Writing clean English is hard, and harder still when English is not your first language, as it is not mine. Word processors catch spelling, but the mistakes that make a blog post look careless are grammar, punctuation, and clumsy sentences, and those need a dedicated checker. The good news is that grammar checkers have improved enormously since this post was first written: the best ones now explain the error, rewrite the sentence, and flag unclear or wordy writing.
These are the 8 best online grammar checker tools in 2026, free and premium, updated in October 2026. After the Deadline and Slick Write from the original list are no longer maintained and were replaced with ProWritingAid, QuillBot, Hemingway, and Scribbr.
Grammar Checkers Compared
| Tool | Free Version | Premium | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammarly | Yes, core checks | From $12/month (yearly) | Everyday writing everywhere |
| ProWritingAid | Yes, limited | $120/year or lifetime | Long-form and in-depth reports |
| LanguageTool | Yes, generous | From about $5/month | Free use and other languages |
| QuillBot | Yes | From about $4/month | Rewriting and paraphrasing |
| Hemingway Editor | Yes, web app | $10/month for AI edits | Readability |
| Ginger | Yes, limited | From about $7/month | Rephrasing and translation |
| WhiteSmoke | No | From about $5/month (yearly) | Desktop apps and translation |
| Scribbr | Yes | Paid plagiarism checks | Students and academic writing |
1. Grammarly
Grammarly is still the standard. It checks spelling, grammar, and punctuation as you type in the browser, Word, Google Docs, Gmail, the WordPress editor, and on phones through its keyboard, with a short explanation for each correction. The free version catches the errors that matter most. Pro adds clarity and tone rewrites, full-sentence rewrites, vocabulary suggestions, a plagiarism checker against billions of pages, and AI drafting, which has made it as much a writing assistant as a checker.
Key features:
- Works in browser, desktop apps, Office, Docs, and mobile keyboards
- Clear explanations for each correction
- Tone, clarity, and full-sentence rewrites (Pro)
- Plagiarism checker (Pro)
- Generative AI drafting and replies (Pro)
Pricing: Free. Pro from $12 per month billed yearly.
2. ProWritingAid
ProWritingAid goes deeper than Grammarly on long documents. Beyond grammar it runs 25 reports: overused words, sentence length variation, pacing, sticky sentences, readability, dialogue tags, clichés, and more, which is why novelists and long-form bloggers favor it. It integrates with Word, Google Docs, Scrivener, browsers, and the desktop app, and the Premium Pro plan adds rephrasing and AI sparks. The free version is limited to 500 words at a time.
Key features:
- 25 writing reports beyond grammar
- Style and readability analysis
- Scrivener, Word, Docs, and browser integrations
- Lifetime license available
- Free version limited to 500 words
Pricing: Free. Premium $120 per year or $399 lifetime.
3. LanguageTool
LanguageTool is open source, has the most useful free plan here, and checks more than 30 languages, which makes it the pick for anyone writing in English and another language. The browser extension, desktop apps, and add-ons for Word, Docs, and LibreOffice work like Grammarly\’s, with color-coded errors and explanations. Premium raises the character limit, adds style and tone suggestions, a paraphraser, and a personal dictionary.
Key features:
- Open source with a strong free plan
- 30+ languages
- Extensions for browsers, Office, Docs, LibreOffice
- Paraphrasing on Premium
- Privacy-friendly, can be self-hosted
Pricing: Free. Premium from about $5 per month billed yearly.
4. QuillBot
QuillBot started as a paraphrasing tool and now bundles a free grammar checker, summarizer, citation generator, translator, and AI detector. The grammar checker is straightforward and free with no word limit; the paraphraser rewrites sentences in several modes (fluency, formal, simple, creative), which is useful when you know a sentence is wrong but not how to fix it. Premium unlocks unlimited paraphrasing, more modes, and plagiarism checks.
Key features:
- Free grammar checker with no word limit
- Paraphraser with multiple modes
- Summarizer, translator, and citation tools
- Chrome, Word, and Mac extensions
- Plagiarism checker on Premium
Pricing: Free. Premium from about $4 per month billed yearly.
5. Hemingway Editor
Hemingway is not a grammar checker in the usual sense; it is a readability checker. Paste your text and it highlights long, hard-to-read sentences, passive voice, adverbs, and complex words, and gives the text a grade level. Run every blog post through it after your grammar check and aim for grade 8 or below. The web app is free; the Plus plan adds AI rewrites of highlighted sentences, and a one-time desktop app is available.
Key features:
- Highlights hard-to-read sentences
- Flags passive voice and adverbs
- Readability grade score
- Free web app
- AI rewrites on Plus
Pricing: Free. Plus $10 per month; desktop app one-time purchase.
6. Ginger
Ginger checks grammar and spelling in context, and its standout is the Rephraser, which offers alternative ways to write a sentence, plus a translator for 40+ languages and a personal trainer that tracks your recurring mistakes. It runs as a browser extension, Windows and Mac apps, and mobile keyboards. The free version is limited; Premium removes the limits and adds the full rephrasing and translation features.
Key features:
- Contextual grammar and spelling checks
- Sentence rephraser
- Translator for 40+ languages
- Personal trainer for recurring mistakes
- Browser, desktop, and mobile keyboard apps
Pricing: Free (limited). Premium from about $7 per month billed yearly.
7. WhiteSmoke
WhiteSmoke has been around since 2002 and still offers grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style checking with explanations, a translator for 50+ languages, and English writing tutorials. It is available as a web app, browser extensions, and Windows and Mac desktop apps, and is often the cheapest premium option on a yearly plan. There is no free version, and the interface is older than the competition.
Key features:
- Grammar, style, and punctuation checks
- Desktop apps for Windows and Mac
- Translator for 50+ languages
- Writing tutorials and templates
- Low yearly price
Pricing: From about $5 per month billed yearly; no free plan.
8. Scribbr
PaperRater, which was on the original list, now redirects to Scribbr. Scribbr offers a free online grammar checker with no sign-up, a paraphraser, a citation generator for APA, MLA, and Chicago, and a paid plagiarism checker powered by Turnitin. It is built for students and academic writing, and the free checker is good enough for a quick pass on a blog post.
Key features:
- Free grammar checker, no account needed
- Citation generator for APA, MLA, Chicago
- Paraphraser and summarizer
- Turnitin-powered plagiarism checker (paid)
- Academic proofreading services
Pricing: Free grammar checker. Plagiarism checks priced per document.
Which Grammar Checker Should You Use?
- Most people: Grammarly free, upgrade to Pro if you write daily.
- Free and private: LanguageTool.
- Books and long articles: ProWritingAid.
- Readability: Hemingway alongside any of the above.
- Checking for copied text: Grammarly Pro or our list of plagiarism checker tools.
None of them replaces a careful read-through. Use a checker for the mechanical errors, then read the post aloud once; that catches the sentences no tool will. For more help with drafting, see our roundup of writing tools for bloggers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free grammar checker?
LanguageTool has the most generous free plan, and Grammarly’s free version catches the most important errors. QuillBot and Scribbr are free with no word limit for basic checks.
Is Grammarly worth paying for?
If you publish several times a week or write professionally, yes; the clarity rewrites and tone suggestions improve posts in ways the free version does not. Occasional writers can stay on free.
Do grammar checkers work inside WordPress?
Yes. The Grammarly, LanguageTool, ProWritingAid, and Ginger browser extensions all work in the WordPress block editor.
Can AI grammar checkers be wrong?
Yes. They sometimes flag correct but unusual phrasing, especially in creative writing, and can suggest changes that alter your meaning. Treat suggestions as suggestions.
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