Comparison

Dictionary vs Dictionaries

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Dictionary

Instantly look up words from your iOS Home Screen without opening the app. Get definitions in seconds to aid studying, reading, or satisfying curiosity, keeping you focused and learning.

Highlights
  • Home Screen widget for instant lookups
  • No app launch required
  • Quick definitions
  • Seamless learning experience
  • Focus on tasks
Features
Read full description

With the iOS widget, you can look up words instantly right from your Home Screen — no need to launch the app. Whether you’re studying, reading, or just curious, the widget makes searching smooth and effortless. Stay focused on your task, get definitions in seconds, and keep learning without interruptions. Perfect for students, language learners, and anyone who loves words.

About

Dictionaries

Access and search multiple dictionaries simultaneously in one app. Purchase various language dictionaries, including English and Japanese, from an in-app store. Features include batch searching, handwriting input, and cross-dictionary navigation.

Highlights
  • Batch search multiple dictionaries
  • Purchase language dictionaries
  • Handwriting input support
  • Trace and Jump between words
  • Bookmark and categorize words
  • iCloud synchronization
  • Multitasking with other apps
Features
Read full description

“Dictionaries” is an electronic dictionary viewer app made to allow users to efficiently use various dictionaries. Our popular standalone apps have been integrated into a single app where users can search multiple dictionaries at once. You can purchase and use a variety of dictionaries, including English, Japanese, French or other language dictionaries, from the “Dictionary Store” which can be accessed from within the app. Searches • Batch Search (Consolidated Search) allows users to search multiple dictionaries at once. • The display order of dictionaries used in the batch search can be customized. • The keyboard language switches automatically depending on dictionary search groups. • Handwriting input is possible for Japanese, Old Japanese, Kanji, Chinese, Korean, and Russian dictionaries. • Using Pattern Search, users can search for words even if a part of the spelling is unknown. Trace and Jump • Users can easily jump to not only other words in the same dictionary but other dictionaries as well simply by tracing words in a definition, allowing users to go on a journey of intellectual curiosity through the dictionary as their hearts desire. Collection • Purchased dictionaries are shown as icons on the Collection screen. • By opening a dictionary from the Collection screen, users can also carefully go through a single dictionary. Even in this case, users can use the “Trace and Jump” function to easily jump to another dictionary. • The display order of dictionary icons on the Collection screen can be changed to the user's preference. Bookmarks • Users can bookmark their favorite words. In addition, users can also efficiently categorize these bookmarks using the Bookmark Folder. • By turning on Quick Bookmark, users can quickly add/remove bookmarks simply by tapping the Bookmark icon. Search History • In History, display frequency is automatically recorded so that users can immediately recognize words they search for repeatedly. iCloud • Users can synchronize Bookmark and History data among all devices by turning on iCloud. Multitasking • Users can display websites, documents, and more alongside their dictionary by using the Multitasking function on the iPad. By turning on Clipboard Search, users simply have to copy the word they wish to look up in order for the app to find that word in multiple dictionaries. Substantial Lineup • The Dictionary Store carries a large number of full-scale dictionaries, and we plan to further improve this selection in the future as well. • The following English dictionaries are available. Check in the Dictionary Store, which can be accessed from within the app, for more information on each of these items. - Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 10th edition (OALD) - Oxford Learner’s Dictionary of Academic English - Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus - Oxford Collocations Dictionary - Practical English Usage - Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 10th edition - Collins COBUILD Advanced American English Dictionary 3rd edition - Collins COBUILD Intermediate Learner’s Dictionary 4th edition - Collins English Dictionary with Thesaurus An internet connection is required to purchase content.Usage fees and terms of use may apply.

Screenshots

Dictionary1 screens
Dictionaries4 screens

Verdict

The call

Dictionary and Dictionaries both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 94% of Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 57% of Dictionaries's. Dictionary also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 23). Dictionaries's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Dictionaries sells 23 one-off in-app purchases. Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.0 for Dictionary against 4.1 for Dictionaries. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dictionaries has 84 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 57% of Dictionaries's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dictionary ships an update every 3 weeks, Dictionaries every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Dictionary versus Dictionaries: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDictionaryDictionaries
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (5 ratings)4.1 (84 ratings) — better
Positive reviews94.0% of reviews — better56.8% of reviews
Number of ratings584 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS18.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB60 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperCatalystwo物書堂

Customer experience

Dictionary

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews166 reviews
Positive94.0%
Neutral1.8%
Negative4.2%

Dictionaries

All ratings84 ratings
Positive78.6%
Neutral3.6%
Negative17.9%
Written reviews155 reviews
Positive56.8%
Neutral16.1%
Negative27.1%

In-app purchases

None

Dictionary

No in-app purchases

23 purchases

Dictionaries

One-time23
  • WISDOM English-Japanese 2Free
  • WISDOM English-JapaneseFree
  • COBUILD American 2nd editionFree
Show 20 more
  • COBUILD Advanced 9th editionFree
  • DAIJIRINFree
  • 柯林斯 COBUILD 高级英汉双解词典Free
  • RGKO12 UpgradeFree
  • REIKAI GAKUSHU KOKUGO 11th$15.99
  • REIKAI GAKUSYU KANJI 9th$15.99
  • Nihongo Bunkei Ziten: English$19.99
  • Basic Japanese Grammar$20.99
  • SHINMEIKAI 8$20.99
  • Gendai Shin Kokugo Jiten$20.99
  • Meikyo Japanese Dictionary$22.99
  • DAIJISEN$22.99
  • Japanese Colloquial Expressions$25.99
  • WISDOM English-Japanese 3$26.99
  • DAIJIRIN 4$28.99
  • Shogakukan Chinese-Japanese$31.99
  • OALD 10$32.99
  • Japanese Collocations$33.99
  • NHK Japanese Pronunciation$36.99
  • SHOGAKUKAN Korean-Japanese$47.99

Questions

Is Dictionary free?
Dictionary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dictionaries free?
Dictionaries is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Dictionary or Dictionaries?
Dictionaries is rated higher. Dictionary averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Dictionaries averages 4.1 from 84 ratings.
Do Dictionary or Dictionaries have ads?
Dictionary shows ads; Dictionaries does not.
Which is updated more often, Dictionary or Dictionaries?
Dictionary ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dictionaries every 4 days. Most recently, Dictionary was updated on September 20, 2026 and Dictionaries on September 21, 2026.

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