# Chambers Dictionary vs Merriam

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Merriam at 22K against Chambers Dictionary's 13. Merriam also leads on monetization model (freemium vs paid) and chart position (#9 vs #54). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Chambers Dictionary costs $9.99 and Merriam $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Chambers Dictionary against 4.8 for Merriam. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 22K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Chambers Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 82% of Merriam's.

Chambers Dictionary ships an update every 4 months, Merriam every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chambers Dictionary | Merriam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chambers-dictionary/id314269183/reviews) | [4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary-plus/id478126577/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 13 | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews | **82.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | #54 | **#9** |
| Size | 58 MB | 238 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

### Chambers Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chambers-dictionary/id314269183)

**Currently charting:** #54 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

This comprehensive English dictionary offers extensive coverage of words, including new terms from science and culture. It features intelligent search with spelling suggestions, pattern matching, and filtering, plus standard tools like bookmarks and anagrams. An offline reference for word enthusiasts and crossword solvers.

**Highlights:** Extensive word coverage, Latest new words, Intelligent spelling suggestions, Advanced search with pattern matching, Filter search results by word type, Offline functionality, Anagrams

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 Chambers Dictionary free?

Chambers Dictionary costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Merriam free?

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

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

Chambers Dictionary and Merriam are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 13 and 22K ratings respectively.

### Do Chambers Dictionary or Merriam have ads?

Neither Chambers Dictionary nor Merriam shows ads.

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

Chambers Dictionary ships an update every 4 months, and Merriam every 5 months. Most recently, Chambers Dictionary was updated on October 16, 2026 and Merriam on October 18, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Chambers Dictionary or Merriam?

Chambers Dictionary currently peaks at #54 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.*