# Dictionary.com vs Words

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Words at none against Dictionary.com's 9. Words also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). Dictionary.com's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (328K vs 3). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dictionary.com sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Words asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dictionary.com holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dictionary.com has 328K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Dictionary.com's written reviews are positive against 50% of Words's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Dictionary.com ships an update every 3 weeks, Words every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dictionary.com | Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (328K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionarycom-english-words/id308750436/reviews)** | [4.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/words-the-simple-dictionary/id1481020699/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **328K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#163** | — |
| Size | 35 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Curiosity Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/332510497) | [Sahil Gangele](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072158691) |

## What reviewers say

### Dictionary.com

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

**Currently charting:** #163 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


### Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/words-the-simple-dictionary/id1481020699)

Quickly find word definitions, examples, and origins with a simple swipe. Save and organize words for easy recall, and bookmark those you frequently forget. A share extension allows for seamless saving of words you encounter.

**Highlights:** Word definition search, Example sentences, Word origin information, Save and organize words, Bookmark favorite words, Share extension for saving

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dictionary.com free?

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

### Is Words free?

Words is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dictionary.com or Words?

Dictionary.com is rated higher. Dictionary.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 328K ratings, while Words averages 4.3 from 3 ratings.

### Do Dictionary.com or Words have ads?

Dictionary.com shows ads; Words does not.

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

Dictionary.com ships an update every 3 weeks, and Words every 3 days. Most recently, Dictionary.com was updated on October 26, 2026 and Words on October 10, 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.*