# Thesaurus App vs Dictionary.com

The clearest difference is price: Dictionary.com at Free against Thesaurus App's $0.99. Dictionary.com also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.0) and update cadence (monthly vs every 8 months). Thesaurus App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment there is nothing between them.

Dictionary.com is free to download; Thesaurus App costs $0.99 up front. Dictionary.com sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Thesaurus App asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dictionary.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dictionary.com has 328K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 29% of Thesaurus App's written reviews are positive against 26% of Dictionary.com's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Thesaurus App ships an update every 8 months, Dictionary.com monthly. Both last shipped on September 26, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Thesaurus App | Dictionary.com |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [1.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thesaurus-app/id291362860/reviews) | **[4.8 (328K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionarycom-english-words/id308750436/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **328K** |
| Positive reviews | **28.6% of reviews** | 25.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#126** |
| Size | 2 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Piet Jonas](https://appshunter.io/developer/288060167) | [Curiosity Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/332510497) |

## What reviewers say

### Thesaurus App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thesaurus-app/id291362860)

Instantly find synonyms for any word. Explore antonyms, related terms, and user-suggested words. Tap results for new searches and access your search history.

**Highlights:** Synonym retrieval, Antonym search, Related terms, User suggestions, Quick new search, Search history

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for searching words
- 🚀 Fast and excellent thesaurus
- 👍 Works well and is well supported
- 👍 Great for homework and writing
- 👍 Helpful for vocabulary building

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Limited synonyms
- 👎 No antonyms provided
- 👎 Few applicable synonyms
- 👎 Narrow search results
- 👎 Small text, cannot be enlarged

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot cancel subscription
- Never downloaded/appeared on phone
- Creator impossible to reach
- Stuck in update limbo
- Draining battery and internet connection

**Requested features**

- Provide antonyms
- Include similar terms and related word forms
- Allow following a chain of related terms
- Improve synonym suggestions
- Allow text enlargement


### Dictionary.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionarycom-english-words/id308750436)

**Currently charting:** #126 Top Free · Reference (US App Store)

Access over 2 million trusted definitions and synonyms for English words. Enhance your vocabulary with daily new words, example sentences, and audio pronunciations. This app provides grammar tips and editorial content to deepen your understanding of the English language.

**Highlights:** 2 million+ definitions and synonyms, Word of the Day, Example sentences, Audio pronunciations, Grammar tips, Search history

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rhyming Dictionary | $1.99 | one-time |
| Grammar & Tips | $1.99 | one-time |
| Idioms & Phrases | $1.99 | one-time |
| Example Sentences | $2.99 | one-time |
| Science Dictionary | $2.99 | one-time |
| Encyclopedia | $2.99 | one-time |
| Offline Dictionary | $2.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Power Pack | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Robust dictionary and thesaurus
- 🤓 Helpful resources like blogs and articles
- 💡 Useful word games and puzzles
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🤩 Great for expanding vocabulary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent search results and missing definitions
- 💸 Aggressive ads even after paid upgrades
- 🤯 Frequent crashes and performance issues
- 🤔 Confusing layout changes and UI issues
- 🤷‍♀️ Paid features not always working as expected

**Reported bugs**

- Notifications not working as expected
- Inconsistent behavior when tapping on words
- Offline dictionary not downloading properly
- Frequent crashes and freezes on various devices
- Paid features not unlocking or resetting unexpectedly

**Requested features**

- Dedicated section to display all forms of a word
- Ability to create and manage custom word lists
- Improved offline mode with more functionality
- Better integration with other productivity apps
- More language support beyond just English


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Thesaurus App free?

Thesaurus App costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dictionary.com free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Thesaurus App or Dictionary.com?

Dictionary.com is rated higher. Thesaurus App averages 1.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Dictionary.com averages 4.8 from 328K ratings.

### Do Thesaurus App or Dictionary.com have ads?

Dictionary.com shows ads; Thesaurus App does not.

### Which is updated more often, Thesaurus App or Dictionary.com?

Thesaurus App ships an update every 8 months, and Dictionary.com monthly. Most recently, Thesaurus App was updated on September 26, 2026 and Dictionary.com on September 26, 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.*