Top 10 Best Grammarly Alternatives in 2025 (The First Is Free)

Grammarly Alternative

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Let's face it—your writing deserves better than red underlines and generic grammar advice. Whether you're a student racing a deadline, a blogger chasing clarity, or a professional polishing emails, you need an AI grammar Checker that actually gets your writing. And while Grammarly has long been the go-to, it’s far from the only player in the game.

In 2025, users are turning to a new breed of Grammarly alternatives—tools that are faster, cheaper, smarter, and, in some cases, downright better. This blog dives into the top 10 alternatives to Grammarly, showcasing powerful writing tools (including one that’s totally free) that fix grammar, boost style, and even help you sound more you.

What Is Grammarly and How Does It Work?

What Is Grammarly and How Does It Work

Grammarly is an AI grammar checker designed to catch grammatical errors, punctuation mistakes, and stylistic awkwardness in your writing. It uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to analyze text and make real-time suggestions—whether you're writing an email, blog post, or academic paper.

At its core, Grammarly does three things:

  1. Corrects Grammar & Spelling – Detects subject-verb agreement issues, typos, and misuse of punctuation.
  2. Improves Style & Tone – Offers suggestions on clarity, engagement, and delivery.
  3. Checks for Plagiarism – Premium-only feature to scan text against billions of web pages.

Grammarly integrates with your browser, email, Google Docs, and more, but its free version is limited. The real juice—tone rewrites, advanced grammar, and plagiarism checker—is behind a paywall.

So, what happens if you want those features… without paying $144/year? That's where the Grammarly alternative hunt begins.

Why Look for a Grammarly Alternative in 2025?

By now, Grammarly has become the Kleenex of writing tools. But just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s perfect. Here are some reasons more users in 2025 are searching for a Grammarly alternative:

1. Cost-Prohibitive Premium Plans

Grammarly Premium isn’t cheap—especially for students, freelancers, or casual users. Many competitors offer similar (or better) features at a fraction of the cost, or even for free.

2. Privacy Concerns

With growing awareness of data privacy, Grammarly’s cloud-based processing model has raised eyebrows. If you’re uncomfortable having all your writing stored and analyzed online, it’s time to explore privacy-focused grammar checkers.

3. Limited AI Writing Capabilities

Grammarly’s AI engine is decent—but it doesn’t come close to tools offering deeper rewriting, summarizing, or multi-language support. Many AI grammar checker alternatives now integrate ChatGPT-like smart editing, tone adjustment, and contextual rewrites.

4. Lack of Multilingual Support

Grammarly mostly supports English (and a few variations). But if you’re writing in Spanish, French, or German, you’ll need an AI grammar tool that understands those languages natively.

Why Look for a Grammarly Alternative

Top 10 Grammarly Alternatives (Ranked & Reviewed)

Here are the best Grammarly alternatives in 2025, ranked for performance, pricing, and writing enhancement features. Whether you’re writing a research paper, blog post, business memo, or social media caption—there’s a tool on this list for you.

1. NoteGPT Grammar Checker – Best for Essays, Totally Free

The First Is Free—and Actually Good.
If you're looking for a Grammarly alternative that doesn't ask for your email, push constant upsells, or limit your usage, NoteGPT is your best bet.

Why It Stands Out:

  • 100% Free – No account required
  • Real-time grammar, clarity, and style suggestions
  • Multilingual support (100+ languages)
  • Built-in paraphraser and sentence rewriter
  • AI-driven feedback optimized for academic & casual writing

It’s especially powerful for students writing essays or anyone needing a no-frills AI Grammar Checker with modern AI capabilities. Plus, the interface is fast, minimal, and ad-free.

Best for: Students, bloggers, and multilingual writers
Pricing: Free

NoteGPT Grammar Checker – Best for Essays, Totally Free

2. ProWritingAid – Best for Long-Form Editing

ProWritingAid is the writer’s toolbox on steroids. It doesn’t just check grammar—it dives into structure, readability, flow, and consistency.

