# WordWeb Dictionary vs Merriam

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WordWeb Dictionary at none against Merriam's 4. WordWeb Dictionary also leads on ads (none vs shown). Merriam's advantage is ratings volume (328K vs 268) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Merriam sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.79 per month. WordWeb Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Merriam holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 328K ratings behind it against 268, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 90% of WordWeb Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 83% of Merriam's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

WordWeb Dictionary ships an update every 5 months, Merriam every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WordWeb Dictionary | Merriam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (268 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordweb-dictionary/id309627313/reviews) | **[4.8 (328K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary/id399452287/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 268 | **328K** |
| Positive reviews | **90.2% of reviews** | 83.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#37** |
| Size | 77 MB | 255 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Antony Lewis](https://appshunter.io/developer/289981687) | [Merriam-Webster, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/399452290) |

## What reviewers say

### WordWeb Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordweb-dictionary/id309627313)

This app provides a comprehensive offline English dictionary and thesaurus with fast searching, spelling suggestions, definitions, and usage examples. It offers extensive word data and advanced search filters without requiring an internet connection.

**Highlights:** Offline dictionary and thesaurus, Fast searching, Spelling suggestions, Definitions and usage examples, Synonyms and related words, Advanced search filters, Bookmark and history support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and efficient
- 👍 Simple and user-friendly
- 🔒 No ads or data tracking
- 💡 Offline functionality
- 👍 Comprehensive definitions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Limited word suggestions
- 📏 Needs adjustable text size
- 🔀 Difficulty clearing search history

**Reported bugs**

- Text input field not working on some devices
- Definitions not updating with latest changes

**Requested features**

- Add audio pronunciation
- Expand thesaurus and etymology features
- Implement a random word generator
- Allow customizing word list display


### Merriam

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

**Currently charting:** #37 Top Free · Reference, #78 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 WordWeb Dictionary free?

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

### Is Merriam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WordWeb Dictionary or Merriam?

Merriam is rated higher. WordWeb Dictionary averages 4.6 out of 5 from 268 ratings, while Merriam averages 4.8 from 328K ratings.

### Do WordWeb Dictionary or Merriam have ads?

Merriam shows ads; WordWeb Dictionary does not.

### Which is updated more often, WordWeb Dictionary or Merriam?

WordWeb Dictionary ships an update every 5 months, and Merriam every 3 months. Most recently, WordWeb Dictionary was updated on September 22, 2026 and Merriam on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*