Chambers Thesaurus vs Terminology
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chambers Thesaurus
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.
- 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
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The Chambers Thesaurus is the perfect reference for writers and word game enthusiasts, while all lovers of language will find it a pleasure to browse through. There are nearly 40 000 distinct indexed words, and a total of about 400 000 synonyms and antonyms. The intelligent word entry suggests possible correct spellings as you type, as well as listing words that sound the same or are often confused. Search features include: - Alphabetical listing - Spelling suggestions - Sounds-like and often-confused - Fast pattern-matching search - Cross-reference to offline and online dictionaries There are also standard bookmark, recent word and random word features. On newer iPads it supports Split View and Slide Over for easily viewing with other apps. With iOS 13+ it supports dark mode. No Internet connection is required. The Chambers Dictionary is also available as a separate app, and can easily be cross-referenced using the X-Ref button. Our WordWeb, Chambers and Oxford dictionaries are also available separately for Windows and Mac desktop (Collins coming soon).
Terminology
Explore the English language with this comprehensive tool. It offers dictionary and thesaurus functions, along with research capabilities to dive deeper into words and phrases. Extend its functionality with custom resources for web and app searches.
- Offline U.S. English dictionary
- Synonyms, antonyms, and word relations
- Customizable resources for web and app searches
- Favorite and create term lists
- Audio pronunciations
- Wildcard and spelling suggestions
- iCloud sync and backup
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Terminology is a browser for the English language – part dictionary, part thesaurus and part research tool. Terminology makes it easy to explore words and phrases, diving down to more and less specific terms - accessing web resources and other apps for more detail and sharing. More than a dictionary, Terminology can be extended with custom resources to search the Internet and other reference apps – making it a great place to satisfy any of your curiosities. ## DICTIONARY, THESAURUS & SEARCH ## - Offline U.S. English dictionary and word reference with simple, straightforward definitions. Based on the latest version of the Open English WordNet - Definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and deeper word relations such as more and less specific words, part, part of, members, member of, pertains to, and more - Favorite and create lists of terms - Word browsing history - Add your notes to any term - Audio pronunciations - Wildcard (?,*) searching - Spelling suggestions - Fast, reliable iCloud (CloudKit) sync and backup of history, favorites, notes, and resources ## EXTENSIBLE RESOURCES ## Resources provide quick links to look up and search your terms on websites and in other apps. Ready to use resources for popular reference sites like Wikipedia, ChatGPT, Google, IMDb, and more, or create your own with simple URL templates. Get more creative with AI resources to drill down on pre-populated prompts. ## MORE FEATURES ## - Share extension lets you access Terminology from a text selection in any app - Control Center integration for quick search - Spotlight and Handoff support - Great support for Accessibility features like VoiceOver and Dynamic Text. - Shortcuts support ## TERMINOLOGY PRO ## Terminology is always free to use, but you can get more out of the app with a Terminology Pro: * Custom resources * Unlimited term lists * Unlimited notes per term Terminology Pro is a reasonable annual subscription, or a one-time lifetime unlock. ## SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS ## * Payment will be charged to your Apple account at confirmation of purchase * Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is disabled at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period * Automatic renewals will be charged at the same price you were initially charged for the subscription * Subscriptions can be managed or canceled by going to Account Settings on the App Store after purchase Have questions? Email support@agiletortoise.com. Terms: https://agiletortoise.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://agiletortoise.com/privacy-policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Terminology at Free against Chambers Thesaurus's $4.99. Terminology also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 8 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 11). Chambers Thesaurus's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Terminology is free to download; Chambers Thesaurus costs $4.99 up front. Terminology sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Chambers Thesaurus asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chambers Thesaurus holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Terminology has 1.1K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Chambers Thesaurus's written reviews are positive against 71% of Terminology's.
Chambers Thesaurus ships an update every 8 months, Terminology every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | Chambers Thesaurus | Terminology |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (11 ratings) — better | 4.7 (1.1K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.7% of reviews — better | 71.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 1.1K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Best chart rank | #115 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 101 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Antony Lewis | Agile Tortoise |
Customer experience
Chambers Thesaurus
Terminology
User reviews
Chambers Thesaurus
From 11 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Excellent tool overall
- 📚 Comprehensive vocabulary
- ✍️ Great for writers
- crossword Perfect for crosswords
- 💰 Good value for money
Room to improve
- ❓ 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)
Terminology
From 1.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Often used, helpful for finding words
- 🔍 Precise and detailed definitions
- 🔗 Integrates well with other apps and services
- 🔍 Comprehensive dictionary and thesaurus
- 💻 Works great on both iOS and macOS
Room to improve
- 💰 Subscription model requires paying to remove ads
- 🔄 Functionality reduced in recent update
- 🔍 Some words missing from the dictionary
- 🔍 Clunky interface and navigation in latest version
- 🔍 Customization options behind paywall
Bugs and requests
Chambers Thesaurus
Reported bugs
6 issues- 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
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Search only for headwords, not synonyms or sub-collections
Requested features
8 requests- 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')
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Allow changing background and text color for dyslexia
- Update to the 3rd edition thesaurus
- Visibly differentiate words with links
Terminology
Reported bugs
3 issues- Keyboard does not always appear when tapping search
- Crashes or freezes on some devices
- Difficulty adjusting volume for word pronunciations
Requested features
5 requests- Add ability to review and manage favorite words
- Implement quiz or flashcard features for learning new words
- Improve keyboard integration and shortcuts
- Add more comprehensive dictionary coverage
- Provide option to revert to previous app version
In-app purchases
Chambers Thesaurus
No in-app purchases
Terminology
- Pro - Annual$7.991 Year
- Lifetime$29.99






