Best countdown apps for long-distance couples in 2026
The right app depends on what you want. If you only want one shared countdown to your next reunion on both iPhones, Lovers Countdown and Outside are built for that; Outside also handles many events, groups and iPad, while Lovers Countdown is limited to one couple, one date and no account. If you want chat, photos or relationship questions with a countdown on the side, Between or Paired fit better, and both are also on Android.
Last checked: November 4, 2026
We make Lovers Countdown, so read this with that in mind. We built it for our own long-distance relationship, because we wanted to wake up to the same number. Every fact about the other apps comes from their App Store pages, checked on November 4, 2026. Prices are US prices from the “In-App Purchases” list on each page and can differ in your country.
Quick comparison
| App | Shared countdown on both phones | Lock Screen widget | Android | Price (US, App Store) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovers Countdown | Yes, one date per couple | Yes (circular, rectangular, inline) | No | 7-day trial for both, then Plus $14.99/year or $29.99 once |
| Outside | Yes, with partner, friends or family | Yes, also StandBy | Not found | Free plan incl. widgets; Pro listed from $2.99/month or $19.99/year |
| Between | Countdown to special days in a shared calendar | Not described on the store page | Yes | Plus listed at $2.99/month, $24.99/year, $26.99 lifetime |
| Widgetable | Not described | Yes, many widget types | Yes | Premium listed at $19.99/year or $4.99/month |
| Paired | Tracks important dates | Not described on the store page | Yes | Premium listed from $14.99/month, $39.99 to $74.99/year |
| Countdown (Find Appiness) | Shares a link; a shared date that syncs changes to both phones is not described on the store page | Yes, circular and inline without Premium | Not checked | Premium $3.99 once |
Sources: the App Store page of each app, linked in each section below.
Lovers Countdown: one shared countdown for two
What it does: One of you creates a countdown and the other joins with a six-digit code. Both iPhones then show the same number in the app, in Home Screen widgets, on the Lock Screen and in StandBy. In the last 24 hours the widgets tick down in hours, minutes and seconds.
Where it is good: It does one job and keeps setup short. No account, no email address, no phone number. One purchase unlocks Plus on both phones.
Where others are better: It is iPhone only and both of you need one. It holds one date per couple, not a list of events. There is no chat, no shared photo album, no Apple Watch app and no Live Activity. A new date reaches the other phone when the app is opened there. The app came out in October 2026 and has no App Store ratings yet. Languages: English and German.
Price: 7-day trial for both of you from the moment you pair, without payment details. Then Plus: $29.99 once or $14.99 a year in the US (€29.99 or €14.99 in the euro zone). Without Plus, the countdown keeps running but is hidden in the app and widgets.
More: how to set up a countdown on both iPhones, step by step, and the Lock Screen widget in detail.
Outside: shared countdowns for couples, friends and family
Source: apps.apple.com/us/app/outside-countdown-for-couples/id1611434405
What it does: Outside lets you create a countdown, send an invite and let “friends, family or your partner join the same moment.” Its subtitle names weddings, trips and long-distance relationships. Widgets work on the Home Screen, the Lock Screen and in StandBy, and its release notes mention Live Activities on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island.
Where it is better: According to the store page, the free plan already includes creating, sharing and joining countdowns plus all three widget places. It handles many events and groups, not just one couple. Outside Pro adds reminders, calendar sync, recurring events, group chat, photo uploads, premium styles and checklists. It runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple silicon Macs. Its release notes say “Join 300,000+ people,” so it has a much larger user base than Lovers Countdown. About 2,800 ratings, 4.7 stars (US).
Things to know: It requires iOS 18 or later. The release notes mention sign-up and sign-in, and the privacy label lists name, phone number and email address as data linked to you. We found no Android app.
Price: Free plan. Pro plans listed on the store page include $2.99 per month and $19.99 per year, with other entries between $12.49 and $44.49 per year.
Between: a private messenger for two
Source: apps.apple.com/us/app/between-couples-love-tracker/id458035189
What it does: Between is a messenger just for the two of you, with photos, videos, notes, calls and a shared calendar. The calendar “automatically calculates the count down” for your special days.
