By Spelling and grammar are hard. That’s just a fact of life. Oh sure, there are people out who are former spelling bee champions and know how to use a semi-colon. But, even those people make mistakes. So, thank God for online grammar checkers like Grammarly.
But, not everyone likes Grammarly, and not everyone wants to pay for its premium features. If you’re one of these people here are twenty Grammarly alternatives- some free, some paid, but all useful!
Quick aside– a semi-colon can be used as a conjunction. It combines two simple sentences into one compound sentence. It would replace words like and, but, so, etc.
Before we talk about the alternatives, lets run through the pros and cons of Grammarly.
Grammarly
Grammarly is the number one online grammar checker for good reason. It has useful features and a helpful free account. It’s probably one of, if not, the most accurate online grammar checkers available.
Pros
- Extremely accurate corrections
- Real-time grammar & spelling corrections
- Simple explanations of grammar corrections
- Great user interface that is easy to use
- Rates for your writings engagement and delivery
Cons
- Free version is very limited
- Lose of formatting when copying text into different software
- Premium features can get pricey
Perfect for: Business Writers and Students
Pro Writing Aid
Pro Writing Aid is a wonderful alternative to Grammarly especially if you are a fiction writer. Pro Writing Aid integrates with Scrivener which is a popular word processor designed for fiction writers. It also edits for aspects of fiction writing that other editors don’t address. For instance, Pro Writing Aid offers reports on dialogue, pacing and many other things important to fiction writers. Scroll down for a 20% discount on Pro Writing Aid!
Pros
- 25 reports to address various style issues
- 22 of these reports are included with the free version
- Pro Writting Aid offers a Lifetime License
- Affordable pricing
- Designed for fiction writers
Cons
- Runs a bit slower than Grammarly
- Plagiarism checker on available on premium license
- Not available on mobile
Perfect for: Fiction Writers
WhiteSmoke
What sets WhiteSmoke apart from other online editors is its translation function. WhiteSmoke can translate 55 languages into English. It can provide side-by-side translations as well as usage examples. These features make WhiteSmoke perfect for non-native English speakers. Scroll down for a 50% discount on WhiteSmoke!
Pros
- Multi-lingual translator
- Mobile app
- Works on all browsers including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, & Explorer
- Affordable pricey
Cons
- Doesn’t work offline
- Less accurate than Grammarly
- No free options
Perfect for: Students & Non-native English speakers
Scribendi
Scribendi is a little different from the other editors on this list because they are not a web or software application. Scribendi offers a team of highly-trained, professional editors who will review a wide range of writing like essays, resumes, and academic papers. They also offer many ESL services. Although their services are instant like Grammarly, their editing is highly accurate.
Pros
- Offers frequent discounts for their services
- Awesome customer support
- Team of professional editors to correct your work
- Offers a wide range of services
Cons
- No web applications
- Lack of real-time editing
- No free options
Perfect for: Academics and Job-seekers
Ginger
Ginger offers some interesting features that you won’t see with other grammar checkers on this list. Like WhiteSmoke it has a robust translator that will translate 50 languages. It also has a text reader function that will help you with English pronunciation. It also has a personal trainer that will help you improve your English.
Pros
- Text reader
- Sentence rephraser
- Translator
- English personal trainer
Cons
- Less accurate than Grammarly
- Doesn’t work offline
- only provides corrections in English
Perfect for: Non-native English speakers
Microsoft Word
Word is one of the best selling word processors available. Microsoft is constantly updating its grammar and spell check to compete with other services like Grammarly. If you haven’t checked Word out in a few years, spell check is surprisingly robust now.
Pros
- Comes with the Office Suite
- Discounted versions available for educators and students
- 2019 version offers a “read aloud” option.
- One of the best performing word processors available
Cons
- Expensive
- Default settings are hard to override
- less accurate than Grammarly
Perfect for: Educators and Students
Google Docs
Google Docs is a cheap and easy to use word processor. In fact, you’ll get free access to all of Google Docs’ features. The most you’ll ever have to pay for is storage space if you manage to surpass the 15 free gigabytes that Google provides.
Pros
- Easy to use
- 15 GB of free cloud storage
- Free to use with your Google account
- Mobile friendly
Cons
- less accurate than Grammarly
- Doesn’t work offline
- Fewer features than Microsoft Word
Perfect for: Students
Those are six of the best options available if you are looking for a Grammarly alternative. Now, here are 14 more online grammar checkers. I did promise twenty after all.
14 More Online Grammar Checkers
Hemingway App
- Hemingway app will make your writing clear and easy to read. It’s also free to use.
Writer
- Writer uses artificial intelligence that allows companies to incorporate their voice and brand styleguides so that employees can make sure their copy is “on brand” and consistent across the board. That is why people have taken to calling Writer the “Grammarly for business.”
Grammar Lookup
- Grammar Lookup is a free and easy to use online grammar checker.
Sentence Checkup
- Sentence Checkup specializes in correcting run on and fragment sentences.
Online Text Correction
- A simple online tool designed to correct grammar, spelling, and stylistic mistakes.
1 Checker
- A downloadable desktop app that provides grammar and spelling corrections. Plus, a things like vocab enrichment and a dictionary.
Paper Rater
- Paper Rater uses a combination of artificial intelligence and data science to real-time corrections. Sounds fancy, right? It is!
After the Deadline
- Another downloadable app that uses natural language processing technology to improve your writing.
Grammar Check
- A simple online app that is free to use and provides spelling, grammar, and style suggestions.
Antidote
- An advanced corrector with smart filters.
Virtual Writing Tutor
- a grammar check website or proofreader helps writers count words, check spelling, check grammar and punctuation, check paraphrasing, improve word choice, self-assess the use of target structures, and master English pronunciation.
Grade Miners
- Okay, this one just writes the essay for you. But, for real, write your own stuff!
Noun Plus
- A free grammar check online utility.
Scribens
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Another free English grammar check.
So, there are twenty of the best online grammar checkers to help you reach your writing goals!
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Great list, John! I use ProWriting Aid and find it really helpful for picking up typos and closely repeated words.
Thanks KM! It is great. I just recently discovered it. Congratulations on the Blackbirch release! Hope you’re staying safe over there in Australia
Thanks! We’re at level 3 restrictions, which means only leaving the house for food or medicine. Honestly, it’s not too much of a change to my regular routine. I hope you’re staying safe too.
Good to hear! I’m working from home as well.