# Merriam vs Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus

The clearest difference is rating: Merriam at 4.8 against Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus's 3.9. Merriam also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (22K vs 15). Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus's advantage is price ($6.99 vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On update cadence, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Merriam costs $9.99 and Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus $6.99 up front. Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Merriam asks for nothing beyond the download.

Merriam holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Merriam has 22K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Merriam's written reviews are positive against 72% of Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus's.

Merriam ships an update every 5 months, Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Merriam | Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$6.99** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merriam-webster-dictionary-plus/id478126577/reviews)** | [3.9 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collins-dictionary-plus-thesaurus/id926221123/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 15 |
| Positive reviews | **82.0% of reviews** | 72.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 238 MB | 429 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Merriam-Webster, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/399452290) | [HarperCollins Publishers Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/355861228) |

## What reviewers say

### Merriam

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Paid · Reference, #153 Top Paid (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


### Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/collins-dictionary-plus-thesaurus/id926221123)

Access a comprehensive English dictionary and thesaurus with over 722,000 words, meanings, and phrases, plus 410,000 synonyms and antonyms. This offline app includes pronunciation audio, usage notes, etymologies, and specialized vocabulary for writers, students, and word game enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** Extensive vocabulary (722k+ words, 410k+ synonyms), Offline access with pronunciation audio, Crossword and Scrabble solver features, Latest words and technical vocabulary, Usage notes and etymologies, Search within entries and definitions, Custom actions for use in other apps

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Headword Audio Pack | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Merriam free?

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

### Is Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus free?

Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Merriam or Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus?

Merriam is rated higher. Merriam averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus averages 3.9 from 15 ratings.

### Do Merriam or Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus have ads?

Neither Merriam nor Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus shows ads.

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

Merriam ships an update every 5 months, and Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus every 6 months. Most recently, Merriam was updated on October 30, 2026 and Collins Dictionary+Thesaurus on October 29, 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.*