Comparison

aDict vs Standard Dictionary

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

Head to head
About

aDict

This app provides offline Chinese-English and English-Chinese dictionary lookups with a simple, beautiful interface. It also supports Youdao API for expanded search capabilities and includes several specialized dictionaries.

Highlights
  • Offline Chinese-English dictionary
  • Offline English-Chinese dictionary
  • Youdao API integration
  • Simple and beautiful design
  • Multiple dictionary lists
Features
Read full description

Keep your dictionaries close to what you read. aDict brings online lookup and your own dictionary files together on iPhone and iPad, with a native search interface and rich dictionary results. START WITH FREE ONLINE LOOKUP Look up English words with the built-in Youdao and V2EX English–Chinese sources, switch between results, and revisit recent lookups in your history. Online sources require an internet connection. BRING YOUR OWN DICTIONARIES WITH PRO Use local MDict and StarDict dictionaries for offline lookup. MDict packages can include MDX, MDD, and accompanying resources. Keep dictionary files on your device or enable iCloud dictionary sync to use the same library on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Dictionary files are supplied by you; aDict does not include commercial dictionary libraries. KEEP THE WORDS YOU WANT TO REMEMBER Save words to Favorites with Pro and return to the same dictionary entry later. Lookup history helps you find the words you have already searched. ADD ON-DEVICE INTELLIGENCE With Pro, optionally enrich dictionary results using Apple's on-device Foundation Models and your own prompt rules. Intelligence Enrichment is off by default and requires iOS or iPadOS 26 or later, a supported device, and Apple Intelligence enabled with its model ready. Availability depends on Apple's supported languages and regions. MADE FOR IPHONE AND IPAD Search with native system controls, browse rich definitions, and choose a reading theme that suits you. On iPhone, the bottom search button keeps lookup within reach without hiding the current result. aDict Pro is a one-time, non-consumable in-app purchase, not a subscription. It unlocks local dictionary files, Favorites, iCloud dictionary sync, and Intelligence Enrichment. Purchases can be restored with the same Apple Account. iCloud dictionary sync requires signing in to iCloud and enabling the feature.

About

Standard Dictionary

Features
Read full description

Standard Dictionary Standard Dictionary offers worldwide Chinese learners a tool to learn Chinese characters, including pronunciation, structure, component and so on. Standard Dictionary is designed for all levels of learner. The Standard Dictionary offers you: • Discover original meta components and find out all regular structures for each Chinese character; • Cover more than 8,000 Chinese characters even people just need 3500 to read 99.9% Chinese articles; • Pinyin included throughout; • Simplified and traditional forms of each Chinese character; • Over ten thousand of useful words, phrases, idioms and example sentences; • Related audio and videos; • Images for thousands of entries; Standard Dictionary is highly recommended by educators, parents, and media. Standard Dictionary is named by the surname of Dr. John Chu, which is the writer of this dictionary.

Screenshots

aDict3 screens
Standard Dictionary3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: aDict at every 8 days against Standard Dictionary's every 2 months. Standard Dictionary's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. aDict sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Standard Dictionary sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

aDict ships an update every 8 days, Standard Dictionary every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
aDict versus Standard Dictionary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteraDictStandard Dictionary
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS26.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB87 MB
Age rating4+9+
Developer伟才 黄Clavis Sinica Limited

In-app purchases

1 purchases

aDict

One-time1
  • Pro Member$6.99
10 purchases

Standard Dictionary

One-time10
  • 1.99点券$1.99
  • Secondary directory(Proxy)$7.99
  • 9.99点券$9.99
Show 7 more
  • 14.99点券$14.99
  • First level directory(Proxy)$17.99
  • Monthly membership(Proxy)$17.99
  • Monthly membership$19.99
  • 29.99点券$29.99
  • Annual membership(Proxy)$189.99
  • Annual membership$199.99

Questions

Is aDict free?
aDict is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Standard Dictionary free?
Standard Dictionary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do aDict or Standard Dictionary have ads?
Neither aDict nor Standard Dictionary shows ads.
Which is updated more often, aDict or Standard Dictionary?
aDict ships an update every 8 days, and Standard Dictionary every 2 months. Most recently, aDict was updated on November 11, 2026 and Standard Dictionary on November 3, 2026.

Other comparisons