# Dictionary.com vs Merriam

Dictionary.com and Merriam both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 82% of Merriam's written reviews are positive against 26% of Dictionary.com's. Merriam also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 9) and ads (none vs shown). Dictionary.com's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On rating, monetization model and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Dictionary.com is free to download; Merriam costs $9.99 up front. Dictionary.com sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Merriam asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Dictionary.com against 4.8 for Merriam. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dictionary.com has 328K ratings behind it against 22K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of Dictionary.com's written reviews are positive against 82% of Merriam's.

Dictionary.com ships an update every 3 weeks, Merriam every 5 months. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dictionary.com | Merriam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (328K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionarycom-english-words/id308750436/reviews) | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary-plus/id478126577/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **328K** | 22K |
| Positive reviews | 25.6% of reviews | **82.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #160 | **#9** |
| Size | 35 MB | 238 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:** #160 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-plus/id478126577)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

Access America's leading dictionary with over 15,000 extra entries for people and places. Enjoy offline access, voice search, and daily vocabulary builders. This app offers expert word guidance with a thesaurus and example sentences.

**Highlights:** Ad-free experience, 15,000+ premium entries, Offline dictionary access, Voice search functionality, Daily Word of the Day, Vocabulary-building word games, Integrated thesaurus

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clear and intuitive layout
- 🚀 Convenient offline access
- 🔍 Comprehensive word definitions
- 🔠 Helpful thesaurus and word games
- 🔊 Useful audio pronunciations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app freezes and crashes
- ⚠️ Missing words and incomplete definitions
- 🔍 Lack of spell-check and word suggestions
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 🔀 Difficulty navigating back to previous words

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes on launch
- Audio pronunciations not working in some cases
- Inconsistent performance across iOS versions
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Improved search with spell-check and suggestions
- Ability to mark and review words
- Integration with system search and Siri
- Support for landscape mode and dark mode
- Expanded word coverage and more detailed definitions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dictionary.com free?

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

### Is Merriam free?

Merriam costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### 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 22K ratings.

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

Dictionary.com shows ads; Merriam does not.

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

Dictionary.com ships an update every 3 weeks, and Merriam every 5 months. Most recently, Dictionary.com was updated on October 31, 2026 and Merriam on October 31, 2026.

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

Dictionary.com currently peaks at #160 in the App Store charts, and Merriam at #9. 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.*