ProWritingAid vs Grammarly: Which Tool Best Suits Your Writing Needs?

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Are you a writer? Whether you are revising a novel or just trying to make your social media posts less comma-centric, there’s a good chance you’ve mulled over the spelling and grammar software showdown: ProWritingAid vs Grammarly.

Both ProWritingAid and Grammarly promise to enhance your writing style, eliminate grammar and spelling issues, and keep you on track with your writing process. And they each offer some pretty shiny bells and whistles, like plagiarism checkers, desktop apps, browser extensions, and even AI writing assistants that critique your sentence structure like a grammar nut job.

I’ve used both tools quite a bit over the years as a USA TODAY bestselling fantasy romance author, screenwriter, content creator, and professional editor (and I do have my favorite!). But I know that the right writing tool can mean the difference between a seamless writing flow and a day-long battle with complicated sentences.

But which one actually delivers the most value?

Luckily for you, I break down the features, pricing, strengths, and quirks of both platforms so you can choose the best fit for your writing needs. Maybe you want the best free Grammarly alternative, or you’re trying to decide between Grammarly Premium or ProWritingAid Premium, or just wondering which tool can help you finally stop using “very” 37 times per paragraph. Either way, this review is very much for you.

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What Are Grammarly and ProWritingAid?

I guess we should start with the basics. Both ProWritingAid and Grammarly are digital writing tools designed to improve your writing quality in real time. These tools don’t just tell you what you did wrong, they make suggestions on how you can do it better and walk you through it.

They check for grammar errors, spelling mistakes, style suggestions, and even plagiarism, making them amazing sidekicks for everyone from bloggers and students to professional writers.

Grammarly

Grammarly homepage

Grammarly is known for its clean, user-friendly interface and seamless integration with platforms like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and nearly every browser on the face of the planet. If you’re writing an article, polishing up an email, or editing a full manuscript, Grammarly is built to give basic grammar help all the way to in-depth style suggestions. In other words, it rocks. (Can you tell which is my favorite yet?)

The forever free version includes a pretty decent grammar checker, spelling checker, and a few tone insights. But if you want access to the full suite, including the plagiarism checker, advanced features like conciseness suggestions, and vocabulary enhancements, then you’ll need to level up to Grammarly Premium.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid vs Grammarly

Then there’s ProWritingAid. It’s like the grammar nerd with a PhD in linguistics. It gives you way more in-depth reporting, covering things like redundant words, complex sentences, word choice, and even an alliteration report (yes, really). It’s an editing tool and a personal writing coach rolled into one.

Its desktop app supports integrations with MS Word, Google Docs, and even Scrivener, so it’s a great choice for novelists and long-form writers. The web version gives you access to over 25 detailed reports, which can be a little overwhelming at first, but are gold for those who want deep insight into their writing skills. However, the free version limits users to checking only 500 words at a time, which might be restrictive for larger projects.

Yes, ProWritingAid’s free version is more limited in terms of document size and features, but its premium version is competitively priced and packed with value, especially for fiction and nonfiction authors. Both ProWritingAid and Grammarly offer plagiarism checkers, but ProWritingAid charges separately for this feature, which may influence your choice depending on your needs.

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ProWritingAid vs Grammarly: Breakdown of Features

Some say ProWritingAid is better than Grammarly, but I don’t agree with that. We’re not comparing apples to apples here. It’s more like apples to apple crumble, if that makes sense. Grammarly is an amazing everyday tool that will make you a better writer in all forms.

ProWritingAid is excellent for everyday use, as well as teaching yourself how to be a killer writer and understanding the technical side of things. Their approach, depth, and usability vary quite a bit, especially once you dig into the premium features. Here’s what you can expect from each.

Grammarly Features

I’ve happily used Grammarly for years, and one of the biggest reasons I keep coming back is its simplicity, because I get easily overwhelmed with tools that have far too many features. The user interface is clean, intuitive, and lets me make changes quickly without getting distracted by endless data. That’s a big plus when I’m editing a client’s web copy or polishing up a scene in my latest fantasy novel.

