Grammar checkers are an essential part of the professional writers’ toolkit. Are you using one? If not, you should!
The English language is confusing, but grammar and punctuation checkers can ensure you write like a pro. An effective grammar checker will read through your content and suggest fixes to ensure the language is perfectly clear and captures the core of your message.
Search online, and you’ll find hundreds of grammar checkers, so it can be hard to find the right one. To help, we’re going to review the 20 best free grammar checkers for 2023. (OK, so you’ll have to pay for the best grammar checkers, but most offer a free trial!)
Let’s bring some clarity to your content!
- HIX.AI – Best for quality, cost, and overall performance
- Grammarly - Best for ease of use and integration
- QuillBot – Best for paraphrasing bodies of text
- Ginger – Best grammar checker for whole sentences
- ProWritingAid – Best for interactive writing assistance and skills building
- Hemingway – Best for bold, clear, and compelling sentences
- WhiteSmoke – Best for cut-price content editing
- Grammar.com – Best alternative to Hemmingway
- Google Docs – Best free checker for communal documents
- Linguix – Best for real-time content improvements
- Spellcheck Plus – Best for basic checks
- Duplichecker – Best for multiple tools
- Style Writer – Best for pro writers who use Word
- Reverso – Best for foreign language translations
- Writer.com – Best for businesses with big budgets
- Wordtune – Best for sentence rewriting
- Chegg – Best academic editor
- LanguageTool – Best for multilingual editing
- Slick Write – Best for rapid editing and updates
- Microsoft Word – Best for in-house teams
1. HIX.AI - Best for quality, cost, and overall performance
Grammar checkers don’t come much better or more comprehensive than HIX.AI. The super-powerful AI grammar-checking program optimizes all content.
Whether you’re writing an email to a boss, reaching out to a new customer, writing a report, or applying for a job – HIX.AI will ensure your content is 100% error-free.
One of the key strengths of HIX.AI is its natural language ability. That means the grammar suggestions and punctuation fixes the system proposes are authentic – and this matters. It means that your written content sounds totally professional and perfect, like a naturalized English speaker.
Pricing:
Users are in control of how to use and pay for HIX.AI. You can try it out with the 100% free plan which has a 1,000-word limit every week. After you’ve understood its potential, there is a variety of pricing plans starting at just $9.99 per month, $4.99 if billed annually.
Pros:
- Writing tools and grammar checker for all types of writing situations.
- Comprehensive tools for checking grammar and spelling for error-free emails,reports, documents, etc.
- Cheaper and more flexible than other grammar-checking platforms.
- The All-in-One Chrome Extension enables you to check grammar, spelling, and punctuation on emails, social media, and Google Docs.
Cons:
- HIX.AI is rapidly developing with a range of new features that could become overwhelming for new users!
Want to produce error-free content every time? Try HIX.AI's grammar checker today.
2. Grammarly – Best for ease of use and integration
Everyone knows Grammarly, right? The grammar checking and editing program has almost become a byword for online grammar checkers. The powerful system can interface seamlessly with online productivity platforms, with plugins available for Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and more.
You can also upload documents to Grammarly, where formatting will be preserved. Grammarly can be used to check website text, with the “always on” mode providing real-time writing suggestions and edits.
The success of Grammarly is a double-edged sword. Why? One of the biggest problems with Grammarly is that if everyone uses it, we all sound the same. Content edited using Grammarly quickly sounds the same – and readers and search engines can spot it.
Pricing:
You can access a basic version of Grammarly for free, but to access advanced features, you’ll need a Premium subscription. Premium Grammarly subscriptions cost $25 per month (with business packages starting at $15 per month).
Pros:
- Established platform that can integrate with all major productivity software and search engines.
- Interface is easy to use and intuitive.
- The world’s most popular grammar checker.
Cons:
- Grammarly’s grammar checks and word substitutions can feel robotic and inauthentic.
- Some AI checkers will recognize Grammarly-generated content, which could lead to website penalties that hit SEO.
- In tests, we found the software can be buggy, which can corrupt documents and cause formatting errors that can be time-consuming and frustrating to fix.
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3. QuillBot – Best for paraphrasing bodies of text
QuillBot doesn’t have the advanced AI capabilities of HIX.AI, but the tool works best as a paraphrasing tool. You can paste the content into the platform, and it will rewrite it, improving the spelling, grammar, and punctuation – while retaining the original meaning of your sentence, paragraph, or message. You can choose how to paraphrase (formally, simply, creatively, etc.), giving you several options for the same piece of text.
