Alternatives to Grammarly
Grammarly alternatives worth switching to
The best Grammarly alternatives are LanguageTool (open source, self-hostable, and the only one where your text need never leave your machine), ProWritingAid (deeper style analysis for long-form writing), and Hemingway for readability. Switch if you are uneasy about sending everything you type to a third party, or if you only need basic grammar checking — which your operating system and browser already do free.
Pricing verified 2026-07-28 · we re-check quarterly ·
how we compare
Why people leave Grammarly
- Everything you type being sent to a third-party service
- Paying a subscription for checks now built into word processors
- Suggestions that flatten your writing voice
- Wanting checking on your own infrastructure
The alternatives
1 
LanguageTool open source
Best for: Privacy, and the only self-hostable option
Pricing: Free tier with a text-length limit, a paid premium tier, and a free open-source server you can self-host. AI pricing changes unusually fast, so check the vendor's current page before deciding. source
Strengths
- Open source — self-host and your text never leaves your network
- Supports far more languages than Grammarly
- Browser, desktop and office integrations
Trade-offs
- Style suggestions are less sophisticated than Grammarly's
- Self-hosting needs Java and some memory
- The free hosted tier limits text length per check
Verdict: The clear choice if privacy matters or you write in multiple languages. Self-hosting removes the confidentiality question entirely.
source code ↗ 2 
ProWritingAid
Best for: Long-form and fiction writers
Pricing: Subscription and a one-time lifetime licence, with a limited free tier. AI pricing changes unusually fast, so check the vendor's current page before deciding. source
Strengths
- Far deeper style, pacing and structure reports than Grammarly
- A lifetime licence option, unusual in this category
- Strong integrations with Scrivener and Word
Trade-offs
- Slower than Grammarly on long documents
- The volume of reports is overwhelming at first
- Real-time checking is less smooth
Verdict: The better tool for anything longer than an email. Overkill for quick correspondence.
3 
Hemingway Editor
Best for: Making writing clearer, not just correct
Pricing: A free web version plus a one-time desktop purchase. AI pricing changes unusually fast, so check the vendor's current page before deciding. source
Strengths
- Targets clarity and readability rather than grammar rules
- One-time purchase, no subscription
- Genuinely improves dense writing
Trade-offs
- Not a grammar or spell checker
- No real-time browser integration
- Its advice is opinionated and not always right
Verdict: A complement to a grammar checker, not a replacement. Excellent at what it does.
4 BI Built-in checkers
Best for: Most people, honestly
Pricing: Free — already present in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, macOS and every major browser. AI pricing changes unusually fast, so check the vendor's current page before deciding. source
Strengths
- Free and already installed
- Nothing is sent to an additional third party
- Good enough for the vast majority of everyday writing
Trade-offs
- Weaker style and tone suggestions
- Inconsistent across applications
- No document-level reports
Verdict: Try turning Grammarly off for two weeks first. Many people find the built-in checkers were already sufficient.
Don't switch if…
- Grammarly's tone and clarity suggestions are genuinely improving your writing
- You write in English professionally and the polish has commercial value
- The browser integration is what makes you actually use a checker
- Your employer provides it and confidentiality is already covered by their agreement
We say this on every page. A comparison that never recommends staying put is an
advert, not a comparison.
Questions people actually ask
Will I get flagged for AI if I use Grammarly?
Basic spelling and grammar corrections are not AI-generated writing and should not trigger detectors. Using generative rewrite features is a different matter — those produce text a detector may flag, and many institutions treat them differently from spellcheck. Check the policy that applies to you.
Is there a completely free grammar checker?
Yes. LanguageTool has a free tier and can be self-hosted at no cost, and the checkers built into Word, Google Docs, macOS and browsers are free and surprisingly good. Free options cover ordinary writing well; paid tools mainly add style and tone analysis.
Is ChatGPT or Grammarly better?
Different jobs. Grammarly checks continuously as you write in any application; ChatGPT rewrites text you paste into it and is stronger at restructuring. For catching errors as you type, Grammarly. For improving a draft substantially, ChatGPT. Many people use both.
Can universities tell if you use Grammarly?
Not directly from your document. Some institutions license Grammarly and can see usage through their own accounts, and generative rewriting can leave stylistic traces detectors look for. Straightforward grammar correction is generally treated the same as a spellchecker — but confirm your institution's policy rather than assuming.