Here’s what you get with Grammarly:

Free Version

  • Spelling and grammar checker for common issues like subject-verb agreement, punctuation, and passive voice
  • Tone detector to gauge whether your message sounds friendly, formal, or like you’re about to yell at someone in an email
  • Basic clarity suggestions to tighten up awkward or overly wordy sentences

Grammarly Premium

  • Advanced grammar and punctuation checker: catches things like dangling modifiers, comma splices, and inconsistent verb tenses
  • Style suggestions for word choice, tone adjustments, and sentence variety
  • Plagiarism checker powered by ProQuest to scan your text against billions of web pages and academic databases
  • Vocabulary enhancement suggestions to improve your word choice without sounding like a thesaurus exploded

Platform Access

  • Works via browser extension, desktop app, web version, mobile apps, and integrates with Google Docs, Outlook, and Microsoft Word
  • Syncs across devices so I can edit a blog post draft on my laptop, then give it a final once-over from my phone

What I like:

  • It’s fast, accurate, and doesn’t overcomplicate things
  • Great for everyday writing like emails, articles, newsletters, and social media posts
  • The AI writing assistant feels smart without being pushy

What I don’t love:

  • It sometimes over-flags casual writing, especially if I’m intentionally bending grammar rules for voice or tone
  • The free version is solid, but it’s a bit limited compared to others like ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid Features

Now, ProWritingAid is a totally different beast. I tend to recommend it to my fellow fiction writers and screenwriters because it’s not just an editing tool. It’s a full-on writing coach with a data obsession. And that’s not a bad thing.

Free Version

  • Grammar and spelling checker with basic suggestions
  • Access to limited reports and word count caps (500-word limits for web users unless you install the desktop app)

Premium Features

  • Over 25 writing reports covering everything from repeated sentence starts to abstract words to dialogue tags
  • In-depth feedback on sentence structure, readability, overused words, pacing, and complex sentence construction
  • Plagiarism tool (available as an add-on) to check your work for originality
  • Supports style suggestions based on your chosen genre (yes, you can select fantasy, sci-fi, academic, business, etc.)
  • Tracks your word count, readability score, and much more with impressive data visualization

Platform Access

  • Available as a desktop app, web version, and browser extension
  • Integrates with Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Scrivener (a huge win for authors with long manuscripts)
  • Supports offline editing, which is handy when you’re trying to write in a quiet cabin without Wi-Fi (ask me how I know…)

What I like:

  • The reports are incredible for editing longer works like novels, nonfiction books, and even screenplays
  • I love the customizations: you can fine-tune your writing style, target audience, and tone
  • Great for catching things you didn’t even know you were doing (like starting every other sentence with “but”… Guilty.)

What I don’t love:

  • The interface isn’t as sleek as Grammarly’s and can feel overwhelming at first
  • It takes longer to load and analyze, especially if you’re uploading a full book draft
  • The mobile experience is basically nonexistent. I hate it. So I tend to stick with it for desktop-only writing sessions

To sum this part up, I’ll tell you what I tell anyone IRL who asks. Using Grammarly is like sitting in a café with a bunch of writer friends who’ve honed their craft over years of learning on their own. It’s fun, you grow, you’re happy. In comparison, using ProWritingAid is like sitting in a university writing class. Still great and super helpful, but hella boring and unnecessarily overcomplicated.

Grammarly vs ProWritingAid: Head-to-Head Match Ups

Let’s compare them even further, shall we?

Grammar Checking

If there’s one feature that defines a good writing tool, it’s how well it handles grammar checking. And in this department, both ProWritingAid and Grammarly are winners, but in very different ways.

Grammarly: Fast, Smart, and Surprisingly Polite

Grammarly has long been my go-to for quick grammar checks, especially when I’m under deadline, which feels like all the time. I love that Grammarly’s AI writing assistant gives me real-time suggestions that are easy to understand and implement with a click.

  • It detects grammar mistakes, spelling errors, and punctuation issues on the fly.
  • You get clear explanations for each correction.
  • It even flags passive voice, overused words, and awkward phrasing.
  • Bonus: It works well with Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and as a browser extension, so it’s super accessible..

ProWritingAid: The Deep-Dive Editor

If Grammarly is the friendly BFF, ProWritingAid is the English professor with a red pen and a love for complex sentences. When I use it, I know I’m in for a full editorial experience…and a headache.

