# Raft vs Countdown

The clearest difference is ads: Raft at none against Countdown's shown. Countdown's advantage is review sentiment (80% vs 50%) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Raft sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Countdown sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 — 4.6 for Raft against 4.7 for Countdown. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 24K ratings behind it against 821, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Raft's written reviews are positive against 80% of Countdown's.

Raft ships an update monthly, Countdown weekly. The most recent releases landed on July 29, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Raft | Countdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (821 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raft-shared-calendar/id949819247/reviews) | **[4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-event-countdown/id983258067/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 821 | **24K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 63 MB | 200 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Join Raft AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/949819246) | [ROOT38 LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1206411222) |

## What reviewers say

### Raft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raft-shared-calendar/id949819247)

This app helps couples, families, and close friends stay organized and connected by sharing calendars and events. It allows users to plan together, add personal touches to appointments, and countdown to special occasions. Facilitate communication and coordination for a more synchronized life.

**Highlights:** Connect with partner, family, and friends, View shared plans and appointments, Like and comment on events, Personalize events with media, Share or keep plans private, Countdown to special occasions, In-event chat functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.49 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $18.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Cute and visual design
- 💡 Sharing plans with partner/friends
- 🚀 Helpful for organizing schedules

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Sync issues between users
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with new devices

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to create account
- Events not showing up for partner
- Dates not syncing correctly
- Invitations not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add location details for events
- Recurring event option
- Monthly calendar view
- Favorite/reuse event icons
- Android app support


### Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-event-countdown/id983258067)

Easily track important dates and events with a beautifully designed countdown timer and calendar. Set unlimited countdowns, customize with icons and colors, and receive basic reminders. Share your upcoming events with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Unlimited event countdowns, Count up or down to events, Customizable icons and colors, Add notes to events, Basic notifications and reminders, Event sharing

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium 3 Months | $5.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly (50% Off) | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Customizable colors and icons
- 🕰️ Helpful for tracking upcoming events
- 💻 Works well on multiple devices
- 🧠 Assists with time management and organization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Premium features locked behind paywall
- 💸 Aggressive promotion of premium version
- 🔔 Lack of customizable notifications
- 🗓️ Missing calendar view and repeat event options
- 🐛 Issues with past event tracking and data loss after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Premium subscription issues after updates
- Inconsistent font sizing and layout
- Countdown accuracy problems for distant events

**Requested features**

- Calendar view integration
- Repeat/recurring event options
- More customization for notifications
- Ability to view past event details
- Improved handling of long-term countdowns


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Raft free?

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

### Is Countdown free?

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

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

Countdown is rated higher. Raft averages 4.6 out of 5 from 821 ratings, while Countdown averages 4.7 from 24K ratings.

### Do Raft or Countdown have ads?

Countdown shows ads; Raft does not.

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

Raft ships an update monthly, and Countdown weekly. Most recently, Raft was updated on July 29, 2026 and Countdown on September 27, 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.*