WordReference Dictionary vs Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WordReference Dictionary
Access a vast collection of dictionaries and translation tools for multiple languages. Engage with a large community forum for language-related questions and answers. This tool is ideal for language learners and professionals needing quick, reliable translations.
- Extensive multilingual dictionaries
- Translation for 15+ language pairs
- Verb conjugators
- Synonym finder
- Large user forum for Q&A
- English definitions
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The app of the world's most popular and powerful dictionary translation website. It grants you quick access to our extensive dictionaries and forum discussions. WordReference.com's dictionaries: English to Spanish English to French English to Italian English to German English to Portuguese English to Polish English to Romanian English to Czech English to Greek English to Turkish English to Japanese English to Chinese English to Korean English to Arabic English to Swedish English to Dutch Spanish to French Spanish to Portuguese English definitions Spanish definitions Italian definitions Catalan definitions Conjugators: Spanish conjugator French conjugator Italian conjugator Synonyms: English and Spanish Forums contain over 3 million questions and answers about English and translation. Your questions have already been answered. NOTE: Requires internet access. WordReference is often misspelled as "Word Reference" in searches.
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
Access 18 dictionaries and over a million words, phrases, and definitions. Translate between English and major languages, explore etymology, and find synonyms and antonyms. This trusted language reference is ideal for students, professionals, and language learners.
- 18 dictionaries including English, Spanish, French, German
- Over 1 million words, phrases, and definitions
- Translations between English and major languages
- Word origins and etymology
- English synonyms and antonyms
- Offline access with Premium
- Audio pronunciation with Premium
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Trusted by millions of students, professionals, and language learners worldwide, Oxford Dictionary is built on content from Oxford Languages and gives you 18 dictionaries, over a million words, phrases, and definitions, plus translations between English and major languages, all in a single app. Whether you are preparing for exams, improving your writing, or expanding your vocabulary, Oxford Dictionary is your trusted language reference. ■ What can I use Oxford Dictionary for? • Find accurate word definitions in English, Spanish, French, and German • Check pronunciation • Discover English synonyms and antonyms • Learn word origins and etymology • Translate between English and major languages • Build vocabulary and improve writing • Use the dictionaries online and offline (offline with Premium) ■ How many dictionaries does Oxford Dictionary include? Oxford Dictionary includes 18 dictionaries: 5 monolingual (British English, American English, Spanish, French, and German) and 13 bilingual dictionaries pairing English with French, German, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Italian, Hindi, Urdu, Portuguese, Japanese, Greek, Bulgarian, and Thai. ■ How do I find the meaning of a word? Search for any word in Oxford Dictionary to get trusted definitions, example usage, phrases, and word origins from Oxford Languages. ■ Does Oxford Dictionary work offline? Yes, with Premium. Download dictionaries to your device and search for words anytime, no internet connection needed. Ideal for travel, studying, or work. ■ Does Oxford Dictionary include a thesaurus? Yes. The built-in thesaurus gives you thousands of English synonyms and antonyms, helping you find the right word, avoid repetition, and improve your writing. With Premium, synonym lookups are unlimited. ■ Does Oxford Dictionary have audio pronunciation? Yes, with Premium. Recordings by native British and American English speakers help you speak with confidence, ideal for language learning and exam preparation. ■ Can I search for words even if I don't know the spelling? Yes. Use fuzzy search, wildcards (* and ?), autocomplete and auto-correction, voice search, camera search, and keyword lookup to find words quickly and easily. ■ Is Oxford Dictionary good for IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, or ACT preparation? Yes. Oxford Dictionary provides accurate definitions, example usage in context, and a broad vocabulary range for students preparing for major English proficiency exams worldwide. ■ How can I build my vocabulary with Oxford Dictionary? Save words to Favorites, organize them into folders and sync them across your devices, revisit Recent searches, and discover a new word every day with Word of the Day. ■ Should I use an AI chatbot instead of a dictionary? Students and professionals continue to rely on dictionaries for formal definitions and correct word usage. Oxford Dictionary provides definitions backed by Oxford Languages' rigorous editorial process, not AI-generated approximations. When accuracy matters, Oxford Dictionary remains the trusted reference. ■ Who is Oxford Dictionary for? Students, writers, professionals, academics, language learners, and word enthusiasts: anyone who needs a reliable multilingual dictionary at every level. ■ What do you get with Premium? • Offline mode and fast search • Audio pronunciation by native speakers • Unlimited synonym and antonym lookups • Ad-free experience ■ Why choose Oxford Dictionary? Oxford Dictionary combines the language expertise of Oxford Languages with powerful search, 18 dictionaries, and practical vocabulary tools, all in one app. Download Oxford Dictionary today. Website: https://mobisystems.com/oxford-dictionary Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oxforddictionaryapp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oxford_dictionary_app TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oxforddictionaryapp X: https://x.com/OxfordD_app Privacy Policy: https://mobisystems.com/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://mobisystems.com/terms-of-use
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Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus at 4.6 against WordReference Dictionary's 3.9. Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (29K vs 36). WordReference Dictionary's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (60% vs 51%). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. WordReference Dictionary asks for nothing beyond the download.
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus has 29K ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 60% of WordReference Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 51% of Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WordReference Dictionary | Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.9 (36 ratings) | 4.6 (29K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 59.8% of reviews — better | 50.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 36 | 29K — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #73 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 122 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | WordReference.com, LLC | MobiSystems, Inc. |
Customer experience
WordReference Dictionary
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
User reviews
WordReference Dictionary
From 36 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Excellent translation tool
- 👍 Comprehensive dictionary with examples
- 👍 Helpful for learning languages
- 👍 Reliable and accurate translations
- 👍 Great resource for professional interpreters
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable performance
- 🐛 Slow and unresponsive at times
- 🐛 Inconsistent user experience across updates
- 🔋 Requires internet connection, no offline mode
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
From 29K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Reliable and simple to use
- 👍 Comprehensive and best for all English, especially rare and aged language
- 👍 Very useful for learning new words
- 👍 Excellent reference app
- 👍 Helps with homework or even if you forgot how to spell write or don't know the meaning of a word
Room to improve
- 🐛 Glitchy, way too many ads
- 🔒 Annoying popup ads makes it unusable
- 🔒 Ads stuck in, despite payment
- 🐛 Never connect the server
- 🐛 Stopped working
Bugs and requests
WordReference Dictionary
Reported bugs
4 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
Reported bugs
4 issues- Favorites folder disappearing after device restart
- Inconsistent behavior when looking up words
- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Inability to restore premium purchases on new devices
Requested features
6 requests- Improved formatting and typography for definitions
- Better organization of features and information
- More advanced search and filtering options
- Ability to sync favorites across devices
- More challenging and interesting 'word of the day' selections
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- Improved offline dictionary with more comprehensive coverage
In-app purchases
WordReference Dictionary
No in-app purchases
Oxford Dictionary & Thesaurus
- Monthly Subscription ODE1 Month trial$2.991 Month
- Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$2.991 Month
- Oxford Dictionary Premium$4.997 Days
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- Annual Subscription ODE$19.991 Year
- Oxford Dictionary Premium3 Days trial4 variants$39.991 Year
- Oxford Dictionary of English$4.99
- Oxford Dictionary of English$9.99