  • It goes beyond a basic grammar checker and digs into structural issues, sentence variety, pacing, etc.
  • You get multiple suggestions in one report, so you can tackle grammar, spelling mistakes, and redundant words in one go.
  • It highlights patterns in your writing, like if you tend to overuse adverbs or rely too heavily on vague words like “some” or “very.”

The downside? It’s not as snappy as Grammarly. Reports take a bit longer to run, and while they’re powerful, they can also be a bit overwhelming.

Use this if you’re editing long writing projects like novels or nonfiction manuscripts. It’s not as great for quick content edits or social media posts, but when you want to go deep on style suggestions and writing improvement, it’s a great instructor.

  • Choose Grammarly if you want a fast, easy, and effective grammar checker that works great for blog posts, emails, and short content.
  • Choose ProWritingAid if you’re editing book-length content, need detailed style feedback, or want to improve your overall writing ability through data-driven analysis.

User Interface and Ease of Use

A clean, intuitive writing app interface can make or break your writing flow, especially if you’re juggling drafts, outlines, and five open tabs of research materials.

Grammarly: Clean, Polished, and Plug-and-Play

Grammarly wins major points for its minimalist, no-fuss interface. Switch between the browser extension, the desktop app, or the web version. You paste or type your text, and Grammarly immediately starts working behind the scenes flagging grammar errors, spelling mistakes, and style suggestions in real time.

What I personally love:

  • It’s lightning fast. I don’t have to wait for a report to generate—it just happens.
  • It uses clear underlines and suggestion boxes that explain why something’s wrong and how to fix it.
  • I can toggle tone, intent, and audience right from the sidebar, which is perfect when I’m switching from writing a fantasy novel to a client proposal to an Instagram caption.

ProWritingAid: Feature-Rich, but Slightly Clunky

Its interface isn’t ugly by any means, but it does feel more like a tool built for editors than casual users.

What stands out to me:

  • There are tabs for literally everything. Style, grammar, structure, repeats, overused words, clichés, dialogue, and more.
  • You can run individual reports or an all-in-one deep dive, which I’ve found incredibly helpful when editing longer works like my fairy tale retelling novellas or full book manuscripts.
  • It lets you customize goals by writing type, which is cool. Like, creative, academic, business, etc. However, the user interface can feel a bit cluttered, and there is a slight learning curve to fully utilize all its features.

But honestly? Sometimes I open it and go, “Oof. That’s…a lot of tabs.” If you’re just looking to clean up a quick blog post or tighten a short scene, it can feel like overkill. Also, some features aren’t available unless you’re using the desktop app, and I mostly work directly in Google Docs, which makes the experience feel a bit fragmented.

Integration and Compatibility

As a professional author and screenwriter who toggles between Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and a growing graveyard of half-finished drafts in various cloud folders, app integration is a big deal for me. A great writing tool shouldn’t just catch errors IMO; it should work where you write.

Grammarly: Seamless and Ubiquitous

Grammarly integrates like a dream across most major platforms. I could be writing in Word, drafting a social media post in Google Docs, or formatting a blog in WordPress and Grammarly’s there like my grammar-obsessed shadow.

  • Google Docs: Full real-time integration (finally!). It used to be a bit clunky, but now it’s slick and accurate.
  • Microsoft Office: It plugs right into Microsoft Word and Outlook on Windows, giving you full Grammarly feedback while writing emails or manuscripts.
  • Browser extension: Works with Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. You’ll get grammar and style feedback on everything from your email drafts to your tweets (bless).
  • Mobile apps: Grammarly Keyboard is one of the better grammar keyboards for phones to catch grammar mistakes, spelling errors, and awkward phrasings in texts or notes.

Bottom line: If you’re someone who writes in multiple formats and locations (hello, ADHD multitasking brain), Grammarly is the best kind of clingy. It follows you everywhere and does its job without getting in the way.

ProWritingAid: Better for Desktop Power Users

ProWritingAid gives you solid integrations, but it doesn’t follow you around quite as faithfully as Grammarly. If you’re a hardcore Scrivener user or someone who loves the deep-dive approach to editing, it’s a great match (btw, you can read my in-depth Scrivener review here). But if you like to hop between tools (like I do), it requires a little more friction.

