# EtymologyExplorer vs WordBranch

EtymologyExplorer and WordBranch both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 96% of EtymologyExplorer's written reviews are positive against 0% of WordBranch's. EtymologyExplorer also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 5) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. EtymologyExplorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and WordBranch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

EtymologyExplorer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EtymologyExplorer has 1.6K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of EtymologyExplorer's written reviews are positive against 0% of WordBranch's.

EtymologyExplorer ships an update fortnightly, WordBranch every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EtymologyExplorer | WordBranch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymologyexplorer/id1189423897/reviews)** | [4.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordbranch-prefixrootsuffix/id1561128020/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **95.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 33 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Might Could Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1053696888) | [YiLin Tsai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1080555730) |

## What reviewers say

### EtymologyExplorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymologyexplorer/id1189423897)

Discover the fascinating origins and connections of words. This app provides visual maps of word roots, detailed etymologies, definitions, and audio pronunciations. Explore how seemingly unrelated words can share common ancestry.

**Highlights:** Visual map of word origins, Connections between related words, Full written etymology, Definitions, Transliterations, Audio pronunciations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $1.49 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual Special | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Special Premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Premium Lifetime Special | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 🔍 Comprehensive and detailed etymology information
- 🌟 Visually appealing and well-designed
- 📚 Helpful for language learning and vocabulary building
- 🔍 Ability to explore word origins across multiple languages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔍 Limited database of words
- 💰 Subscription model may be costly for some users
- 🕰️ Slow performance on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Word of the day feature not working consistently
- Occasional freezing or unresponsiveness of the app

**Requested features**

- Add more words and languages to the database
- Implement a dark mode option
- Improve search functionality to allow cross-language searches
- Provide more advanced features for power users (e.g., flashcards, quizzes)


### WordBranch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordbranch-prefixrootsuffix/id1561128020)

Enhance your vocabulary by learning prefixes, roots, and suffixes. This educational tool helps users master difficult words through targeted learning modules.

**Highlights:** Learn prefixes, Master roots, Understand suffixes, Vocabulary enhancement, Targeted word learning

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium account | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium acount | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EtymologyExplorer free?

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

### Is WordBranch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, EtymologyExplorer or WordBranch?

EtymologyExplorer is rated higher. EtymologyExplorer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while WordBranch averages 4.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do EtymologyExplorer or WordBranch have ads?

Neither EtymologyExplorer nor WordBranch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EtymologyExplorer or WordBranch?

EtymologyExplorer ships an update fortnightly, and WordBranch every 2 months. Most recently, EtymologyExplorer was updated on October 21, 2026 and WordBranch on October 10, 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.*