The Free Dictionary vs American Heritage Dictionary

The Free Dictionary9.2Visit American Heritage Dictionary8.1Visit

Higher score The Free Dictionary #3 in Online Dictionaries 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit site

vs

American Heritage Dictionary #14 in Online Dictionaries 8.1/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit the dictionary

• The Free Dictionary fits best

  Users wanting the broadest free reference set

• American Heritage Dictionary fits best

  Detailed English usage and etymology

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Side by side

Feature	The Free Dictionary 9.2/10 Visit ↗	American Heritage Dictionary 8.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.1
Ranking	#3 in Online Dictionaries	#14 in Online Dictionaries
Best for	Users wanting the broadest free reference set	Detailed English usage and etymology
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile, Desktop	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android, macOS	Web, iOS, Android
Features The Free Dictionary 4/4 · American Heritage Dictionary 4/4
Audio pronunciation	✓	✓
Usage examples	✓	✓
Translation lookup	✓	✓
Offline access	✓	✓
Specs
Mobile apps	Ios_android	Ios_android
Languages covered	14	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Dictionary, thesaurus, specialist dictionaries, and translation lookup Offline access, audio pronunciations, voice search, and synchronized bookmarks Available on web, iOS, Android, macOS, and through an API	Usage Panel guidance supports grammar and usage decisions. Etymologies include Indo-European and Semitic root appendices. Mobile apps offer voice, camera, audio, and offline lookup.
Cons	The free plan includes advertising The ad-free upgrade is limited to the iOS app API access is described for calls from other apps, not a broader integration suite	Its reference focus is English rather than broad multilingual coverage. Audio and offline lookup require the full mobile version. Mobile pricing and feature availability differ by store and app version.
Our verdict	The Free Dictionary is a reference service from Farlex, Inc. for looking up words, synonyms, translations, idioms, and specialist terminology. It combines dictionary and thesaurus lookup with medical, legal, science, financial, and idiom… Read the review →	American Heritage Dictionary is an English reference dictionary for students, professionals, academics, and general readers. It provides searchable dictionary entries on the web and through iOS and Android apps, with definitions,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• The Free Dictionary — where it wins

  • Dictionary, thesaurus, specialist dictionaries, and translation lookup
  • Offline access, audio pronunciations, voice search, and synchronized bookmarks
  • Available on web, iOS, Android, macOS, and through an API

  Where it doesn't

  • The free plan includes advertising
  • The ad-free upgrade is limited to the iOS app
  • API access is described for calls from other apps, not a broader integration suite

• American Heritage Dictionary — where it wins

  • Usage Panel guidance supports grammar and usage decisions.
  • Etymologies include Indo-European and Semitic root appendices.
  • Mobile apps offer voice, camera, audio, and offline lookup.

  Where it doesn't

  • Its reference focus is English rather than broad multilingual coverage.
  • Audio and offline lookup require the full mobile version.
  • Mobile pricing and feature availability differ by store and app version.

• The Free Dictionary9.2/10 · Free plan

  A broad free reference service with offline access, translations, and specialist dictionaries.

  Visit siteFull verdict →
• American Heritage Dictionary8.1/10 · Free plan

  A detailed English reference for definitions, usage, etymology, and pronunciation.

  Visit the dictionaryFull verdict →