# Chambers Thesaurus vs Merriam

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Merriam at 22K against Chambers Thesaurus's 11. Merriam also leads on chart position (#13 vs #189). Chambers Thesaurus's advantage is price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On rating, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Chambers Thesaurus costs $4.99 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 — 4.9 for Chambers Thesaurus against 4.8 for Merriam. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 22K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Chambers Thesaurus's written reviews are positive against 82% of Merriam's.

Chambers Thesaurus ships an update every 8 months, Merriam every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chambers Thesaurus | Merriam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $9.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chambers-thesaurus/id342112144/reviews)** | [4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary-plus/id478126577/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | 76.7% of reviews | **82.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | #189 | **#13** |
| Size | 18 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 Thesaurus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chambers-thesaurus/id342112144)

**Currently charting:** #189 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

This offline English thesaurus offers a vast collection of synonyms and antonyms for writers and language enthusiasts. It features intelligent word entry with spelling suggestions and advanced search capabilities, all accessible without an internet connection.

**Highlights:** Nearly 40,000 indexed words, 400,000 synonyms and antonyms, Intelligent spelling suggestions, Sounds-like and confused word suggestions, Fast pattern-matching search, Cross-reference to dictionaries, Offline access

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent tool overall
- 📚 Comprehensive vocabulary
- ✍️ Great for writers
-  crossword Perfect for crosswords
- 💰 Good value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❓ Incomplete vocabulary (missing common words)
- 🔗 Faulty linking between words
- 🐛 App crashes after updates
- 💻 Not working on newer OS versions
- 🖱️ Faulty interface (search field not immediate)

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when opening after update
- App no longer works on older OS versions
- Search field not immediately available
- Latest update prevents download on iPhone
- Index broken, making it less useful

**Requested features**

- Switch between purchased dictionaries/thesauruses in tabs
- Sell other desktop dictionaries on mobile
- Consistent spacing and text placement across tabs
- Use MacOS built-in support for graphics card acceleration
- Display identifying headings ('Thesaurus'/'Dictionary')


### Merriam

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

**Currently charting:** #13 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 Thesaurus free?

Chambers Thesaurus costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Merriam free?

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

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

Chambers Thesaurus is rated higher. Chambers Thesaurus averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Merriam averages 4.8 from 22K ratings.

### Do Chambers Thesaurus or Merriam have ads?

Neither Chambers Thesaurus nor Merriam shows ads.

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

Chambers Thesaurus ships an update every 8 months, and Merriam every 5 months. Most recently, Chambers Thesaurus was updated on November 1, 2026 and Merriam on November 4, 2026.

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

Chambers Thesaurus currently peaks at #189 in the App Store charts, and Merriam at #13. 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.*