# Dictionary Universal vs OpenMDict

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dictionary Universal | OpenMDict |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $5.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.7 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionary-universal/id312088272/reviews)** | [4.5 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openmdict/id6759032057/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **84.6% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 2 MB | 78 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dmitry Zhuk](https://appshunter.io/developer/1274744830) | [Han Yin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864030563) |

## What reviewers say

### Dictionary Universal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dictionary-universal/id312088272)

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.

**Highlights:** StarDict and Lingvo DSL support, Fast search and fuzzy matching, Morphology support, Pronunciation playback, Dictionary profiles, Favorites and history, Clipboard lookup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### OpenMDict

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openmdict/id6759032057)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dictionary Universal free?

Dictionary Universal costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is OpenMDict free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Dictionary Universal or OpenMDict?

Dictionary Universal is rated higher. Dictionary Universal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while OpenMDict averages 4.5 from 4 ratings.

### Do Dictionary Universal or OpenMDict have ads?

Neither Dictionary Universal nor OpenMDict shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dictionary Universal or OpenMDict?

Dictionary Universal ships an update every 7 months, and OpenMDict fortnightly. Most recently, Dictionary Universal was updated on October 31, 2026 and OpenMDict on November 5, 2026.

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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.*