What apps are similar to Grammarly?

Alternative Apps
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I’m looking for apps like Grammarly to help with my writing. I’d like options with great spelling, grammar checks, and style suggestions. Can anyone recommend alternatives?

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1. ProWritingAid

Homepage Link: https://prowritingaid.com

  • Pros:

    • Comprehensive editing feedback covering grammar, style, and clarity.
    • Excellent for long-form writers (authors, novelists).
    • Offers detailed reports (20+ categories) for writing improvement.
    • More affordable than Grammarly in annual plans.

  • Cons:

    • The interface can feel overwhelming for beginners.
    • Desktop app and integrations aren’t as polished as Grammarly.
    • Some feature duplication across reports can be confusing.

  • Features:

    • Grammar, spelling, and punctuation checks.
    • Style improvement suggestions (e.g., sentence structure, overused words).
    • In-depth analysis through specialized reports like readability, sticky sentences, thesaurus impacts, subtle repeated words, etc.
    • Integrations with Google Docs, Word, and Scrivener.

  • User Reviews:
    Users love the detailed feedback, especially for creative writing. However, there are mentions of occasional lagging in the app and a steeper learning curve due to its depth.

  • Verdict:
    If you’re okay investing time in understanding its reports and need more than basic grammar checks (detailed style insights, too), this is an A+ choice.

2. Hemingway Editor

Homepage Link: https://hemingwayapp.com

  • Pros:

    • Minimal interface focusing on readability and clarity.
    • Highlights complex sentences and passive voice.
    • Budget-friendly (one-time payment for the desktop version).

  • Cons:

    • Doesn’t offer real-time grammar/spelling proofreading—solely for readability and style.
    • No browser extensions or third-party integrations.

  • Features:

    • Breaks down your writing’s readability score (Flesch-Kincaid grade level).
    • Highlights challenging phrases, sentence-level complexity, and unnecessary adverbs.
    • Suggests alternatives to improve clarity.

  • User Reviews:
    Many appreciate the simplicity and unique focus on readability, though some wish it complemented grammar and spelling checks.

  • Verdict:
    Great if you’re a blogger or content writer refining drafts for human readers, but use it alongside another tool for grammar.

3. Ginger Software

Homepage Link: https://www.gingersoftware.com/

  • Pros:

    • Quicker grammar & spell-checking engine.
    • Multilingual support (40+ languages).
    • Rephrasing suggestions improve writing variety.

  • Cons:

    • Slightly dated UI/UX visuals.
    • The free version limits some features to just basic corrections.

  • Features:

    • Advanced rephrasing tool adjusts sentence tone or phrasing dynamically.
    • Mobile keyboard app for on-the-go writing.
    • Offers text-to-speech for proofreading (hearing your draft aloud).

  • User Reviews:
    Positive remarks about its performance in international languages and the rephrasing tool standing out. Automatic UI enhancements are desired.

  • Verdict:
    Perfect if you need a broader language-handling tool or value rephrased suggestions for better engagement.

4. WhiteSmoke

Homepage Link: https://www.whitesmoke.com

  • Pros:

    • Comprehensive grammar and punctuation checker.
    • Offers unique templates (e.g., business emails).
    • Integrates with various platforms (MS Office, browsers, etc.).

  • Cons:

    • Updates are inconsistent; it feels a little outdated.
    • Small glitches when running on macOS.

  • Features:

    • Grammar and spelling error detection.
    • Provides text translation into 50+ languages.
    • Pre-built report templates for business communication (cover letters, resumes, etc.).

  • User Reviews:
    While users often mention its extensive feature set, they face hiccups around bugs in certain integrations or less frequent updates compared to Grammarly.

  • Verdict:
    Best for professional writing due to templates, but watch for occasional tech hiccups.

5. Linguix

Homepage Link: https://linguix.com

  • Pros:

    • Clean design and excellent onboarding process.
    • Offers smart snippets for faster writing (e.g., pre-filled templates).
    • Affordable monthly plans versus other competitors.

  • Cons:

    • Premium doesn’t add as much compared to free-tier tools.
    • Fewer integrations than Grammarly.

  • Features:

    • Contextual grammar, punctuation, and tone corrections.
    • Custom snippets for repetitive phrases (ideal for business or customer support).
    • Chrome extension works efficiently and includes templates for professional emails.

