# American Heritage® Dictionary vs Heron Derivation Dictionary

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Heron Derivation Dictionary at none against American Heritage® Dictionary's 1. Heron Derivation Dictionary also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 66%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). American Heritage® Dictionary's advantage is price ($12.99 vs $19.99) and ratings volume (207 vs 6). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

American Heritage® Dictionary costs $12.99 and Heron Derivation Dictionary $19.99 up front. American Heritage® Dictionary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Heron Derivation Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Heron Derivation Dictionary holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: American Heritage® Dictionary has 207 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of American Heritage® Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 100% of Heron Derivation Dictionary's.

American Heritage® Dictionary ships an update every 2 months, Heron Derivation Dictionary every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | American Heritage® Dictionary | Heron Derivation Dictionary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$12.99** | $19.99 |
| Rating | [4.7 (207 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-heritage-dictionary/id284965601/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heron-derivation-dictionary/id1550802233/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **207** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 65.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#57** | #199 |
| Size | 386 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Enfour, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284965604) | [Synthesized Software, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/907334792) |

## What reviewers say

### American Heritage® Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/american-heritage-dictionary/id284965601)

**Currently charting:** #57 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

Access a comprehensive digital dictionary with nearly 300,000 terms and thousands of sound files. Features include advanced search, etymology, and AI-powered tools for deeper understanding and language learning.

**Highlights:** Full dictionary text, 33,000+ example sentences, 64,000+ recorded sound files, Three-way cross-referencing search, Etymology with root links, AI Teacher for ESL students, Offline use

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Roget's II Thesaurus | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Comprehensive and authoritative
- 👍 Excellent pronunciation audio
- 👍 Helpful etymologies and word roots
- 👍 Seamless integration with Roget's Thesaurus

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔋 Large app size can cause sync issues
- 🔒 Concerning privacy/security issues with unauthorized social media posts
- 👎 Overpriced compared to alternatives
- 👎 Lack of customization options (font size, themes, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Unreliable audio playback
- Unexpected behavior when clearing search history

**Requested features**

- Ability to bookmark words and organize them into custom categories
- Improved search functionality (e.g. tapping words in definitions to jump to them)
- Landscape mode support
- Better sync/backup options for user data
- More visual aids and illustrations


### Heron Derivation Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heron-derivation-dictionary/id1550802233)

**Currently charting:** #199 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

Explore the history and origins of common English words with clear, concise derivations. This reference tool is ideal for learners and anyone curious about word etymology, offering over 11,000 entries and easy cross-referencing.

**Highlights:** Simple, concise derivations, 11,450+ word entries, Glossary of etymological terms, Cross-reference linking, Easy to understand explanations

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is American Heritage® Dictionary free?

American Heritage® Dictionary costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Heron Derivation Dictionary free?

Heron Derivation Dictionary costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, American Heritage® Dictionary or Heron Derivation Dictionary?

Heron Derivation Dictionary is rated higher. American Heritage® Dictionary averages 4.7 out of 5 from 207 ratings, while Heron Derivation Dictionary averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do American Heritage® Dictionary or Heron Derivation Dictionary have ads?

Neither American Heritage® Dictionary nor Heron Derivation Dictionary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, American Heritage® Dictionary or Heron Derivation Dictionary?

American Heritage® Dictionary ships an update every 2 months, and Heron Derivation Dictionary every 4 months. Most recently, American Heritage® Dictionary was updated on October 31, 2026 and Heron Derivation Dictionary on October 27, 2026.

### Which is more popular, American Heritage® Dictionary or Heron Derivation Dictionary?

American Heritage® Dictionary currently peaks at #57 in the App Store charts, and Heron Derivation Dictionary at #199. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*