Dictionary Universal vs OpenMDict
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dictionary Universal
Access a vast collection of dictionaries on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. This app supports StarDict and Lingvo DSL formats, offering fast searches, morphology, fuzzy matching, and pronunciation. Organize dictionaries by language and save your favorites for quick access.
- StarDict and Lingvo DSL support
- Fast search and fuzzy matching
- Morphology support
- Pronunciation playback
- Dictionary profiles
- Favorites and history
- Clipboard lookup
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Dictionary Universal is iPhone, iPod touch and iPad application for viewing StarDict dictionaries and dictionaries in Lingvo DSL format ¹. Many of these dictionaries are available on the Internet for free ². Features: * Very fast. After dictionary is indexed, minimal time is required to start before you can type text. List of matches appears without delay while you type. * Supports morphology for English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. * Fuzzy search. This functionality will help you find words if they are misspelled or when you don't know how to type word correctly. Just type in the text and hit Search button on the keyboard. * Pronunciation support. * Searching text in currently displayed article. * Profiles group dictionaries, pronunciation and morphology for quick switching. Useful if you work with several languages. * Favorites and Search History. * Ability to lookup word in clipboard when switching to the application. Copy word to clipboard and switch to Dictionary Universal to see translation. * Most complete StarDict format support in the AppStore (including images, synonyms, and various dictionary formats). * Color highlighting for better text readability (when supported by dictionary format). * Arbitrary word lookup. Tap any word in article to lookup it in loaded dictionaries. * Full screen mode support. * Compressed dictionaries and resources support. * Embedded web browser for downloading dictionaries from the Internet. ¹ Lingvo DSL format is a text format with dictionary source code. Dictionary Universal does not support compiled Lingvo dictionaries (LSD format). ² No dictionaries are bundled with the application. You will need StarDict or Lingvo DSL dictionaries to use them with the application.
OpenMDict
This free, open-source dictionary reader allows you to view definitions from multiple dictionaries simultaneously. It offers pop-up lookup from any app and syncs your dictionaries, bookmarks, and history across devices via iCloud. Includes over 65 curated dictionaries to get you started.
- Multiple layout modes (Columns, Grid, List)
- Pop-up lookup via Action Extension
- Jump search within definitions
- iCloud sync for dictionaries and history
- Import unlimited dictionaries and create groups
- Includes 65+ curated open-source dictionaries
- Dark mode enhancements with adjustable brightness
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OpenMDict is a free, open-source MDict (.mdx/.mdd) dictionary reader for iPhone and iPad. ► THREE LAYOUT MODES & MULTI-WINDOW ON iPadOS - View definitions from multiple dictionaries simultaneously in Columns, Grid, or List layout — compare and cross-reference at a glance. - Desktop-class productivity with multiple windows and 30+ keyboard shortcuts. ► POP-UP LOOKUP & JUMP SEARCH - Look up words from any app via the Action Extension pop-up. - Keep jump-searching unfamiliar terms within definitions until every word is clear. ► iCLOUD SYNC & UNLIMITED GROUPS - Dictionaries, bookmarks, history, and lookup counts sync across all your devices. - Import unlimited dictionaries and create unlimited groups — no subscriptions, no ads, no paid tiers. ► PRESET DICTIONARIES INCLUDED & DARK MODE ENHANCEMENTS - Choose from 64 curated open-source dictionaries (WordNet, JMdict, CC-CEDICT, and more) — download and start using them right away. - Enhance third-party dictionaries' readability in dark mode, with 7 levels of adjustable brightness per dictionary. ► AI COACH & VOCABULARY GAMES - Turn the English words you bookmark into four quick games, generated on your device by Apple Intelligence, with definitions from your own dictionaries. - Swipe to sort synonyms, antonyms, and look-alikes. - Spot the impostor words hiding among a word's true relatives. - Settle a daytime-TV-style paternity dispute: is this word really in the family? - Answer a game-show survey: name the words that share a category. - Requires iOS 26 or later and a supported device with Apple Intelligence turned on and set to a language it supports. ► MORE FEATURES • Full MDict format support: V1 (LZO), V2 (zlib), MDD resources, obfuscated dictionaries • Lemma-aware search — finds base forms and inflected variants automatically • Siri Shortcuts, Spotlight search, Quick Actions, Share Extension, Drag & Drop • Available in 13 languages: English, 简体中文, 繁體中文, 日本語, 한국어, Español, Deutsch, Français, Português (BR), Русский, Українська, العربية, हिन्दी
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: OpenMDict at Free against Dictionary Universal's $5.99. OpenMDict also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months). Dictionary Universal's advantage is ratings volume (26 vs 4) and review sentiment (85% vs 75%). On rating, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
OpenMDict is free to download; Dictionary Universal costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Dictionary Universal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dictionary Universal has 26 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Dictionary Universal's written reviews are positive against 75% of OpenMDict's.
Dictionary Universal ships an update every 7 months, OpenMDict fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dictionary Universal | OpenMDict |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (26 ratings) — better | 4.5 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 26 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 78 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dmitry Zhuk | Han Yin |
Customer experience
Dictionary Universal
OpenMDict
In-app purchases
Dictionary Universal
No in-app purchases
OpenMDict
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dictionary Universal free?
Is OpenMDict free?
Which has better reviews, Dictionary Universal or OpenMDict?
Do Dictionary Universal or OpenMDict have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dictionary Universal or OpenMDict?
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