# Dictionary.com vs Merriam

Dictionary.com and Merriam both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Merriam's written reviews are positive against 26% of Dictionary.com's. Merriam also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and chart position (#51 vs #158). Dictionary.com's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dictionary.com sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Merriam sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.79 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Dictionary.com against 4.8 for Merriam. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 328K and 331K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of Dictionary.com's written reviews are positive against 83% of Merriam's.

Dictionary.com ships an update every 3 weeks, Merriam every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dictionary.com | Merriam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (328K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionarycom-english-words/id308750436/reviews) | **[4.8 (331K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary/id399452287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 328K | **331K** |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | **83.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #158 | **#51** |
| Size | 35 MB | 255 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Curiosity Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/332510497) | [Merriam-Webster, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/399452290) |

## What reviewers say

### Dictionary.com

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

**Currently charting:** #158 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


### Merriam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary/id399452287)

**Currently charting:** #51 Top Free · Reference, #81 Top Grossing · Reference (US App Store)

Access America's most respected dictionary, updated with new words and meanings. This app offers offline access, voice search, daily vocabulary challenges, and a thesaurus. It's designed for English language reference, education, and vocabulary enhancement.

**Highlights:** Offline dictionary access, Voice search for words, Daily Word of the Day, Vocabulary word games, Integrated thesaurus, Audio pronunciations

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $1.79 | per month |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | per year |
| All References + Remove Ads | $5.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Comprehensive definitions
- 👍 Helpful thesaurus
- 🚀 Offline access
- 👍 Word of the day feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Ads can be intrusive
- 🐛 Difficulty closing ads
- 🐛 Repetitive game questions
- 🐛 Missing words in dictionary
- 🐛 Unreasonable level progression in games

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when searching for certain words
- Widget does not update daily word
- Scribble feature is buggy
- Inconsistent ad behavior

**Requested features**

- Add spelling correction suggestions
- Improve word game timer and scoring
- Expand etymology information
- Add more languages beyond English
- Improve widget functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dictionary.com free?

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

### Is Merriam free?

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

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

Merriam is rated higher. Dictionary.com averages 4.8 out of 5 from 328K ratings, while Merriam averages 4.8 from 331K ratings.

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

Both Dictionary.com and Merriam show ads.

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

Dictionary.com ships an update every 3 weeks, and Merriam every 3 months. Most recently, Dictionary.com was updated on October 30, 2026 and Merriam on October 30, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Dictionary.com or Merriam?

Dictionary.com currently peaks at #158 in the App Store charts, and Merriam at #51. 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.*