People leave Grammarly for three reasons: the price, the way it rewrites everything into the same polished voice, and the places it does not reach (the desktop app you live in, the language you also write in). The right alternative depends on which of those is yours.
Disclosure: we make KeyShift, which is first on this list. We have tried to describe the others fairly, and for pure as-you-type checking some of them are closer to Grammarly than we are.
At a glance
| Tool | Checks as you type | Rewrites on command | Works in desktop apps | Other languages | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KeyShift AI | No | Yes, in place | Any app, Windows and Mac | 50+ for translation and rewriting | Yes, 25 actions a month |
| LanguageTool | Yes | Limited | Browser, Word, desktop apps | 30+ | Yes |
| ProWritingAid | Yes | Some | Word, Docs, Scrivener, desktop | English focus | Yes, limited |
| QuillBot | Yes (grammar tool) | Paraphrase modes | Browser | Several | Yes, limited |
| Wordtune | No | Yes, suggestions | Browser, Word add-in | Limited | Yes, limited |
| Hemingway Editor | Readability only | Yes, in the Plus app | Its own app | English | Web version free |
| Microsoft Editor | Yes | With Copilot licence | Word, Outlook, Edge | Many | Included in Microsoft 365 |
1. KeyShift AI: fix, rewrite and translate in any app, on command
KeyShift is the opposite of a checker. It does nothing until you ask, and then it does more than grammar. Select text anywhere on Windows or macOS, press Ctrl+Shift+A, and pick Fix grammar, Make professional, Shorten, Translate, Summarize or Reply. The result replaces the selection. Or type keyshift fix grammar after what you wrote and press space twice.
Why people pick it over Grammarly:
- It works in every app, including the Outlook desktop client, Teams, Slack, Word, Notion, your CRM and your code editor, with no per-app integration.
- Rewrites follow your rules. Save a custom action with your voice ("short sentences, British spelling, never 'I hope this finds you well'") and give it a hotkey.
- It translates in place in 50+ languages, and includes voice typing, text from screen and a clipboard history with AI actions.
- On Pro you can bring your own OpenAI, Claude or Gemini key, or run a local model through Ollama so nothing leaves your machine.
What it does not do: underline mistakes as you type. If you want that, keep a checker and use KeyShift for the rewrite; they do not conflict. Full comparison: KeyShift vs Grammarly.
Free plan with 25 AI actions a month; Pro €5.99 a month or €47.99 a year. Also on Android as a keyboard.
2. LanguageTool: the best multilingual checker
LanguageTool checks grammar and style in more than 30 languages, which is the first thing Grammarly users switching from German, French, Spanish or Dutch notice. There is a browser extension, a Word add-in, desktop apps, and an open-source core you can self-host.
Where it stops: rewriting is limited to a paraphrase feature on paid plans, and it does not act on text in arbitrary desktop apps the way a system-wide tool does.
Best for: non-English or multilingual writers who want as-you-type checking.
3. ProWritingAid: the writer's editor
ProWritingAid goes deeper than Grammarly on long-form: reports on pacing, repeated words, sentence length, dialogue tags, readability. It integrates with Word, Google Docs, Scrivener and has a desktop app.
Where it stops: it is built for manuscripts and essays. For a Slack message it is heavy, and it is English-centred.
Best for: novelists, students and anyone editing long documents.
4. QuillBot: paraphrasing first, grammar second
QuillBot started as a paraphraser and added a grammar checker, a summarizer and a citation tool. The paraphraser is the reason people use it: paste a paragraph, choose a mode, get a reworded version.
Where it stops: it is a website and a browser extension with per-run limits on the free plan, and the modes are a fixed menu. See QuillBot compared.
Best for: rewording a paragraph you already have.
5. Wordtune: rewrites you pick from
Wordtune offers several rewrites of a sentence and a few tones, in a browser extension, a web editor and a Word add-in. The suggestions are good and fast.
Where it stops: no as-you-type checking, little coverage of desktop apps beyond Word, and a free plan with a monthly cap. See Wordtune compared.
Best for: browser writers who like choosing between options.
6. Hemingway Editor: readability, not grammar
Hemingway highlights long sentences, passive voice and adverbs, and gives a readability grade. The web version is free; the desktop app is a one-time purchase, and the Plus version adds AI rewrites.
Where it stops: it is not a grammar checker and not an in-app tool. You paste text in and work there.
Best for: making prose simpler and more direct.
7. Microsoft Editor: already there if you have Microsoft 365
Editor is built into Word, Outlook and Edge and checks spelling, grammar and some style, in many languages. With a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence you also get drafting and rewriting inside those apps.
Where it stops: it lives inside Microsoft's apps and the browser. Outside them, nothing.
Best for: people who write mostly in Word and Outlook and already pay for Microsoft 365. See AI for Outlook without Copilot.
Which one should you pick
- You want a checker that works in other languages: LanguageTool.
- You edit long documents: ProWritingAid.
- You want rewrites, translation and replies in every app, in your own voice: KeyShift.
- You only need simpler sentences: Hemingway.
- You live in Word and Outlook: Microsoft Editor, plus KeyShift for the rewrite.
Frequently asked
Is there a free Grammarly alternative? LanguageTool's free tier is the closest for checking. KeyShift's free plan covers fixing, rewriting and translating on demand with 25 actions a month.
Which alternative works in desktop apps, not only the browser? KeyShift works in any text field at the operating-system level. LanguageTool and ProWritingAid have desktop apps and add-ins for specific programs.
Can I use two of these together? Yes, and most people do: a passive checker for underlines and an on-demand tool for the rewrite.
Try KeyShift free: download for Windows or Mac, no card needed.