# Countdown vs Countdown to an event

The clearest difference is rating: Countdown at 4.6 against Countdown to an event's 4.0. Countdown also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 11 months). Countdown to an event's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Countdown to an event sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 162 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Countdown ships an update weekly, Countdown to an event every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | Countdown to an event |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (162 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-upcoming-events/id964477476/reviews)** | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-to-an-event/id1586440691/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **162** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 39 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rob Sammons](https://appshunter.io/developer/659065077) | [Francesco Pelanda](https://appshunter.io/developer/1565356297) |

## 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 to an event

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-to-an-event/id1586440691)

This app helps you track important dates and moments with customizable countdowns. It offers various countdown modes, personalized notifications, and a unique countup feature to remember past events. Adaptable to any screen size, it ensures you never miss a special occasion.

**Highlights:** Customizable countdowns, Multiple countdown modes (days, hours, minutes, seconds), Personalized notifications, Countup feature for past events, Screen size adaptation, Color customization

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock all premium features | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full premium version | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is Countdown to an event free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Countdown or Countdown to an event?

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.6 out of 5 from 162 ratings, while Countdown to an event averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Countdown or Countdown to an event have ads?

Countdown to an event shows ads; Countdown does not.

### Which is updated more often, Countdown or Countdown to an event?

Countdown ships an update weekly, and Countdown to an event every 11 months. Most recently, Countdown was updated on November 1, 2026 and Countdown to an event on November 3, 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.*