Quillbot also has a specialized grammar checker. You can paste text into the box and get natural language suggestions to improve the text, or use the Google Chrome extension.
Does it work? The results in our trial are encouraging, with the language reading naturally. Quillbot also aims to eradicate the curse of copying (plagiarism), which can have a huge impact on your SEO and reputation.
The QuillBot interface is quite old-school, but it still has a specialized grammar checker that
It’s also less advanced in its integrations and ability to maintain formatting of documents, adding time to your editing.
Pricing:
Quillbot offers a free trial with limited functionality. To access the full range of Quillbot features, you’ll be charged $19.95 every month (or $99.95 annually).
Pros:
- It’s the perfect tool for paraphrasing, offering several options for all types of text.
- The interface is simple and functional (if a little old-school).
- Results are processed quickly, including the essential plagiarism tool.
Cons:
- It’s less a grammar checker than a writing assistant helping to improve your sentences and documents.
- Unless you’re a confident English speaker, you’ll need to be confident to accept or ignore grammar suggestions.
- It has fewer features than other comparably priced online grammar checkers.
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4. Ginger – Best grammar checker for whole sentences
Ginger is an online grammar checker that provides powerful suggestions for all writing situations, identifying errors and providing useful sentence alternatives. One of the most useful features is Ginger’s synonym tool, which proposes alternative words you could use. In our experience, it’s far more advanced than those offered by Grammarly and many of the other grammar checkers.
The interface is easy to use, with integrations available for all productivity software and search engines. It can operate in “always on” mode, providing real-time writing suggestions.
At the core of Ginger is its “patented technology” that they boast has “unmatched accuracy”. It’s a bold claim, but Ginger’s sentence suggestion tool is one of the most powerful we’ve trialed.
Pricing:
You can try Ginger for free by dropping text into the online checker. You’ll need a subscription to access advanced features, with prices starting at $13.99 per month.
Pros:
- Established platform with over 8 million active users.
- Cheaper than alternatives, with recent price drops smashing most of the competition.
- The strongest platform for sentence suggestions.
Cons:
- Some users have reported bugs in spelling, grammar, and punctuation – particularly with the Chrome extension.
- Rephrase add-on has limited options, which can lead to monotonous passages in documents.
5. ProWritingAid – Best for interactive writing assistance and skills building
Grammar checkers only focus on one part of your content (the grammar!). But ProWritingAid aims to use AI to take a more holistic approach to content editing. The system checks for style and provides comparisons to what it considers to be best practice.
At the heart of ProWritingAid is AI (naturally), and the system provides a whole range of support to help you write better, including articles, videos, and even quizzes.
Does this really help? ProWritingAid is less of a standard grammar and punctuation checker and more of a writing assistant that’s there to improve how you create content. While some users will benefit from the extensive features, others may prefer a basic grammar and punctuation checking tool.
Pricing:
You can use ProWritingAid for free (naturally), with the premium version available for a reasonable £10 ($12) per month.
Pros:
- ProWritingAid takes a unique approach to content creation and grammar checking that you’ll either love or hate.
- The program enables collaboration on documents and integrations across all popular programs and platforms.
- Writing analysis reports and in-depth suggestions can train you to become a better writer.
Cons:
- Online reviews highlight that some users experience problems with compatibility and features.
- The system offers great functionality, but it may be too much for users who want a simple and effective grammar checker.
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6. Hemingway – Best for bold, clear, and compelling sentences
Named after the writer who made a career from short, clear, and compelling sentences – Hemmingway aims to make your writing bold and clear. This popular grammar checker operates as a writing aid that helps to simplify sentence structure, helping you to write in an active voice.
Paste text into the Hemmingway website or the recently updated desktop app, and Hemmingway will grade your work. Using a bold highlighting interface, the software will show you how to correct spelling and grammar while improving your writing style.
One of the key benefits of Hemmingway is that it’s free, enabling you to access the system online for nothing. To use it to its full potential, you’ll have to pay for the desktop app.
Pricing:
It’s free to use Hemmingway in your browser, but for a better user experience, you’ll need to pay $19.99 for the Hemmingway Editor software.
Pros:
- You can use almost all the features of Hemmingway for free.
- It’s an effective writing assistant that provides clear advice on simplifying and streamlining your text.
- The colorful interface is simple and clear to use.
