# Countdown vs minical

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Countdown at 24K against minical's 6K. Countdown also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and minical sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Countdown against 4.8 for minical. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24K and 6K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 80% and 79% positive.

Countdown ships an update weekly, minical every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | minical |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-event-countdown/id983258067/reviews) | **[4.8 (6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minical-planner-and-calendar/id1558953048/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 6K |
| Positive reviews | **80.1% of reviews** | 79.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 200 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ROOT38 LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1206411222) | [minical Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457011383) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### minical

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minical-planner-and-calendar/id1558953048)

This app offers a minimalist and intuitive way to manage your schedule. View events at a glance with home and lock screen widgets, color-code them for easy distinction, and quickly edit them with smart suggestions. Stay organized with customizable notifications and cloud syncing.

**Highlights:** Minimalist design, Home & lock screen widgets, Event color-coding, Smart event editing, Customizable notifications, Cloud syncing, Event sharing

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| candy size tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| donut size tip | $3.99 | one-time |
| pizza size tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| minical pro | $11.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Functional and easy to use
- 👍 Lots of widget options
- 👍 Clean and easy to read interface
- 👍 Customizable
- 👍 Syncs well with other calendars

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues with Outlook
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 💰 Expensive pro version
- 📢 Too many ads
- 🔍 Lacks reminders/tasks integration

**Reported bugs**

- Events disappearing
- Widget not displaying correctly
- Incorrect date display on widgets
- Inability to delete events

**Requested features**

- Apple Reminders integration
- Travel time option
- Ability to invite attendees
- Dimming of past dates
- Natural language input for events


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is minical free?

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

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

minical is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while minical averages 4.8 from 6K ratings.

### Do Countdown or minical have ads?

Both Countdown and minical show ads.

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

Countdown ships an update weekly, and minical every 10 days. Most recently, Countdown was updated on October 22, 2026 and minical on October 22, 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.*