# Pleco Chinese Dictionary vs Baybayin Plus

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Baybayin Plus at none against Pleco Chinese Dictionary's 10. Baybayin Plus also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 86%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.6). Pleco Chinese Dictionary's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (1.9K vs 8). On price, rating, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pleco Chinese Dictionary sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Baybayin Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Pleco Chinese Dictionary against 4.8 for Baybayin Plus. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pleco Chinese Dictionary has 1.9K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Pleco Chinese Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 100% of Baybayin Plus's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pleco Chinese Dictionary | Baybayin Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pleco-chinese-dictionary/id341922306/reviews) | **[4.8 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baybayin-plus/id521696607/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.9K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 85.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#167** | — |
| Size | 114 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +9 | 17+ |
| Developer | [Pleco Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/330462895) | [Badztech](https://appshunter.io/developer/521696690) |

## What reviewers say

### Pleco Chinese Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pleco-chinese-dictionary/id341922306)

**Currently charting:** #167 Top Free · Reference, #200 Top Grossing · Reference (US App Store)

This app is a comprehensive tool for learning Chinese, offering integrated dictionaries, document reading, and flashcard features. It supports various input methods including handwriting and OCR, with extensive dictionary options and pronunciation guides.

**Highlights:** Integrated dictionaries with over 110,000 entries, Full-screen handwriting input, Live OCR for word lookup, Document reader for various file types, Flashcard system with SRS, Stroke order diagrams, Mandarin and Cantonese audio

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Integrate Purchases | Free | one-time |
| Mandarin Audio (male) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Stroke Order Diagrams | $4.99 | one-time |
| Document Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| Enhanced Handwriting | $9.99 | one-time |
| Flashcard System | $9.99 | one-time |
| Optical Character Recognizer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Basic Bundle | $29.99 | one-time |
| A Student's Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese | $39.99 | one-time |
| Professional Bundle | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Extremely helpful and useful
- 👍 Comprehensive and detailed dictionary
- 🔍 Excellent search and lookup features
- 💡 Customizable and personalized experience
- 🎓 Essential tool for learning Chinese

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive add-ons and bundles
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and freezing issues
- 🔍 Cluttered interface and navigation
- 🌐 Lack of cloud sync and backup

**Reported bugs**

- Handwriting recognition not always accurate
- Inconsistent performance on older devices
- Occasional issues with iCloud sync and backup

**Requested features**

- Improved flashcard management and organization
- More language options beyond Mandarin and Cantonese
- Better integration with other learning apps and platforms
- Ability to filter and prioritize common/essential vocabulary


### Baybayin Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baybayin-plus/id521696607)

Learn and use the ancient Baybayin script with modern tools. Features live translation, photo translation, and a community forum for enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Live translation, Snap and translate from photos, Text translation with multiple languages, Improved keyboard layout, Community discussion forum, Post images for discussion

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pleco Chinese Dictionary free?

Pleco Chinese Dictionary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Baybayin Plus free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pleco Chinese Dictionary or Baybayin Plus?

Baybayin Plus is rated higher. Pleco Chinese Dictionary averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Baybayin Plus averages 4.8 from 8 ratings.

### Do Pleco Chinese Dictionary or Baybayin Plus have ads?

Baybayin Plus shows ads; Pleco Chinese Dictionary does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pleco Chinese Dictionary or Baybayin Plus?

Pleco Chinese Dictionary ships an update every 3 months, and Baybayin Plus every 3 months. Most recently, Pleco Chinese Dictionary was updated on October 17, 2026 and Baybayin Plus on October 2, 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.*