Vocaburn β a vocabulary notebook for the words you meet
Get the appVocaburn is a vocabulary notebook app for Android, iPhone and iPad: you save English words you come across in class, books or videos, AI fills in the meaning, pronunciation and example sentence, and you learn them with dictation, multiple-choice quizzes, flashcards and audio autoplay.
It's free with no limit on how many words you save; a one-time Lifetime purchase removes ads and unlocks your full study history, and the AI Tutor Pass subscription adds more AI tutor use and AI voices.
Vocaburn is built for Korean learners: auto-filled meanings, memos, translations and study-note explanations are in Korean; English definitions, synonyms and example sentences are in English.
Free vs paid
| Free | Lifetime | AI Tutor Pass | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price (US App Store) | $0 | $4.99 once | $1.99/month Β· $17.99/year, auto-renewing |
| Words and groups | No limit | No limit | No limit |
| AI auto-fill and AI study notes (English words) | No daily limit | No daily limit | No daily limit |
| 4 study modes, practice pad, self-check | β | β | β |
| Import from CSV or Excel | β | β | β |
| Sign-in backup, new device, web wordbook | β | β | β |
| Ads (banner and app-open) | Yes | None | Yes, unless you also have Lifetime |
| Study history | Today, 7 days, calendar for the last 30 days | 30-day and all-time stats, full calendar, per-answer history synced | Same as Free |
| Export to CSV or Excel | β | β | β |
| AI tutor | A little every day when signed in | Same as Free | Much higher daily limit, chats kept 90 days |
| AI voices (US accent) | 3 tries a day | 3 tries a day | β |
| Dictation accepts answers with the same meaning | β | β | β |
| Test sheet PDFs | β | β | β |
- Lifetime and the AI Tutor Pass are separate; if you want both, you buy both.
- There's no free trial. For the first 7 days after you first open the app, Lifetime is offered at a welcome price ($2.99 on the US App Store).
- Buying and restoring need a sign-in. Cancel the subscription in Google Play or App Store subscriptions; you keep it until the paid period ends.
- Prices in Korea are β©7,900 (Lifetime), β©3,900/month and β©29,000/year; other countries follow local store pricing. AI voice tries start with version 1.0.28.
A good fit if you
- want to save words as you meet them in class, books or videos
- are studying for a test and want to drill your own word list with dictation, quizzes and audio β bring an existing list in with CSV or Excel
- want to quiz yourselves on the same words as friends or a study group
Not for you if you
- want a ready-made word list to start from β Vocaburn has no built-in word sets; you learn the words you add
- need meanings in a language other than Korean, or auto-fill for words that aren't English
- want speaking or pronunciation scoring (there's no speech recognition), or a spaced-repetition scheduler
How Vocaburn compares
None of these is best for everyone β it depends on where your words come from.
| Vocaburn | Apps with built-in word sets | General flashcard apps | Photo-to-wordlist apps | Paper notebook | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where words come from | Words you meet, added by you | The app's own lists (test prep, etc.) | You make them, or shared decks | Words in your photos | You write them |
| Meanings and examples | AI fills them in for English words | Already included | Mostly typed by you | Varies by app | You write them |
| Ready-made test-prep lists | No (import CSV or Excel) | Yes | Some apps have shared decks | No | Printed word books |
| How you study | Dictation, multiple choice, flashcards, autoplay | Varies by app | Mostly flashcards | Varies by app | Cover and write |
| Review schedule | 3 levels (not spaced repetition) | Varies by app | Many support spaced repetition | Varies by app | Up to you |
| Without internet | Adding and studying work; AI features need internet | Varies by app | Varies by app | Recognition varies by app | Always works |
Frequently asked questions
- Is Vocaburn free? How many words can I add?
- Yes, it's free, and there's no limit on how many words you add. The four study modes, CSV/Excel import and AI auto-fill are free too. A one-time Lifetime purchase removes ads and unlocks your full study history.
- What's the difference between Lifetime and the AI Tutor Pass?
- They're separate. Lifetime is a one-time purchase that removes ads and unlocks full study history and CSV/Excel export; the AI Tutor Pass is a monthly or yearly subscription for much more AI tutor use, AI voices and test sheet PDFs. Lifetime doesn't include the AI tutor, and with only the AI Tutor Pass you still see ads.
- Is it on iPhone? Can I use it on a computer?
- Yes. Get it on Google Play for Android 7.0 and up, or on the App Store for iPhone and iPad on iOS 15 and up. On a computer, sign in to the web version (vocaburn.vercel.app) with the same account to view your wordbook; adding words and studying happen in the app.
- Can I do dictation or make a test from my own words?
- Yes. Dictation is free: you see the meaning and type the word, and capitalization and extra spaces don't count against you. Printable test sheet PDFs with an answer key come with the AI Tutor Pass and need an internet connection.
- Does it come with word lists for tests?
- No. Vocaburn doesn't include built-in word sets β you learn the words you add. If you already have a list, import it all at once from CSV or Excel.
- Can I import words from Excel or CSV?
- Yes, you can import CSV, TSV and Excel (.xlsx) files. UTF-8 and EUC-KR (CP949) text files both work; if text still looks garbled, save the file as .xlsx and import that. Exporting your words to CSV or Excel is part of Lifetime.
- Do I need an account or an internet connection?
- No account needed β without one, your wordbook stays on your device. Adding words, the four study modes and saving progress all work in airplane mode; AI auto-fill, the AI tutor, sync and study groups need internet.
- How do I move my words to a new phone?
- Sign in with the same account on the new phone and your words and study stats come with you. You can sign in with Apple or Google. If Lifetime doesn't show up, go to Settings βΊ My passes and tap Restore purchase; app settings like goals and reminders need to be set again.
- Are the words I type sent to a server?
- With AI auto-fill on (it's on by default), the English words you add are sent to the server to look them up, whether or not you're signed in. You can turn it off in Settings. When you sign in, your wordbook is backed up to the server; the words, meanings and notes you enter are not sent for ads or analytics.
- What permissions does it need?
- Notifications (study reminders, word notifications and Autoplay controls) and the camera (only when you scan a book). On iPhone and iPad it also asks whether to allow tracking for personalized ads (you can say no and keep using the app). On Android you can choose to allow 'Alarms & reminders' so word notifications arrive at the exact time. It doesn't use location, contacts, microphone or photo permissions, or an accessibility service. The camera feed is read on your device only and isn't saved or sent.
- Can I make a wordbook in Japanese, Chinese or another language?
- Yes, you can make a wordbook in any language. AI auto-fill, AI study notes and AI voices work only for English words, so for other languages you add the meanings yourself.
- How often can I use the AI tutor?
- Sign in and you get a set number of free chats every day; the AI Tutor Pass gives you much more. The AI Tutor tab shows how many you have left, and they refill every day at 4 AM.