Short answer: choose Kounts if you want Live Activities, a Dynamic Island countdown, Lock Screen widgets, Siri & Apple Intelligence and collaborative shared albums — all with no ads. Choose Countdown Star if you love its celebration animations when a timer hits zero, want native iPad, Mac and Vision apps, and like that all its features are free (with ads). Both are genuinely good; it comes down to live countdowns versus celebration moments.
At a glance
Kounts and Countdown Star side by side. Countdown Star details verified from its App Store listing as of June 2026.
✓ = supported · ~ = partial / different approach · “Not mentioned” = not listed on the current App Store page.
Where each app pulls ahead
Celebration animations
Countdown Star's signature: when a countdown reaches zero it fires off confetti, fireworks, balloons, stars or lasers. It's a genuinely fun payoff that Kounts doesn't replicate. If that moment of celebration is the point for you, Countdown Star nails it.
Live Activities & Dynamic Island
On event day, Kounts shows a self-ticking countdown in the Dynamic Island and on the Lock Screen as a Live Activity, plus Lock Screen widgets. Countdown Star's listing focuses on Home Screen widgets and doesn't mention Live Activities, so Kounts leads on the live, glanceable countdown.
Free, two different ways
Both apps are free, with different trade-offs. Kounts is free and ad-free — the core experience is fully functional, with an optional Premium for advanced customization. Countdown Star is free and ad-supported (remove ads for about $1.99), without a feature paywall. If you'd rather never see an ad, Kounts has the edge.
Devices
Countdown Star has native iPad, Mac and Apple Vision apps in addition to iPhone and Apple Watch. Kounts focuses on iPhone and Apple Watch. If you want to manage countdowns on a Mac or iPad natively, Countdown Star reaches more devices.
Sharing & shared albums
Countdown Star syncs your events across your own devices via iCloud, but its listing doesn't describe sharing countdowns with other people. Kounts lets you invite up to five people to follow one live countdown and add photos to a shared album.
Siri & Apple Intelligence
Ask Siri how long until your next event, or describe an event in plain language and let Create with AI fill in the details. Countdown Star's listing doesn't mention Siri or AI, so Kounts is stronger for hands-free and smart entry.
Kounts Live Activities, widgets and Apple Watch.
When to choose Countdown Star instead
Countdown Star is a long-loved, generous app, and it's the better pick for some people. Choose it if:
- You want celebration animations — confetti and fireworks — when a countdown hits zero.
- You want native iPad, Mac or Apple Vision apps.
- You'd rather have every feature free and don't mind ads (or paying once to remove them).
- You like extras such as multiple app icons and per-event time zones.
You can find Countdown Star on the App Store.
Pricing & platforms
Kounts
Free to download with no ads. The core experience — events, widgets, Live Activities, Apple Watch and sharing — is fully functional for free. An optional Kounts Premium (a yearly subscription or one-time lifetime purchase) unlocks advanced customization.
iPhone & Apple Watch.
Countdown Star
Free with ads, and features aren't paywalled. As of June 2026 you can remove ads with a one-time purchase of about $1.99, or use the separate paid Ad-Free version.
iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch & Vision (Android also available).
Prices and features can change — check each app's current App Store listing before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kounts a good alternative to Countdown Star?
Yes, if you want Live Activities, a Dynamic Island countdown, Lock Screen widgets, Siri and collaborative shared albums, with no ads. Countdown Star is a strong, generous app whose standout is celebration animations and a no-feature-paywall model, but it's ad-supported and its listing doesn't mention Live Activities.
Does Countdown Star have Live Activities or a Dynamic Island countdown?
As of June 2026 the Countdown Star App Store listing doesn't mention Live Activities or Dynamic Island; it offers Home Screen widgets and Apple Watch support. Kounts has a self-ticking Live Activity and Dynamic Island countdown on event day. Check the current listing, as features change.
Does Countdown Star have celebration animations?
Yes. Countdown Star is well known for celebration animations — confetti, fireworks, balloons, stars or lasers — when a countdown reaches zero. That playful payoff is one of its signature features, and Kounts doesn't replicate it.
Is Countdown Star free?
Countdown Star is free with ads, and its features aren't paywalled. You can remove ads with a one-time purchase of about $1.99, or use the separate paid Ad-Free version. Kounts is free with no ads and an optional Premium for advanced customization.
Which is better, Kounts or Countdown Star?
Choose Kounts for Live Activities, Dynamic Island, Lock Screen widgets, Siri and Apple Intelligence, collaborative shared albums, and no ads. Choose Countdown Star for celebration animations, native iPad, Mac and Vision apps, and an all-features-free model if you don't mind ads.
Try Kounts free
An ad-free countdown with beautiful cards, widgets, Live Activities and an Apple Watch app.
See also: Kounts vs Days · Kounts vs Dreamdays · all countdown apps compared
Kounts is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Countdown Star or its developer. Countdown Star and all related names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Comparison based on publicly available information from each app's App Store listing as of June 2026; features and pricing may have changed since. Found something out of date? Let us know.