  • User Reviews:
    Noted for its simplicity and value, but advanced users find it shorter on deep insights unlike ProWritingAid/Grammarly.

  • Verdict:
    A solid Grammarly-lite alternative for lightweight editing needs.

6. Slick Write

Homepage Link: https://www.slickwrite.com

  • Pros:

    • Free forever with no paywall!
    • Great at diagnosing passive voice or readability lapses.
    • Fast performance, even for long documents.

  • Cons:

    • Lacks integrations (can’t seamlessly embed into apps).
    • No AI-style suggestions—pure mechanics.

  • Features:

    • Puts focus on flow, word usage, and readability issues.
    • Diagrammatic visualizations help see sentence structure metrics.
    • Fully browser-based (no downloads required).

  • User Reviews:
    Users on a tight budget rave about its functionality, but agree that it’s not ideal for heavy professional usage without polishing features.

  • Verdict:
    Reliable for casual use; combine it with other apps for extensive corrections.

7. LanguageTool

Homepage Link: https://languagetool.org

  • Pros:

    • Works in multiple languages (20+).
    • Browser extension flags issues directly across emails/forums.
    • Free tier is generous!

  • Cons:

    • Sometimes misses tricky grammar rules on complex sentences.
    • Not as polished for professional creative writers.

  • Features:

    • AI-enabled prediction for word selection improvements.
    • Directly integrates into Google Docs, Gmail, and WordPress.
    • Multi-lingual grammar support (e.g., German, French, etc.).

  • User Reviews:
    Frequently admired for non-English writing, though advanced review comparisons call results less detailed for full value.

  • Verdict:
    Superb alternative for bilingual writers but needs fine-tuning on advanced grammar catches.

8. AutoCrit

Homepage Link: https://www.autocrit.com

  • Pros:

    • Tailor-made for fiction and creative writers!
    • Compares work against famous novels/authors’ styles.
    • Focused specifically on repetitive lines or bad pacing.

  • Cons:

    • Narrow audience scope (less valuable for general writing).
    • Lacks sophisticated live grammar suggestions.

  • Features:

    • Categorizes problems into passive phrases, cliches, sentence variance, etc.
    • Competitor analysis lets users benchmark themselves against Stephen King or J.K. Rowling writing metrics.
    • Focused genre-specific recommendations (romance, thriller, etc.).

  • User Reviews:
    Very valuable for manuscript insights—but lacks universal relevance for everyday office tasks.

  • Verdict:
    Novelists, aspiring authors? Take this plunge now!

9. After the Deadline

Homepage Link: https://openatd.org/

  • Pros:

    • Open-source and completely free.
    • Clear text flags anything from spelling to grammar misfires.
    • Integration-ready for developers (WordPress plugin available).

  • Cons:

    • Outdated visuals detract from a modern UX experience.
    • Lacks variety beyond surface-level error recommendations.

  • Features:

    • Basic spellchecker and typo identification.
    • Niche crowd appeal: Both minimalists and developers unique to open-source workflows.

  • User Reviews:
    Niche users laud its openness-model; casual writers feel limited adopting older mechanics.

  • Verdict:
    A valuable utility for tech-savvy communities spinning DIY editing capabilities.

10. Sapling.ai

Homepage Link: https://sapling.ai

  • Pros:

    • Offers real-time corrections without slowing down.
    • Heavy on productivity (fast smart-replies, macros).
    • Grammar rules powered by cutting-edge AI.

  • Cons:

    • Grammar rules sometimes miss subtle nuance.
    • Enterprise-focused plans often don’t prioritize lone writers.

  • Features:

    • Superior to typical add-ons, leaning into customer support teams or sales reps to access autocorrect plus global snippet shortcuts.
    • Grammar correction balanced against tone-polishing tactics.

  • User Reviews:
    Loved in tech sectors—customer-feedback responses halved writing headaches through templated insights rapidly returning focus elsewhere.

  • Verdict:
    Choose it if rapid repeat-task output matters more than super-deep solo creative experiments.

Which one stands out most depends on your use case—anything from fiction manuscripts (AutoCrit, ProWritingAid) to sleek business-email prep could uniquely match someone differently!