# Google Translate vs WordReference Dictionary

The clearest difference is rating: Google Translate at 4.3 against WordReference Dictionary's 3.8. Google Translate also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). WordReference Dictionary's advantage is review sentiment (60% vs 41%) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Google Translate holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Translate has 84K ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 41% of Google Translate's written reviews are positive against 60% of WordReference Dictionary's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Google Translate ships an update weekly, WordReference Dictionary every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Translate | WordReference Dictionary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (84K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-translate/id414706506/reviews)** | [3.8 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordreference-dictionary/id515127233/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **84K** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | 41.1% of reviews | **60.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#1** | — |
| Size | 295 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [WordReference.com, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/296878902) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Translate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-translate/id414706506)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Reference, #165 Top Free (US App Store)

Instantly translate text, voice, and images between hundreds of languages. Features include offline translation, real-time conversation translation, and the ability to save frequently used phrases.

**Highlights:** Text translation, Offline translation, Instant camera translation, Photo translation, Voice translation, Conversation translation, Phrasebook

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Spoken Cantonese & Jyutping recently added
- 🚀 Fantastic for translating on the go
- 👍 Easy to navigate
- 👍 Useful for learning languages
- 👍 Offline translation available

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate translations for some languages
- 🐛 Buggy camera/image translation
- 🐛 Inconsistent translation of formal/informal language
- 🐛 Slow performance, especially offline
- 🐛 Cluttered interface, poor UX design

**Reported bugs**

- Camera translation not working without internet connection
- Inability to select and translate specific text in images
- Inconsistent translation of words with multiple meanings
- Predictive text feature providing inaccurate suggestions

**Requested features**

- Add more language support, especially for minority languages
- Improve accuracy of translations, especially for Asian languages
- Allow manual selection of text in image translation
- Add option to toggle between formal and informal language
- Improve offline performance and functionality


### WordReference Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordreference-dictionary/id515127233)

Access a comprehensive suite of dictionaries and translation tools for multiple languages. Explore conjugations, synonyms, and a vast forum with millions of answered questions. This app provides quick access to extensive language resources.

**Highlights:** Extensive multilingual dictionaries, Verb conjugators, Synonym finder, Language forums, English definitions, Spanish definitions

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent translation tool
- 👍 Comprehensive dictionary with examples
- 👍 Helpful for learning languages
- 👍 Reliable and accurate translations
- 👍 Great resource for professional interpreters

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable performance
- 🐛 Slow and unresponsive at times
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience across updates
- 🔋 Requires internet connection, no offline mode

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes on various devices
- Inconsistent performance on cellular vs. Wi-Fi connections
- Search functionality not working as expected
- Inability to delete or manage favorite dictionaries

**Requested features**

- Add support for more languages (e.g. Hebrew, Persian, Latin)
- Implement offline dictionary functionality
- Improve search and navigation, including ability to search for phrases
- Add user account and sync features to save favorites and history
- Enhance verb conjugation and grammar tools


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Translate free?

Google Translate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is WordReference Dictionary free?

WordReference Dictionary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Google Translate or WordReference Dictionary?

Google Translate is rated higher. Google Translate averages 4.3 out of 5 from 84K ratings, while WordReference Dictionary averages 3.8 from 27 ratings.

### Do Google Translate or WordReference Dictionary have ads?

WordReference Dictionary shows ads; Google Translate does not.

### Which is updated more often, Google Translate or WordReference Dictionary?

Google Translate ships an update weekly, and WordReference Dictionary every 6 weeks. Most recently, Google Translate was updated on September 27, 2026 and WordReference Dictionary on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*