Cons:
- Hemmingway doesn’t offer the advanced functionality provided by other online grammar checkers.
- The app and interface aren’t optimized for mobile users.
7. WhiteSmoke – Best for cut-price content editing
At first look, WhiteSmoke may look a bit, well, basic – but under the surface, it’s a powerful and pure grammar editor. Unlike other programs that are packed with features, WhiteSmoke goes hard on grammar – with the aim of making all content error-free.
Does it work? The program boasts impressive linguistic capabilities that stack up against more expensive and advanced grammar editing programs. WhiteSmoke will pick up spelling, grammar, and syntax errors. What it won’t do is provide guidance on style (which is either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your confidence in English).
Pricing:
WhiteSmoke is available for an impressive $5 per month (that’s almost free, isn’t it?), but you’re limited to using it on web browsers. You’ll need to pay $11.50 per month to access all the features and integrations.
Pros:
- WhiteSmoke is a pure grammar editor, which means no additional features or functionality.
- Delivers impressive results in grammar checks and tests.
Cons:
- WhiteSmoke currently doesn’t have a Mac solution, meaning it’s limited to Windows.
- The user experience could be better, with competitors offering more features and functionality for the same price.
8. Grammar.com – Best alternative to Hemmingway
Grammar.com, like Hemmingway, provides color-based feedback on your writing. You’ll see the system highlight spelling errors, as well as provide grammar improvements and writing suggestions to improve your content.
The website might look like it’s from 1998, but it’s still a powerful writing assistant in the Hemmingway style. The free version enables you to cut and paste content where it’s analyzed online. Integrations and extensions enable Grammer.com to check content in your emails, CMS, and productivity software.
Pricing:
Grammar.com is free to use online, with premium subscriptions at £4.99 ($6) per month, with team programs around £10 ($12).
Pros:
- The colorful interface makes identifying errors, analyzing issues, and making corrections easy.
- Grammar.com provides an incredible amount of writing advice and guidance online.
Cons:
- The online interface and extensions are retro, and the user experience isn’t as slick as other grammar checkers.
9. Google Docs – Best free checker for communal documents
Everyone uses Google Docs, right? Inside Google Docs is a (reasonably) powerful and effective grammar checker. It will analyze your documents, providing suggestions to fix spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.
For individual users, Google Docs is completely free with no limitations on functionality. One of its key strengths is its speed and ease of use. Google Docs is also a great platform for collaboration, with the system tracking all changes and providing the ability to revert back to older documents (if required).
The spellchecker is accurate, but the grammar checker could be better. But it’s free, universally available, and easy to use.
Pricing:
Google Docs is free for individual users, but business users will need to buy a subscription package. The total price depends on the number of active users.
Pros:
- Everyone knows how to use Google Docs!
- Collaboration is made simple, with previous document iterations saved for access.
Cons:
- Grammar check is basic and may miss out on challenging grammar errors, impacting accuracy.
10. Linguix – Best for real-time content improvements
If you’re struggling to create sentences, write effective emails, or confident reports, then Linguix can help. Linguix works as a complete writing assistant, providing you with multiple options for every sentence (which are perfect in terms of grammar, spelling, and punctuation).
Linguix is a useful tool for improving your overall skills as a writer. As well as eliminating errors, you can check out synonyms, learn how to restructure sentences for maximum impact and identify text improvements.
Pricing:
You can try Linguix for free (or it wouldn’t be in this guide). Full access to the Pro version costs $5 per month.
Pros:
- Real-time suggestions can improve how you write, which can help you develop professional skills.
- AI suggestions are simple, clear and genuinely improve the text.
Cons:
- Advanced functionality may be irrelevant to you (or even annoying if you don’t like the interface).
- Some users may find the integrations intrusive, particularly when typing emails.
11. Spellcheck Plus – Best for basic checks
Spellcheck Plus might look like something from the dawn of the internet, but the Canadian-built grammar checker works just fine. The free solution is limited to just 500 characters, but the Pro offers more functionality, including a full-size editor and text archiving.
Pricing:
The free tool will check up to 500 characters. A 1-year license costs $15.99.
Pros:
- Low-cost solution for businesses who want a simple and easy-to-use grammar-checking solution.
Cons:
- Basic interface and limited functionality may not offer the best value for money.
- Ads on the free version get annoying very quickly.
