# Collins COBUILD Dictionary vs Merriam

The clearest difference is rating: Merriam at 4.8 against Collins COBUILD Dictionary's 4.4. Merriam also leads on ratings volume (22K vs 46) and review sentiment (82% vs 59%). Collins COBUILD Dictionary's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Collins COBUILD Dictionary costs $11.99 and Merriam $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Merriam holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 22K ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Collins COBUILD Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 82% of Merriam's.

Collins COBUILD Dictionary ships an update every 9 months, Merriam every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Collins COBUILD Dictionary | Merriam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $11.99 | **$9.99** |
| Rating | [4.4 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collins-cobuild-dictionary/id389735161/reviews) | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary-plus/id478126577/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | 59.2% of reviews | **82.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#12** |
| Size | 68 MB | 238 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [MobiSystems, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/289579214) | [Merriam-Webster, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/399452290) |

## What reviewers say

### Collins COBUILD Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collins-cobuild-dictionary/id389735161)

This comprehensive English language reference tool offers clear definitions in full sentences, drawing from a vast database of real-world text. Enhance your writing and understanding with detailed word entries, example sentences, and advanced search and learning tools.

**Highlights:** Clear definitions in full sentences, Extensive word database, Thousands of example sentences, Search autocomplete, Keyword lookup, Camera and voice search, Favorites and recent word lists

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Merriam

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

**Currently charting:** #12 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 Collins COBUILD Dictionary free?

Collins COBUILD Dictionary costs $11.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Merriam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Collins COBUILD Dictionary or Merriam?

Merriam is rated higher. Collins COBUILD Dictionary averages 4.4 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Merriam averages 4.8 from 22K ratings.

### Do Collins COBUILD Dictionary or Merriam have ads?

Neither Collins COBUILD Dictionary nor Merriam shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Collins COBUILD Dictionary or Merriam?

Collins COBUILD Dictionary ships an update every 9 months, and Merriam every 5 months. Most recently, Collins COBUILD Dictionary was updated on October 16, 2026 and Merriam on October 17, 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.*