EtymologyExplorer vs RootWords
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
EtymologyExplorer
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.
- Visual map of word origins
- Connections between related words
- Full written etymology
- Definitions
- Transliterations
- Audio pronunciations
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Etymology Explorer is the word origin app you've been waiting your whole life for! Features include: • Visual map of word origins • Connections between related words (e.g. acrobat and acronym) • Etymology in full written form • Definition, transliterations, and audio pronunciations I would love to hear your feedback on how to improve the app, so please let me know if there are any issues or what features you want next! Ever wonder if the words album and albino are related? They are! Download the app and you'll find out how. For more information on our Terms of Use and Terms and Conditions please visit https://etymologyexplorer.com/terms_and_conditions.html
RootWords
Learn vocabulary by deconstructing words into their root parts. Discover meanings, build new words, and improve your understanding of English. Ideal for students and English language learners.
- Deconstruct words into root parts
- Discover word meanings
- Build new words from roots
- Learn vocabulary for tests
- Progress tracking
- Daily streaks
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RootWords - Root, not Rote! Choose a root, spin as many words as you can, and show you know their meaning. Don't know the word? Tap the parts (morpheme, not morphine!). Each part has a meaning and will help you learn the word. The more you play, the fewer times you will need to tap the parts. Great for the 5th and 6th grade vocab cliff, and helpful for English language learners and students working on vocabulary for tests. Free: Learn mode, every word. Test and Audio ($1.99 per month or $19.99 per year): hear every word and test yourself. Full Access ($5.99 per month or $59.99 per year): all games, Daily Streak, Custom List, and progress tracking. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings. Log in with the same account on the web and your plan unlocks automatically. RootWords offers subscriptions, which are subject to this terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: EtymologyExplorer at 4.8 against RootWords's 4.0. EtymologyExplorer also leads on ratings volume (1.6K vs 4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). 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. EtymologyExplorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month and RootWords sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
EtymologyExplorer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EtymologyExplorer has 1.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 96% of EtymologyExplorer's written reviews are positive against 100% of RootWords's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
EtymologyExplorer ships an update fortnightly, RootWords every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | EtymologyExplorer | RootWords |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (1.6K ratings) — better | 4.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Might Could Studios LLC | Charlotte O'Connell |
Customer experience
EtymologyExplorer
RootWords
Bugs and requests
EtymologyExplorer
Reported bugs
2 issues- Word of the day feature not working consistently
- Occasional freezing or unresponsiveness of the app
Requested features
4 requests- 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)
RootWords
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
EtymologyExplorer
- Supporter$1.491 Month
- Premium Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
- Premium Annual Special7 Days trial$9.991 Year
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- Premium Annual7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Lifetime Special Premium$29.99
- Premium Lifetime Special$29.99
- Lifetime Premium2 variants$59.99
RootWords
- Test and Audio$1.991 Month
- Full Access$5.991 Month
- Test and Audio$19.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Full Access$59.991 Year
Questions
Is EtymologyExplorer free?
Is RootWords free?
Which has better reviews, EtymologyExplorer or RootWords?
Do EtymologyExplorer or RootWords have ads?
Which is updated more often, EtymologyExplorer or RootWords?
Other comparisons
