Dictionary.com vs Wikipedia
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dictionary.com
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.
- 2 million+ definitions and synonyms
- Word of the Day
- Example sentences
- Audio pronunciations
- Grammar tips
- Search history
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Download the #1 free dictionary app! With more than 2 million trusted definitions and synonyms, this English dictionary and thesaurus app for iPhone is optimized for your mobile device. Improve your English vocabulary, whether you're just starting your learning journey or you're already a word wizard. Install the app for access to definitions and synonyms whenever and wherever you need them — no bulky books necessary. Flip to dark mode to give your eyes a break, or stick to the traditional set-up. In addition to the trusted reference content from Dictionary.com and Thesaurus.com, this education app includes: Word of the Day ► Learn a new word each day and expand your vocabulary. Example Sentences ► Browse real-world example sentences to see how words are used. Idioms ► Explore how words can gain new meanings. Rhymes ► Finish every verse. Audio Pronunciations ► Never mispronounce another word. Grammar ► Get grammar tips, word usage, and more to improve your writing. Editorial Articles ► Explore editorial content for features on words, the origins of the English language, and the nuances that make English so complicated and unique. Search History ► Customize your recently searched word list, and never forget the newest words you’ve learned. Dictionary Shuffle ► Think you know ALL the definitions? Prove it with Dictionary Shuffle, which chooses a word at random and brings you to the definition. A-Z Dictionary ► What’s more exciting than ... wait for it … browsing the Dictionary?! We’ve now made it even easier, with the A–Z Dictionary.
Wikipedia
Access the world's largest free knowledge base with over 60 million articles in nearly 300 languages. Explore trending topics, save articles for offline reading, and customize your reading experience with various themes and text sizes. Contribute to the community by editing articles and participating in discussions.
- Ad-free and free knowledge access
- 60+ million articles in 300+ languages
- Personalized trending news feed
- Offline article saving
- Customizable reading themes and text size
- Map-based location discovery
- Article discussion and contribution tools
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The official Wikipedia app for iOS helps you explore the world’s largest free knowledge project — ad-free and free of charge, forever. With 60+ million articles in nearly 300 languages, your favorite encyclopedia is always at your fingertips. Why you’ll love this app Free, open, and ad-free Wikipedia is written and verified by volunteers worldwide, supported by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation. No ads, no tracking — just knowledge you can trust. Search smarter, discover more Find the information you need without distraction. Search across 300 languages, explore trending and breaking news through a personalized feed. Add knowledge to your Home Screen Use widgets for quick access to trending articles, featured content, or the “Picture of the Day,” right from your Home Screen. Read your way Choose from light, sepia, dark, or pure black themes. Adjust text size and image dimming for comfortable reading anytime, anywhere. Explore nearby places Learn about landmarks and locations near you — or places you dream of visiting — through map-based article discovery. Stay connected offline Save articles to custom reading lists and access them offline — perfect for travel or learning without internet access. Share and continue seamlessly Share articles and images with friends, or use Handoff to keep reading across your Apple devices. Get insights into your activity See your own reading and contribution activity on Wikipedia with personalized insights that help you understand and celebrate how you use engage with Wikipedia. Stay organized with tabs Open multiple articles in tabs and switch between them with ease, just like in a browser. Compare topics, keep your place, and dive deeper without losing track. Join the conversation Read and reply to article discussion pages, and get notifications when discussions you follow are updated. Contribute on the go Manage your Watchlist to help keep Wikipedia accurate and up to date. Additional Information Feedback: In the app, go to Settings → Send app feedback. Contribute to translations: https://translatewiki.net/wiki/Translating:WikimediaMobile Source code: https://github.com/wikimedia/apps-ios-wikipedia Privacy Policy: https://m.wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Privacy_policy Terms of Use: https://m.wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Terms_of_Use About the Wikimedia Foundation: https://wikimediafoundation.org/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Dictionary.com at 4.8 against Wikipedia's 4.3. Dictionary.com also leads on ratings volume (328K vs 6.3K). Wikipedia's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and ads (none vs shown). On price, chart position, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Dictionary.com sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Wikipedia 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 6.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of Dictionary.com's written reviews are positive against 55% of Wikipedia's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Dictionary.com ships an update monthly, Wikipedia every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Dictionary.com | Wikipedia |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (328K ratings) — better | 4.3 (6.3K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 25.8% of reviews | 54.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 328K — better | 6.3K |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #109 | #40 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 35 MB | 251 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Curiosity Media | Wikimedia Foundation |
Customer experience
Dictionary.com
Wikipedia
User reviews
Dictionary.com
From 328K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Robust dictionary and thesaurus
- 🤓 Helpful resources like blogs and articles
- 💡 Useful word games and puzzles
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🤩 Great for expanding vocabulary
Room to improve
- 🐛 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
Wikipedia
From 6.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Vast information repository
- 👍 Customizable reading experience
- 🚀 Convenient offline access
- 👍 Reliable and trustworthy content
- 👍 Excellent app design and UI
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
- 🔋 High data usage and battery drain
- 🔒 Concerns about political bias and censorship
- 🔒 Unreliable editing process and information accuracy
Bugs and requests
Dictionary.com
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
Wikipedia
Reported bugs
5 issues- Unresponsive save button
- Duplicate saved articles issue
- Broken search functionality
- Landscape mode rendering problems
- Syncing issues with offline content
Requested features
5 requests- Add tabs for multi-article browsing
- Implement a forward navigation button
- Improve saved articles management
- Integrate text-to-speech functionality
- Provide more granular content filtering options
In-app purchases
Dictionary.com
- Rhyming Dictionary$1.99
- Grammar & Tips$1.99
- Idioms & Phrases$1.99
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Example Sentences$2.99
- Science Dictionary$2.99
- Encyclopedia$2.99
- Offline Dictionary$2.99
- Remove Ads$2.99
- Power Pack$5.99
Wikipedia
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dictionary.com free?
Is Wikipedia free?
Which has better reviews, Dictionary.com or Wikipedia?
Do Dictionary.com or Wikipedia have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dictionary.com or Wikipedia?
Which is more popular, Dictionary.com or Wikipedia?
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