# Countdown vs Countdown Timer

The clearest difference is monetization model: Countdown at free with in-app purchases against Countdown Timer's subscription. Countdown Timer's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Countdown Timer sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 162 and 371 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 76% of Countdown Timer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown ships an update fortnightly, Countdown Timer every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 7, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | Countdown Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-upcoming-events/id964477476/reviews)** | [4.4 (371 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-timer-count-to-days/id1069060573/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 162 | **371** |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **75.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 61 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rob Sammons](https://appshunter.io/developer/659065077) | [AlgoTwist Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/543053355) |

## What reviewers say

### Countdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-upcoming-events/id964477476)

Easily track upcoming events, holidays, and important dates with custom photos and notifications. View your countdowns on your Apple Watch, Mac, or Lock Screen widgets. Share events and enjoy a private, ad-free experience with optional Pro features.

**Highlights:** Add, modify, and view countdowns, Customizable photos from library or web, Siri integration for easy access, Apple Watch and Mac support, Widgets for home and lock screens, Shareable countdown images, Customizable event notifications

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown Pro | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🖼️ Customizable background images
- ✨ Clean and elegant design
- 🚀 Fast and reliable performance
- 💰 Good value for one-time purchase

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 App became paid/premium required
- 🖼️ Widget customization limitations
- ⏳ Date selector can be cumbersome
- 📸 Photo cropping/zooming issues
- 🚫 Limited free features

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Cannot add more than two countdowns
- 🐛 Widget colors "washing out"
- 🐛 Incorrect countdowns
- 🐛 Countdown data disappeared
- 🐛 Keyboard shows up and won't go away

**Requested features**

- Recurring event option
- Ability to crop images
- Import calendar events
- Integration with Google/iCloud calendars
- Option to show more than one goal in a large widget


### Countdown Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-timer-count-to-days/id1069060573)

Track and manage upcoming events with a customizable countdown timer. Organize occasions by category, add personal photos, and stay updated with a home screen widget. Share your excitement with friends and family.

**Highlights:** Unlimited event categories, Customizable photos, Home screen widget, Event reminders, Countdown in various units, Shareable countdowns, iCloud sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Month Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Countdown Full Access | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Access | $0.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Access + Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Access + Huge Tip | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for remembering events
- 👍 Useful tool
- 👍 Good design
- 👍 Works on Apple Watch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App doesn't work
- 🐛 Too many bugs
- 🐛 Link to share won't work
- 🐛 Requires payment for more than one countdown
- 🐛 Pictures turn sideways

**Reported bugs**

- App doesn't work
- Too many bugs
- Link to share won't work
- Pictures turn sideways
- Widget broken

**Requested features**

- Option to choose years, weeks, days, and hours for countdowns
- Event can have multiple pictures like a slideshow
- Ability to set repeat dates for 2 or 3 weeks


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is Countdown Timer free?

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

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

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.6 out of 5 from 162 ratings, while Countdown Timer averages 4.4 from 371 ratings.

### Do Countdown or Countdown Timer have ads?

Neither Countdown nor Countdown Timer shows ads.

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

Countdown ships an update fortnightly, and Countdown Timer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Countdown was updated on October 7, 2026 and Countdown Timer 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.*