Top Features:

  • 20+ writing reports (including clichés, sentence length, transitions)
  • Works inside Scrivener, MS Word, Google Docs
  • Tone and voice control
  • Plagiarism detection (Premium+)

This Grammarly alternative shines for novelists, long-form bloggers, and technical writers who need more than just quick grammar fixes.

Best for: Authors, content marketers, technical writers
Pricing: Free plan available; Premium from $10/month

ProWritingAid – Best for Long-Form Editing

3. Quillbot – Best for Paraphrasing + Grammar

Quillbot is known for its AI-powered paraphraser, but its grammar and writing tools have matured into a full suite. It’s perfect if you want to rephrase awkward sentences, write more naturally, or summarize a block of text.

Key Tools:

  • Grammar checker
  • Paraphrasing modes (Fluency, Formal, Simple)
  • AI Summarizer & Citation Generator
  • Extensions for Chrome, Word, and more

For users looking for a Grammarly alternative that doubles as a paraphrasing genius, Quillbot checks all the boxes.

Best for: Students, academic writers, ESL users
Pricing: Free plan; Premium from $8.33/month

Quillbot – Best for Paraphrasing + Grammar

4. Hemingway Editor – Best for Simplicity & Readability

Hemingway strips down your writing to its bones. It’s not an AI grammar checker per se, but a clarity machine.

Why It Works:

  • Highlights passive voice, complex sentences, and adverbs
  • Offers readability grade score
  • Works offline (desktop version)
  • No login, no fluff

Hemingway is a Grammarly alternative for those who hate clutter and love clear, concise prose.

Best for: Copywriters, journalists, bloggers
Pricing: Free online; Desktop app $19.99 one-time

Hemingway Editor – Best for Simplicity & Readability

5. LanguageTool – Privacy-Focused Grammar Tool

Need a Grammarly alternative that doesn’t spy on you? LanguageTool is open-source, secure, and multilingual.

Features:

  • Supports 25+ languages
  • Privacy-first (no keystroke tracking)
  • Add-ons for Word, LibreOffice, Chrome
  • Premium includes advanced rephrasing

It’s great for international users, translators, and privacy-conscious professionals.

Best for: Non-native speakers, multilingual users
Pricing: Free version; Premium from $4.99/month

LanguageTool – Privacy-Focused Grammar Tool

6. Ginger Software – Real-Time Grammar with Translation Support

Ginger is one of the oldest Grammarly alternatives on the market, and in 2025 it remains a solid choice—especially for users who write in multiple languages or need sentence-level suggestions on the fly.

Standout Features:

  • Real-time grammar and spell check
  • Translation into 40+ languages
  • Built-in sentence rephraser
  • Personal trainer with interactive grammar exercises

The UI is a bit dated, but it’s fast and lightweight. Ginger works especially well in MS Office, browsers, and mobile apps.

Best for: ESL learners, multilingual users, mobile writers
Pricing: Free plan; Premium from $6.99/month

Ginger Software

7. WhiteSmoke – All-in-One Checker with Style & Plagiarism Tools

If you’re looking for a Grammarly alternative that covers grammar, style, and plagiarism detection in a single package, WhiteSmoke is worth checking out.

What It Offers:

  • Grammar, punctuation, and style checks
  • Plagiarism detection (with paid plan)
  • Video tutorials and writing templates
  • Desktop and web-based versions

While the interface feels a bit old-school, it’s extremely thorough. It’s especially popular among academic and business users who want comprehensive writing feedback.

Best for: Business writers, students, professionals
Pricing: Premium starts at $59.95/year

8. Slick Write – Lightweight Editor with Instant Feedback

Slick Write lives up to its name: sleek, simple, and focused. This Grammarly alternative is perfect for writers who want instant feedback on sentence structure, readability, and basic grammar.

Core Functions:

  • Real-time sentence flow analysis
  • Grammar and style reports
  • Customizable writing goals
  • Browser-based with no install required

While it doesn’t offer the same deep AI editing features, it’s lightweight and useful for catching easy-to-miss issues quickly.