12. Duplichecker – Best for multiple tools
Duplichecker embeds Grammarly to check documents, content, and text. You use it in the same way as Grammarly (pasting text before the platform does the business). It’s available in 17 languages. The grammar checker is part of a whole suite of free tools. Functionality is limited (but it’s free!).
Pricing:
It’s free!
Pros:
- It’s free (and the performance, features, and functionality aren’t bad).
Cons:
- Duplichecker uses Grammarly, so you’re getting the same results through a different interface. It may be simpler to go straight to the source!
13. Style Writer – Best for pro writers who use Word
Style Writer is a Microsoft Word add-on that works with the world’s best word processor (or productivity software if you’re being accurate). To use it, you’ll need to download it and select the add-on. When you’re using it, you’ll get access to a detailed and very comprehensive grammar editor for pro writers.
Pricing:
You can download Style Writer for free and use it offline and online. The pro version costs $90 for the starter version.
Pros:
- Comprehensive grammar tool that’s suitable for pro writers.
Cons:
- The user experience isn’t as easy as online grammar editors.
14. Reverso – Best for foreign language translations
Reverso has built a business on its powerful translation platform. Its grammar editor works well but isn’t as advanced or sophisticated as the alternatives. The free version is basic, with the Mac and Windows software offering users more value and features.
Pricing:
Free to use the basic version, with the premium version at €6.49 ($7) per month.
Pros:
- Provides a grammar editor with the added ability to paraphrase text.
Cons:
- Basic compared to similarly priced alternatives.
15. Writer.com – Best for businesses with big budgets
Writer.com is a comprehensive grammar checking tool that’s designed to improve the way everyone in your business creates written content. A core part of that is editing, but the software is packed full of other functions you may or may not need!
Pricing:
The stripped-back version is free, with small teams (1-5 people) paying $18 monthly. If you want more, you’ll need to speak to Sales.
Pros:
- Used by a whole host of big brands to improve writing across businesses.
Cons:
- If you want a simple grammar checker or spell checker, you’re paying a lot for functionality you don’t need.
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16. Wordtune – Best for sentence rewriting
Wordtune aims to help improve your sentence structure, tone, and focus. It’s all about making your written work clearer and easier to understand. A part of that is ensuring grammar is checked, and punctuation is on point.
Pricing:
You can use Wordtune in a limited way for free, with premium plans starting at $9.99.
Pros:
- If you’re struggling to create compelling sentences, Wordtune is a great way to improve your skills.
Cons:
- The focus is on improving your sentence structure rather than checking whole documents.
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17. Chegg – Best academic editor
Chegg is an academic editor that can help you turn in the best paper, whether you’re at school, college, or further education. You can upload your content and get immediate suggestions on improvements and how to remove errors.
Pricing:
You can access a free trial, with costs increasing to $9.95 per month.
Pros:
- 100% focused on improving your academic content.
Cons:
- Not suitable for professional content.
18. LanguageTool – Best for multilingual editing
LanguageTool corrects text and suggests alternatives for pasted content and uploaded documents. The program comes with a whole host of add-ons and is optimized to work with its powerful translation solution.
Pricing:
Free, with premium plans at £4.99 ($6) a month.
Pros:
- In our tests, we found it accurately identified errors and provided useful and professional alternatives.
Cons:
- If you want a simple editor, you’re paying for a lot of unused functionality.
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19. Slick Write – Best for rapid editing and updates
Slick Write says it goes “beyond spell checking to teach you the habits of effective writers”. If that’s what you want from a grammar checker, it’s a great choice! It’s fast and accurate, providing great suggestions and alternatives – and it’s totally free.
Pricing:
Free (but put some cash in the tip jar).
Pros:
- Works as a genuine writing assistant that can improve how you communicate.
Cons:
- The interface may get in the way while you’re writing!
20. Microsoft Word – Best for in-house teams
Did you know that the world’s most well-known and well-used productivity software also contains a grammar editor? It’s actually pretty useful and, if you’re already using Word, it’s totally free.
Pricing:
Free (if you’re using Word, which it’s likely you are).
Pros:
- Free and already available (if you’re using Word)
Cons:
- Less advanced than AI grammar checkers.
Conclusion
If you’re writing in your job, a grammar checker is an essential tool that you should be using. AI-powered writing assistants and grammar editors can help you produce professional content faster and more effectively than ever before.
After checking out (almost) every option on the market, the results are clear. If you’re searching for a grammar checker, then HIX.AI is the best for quality, cost, and overall performance.
