# WordReference Dictionary vs Urban Dictionary

The clearest difference is rating: Urban Dictionary at 4.5 against WordReference Dictionary's 3.8. Urban Dictionary also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (3.5K vs 27). WordReference Dictionary's advantage is review sentiment (60% vs 39%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, 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.

Urban Dictionary holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Urban Dictionary has 3.5K ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of WordReference Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 39% of Urban Dictionary's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

WordReference Dictionary ships an update every 6 weeks, Urban Dictionary every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WordReference Dictionary | Urban Dictionary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wordreference-dictionary/id515127233/reviews) | **[4.5 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/urban-dictionary/id584986228/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 27 | **3.5K** |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 39.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 8 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [WordReference.com, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/296878902) | [Urban Dictionary](https://appshunter.io/developer/584986251) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Urban Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/urban-dictionary/id584986228)

Access a vast collection of user-submitted definitions for slang and non-slang words. Search, vote on definitions, and discover new words with daily updates. Share interesting terms easily with friends.

**Highlights:** Unlimited free searches, Slang and non-slang definitions, Vote on definitions, Share definitions, Today's Urban Word of the Day, Autocomplete suggestions

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Entertaining and informative
- 👍 Useful for understanding slang and new terminology
- 🤓 Provides creative and humorous definitions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes or stops working
- 🙄 Politically biased content
- 🤢 Inappropriate or vulgar content
- 🤔 Outdated or no longer supported

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on newer iOS versions
- Search bar issues on certain devices
- Notification feature not working

**Requested features**

- Add ability to submit own definitions
- Implement dark mode option
- Categorize content for better browsing
- Add push notifications for word of the day


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WordReference Dictionary free?

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

### Is Urban Dictionary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WordReference Dictionary or Urban Dictionary?

Urban Dictionary is rated higher. WordReference Dictionary averages 3.8 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Urban Dictionary averages 4.5 from 3.5K ratings.

### Do WordReference Dictionary or Urban Dictionary have ads?

WordReference Dictionary shows ads; Urban Dictionary does not.

### Which is updated more often, WordReference Dictionary or Urban Dictionary?

WordReference Dictionary ships an update every 6 weeks, and Urban Dictionary every 2 months. Most recently, WordReference Dictionary was updated on October 1, 2026 and Urban Dictionary on September 30, 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.*