free with optional premium features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Some features locked behind paywall
- 🔍 Limited customization options in free version
- 🔋 High battery consumption reported
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues after device change
- Subscription not working as expected
- Loading screen freezes
- Incompatibility with newer devices

**Requested features**

- Calendar view
- Sync with device calendar
- Customizable exam reminders
- Widget support
- More icons and color options


### Cognito

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cognito-universal-study-app/id1479567470)

Create and practice interactive study materials like flashcards and practice tests. This platform offers a fast and affordable way to prepare for exams with unlimited access to content creation and study tools.

**Highlights:** Create flashcards, Practice tests, Study guides, Notes, Outlines, Unlimited content creation

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exam Countdown free?

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

### Is Cognito free?

Cognito is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Exam Countdown or Cognito?

Cognito is rated higher. Exam Countdown averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Cognito averages 4.9 from 10 ratings.

### Do Exam Countdown or Cognito have ads?

Exam Countdown shows ads; Cognito does not.

### Which is updated more often, Exam Countdown or Cognito?

Exam Countdown ships an update every 5 weeks, and Cognito every 5 weeks. Most recently, Exam Countdown was updated on October 24, 2026 and Cognito on October 7, 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.*