# Etymonline English Dictionary vs Poly Flashcards

The clearest difference is ads: Poly Flashcards at none against Etymonline English Dictionary's shown. Etymonline English Dictionary's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support 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 Poly Flashcards sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Etymonline English Dictionary ships an update every 9 days, Poly Flashcards every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Etymonline English Dictionary | Poly Flashcards |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etymonline-english-dictionary/id813629612/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 64 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [崇伟 柳](https://appshunter.io/developer/813629615) | [Colin Kelly](https://appshunter.io/developer/6802722579) |

## 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


### Poly Flashcards

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/poly-flashcards/id6802722577)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Poly AI+ Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Poly AI+ Annual | $44.99 | per year |
| Poly Pro Lifetime | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Etymonline English Dictionary free?

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

### Is Poly Flashcards free?

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

### Do Etymonline English Dictionary or Poly Flashcards have ads?

Etymonline English Dictionary shows ads; Poly Flashcards does not.

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

Etymonline English Dictionary ships an update every 9 days, and Poly Flashcards every 5 days. Most recently, Etymonline English Dictionary was updated on November 12, 2026 and Poly Flashcards on November 10, 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.*