  • Microsoft Word & Google Docs: Yes, but integration isn’t as clean or intuitive as Grammarly. Google Docs, in particular, feels like an afterthought.
  • Scrivener and Final Draft: One of ProWritingAid’s biggest selling points is its ability to work with Scrivener files. For long-form novelists and screenwriters, that’s a huge bonus.
  • Browser extension: Available, but a bit less polished than Grammarly’s. Sometimes it flags issues inconsistently across platforms.
  • Desktop app: This is where ProWritingAid really wants you to live. The full editing power, including in-depth reports, AI writing tools, etc.

Mobile situation? Not great. There’s actually no mobile app or integrated keyboard, which makes editing on the go impossible.

AI Features and Writing Assistance

Gone are the days when a grammar checker just fixed the odd comma or flagged a misspelled word. Today’s AI writing tools are full-blown editorial assistants that analyze tone, clarity, and structure like a seasoned editor (minus the coffee breath and existential dread).

I’ve used both Grammarly and ProWritingAid for years, and they each bring a solid AI game to the table, but their approach can vary depending on your writing style, project, and personal preferences.

Grammarly’s AI Writing Assistance

The platform uses machine learning and natural language processing to flag:

  • Grammar mistakes and spelling errors (the basics).
  • Punctuation issues, like serial commas and em dashes that are trying too hard.
  • Passive voice and redundant words.
  • Tone mismatches, clarity issues, and confusing phrasing.
  • Overuse of hedging language like “just,” “really,” and “maybe”

Grammarly’s suggestions feel more refined and polished, especially for web content, emails, and social media posts. I use it as a quick pass before sending client-facing work. It’s super helpful when I want clean, sharp copy that sounds professional but not robotic.

What I like:

  • Super intuitive feedback
  • Quick to scan and digest
  • The tone detector is a surprisingly useful tool

What I don’t love:

  • Sometimes it oversimplifies. Creative writing or stylistic choices can get flagged and you’re like, “what the heck?”
  • It occasionally recommends changes that flatten your voice instead of enhancing it.

ProWritingAid’s AI Writing Features

ProWritingAid’s AI engine feels more like a writing professor with a red pen and a passion for complex sentences. It dives deep—sometimes too deep—into your work.

Here’s what it analyzes:

  • Sentence structure and flow (from rhythm to complexity).
  • Repeated phrases and overused words.
  • Readability scores, sticky sentences, and pacing issues.
  • Dialogue tags, adverb use, vague wording, you name it.
  • Reports like “Style,” “Grammar,” “Clichés,” and “Alliteration” (yes, really).

This tool is pretty sweet when I’m editing a novel draft and want to zoom in on weak spots I might otherwise miss. The in-depth reporting gives me a blueprint for fine-tuning everything from plot pacing to word choice.

What I like:

  • Incredible for book writers and long-form projects.
  • Great for spotting subtle issues like repetition or overly complicated sentences.
  • You can set custom writing goals based on genre, tone, and more.

What I don’t love:

  • The volume of data can be sooooo overwhelming.
  • The AI sometimes lacks finesse which, to me, disrupts the writing process.

Which AI Tool Is Smarter?

It depends on what you write and how you write.

For shorter content, emails, blogs, and content-heavy writing, Grammarly’s AI works. For novels, screenplays, or anything creative and complex, ProWritingAid is awesome.

Plagiarism Detection

Even if you’re a stickler for originality, it’s smart to have a plagiarism checker in your corner. Trust me, it’s shockingly easy to accidentally echo existing content. That’s where tools like Grammarly and ProWritingAid really earn their keep.

Grammarly’s Plagiarism Tool

This is part of its premium version, and honestly? It’s one of the reasons I keep going back to it for client work. With just a click, Grammarly scans your text against billions of web pages and academic databases, flagging any suspicious similarities.

The results are shown right alongside your grammar suggestions, and you get a percentage match and links to the source content.

What I like:

  • It’s fast and built right into the editor.
  • You don’t have to switch to another screen or tool.
  • It provides links to flagged sources, which is perfect for cross-checking.

