# Countdown vs KeyHour

The clearest difference is ads: KeyHour at none against Countdown's shown. KeyHour also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (96% vs 80%). Countdown's advantage is ratings volume (24K vs 53) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Countdown sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and KeyHour sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Countdown holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Countdown has 24K ratings behind it against 53, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Countdown's written reviews are positive against 96% of KeyHour's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Countdown ships an update weekly, KeyHour every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Countdown | KeyHour |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/countdown-event-countdown/id983258067/reviews)** | [4.5 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keyhour-clock-and-app-blocker/id6467558399/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 53 |
| Positive reviews | 79.9% of reviews | **96.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 197 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [ROOT38 LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1206411222) | [炜东 黄](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651122567) |

## 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


### KeyHour

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/keyhour-clock-and-app-blocker/id6467558399)

This app offers a fullscreen digital clock experience inspired by landscape mode designs. It features multiple well-crafted themes and supports both countdown and count-up timers, along with home screen widgets.

**Highlights:** Fullscreen landscape clock, Multiple clock themes, Countdown timers, Count-up timers, Home screen widgets, Ad-free experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $7.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Countdown free?

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

### Is KeyHour free?

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

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

Countdown is rated higher. Countdown averages 4.7 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while KeyHour averages 4.5 from 53 ratings.

### Do Countdown or KeyHour have ads?

Countdown shows ads; KeyHour does not.

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

Countdown ships an update weekly, and KeyHour every 9 days. Most recently, Countdown was updated on September 25, 2026 and KeyHour on September 23, 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.*