Best for: Casual writers, bloggers, fast drafting
Pricing: Completely free

Slick Write – Lightweight Editor with Instant Feedback

9. Outwrite – Smart Grammar and Style Checker for Academic & Business Use

Outwrite is a powerful yet underrated Grammarly alternative that focuses on both correctness and style. It’s especially popular among students, researchers, and professionals who need concise, formal writing without fluff.

Key Features:

  • Advanced grammar, spelling, and punctuation checker
  • Style and clarity enhancements (e.g. passive to active voice)
  • Paraphrasing suggestions and sentence rewriting
  • Plagiarism detection in Pro plan
  • Works in Google Docs, MS Word, Chrome extension

Outwrite stands out with its smart rephrasing engine, helping you cut down redundancy and improve sentence fluency without losing meaning—critical for academic and business writing.

Best for: Students, researchers, job seekers, and professionals
Pricing: Free plan available; Premium from $9.95/month

Outwrite – Smart Grammar and Style Checker for Academic & Business Use

10. Scribens – Free Grammar Checker with Deep Grammar Coverage

Scribens is a surprisingly capable Grammarly alternative that offers extensive grammar correction for casual writers, students, and anyone looking for a no-frills online grammar tool.

Why It Works:

  • Checks for over 250 types of grammar, spelling, and stylistic errors
  • Provides vocabulary enhancement suggestions
  • Explanations for grammar mistakes (great for learning)
  • Works directly in your browser with Chrome and Firefox extensions
  • Google Docs and MS Word integration (via plugin)

Scribens is one of the few truly free online AI grammar checkers with an intuitive interface and reliable performance. While it doesn’t have AI rewriting features like Quillbot or NoteGPT, it nails the fundamentals.

Best for: Students, casual writers, email writing, basic editing
Pricing: Free; Premium plan available for more suggestions and stats

Feature Comparison Table – Find the Right Tool for You

Tool Name Free Plan Grammar Check Paraphrasing Plagiarism Check Multilingual Best For
NoteGPT Essays, general writing
ProWritingAid ✅ (Premium+) Authors, long-form writers
Quillbot Paraphrasing, academics
Hemingway ⚠️ (basic only) Readability and clarity
LanguageTool Multilingual grammar
Ginger ESL and mobile writing
WhiteSmoke Academic & business writing
Slick Write Quick grammar feedback
Writer.com Enterprise, brand style guides
Sapling.ai Customer support, productivity

How to Choose the Right Grammarly Alternative?

Not all Grammarly alternatives are created equal. To find the one that best fits your writing workflow, consider the following:

  1. Type of Writing: Are you drafting academic essays, corporate emails, or social media content? Tools like NoteGPT or ProWritingAid cater to different needs.
  2. Budget: Some tools are completely free (like NoteGPT and Slick Write), while others offer robust features behind paywalls.
  3. Language Support: Writing in more than one language? Choose tools like LanguageTool or Ginger.
  4. AI Capabilities: Looking for advanced AI grammar checkers with paraphrasing and rewriting? Quillbot, Sapling, and Writer.com are excellent choices.
  5. Privacy Needs: If you’re sensitive about where your data goes, opt for open-source or privacy-first platforms like LanguageTool.

Ultimately, the best AI grammar checker is the one that matches your voice, protects your data, and fits within your writing goals—without making you overpay for basic features.

Conclusion

Grammarly may have pioneered the modern AI Grammar Checker, but in 2025, you’re spoiled for choice. Whether you want a Grammarly alternative that’s free, focused on clarity, optimized for teams, or powered by smarter AI—there’s a perfect fit waiting for you.

Our top pick? NoteGPT Grammar Checker—free, fast, and surprisingly powerful. But every writer’s needs are different. From Quillbot’s rewriting magic to ProWritingAid’s depth and Hemingway’s simplicity, this list has something for everyone.

Remember: good grammar is only the beginning. The right tool doesn’t just fix mistakes—it helps you write with confidence, clarity, and impact.

Ready to upgrade your writing? Try an AI grammar checker that fits your 2025 writing workflow—and leave mediocrity (and overpriced subscriptions) behind.