Where it is better: If you want your chats, photos and dates in one private place, Between covers far more than a countdown. It has been on the App Store since 2011, has about 21,000 ratings at 4.8 stars, and there is a PC version and an Android app, so it works for couples with one iPhone and one Android phone.
Things to know: The store page does not describe a Lock Screen countdown widget, so we could not confirm one.
Price: The store page lists Between Plus at $2.99 per month, $24.99 per year and $26.99 lifetime (the description text mentions $13.99 per year). Optional “Hearts” packs start at $0.99.
Widgetable: playful widgets for friends and couples
Source: apps.apple.com/us/app/widgetable-besties-couples/id1641107226
What it does: Widgetable fills your Home Screen and Lock Screen with shared widgets: virtual pets you raise together, a sleep widget, a “Miss You” counter, photos and doodles you pin on each other’s screen, and a Distance Widget that shows how far apart you are in real time.
Where it is better: If you want lots of small, playful ways to show up on each other’s screen, Widgetable has far more of them. It has about 388,000 ratings at 4.9 stars and is also on Android.
Things to know: Its App Store description does not mention a countdown to a date. The store page notes that the app may use your location even when it is not open, which the distance feature relies on.
Price: Premium is listed at $19.99 per year or $4.99 per month (a $1.99 monthly entry also appears), plus “diamonds” and pet items from $0.99.
Paired: daily questions and relationship games
Source: apps.apple.com/us/app/paired-couples-relationship/id1469609343
What it does: Paired sends you and your partner daily questions, quizzes and games, with guided programs on topics like communication. You can also keep track of important dates such as anniversaries and birthdays. Its subtitle mentions long-distance games.
Where it is better: If you want to talk more and learn about each other while apart, Paired offers structured content that a countdown app does not. It reports 8 million downloads, has about 210,000 ratings at 4.7 stars and is on Android.
Things to know: It is a relationship app first; the store page does not describe a countdown widget for the Lock Screen. The age rating is 18+.
Price: The store page lists Paired Premium at $14.99 per month and annual entries from $39.99 to $74.99.
Countdown by Find Appiness: a classic countdown app
Source: apps.apple.com/us/app/countdown/id1403367428
What it does: A general countdown app for any event, with unlimited events, reminders, Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, Apple Watch support and iCloud sync between your own devices.
Where it is better: It is cheap and mature: the circular and inline Lock Screen widgets work without Premium, and Premium is a one-time $3.99. It reports over 20 million downloads and has about 191,000 ratings at 4.8 stars. It runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
Things to know: You can send a link so others “can count down with you,” but the store page does not describe one countdown that both phones keep in sync when one of you changes the date. The rectangular Lock Screen widget and StandBy need Premium. The version without Premium shows ads.
Price: Premium $3.99 once.
Which one should you pick?
- One shared date, both iPhones, no account: Lovers Countdown.
- Many shared countdowns, groups, iPad or Live Activities: Outside.
- One of you has Android, or you want a private chat and photo space: Between.
- Playful widgets and a distance tracker: Widgetable.
- Questions and games to stay close: Paired.
- A countdown just for yourself, cheaply: Countdown by Find Appiness.
FAQ
Which countdown app shows the same countdown on both partners’ phones?
Lovers Countdown and Outside both let two people join one countdown so it appears on both phones. Lovers Countdown connects exactly two iPhones with a six-digit code and no account; Outside works with invites and also supports groups.
Is there a long-distance countdown app for iPhone and Android together?
Lovers Countdown and Outside are iPhone apps. Between, Widgetable and Paired are on both the App Store and Google Play; Between includes a countdown to special days in its shared calendar.
Which app has a Lock Screen countdown widget for couples?
Lovers Countdown (circular, rectangular and inline) and Outside both offer Lock Screen widgets for a shared countdown. Countdown by Find Appiness has Lock Screen widgets too. It shares a link; a shared date that syncs changes to both phones is not described on the store page.
How much does Lovers Countdown cost?
Both partners get a 7-day trial from the moment they pair. After that, Plus costs $29.99 once or $14.99 a year in the US, €29.99 or €14.99 in the euro zone, and one purchase covers both phones.
Download Lovers Countdown for iPhone
For iPhone with iOS 16.4 or later. A 7-day trial for both of you, then Plus.