WordBank vs Lexicon
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WordBank
Enhance your academic writing with a vast collection of substitute words and phrases. This app provides context-specific suggestions and examples to improve readability and professionalism, designed by experienced academics.
- Substitute words and phrases for academic writing
- Context-specific suggestions
- Examples of word usage
- Paragraph structure guidance
- Simple and easy to use interface
- No registration required
Read full descriptionHide full description
Search for a variety of substitute words and phrases for academic writing. During academic writing, authors always require a variety of words and phrases in order to avoid repetition and overuse. Having a variety of words in any piece of academic writing adds strength, readability, professionalism and makes the work easy to comprehend. This smartphone application offers authors a large variety of words to choose from. It opens with a paragraph model and displays the four stages that constitute a typical paragraph. Tapping each one of these stages offers a list of words and phrases relevant to that stage. Each of these, in turn, when tapped provide a list of examples of their use. The key element in its design lies in its simplicity, convenience and ease of use. There are no requirements to register or log in and neither does it require any other details of the user. It has been designed by academics with many years of experience in pedagogical practice as it was felt that the increasing overuse of certain words and phrases leads to poor and sub-standard work by students. The design is based on an established, successful and widely-used model of paragraph writing. It is free to use with no intrusive ads and given that it is not subject or region-specific, it will find wide global appeal.
Lexicon
This app helps you build and visualize your vocabulary. It creates beautiful cards for each word, including definitions, origins, pronunciation, memory aids, and relevant photographs. Discover words in real-world contexts and organize your learning.
- Visual word cards
- Etymology and pronunciation
- Memory hooks
- Real-world word sightings
- Customizable collections
- Daily Word of the Day
Read full descriptionHide full description
Lexicon is a personal vocabulary gallery for the curious mind. Every word you collect becomes a beautifully crafted card — complete with its definition, etymology, pronunciation, a memory hook to help it stick, and a striking photograph to bring it to life. HOW IT WORKS Search for any word and add it to your collection. Lexicon instantly curates a rich card with everything you need to truly absorb it: where the word came from, how to use it, a mnemonic to remember it by, and a cultural reference that gives it context. Each card is paired with a carefully selected photograph, turning your vocabulary into something worth browsing. SIGHTINGS — YOUR WORDS IN THE WILD Lexicon scans articles, essays, poetry, and quotes across the web to find real appearances of the words you've collected. It's the thrill of recognition — seeing a word you just learned show up in The Guardian, a poem, or a famous quote. A daily Word of the Day, chosen to reflect the cultural moment, keeps your collection growing. ORGANIZE YOUR WAY Create custom collections to group words by theme, project, or mood. Browse your library alphabetically, by domain (Art, Logic, Nature, Society), or by collection. Switch between a visual gallery and a clean index view. BUILT TO REMEMBER Every card includes a mnemonic device — a short, catchy phrase designed to make the word unforgettable. Combined with etymology, example sentences, and pop culture references, Lexicon gives you multiple pathways to retention. DESIGNED WITH CARE Lexicon is built for people who believe words matter. The interface is minimal, typographic, and intentional — inspired by editorial design and the quiet pleasure of a well-curated library. Your words sync across devices with Sign in with Apple. Your collection is yours, wherever you go.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Lexicon at every 10 days against WordBank's every 2 months. WordBank's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.6). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
WordBank ships an update every 2 months, Lexicon every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WordBank | Lexicon |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 10 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 12 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | espis | Ng Zhong Wei |
Customer experience
WordBank
Lexicon
In-app purchases
WordBank
No in-app purchases
Lexicon
No in-app purchases









