# Countdown vs Event Countdown Timer & Widget

The clearest difference is ads: Countdown at none against Event Countdown Timer & Widget's shown. Countdown also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 52%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Event Countdown Timer & Widget's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Event Countdown Timer & Widget sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. 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 Countdown against 4.5 for Event Countdown Timer & Widget. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 162 and 341 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 52% of Event Countdown Timer & Widget's.

Countdown ships an update fortnightly, Event Countdown Timer & Widget every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | Event Countdown Timer & Widget |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-upcoming-events/id964477476/reviews)** | [4.5 (341 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/event-countdown-timer-and-widget/id1464521575/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 162 | **341** |
| Positive reviews | **70.0% of reviews** | 51.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 61 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rob Sammons](https://appshunter.io/developer/659065077) | [New Marketing Lab, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1080727702) |

## 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


### Event Countdown Timer & Widget

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/event-countdown-timer-and-widget/id1464521575)

Easily track upcoming events with customizable countdowns and celebrate past moments with count-ups. Personalize your experience with numerous backgrounds, widgets, and reminder options. Share your special dates with friends and family, and keep them synchronized across devices.

**Highlights:** Create countdowns for future events, Create count-ups for past moments, Unlimited background choices, Multiple time formats, Repeatable event scheduling, Customizable event reminders, Multiple widget options

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Countdown Pro (annual) | $1.99 | per year |
| Countdown Pro (lifetime) | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Clean and minimalistic design
- 🖼️ Photo background feature
- 🔄 Sync across iOS devices
- 🌟 Looks and performs great
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Paid for more than two countdowns
- 🚫 Cannot erase old countdowns
- 💳 Added charges after purchase
- 🔒 Requires photo access for timers
- 📱 No iPad app available

**Reported bugs**

- App keeps crashing
- Custom photo crashes app
- Cannot erase old countdowns
- App crashes multiple times
- Widget not available

**Requested features**

- Show actual date for listed events
- Widget to count days since an event
- Show 'Today' instead of skipping event
- Fortnightly reminder setting
- Dark/night theme


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is Event Countdown Timer & Widget free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown or Event Countdown Timer & Widget?

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.6 out of 5 from 162 ratings, while Event Countdown Timer & Widget averages 4.5 from 341 ratings.

### Do Countdown or Event Countdown Timer & Widget have ads?

Event Countdown Timer & Widget shows ads; Countdown does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown or Event Countdown Timer & Widget?

Countdown ships an update fortnightly, and Event Countdown Timer & Widget every 2 months. Most recently, Countdown was updated on September 19, 2026 and Event Countdown Timer & Widget on September 21, 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.*