Comparison

Build Own Dictionary vs Topical Dictionary

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Build Own Dictionary

Create and manage personalized dictionaries for language learning. Add words with translations and descriptions, organize them by category, and search your entries. Translate sentences word-by-word using your custom dictionaries.

Highlights
  • Create and import dictionaries
  • Add, edit, and delete words
  • Categorize words
  • Sort words alphabetically or by time
  • Search dictionary entries
  • Translate sentences word-by-word
  • Customize appearance
Features
Read full description

Using this app you can create your own dictionaries during learning a foreign language. The key features are: - Create a dictionary or import it from your device into the app. - Delete or rename the dictionary. - Export the dictionary from the app to your device. - Add quickly a word with its translation and optionally its description to the dictionary. - Delete or edit words in the dictionary. - Assign a category name to the words. - Sort the words alphabetically, by time added, or by category. - Search a word, translation, or description in the dictionary. - Translate a sentence, word by word, using your created dictionaries. - Customize the colors and the font sizes of the dictionary. - Save all of your created dictionaries as an SQLite database in a DB file. The premium version enables the export/import feature, adding description, assigning category, customizing colors and font sizes, and sentence translator. It also removes all ads from the app.

About

Topical Dictionary

Easily create custom dictionaries with over 400,000 words, descriptions, and examples. Ideal for expanding vocabulary while reading, researching, or watching media in English. Offers a dedicated tool for word study, superior to generic note-taking apps.

Highlights
  • Create custom dictionaries
  • Over 400,000 words
  • Word descriptions and examples
  • Vocabulary expansion tool
  • Dedicated word study
Features
Read full description

Start with vocabulary chosen for you—or create collections around the subjects that matter to you. Topical Dictionary combines ready-made English vocabulary, personal topic dictionaries, and focused word-card games. Explore a collection, copy it to make it your own, then practice every word without losing its meaning or context. EXPLORE CURATED DICTIONARIES Discover carefully selected English vocabulary organized from A1 to C1. Combine level and category filters to find collections for everyday life, travel, work, health, and more. Build everyday foundations, strengthen communication, explore advanced language, or practice practical phrasal verbs. COPY AND CUSTOMIZE Copy any curated dictionary to your personal library. Its original version stays unchanged while your copy becomes fully editable—add words, rewrite definitions, update examples, or adapt the collection to your goals. SHARE YOUR DICTIONARIES Share a curated collection or one of your personal dictionaries through a link. Other Topical Dictionary users can preview the words and copy the collection to their own library without changing your original. HEAR ABOUT NEW COLLECTIONS Choose to receive notifications when new curated dictionaries are published. Tap a notification to open the collection in Discover. Notifications are optional and can be turned off in Settings. LEARN WITH WORD CARDS Turn one dictionary or several collections into a focused practice session. Reveal definitions and examples one card at a time, revisit previous games, and continue building familiarity with the words you saved. BUILD VOCABULARY BY TOPIC Create personal dictionaries for travel, school, technology, work, books, films, exams, or any subject you choose. Add a title and description so every collection has a clear purpose. SAVE WORDS IN CONTEXT Keep each word with its definition, part of speech, and an example sentence. Choose a common part of speech or enter your own. As you type a word, online lookup suggestions help you find a result and fill the fields faster. You choose which result to use and can edit every detail. FIND AND ORGANIZE Search your personal dictionaries or browse curated collections by title, description, and matching words. Sort your library and mark important dictionaries as favorites. YOUR VOCABULARY, AVAILABLE TO YOU Sign in with Apple, Google, or email. Your personal dictionaries stay linked to your account. Manage your profile, password, and account directly from the app. DESIGNED FOR iOS Enjoy a modern SwiftUI interface with English and Turkish localization, accessibility support, and system, light, and dark appearance options.

Screenshots

Build Own Dictionary4 screens
Topical Dictionary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Topical Dictionary at none against Build Own Dictionary's 1. Topical Dictionary also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 70%). Build Own Dictionary's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Build Own Dictionary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Topical Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Build Own Dictionary ships an update every 6 months, Topical Dictionary monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Build Own Dictionary versus Topical Dictionary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBuild Own DictionaryTopical Dictionary
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (72 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews70.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings72 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsMonthly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBita SobhaniIbrahim Ethem Karali

Customer experience

Build Own Dictionary

All ratings72 ratings
Positive76.4%
Neutral11.1%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive70.4%
Neutral22.2%
Negative7.4%

Topical Dictionary

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Build Own Dictionary

One-time1
  • Premium$3.99
None

Topical Dictionary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Build Own Dictionary free?
Build Own Dictionary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Topical Dictionary free?
Topical Dictionary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Build Own Dictionary or Topical Dictionary have ads?
Build Own Dictionary shows ads; Topical Dictionary does not.
Which is updated more often, Build Own Dictionary or Topical Dictionary?
Build Own Dictionary ships an update every 6 months, and Topical Dictionary monthly. Most recently, Build Own Dictionary was updated on October 25, 2026 and Topical Dictionary on October 24, 2026.

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