# WolframAlpha Classic vs Merriam

The clearest difference is rating: Merriam at 4.8 against WolframAlpha Classic's 4.1. Merriam also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and ratings volume (22K vs 1.3K). WolframAlpha Classic's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $9.99) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). On ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

WolframAlpha Classic costs $2.99 and Merriam $9.99 up front. WolframAlpha Classic sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Merriam asks for nothing beyond the download.

Merriam holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 22K ratings behind it against 1.3K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of WolframAlpha Classic's written reviews are positive against 82% of Merriam's.

WolframAlpha Classic ships an update every 2 months, Merriam every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WolframAlpha Classic | Merriam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.1 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wolframalpha-classic/id334989259/reviews) | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary-plus/id478126577/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.3K | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **82.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | #176 | **#9** |
| Size | 33 MB | 238 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Wolfram Group LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/715130979) | [Merriam-Webster, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/399452290) |

## What reviewers say

### WolframAlpha Classic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wolframalpha-classic/id334989259)

**Currently charting:** #176 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

Access a vast computational knowledge engine to get instant expert answers and perform complex calculations across thousands of domains. Explore data, solve problems, and gain insights on topics ranging from finance and nutrition to trivia and weather.

**Highlights:** Instant expert knowledge, Complex computations, Data analysis and reports, Unit and measurement calculations, Financial insights, Nutritional information, Trivia and fun facts

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro for Students Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro for Educators Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Pro for Students Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Pro for Educators Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| extension (Image as Input) | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Essential app for everyone
- 👍 Excellent for math and science
- 👍 Sophisticated yet easy to use
- 👍 Incredibly informative and interesting
- 👍 Fantastic for learning and problem-solving

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🔋 Requires internet connection
- 👎 Subscription model and loss of features
- 👎 USA-centric data, limited for non-US users

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup
- Interactive features not working
- Roller lists for selecting methods not functioning

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Improve offline functionality
- Expand global data coverage
- Enhance natural language processing


### Merriam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary-plus/id478126577)

**Currently charting:** #9 Top Paid · Reference, #196 Top Paid (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 WolframAlpha Classic free?

WolframAlpha Classic costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Merriam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WolframAlpha Classic or Merriam?

Merriam is rated higher. WolframAlpha Classic averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Merriam averages 4.8 from 22K ratings.

### Do WolframAlpha Classic or Merriam have ads?

Neither WolframAlpha Classic nor Merriam shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WolframAlpha Classic or Merriam?

WolframAlpha Classic ships an update every 2 months, and Merriam every 5 months. Most recently, WolframAlpha Classic was updated on October 20, 2026 and Merriam on October 21, 2026.

### Which is more popular, WolframAlpha Classic or Merriam?

WolframAlpha Classic currently peaks at #176 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.*