What I don’t love:

  • It doesn’t work in the Google Docs integration that I know of, which is a bummer for cloud-based workflows.
  • It’s not available in the free version, so you’ll need Grammarly Premium to access it.

ProWritingAid’s Plagiarism Checker

ProWritingAid also has plagiarism detection, but not in the base premium version. You have to either buy credits or subscribe to a higher tier that includes the plagiarism tool. It scans your writing against published content across the web and provides a score with links to matched material.

I’ve used it in novel manuscripts to double-check passages that were inspired by research or folklore. It works well, but the credit system feels limiting, especially when you’re working on long writing projects and need to run tons of checks.

What I like:

  • Just as accurate as Grammarly, with source-matching links.
  • Easy to activate directly in the desktop app or web version.
  • Helpful for ensuring content stays original across multiple drafts and rewrites.

What I don’t love:

  • The credit-based system is annoying for regular use. You’re constantly monitoring how many scans you have left.
  • Not as intuitive or integrated into the editing process as Grammarly’s version.

Customization and Style Settings

If you’ve ever written a fantasy romance novel on Monday, a grant proposal on Tuesday, and a spicy fairy tale retelling by Thursday, then you already understand how important it is to adjust your feedback depending on what you’re writing.

This is where customization and style settings come in. A good AI writing tool shouldn’t treat a social media post the same way it treats an academic thesis. Let’s look at how Grammarly and ProWritingAid can be tweaked to match your writing style and goals.

Grammarly’s Style Settings

One of Grammarly’s most underrated features is its Goals Panel. It’s that little compass icon that lets you set your writing intent before you even start editing.

With Grammarly, you can adjust:

  • Audience (general, knowledgeable, or expert)
  • Formality (informal, neutral, formal)
  • Domain (academic, business, email, casual, creative, etc.)
  • Tone (confident, friendly, analytical, etc.)
  • Intent (inform, describe, convince, tell a story)

I use this all the time, especially when switching between client work, author content, and email newsletters. For example, I’ll select “Creative” and “Tell a Story” when working on a fantasy scene, but I’ll flip it to “Business” and “Inform” for a client proposal. It gives me different style suggestions and really helps me fine-tune the word choice, tone, and flow.

What I like:

  • You can control the feedback based on how and why you’re writing.
  • It adapts to different tones across genres.
  • You get smarter, more contextual edits (instead of just basic grammar policing).

What I don’t love:

  • The goals don’t always transfer across platforms (like in the Google Docs integration).
  • Sometimes the tone suggestions feel a bit…extra. I once got flagged for being too passionate. Rude.

ProWritingAid’s Customization Options

Okay, then there’s ProWritingAid. It takes things a step further by letting you select a document type at the beginning of your edit. You can choose from a whole library of presets, like fiction, nonfiction, business, technical, academic, web copy, etc.

If you’re writing fiction (which I do a lot), it even gives you genre-specific options like:

  • Fantasy
  • Romance
  • Mystery
  • Scriptwriting

It also whips up style reports that identify things like:

  • Overused words
  • Repeated sentence starts
  • Dialogue tags
  • Emotional tells vs. showing

This has been super helpful for developmental edits on my books and short stories. If you’re working in various genres or like to obsess over writing mechanics, ProWritingAid gives you more granular control.

What I like:

  • Truly tailored feedback for different genres and writing types.
  • It teaches you as you go, so your writing improves over time.
  • Especially helpful for fiction writers working on long projects.

What I don’t love:

  • It takes a bit more setup and a steeper learning curve to fully leverage.
  • Sometimes the interface feels overwhelming with too many toggles and checkboxes.

Reporting and Feedback

Breaking news! Spellcheck alone won’t make you a better writer. What will help is getting clear, actionable feedback on why your sentence sounds clunky or why your paragraph reads like a caffeine-fueled fever dream.

Both Grammarly and ProWritingAid have reporting tools, but they approach feedback very differently, and depending on your writing process, one might click better for you.

Grammarly’s Reports: Fast, Focused, and Easy to Digest

Grammarly’s feedback is all about clarity and speed. Once you run a check, it gives you an overall performance score which is usually a number out of 100 that represents your document’s “cleanliness.”

