# Etymonline English Dictionary vs EtymologyExplorer

The clearest difference is ads: EtymologyExplorer at none against Etymonline English Dictionary's shown. EtymologyExplorer also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). Etymonline English Dictionary's advantage is ratings volume (12K vs 1.6K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Etymonline English Dictionary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and EtymologyExplorer sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Etymonline English Dictionary holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Etymonline English Dictionary has 12K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 94% of Etymonline English Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 96% of EtymologyExplorer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Etymonline English Dictionary ships an update every 9 days, EtymologyExplorer fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Etymonline English Dictionary | EtymologyExplorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymonline-english-dictionary/id813629612/reviews)** | [4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymologyexplorer/id1189423897/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 1.6K |
| Positive reviews | 94.2% of reviews | **95.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 64 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [崇伟 柳](https://appshunter.io/developer/813629615) | [Might Could Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1053696888) |

## What reviewers say

### Etymonline English Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymonline-english-dictionary/id813629612)

Explore the origins and history of English words with this comprehensive dictionary app. It offers instant search, related word suggestions, and an offline mode for premium users. Enhance your vocabulary and understanding of word roots.

**Highlights:** Word origin exploration, Instant search with suggestions, Related words by root, Offline dictionary (Premium), Ad-free experience (Premium)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Etymonline Premium 1 Month | $4.99 | per month |
| Etymonline Premium 6 Months | $13.99 | per 6 months |
| Etymonline Premium 12 Months | $17.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent app
- 👍 Comprehensive and well-researched
- 👍 Useful for understanding word origins
- 👍 Informative and insightful
- 👍 Straightforward and easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App version has incomplete entries
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with data collection
- 💰 Subscription fees too high

**Reported bugs**

- Bottom of related words list cut off
- Search bar not always visible
- App version not compatible with dark mode

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Offline access to full entries
- One-time purchase option instead of subscription


### EtymologyExplorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymologyexplorer/id1189423897)

Discover the fascinating origins and connections of words. This app provides visual maps of word roots, detailed etymologies, definitions, and audio pronunciations. Explore how seemingly unrelated words can share common ancestry.

**Highlights:** Visual map of word origins, Connections between related words, Full written etymology, Definitions, Transliterations, Audio pronunciations

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Supporter | $1.49 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual Special | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Special Premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Premium Lifetime Special | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 🔍 Comprehensive and detailed etymology information
- 🌟 Visually appealing and well-designed
- 📚 Helpful for language learning and vocabulary building
- 🔍 Ability to explore word origins across multiple languages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🔍 Limited database of words
- 💰 Subscription model may be costly for some users
- 🕰️ Slow performance on older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Word of the day feature not working consistently
- Occasional freezing or unresponsiveness of the app

**Requested features**

- Add more words and languages to the database
- Implement a dark mode option
- Improve search functionality to allow cross-language searches
- Provide more advanced features for power users (e.g., flashcards, quizzes)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Etymonline English Dictionary free?

Etymonline English Dictionary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is EtymologyExplorer free?

EtymologyExplorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Etymonline English Dictionary or EtymologyExplorer?

Etymonline English Dictionary is rated higher. Etymonline English Dictionary averages 4.9 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while EtymologyExplorer averages 4.8 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Etymonline English Dictionary or EtymologyExplorer have ads?

Etymonline English Dictionary shows ads; EtymologyExplorer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Etymonline English Dictionary or EtymologyExplorer?

Etymonline English Dictionary ships an update every 9 days, and EtymologyExplorer fortnightly. Most recently, Etymonline English Dictionary was updated on November 4, 2026 and EtymologyExplorer on November 2, 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.*