Countdown · Weather · Plan Mode
A Days Matter alternative
for events worth planning for.
Days Matter is a long-running cross-platform countdown app, and it handles dates, themes, and Lock Screen widgets well. Its free tier shows banner ads, and its sync runs through an account. If either is why you're looking elsewhere, Soon. shows no ads on any tier and syncs through your own iCloud, with no login to create. A trip, a wedding, or an exam also gets your own photo, a starter checklist and timeline for that kind of event, and widgets on the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy.
How does Soon. compare to Days Matter?
The biggest difference is the free tier: Days Matter's carries banner ads and offers sync through an account, and Soon.'s has neither. The cards cover the rest.
Checklists for the kind of event (Plan mode)
Soon.: Free. Soon. suggests a starter checklist and milestone timeline for trips, weddings, birthdays, exams, work, holidays, health, a baby, concerts, and sport, and you add your own tasks. Premium adds reminders for plan items.
Days Matter: Generic countdown events without event-type templates.
Days Matter: Generic countdown events without event-type templates.
Weather for the day
Soon.: Add a place to a moment and, once the date is within 7 days, Soon. shows the Apple Weather forecast for it (Premium).
Days Matter: No weather integration.
Days Matter: No weather integration.
Widgets
Soon.: 26 widgets for the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy, plus a Control Center control on iOS 18. With Premium, the Final Countdown runs on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island in the last 24 hours.
Days Matter: Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets; the current listing does not mention StandBy.
Days Matter: Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets; the current listing does not mention StandBy.
Ads & account
Soon.: No ads on any tier, no account at any point, and no third-party SDKs.
Days Matter: Banner ads on the free tier and an optional account for cross-device sync.
Days Matter: Banner ads on the free tier and an optional account for cross-device sync.
Data storage
Soon.: On your iPhone and, with iCloud sync on, in your own private iCloud, so your moments follow you to a new iPhone without an account. Export everything as JSON or delete it all from Settings.
Days Matter: Optional account-based cloud sync, which puts your countdowns on a server tied to a login.
Days Matter: Optional account-based cloud sync, which puts your countdowns on a server tied to a login.
Price
Soon.: Free for up to 5 moments. Premium $1.99/mo or $9.99/yr, each with a 7-day free trial, or $12.99 once. Family Sharing on all three.
Days Matter: Free with ads. Premium subscription removes ads and unlocks features (typical pricing in the category).
Days Matter: Free with ads. Premium subscription removes ads and unlocks features (typical pricing in the category).
Who should pick Soon. vs Days Matter?
Pick Soon. if…
- You want a free countdown app without banner ads
- You want a checklist next to the countdown, suggested for the kind of event
- You want the forecast for a trip once it's a week away (Premium)
- You want StandBy widgets as well as Lock Screen ones
- You don't want a countdown account tied to a server
Stick with Days Matter if…
- You need your countdowns beyond iPhone (Soon. has no iPad, Mac, Watch, or Android version)
- You're already happy with Days Matter's visual themes
- You don't mind banner ads and would rather not move your countdowns
About Soon.
Questions
FAQ
What is the best Days Matter alternative for iPhone without ads?
Soon. is a close alternative to Days Matter for iPhone if you want no ads. It has no ads on any tier, no tracking, and no account, where Days Matter's free tier carries banner ads. Soon. also adds a free Plan mode that suggests a checklist and timeline for the kind of event, and 26 widgets for the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy.
Does Soon. import countdowns from Days Matter?
Not directly. There is no automated Days Matter import. Soon. can turn an event from your iPhone's calendar into a countdown with a tap, and Days Matter can optionally sync events to iCloud Calendar, so one way over is to get your Days Matter events into the Calendar app and then import each into Soon. You only do this once per countdown.
Does Soon. sync between iPhones the way Days Matter does?
Yes, through your own iCloud instead of an account. Turn on iCloud sync in Soon.'s Settings and your moments sync through your private iCloud to other iPhones signed in to the same Apple Account. Lagerland Apps runs no server and cannot read them. Soon. is iPhone only, so if you need countdowns on other kinds of devices, Days Matter covers more ground.
Is Soon. free like Days Matter?
Yes. Soon.'s free version has no time limit and no ads, and covers up to 5 moments, Plan mode, widgets showing your pinned moment, 3 themes, calendar import, Memories, and iCloud sync. Premium adds unlimited moments, any moment on any widget, reminders, the weather forecast, daily notes, and repeating moments: $1.99/month or $9.99/year, each with a 7-day free trial, or $12.99 once for Lifetime. Days Matter's free tier shows banner ads; Soon.'s does not.
Does Soon. have Lock Screen and StandBy widgets like Days Matter?
Yes. Soon. has 26 widgets for the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy, from a single day count to a ring, a timeline, and a full-year view, with a night variant for StandBy. Free widgets show your pinned moment; Premium lets you choose any moment for each widget. Days Matter has Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets; its App Store listing did not mention StandBy when we checked.
Try it
Open Soon.
A countdown with a plan for the events worth planning, and a free version without ads.
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