Here’s what you’ll typically get in Grammarly’s reporting:

  • A quick readability score with word count, reading time, and average sentence length
  • Suggestions grouped by category: Correctness, Clarity, Engagement, Delivery
  • Easy-to-follow explanations for grammar, tone, and sentence-level issues

What I love about Grammarly’s reporting is that it’s incredibly beginner-friendly and great for fast turnarounds. The AI features adjust as you accept or reject suggestions, so it starts to “get” your writing style over time.

ProWritingAid’s Reports: Deep Dive Into Your Writing Brain

If Grammarly gives you a quick health check, ProWritingAid gives you a full-on diagnostic report. And I mean everything from your overused adverbs to your pacing problems to your tendency to start every paragraph with “And.”

Some of the most useful ProWritingAid reports include:

  • Style Report – flags awkward phrasing, passive voice, and readability issues
  • Grammar and Spelling Report – standard corrections, plus nuanced issues
  • Readability Report – breaks down sentence variety, complexity, and flow
  • Echoes Report – helps spot repeated phrases that creep in over long texts
  • Pacing Check – highlights where your story might drag (perfect for novel writing!)
  • Consistency Report – ensures your spelling, formatting, and character names stay uniform

As someone who’s written a lot of books, these reports help me identify where I’m falling into patterns.

What’s awesome is you can toggle reports on and off depending on what stage of writing you’re in. The visual feedback (highlighted color-coded text) helps you see patterns at a glance. It’s like having a developmental editor built into your desktop.

But it can be overwhelming. You might get 500 suggestions in one go—and not all are helpful.

Mobile Apps and On-the-Go Editing

Let’s face it: inspiration doesn’t care if you’re in your office, in line at the grocery store, or curled up in bed at 2 a.m. I’ll always prefer writing at my desk with a full keyboard and a massive coffee, but sometimes you just need to jot down a brilliant sentence right now before it vanishes forever.

That’s where mobile functionality matters. So how do Grammarly and ProWritingAid stack up when it comes to writing on the go?

Grammarly’s Mobile App: Surprisingly Robust

Grammarly has fully embraced the mobile era, and it shows.

Here’s what you get with Grammarly’s mobile experience:

  • A dedicated mobile app for both iOS and Android
  • A Grammarly keyboard, which you can install as your default on your phone or tablet
  • Seamless editing suggestions for texts, social media posts, emails, and even Google Docs on mobile
  • Real-time grammar, spelling, and tone suggestions as you type

I’ve used Grammarly’s keyboard plenty of times, especially when replying to professional emails from my phone. It catches rogue commas, flags passive voice, and even suggests tone improvements before I hit “send.” And for someone who writes for a living (and forgets words when I’m tired), it’s been a lifesaver.

ProWritingAid on Mobile: Eh… Not So Much

ProWritingAid doesn’t currently offer a dedicated mobile app, and that’s… kind of a bummer. This isn’t a dealbreaker if you’re like me and do 90% of your writing on a laptop or desktop. But if you’re the kind of writer who thrives on voice typing, note-taking on the go, or spontaneous edits from your phone? You’re going to miss having ProWritingAid in your pocket.

Customer Support and Resources

Having solid customer support can make or break your experience with any writing tool. Let’s break down how Grammarly and ProWritingAid handle customer support and educational resources.

Grammarly Support: Clean, Responsive, and Business-Friendly

Grammarly has a fairly polished customer experience, especially if you’re using one of their premium plans (or Grammarly Business, which is geared toward teams). Here’s what you can expect:

  • A searchable help center packed with FAQs, tutorials, and troubleshooting guides
  • Responsive email support—I’ve used this a couple of times when I had syncing issues, and I got clear answers within 24 hours
  • A clean, user-friendly dashboard that walks you through key features
  • Support for multiple user types, including students, authors, and business teams

Where Grammarly shines is in making support accessible and digestible. I never felt overwhelmed, and their guides are actually readable (not just walls of corporate jargon).

What I appreciate most: Grammarly is built for everyday users. You don’t have to be tech-savvy to get help—and that matters when you’re juggling a full writing schedule.

ProWritingAid Support: Feature-Rich but Slightly Less Streamlined

ProWritingAid also offers a solid library of support resources, but it leans more toward the “by writers, for writers” vibe, which is honestly part of its charm.

