# Dictionaries vs MDX Reader

The clearest difference is rating: MDX Reader at 5.0 against Dictionaries's 4.1. Dictionaries's advantage is ratings volume (84 vs 1) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 11 days). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dictionaries sells 23 one-off in-app purchases and MDX Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MDX Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dictionaries has 84 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Dictionaries ships an update every 4 days, MDX Reader every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dictionaries | MDX Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (84 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionaries/id1380563956/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdx-readerpersonal-dictionary/id6756669176/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **84** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 56.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 60 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [物書堂](https://appshunter.io/developer/284350529) | [Yulei Duan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1860295257) |

## What reviewers say

### Dictionaries

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionaries/id1380563956)

Access and search multiple dictionaries simultaneously in one app. Purchase various language dictionaries, including English and Japanese, from an in-app store. Features include batch searching, handwriting input, and cross-dictionary navigation.

**Highlights:** Batch search multiple dictionaries, Purchase language dictionaries, Handwriting input support, Trace and Jump between words, Bookmark and categorize words, iCloud synchronization, Multitasking with other apps

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (23)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| WISDOM English-Japanese 2 | Free | one-time |
| WISDOM English-Japanese | Free | one-time |
| COBUILD American 2nd edition | Free | one-time |
| COBUILD Advanced 9th edition | Free | one-time |
| DAIJIRIN | Free | one-time |
| 柯林斯 COBUILD 高级英汉双解词典 | Free | one-time |
| RGKO12 Upgrade | Free | one-time |
| REIKAI GAKUSHU KOKUGO 11th | $15.99 | one-time |
| REIKAI GAKUSYU KANJI 9th | $15.99 | one-time |
| Nihongo Bunkei Ziten: English | $19.99 | one-time |
| Basic Japanese Grammar | $20.99 | one-time |
| SHINMEIKAI 8 | $20.99 | one-time |
| Gendai Shin Kokugo Jiten | $20.99 | one-time |
| Meikyo Japanese Dictionary | $22.99 | one-time |
| DAIJISEN | $22.99 | one-time |
| Japanese Colloquial Expressions | $25.99 | one-time |
| WISDOM English-Japanese 3 | $26.99 | one-time |
| DAIJIRIN 4 | $28.99 | one-time |
| Shogakukan Chinese-Japanese | $31.99 | one-time |
| OALD 10 | $32.99 | one-time |
| Japanese Collocations | $33.99 | one-time |
| NHK Japanese Pronunciation | $36.99 | one-time |
| SHOGAKUKAN Korean-Japanese | $47.99 | one-time |


### MDX Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mdx-readerpersonal-dictionary/id6756669176)

This app allows you to build and manage your personal dictionary using MDX/MDD files. It offers powerful offline search, smart favorites, and customizable appearance for a personalized reference experience.

**Highlights:** Unlimited dictionary management, Fast full-text search, Smart favorites for saved words, Customizable appearance, Offline functionality, Cross-dictionary search

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MDX Premium (Lifetime) | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dictionaries free?

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

### Is MDX Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dictionaries or MDX Reader?

MDX Reader is rated higher. Dictionaries averages 4.1 out of 5 from 84 ratings, while MDX Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Dictionaries or MDX Reader have ads?

Neither Dictionaries nor MDX Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dictionaries or MDX Reader?

Dictionaries ships an update every 4 days, and MDX Reader every 11 days. Most recently, Dictionaries was updated on September 25, 2026 and MDX Reader on September 20, 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.*