Here’s what’s available:

  • A knowledge base that goes deep into features, integrations, and technical quirks
  • Email-based ticket support, with responses typically within 24–48 hours
  • An extensive blog and resource hub, full of writing tips, grammar guides, and style deep-dives
  • Weekly live training sessions and webinars for writers looking to level up their skills

I genuinely love ProWritingAid’s extra content. Their writing blog is a goldmine for fiction writers, and the webinars can be great for newer writers or anyone transitioning from casual to professional writing.

Where it lags a little: Their interface isn’t quite as intuitive when it comes to navigating help topics. And if you’re looking for real-time chat support or ultra-fast fixes? You might be waiting longer than you’d like.

Best Free Grammarly Alternative

If you’re looking to level up your writing without dropping serious coin on a subscription, you’re not alone. I’ve tested just about every free grammar tool under the sun (you know, for research… and because I’m a sucker for tinkering with new writing software), and I can confidently say that yes, there are viable options out there.

So, if Grammarly Premium feels a little too premium for your budget, here’s a breakdown of the best free Grammarly alternatives.

ProWritingAid Free Version: Surprisingly Powerful

Let’s start with the big one. ProWritingAid’s free version might not give you everything, but it offers enough to be a serious contender.

Here’s what you get with the free tier:

  • Basic grammar and spelling checks
  • Limited reports on style, readability, and repeated phrases
  • Suggestions for improving writing style and sentence structure
  • A web editor and browser extension that checks your writing in real time

For a completely free Grammarly alternative, it’s pretty stellar, especially if you’re a student, casual blogger, or writer working on shorter content like emails, articles, or social media posts.

Personal take: I used the free version of ProWritingAid back when I was still side-hustling my way through my first novel. It was enough to help clean up passive voice, simplify complicated sentences, and flag wordy paragraphs.

Other Free Alternatives Worth Noting

If you’re still browsing for Grammarly alternatives, here are a few more tools that get honorable mentions:

1. Slick Write

Slick Write is lightweight and fast, with reports on sentence structure, grammar errors, and readability. It’s browser-based and totally free.

2. LanguageTool

Another strong contender, especially if you write in multiple languages. LanguageTool catches spelling mistakes, grammar issues, and even style suggestions, and has a web editor, extensions, and integrations.

3. Hemingway Editor

Okay, the Hemingway Editor isn’t a grammar checker in the traditional sense, but it is a fantastic tool for improving readability and sentence clarity. It highlights passive voice, complex sentences, and adverbs that may be cluttering your prose.

Cost Comparison: Are Grammarly and ProWritingAid Worth It?

Let’s talk money.

As a full-time author and freelance writer, I’m no stranger to subscription fatigue. Between my newsletter tools, cloud backups, website hosting, and the occasional midnight Etsy home décor binge (don’t judge), I try to be strategic about what I actually pay for.

So, when it comes to writing tools, the question isn’t just which one is better? Instead, try to ask which one gives me the most value for what I’m paying?

Let’s break down the premium features of both Grammarly and ProWritingAid to help you decide which one is worth getting our your card.

Grammarly Premium: Sleek, Simple, but Pricey

Grammarly Premium is kind of like the Apple of grammar tools: polished, intuitive, and… unfortunately not cheap. But, IMO, it’s totally worth it! Additionally, Grammarly is suitable for teams, offering features that cater to collaborative environments, whereas ProWritingAid is more geared towards individual users.

What You Get:

  • Advanced grammar and spelling checks
  • Style suggestions for tone, clarity, and engagement
  • Vocabulary enhancement suggestions
  • Plagiarism checker (with a massive database)
  • Conciseness and fluency suggestions
  • Weekly writing reports that give you a performance breakdown

Grammarly Pricing (as of 2025):

  • Monthly: $30/month
  • Annual: $12/month billed annually
Grammarly pricing

ProWritingAid Premium: Deep Dives, Big Reports, Better for Book Projects

This is what I reach for when I’m elbows-deep in a novel or nonfiction project. It’s designed for long-form writing, and it shows.

What You Get:

  • 20+ detailed writing reports (grammar, style, overused words, sentence variety, pacing, and more)
  • Plagiarism tool (available as an add-on or bundle)
  • Custom style guides and goals
  • Word Explorer for improving word choice
  • Desktop app and integrations with Scrivener, Word, Google Docs, and more

ProWritingAid Pricing (as of 2025):

  • Monthly: $30/month
  • Yearly: $10/month (billed annually)
  • Lifetime license: $399 (yep, a one-time payment foevaaahhhh!)

If you notice, both ProWritingAid and Grammarly’s Pro annual subscription is priced at $144, making it a bit of a toss up between the two.

So… Which One’s Worth It?

Here’s how I’d break it down:

You Should Choose…

If You…

Grammarly Premium

Write a lot of short-form content, emails, and web copy, and want an intuitive tool that cleans things up fast

ProWritingAid Premium

Write long-form fiction or nonfiction and want to dive deep into improving your craft with detailed feedback

Neither (Yet)

Are just starting out and want to try the free versions before you invest in a subscription

Personally? I use Grammarly for my day-to-day business writing and ProWritingAid for my novels and short stories. The two just work together so well throughout my process.

Grammarly Alternatives: Other Tools Worth Checking Out

Here’s a quick cheat sheet.

ToolBest ForWhat it Does Well

Slick Write

Beginners & bloggers

Fast checks for grammar and flow

LanguageTool

Multilingual writers

Grammar in multiple languages

Hemingway

Content creators

Improves clarity and punch

QuillBot

Students & marketers

Paraphrasing and summaries

Wordtune

Emails & business writing

Tone-specific rewrites

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tools for writers. Honestly, it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation. Play around, test out a few, try the free versions or trials, and see which one fits your process. While you’re at it, check out my list of top writing apps for writers.

FAQ

You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers. Here are the most common things I hear people ask about ProWritingAid and Grammarly.

1. Which is better for beginners: ProWritingAid or Grammarly?

Grammarly is generally better for beginners due to its clean, intuitive interface and quick, easy-to-understand suggestions. ProWritingAid offers more in-depth reports, which can be overwhelming for new users but is excellent for those wanting detailed feedback.

2. Can I use both ProWritingAid and Grammarly on the same document?

Yes, you can run the same document through both tools to benefit from Grammarly’s quick grammar checks and ProWritingAid’s extensive style and structure reports. This combination can help produce error-free content with comprehensive feedback.

3. Do ProWritingAid and Grammarly offer plagiarism checkers?

Both platforms offer plagiarism detection, but Grammarly includes it within its Premium plan, while ProWritingAid requires a separate purchase or higher-tier subscription for access to its plagiarism tool.

4. Is there a free version available for both tools?

Yes, both ProWritingAid and Grammarly offer free versions. Grammarly’s free version provides unlimited grammar and spelling checks with basic writing suggestions, while ProWritingAid’s free version limits checks to 500 words at a time but includes a range of reports.

5. Which tool has better customer support teams?

Grammarly offers responsive email support and a user-friendly help center, especially for premium users and teams. ProWritingAid provides email ticket support, an extensive knowledge base, and weekly live training sessions, though its interface for support can be less streamlined.

Which Writing Tool Wins—Grammarly or ProWritingAid?

As a full-time author, screenwriter, blogger, and general wearer of way too many writing hats, I’ve used both of these tools extensively. I’ve drafted novels in Scrivener and checked final edits in Word. I’ve ghostwritten nonfiction, punched up dialogue in Final Draft, and edited hundreds of blog posts in Google Docs. And through it all? Tools like Grammarly and ProWritingAid have saved me from my own comma crimes more times than I’d like to admit.

I feel that both Grammarly and ProWritingAid have earned their spots as top-tier AI writing tools in 2025. They’ll catch those pesky grammar mistakes, help you tighten up your writing style, and save you hours of editing time. And that, my friend, is the true magic of a good writing tool.

Still not sure which one to go with? Try both. Each one offers a free version, and there’s nothing stopping you from running the same content through both for a while.

Want more insider tools, writing guides, and productivity tips from someone who’s been deep in the writing trenches? Check out our other expert articles at Writer Gadgets and find the best resources to help you write smarter and faster with more confidence and far less typos.