Grammarly
A writing assistant that checks grammar, clarity and tone as you type.
- Best for
- Real-time grammar/style checking and writing feedback across most apps and websites
- Pricing
- Freemium
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
- Category
- Writing
What is Grammarly?
Grammarly is an AI writing assistant that checks grammar, spelling, and tone in real time across the browser, desktop apps, and integrations like Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Gmail. It also includes a plagiarism checker, an AI detector, and a citation generator for APA, MLA, and Chicago styles. The free plan covers basic proofreading, while Premium or a Grammarly for Education license unlocks plagiarism checking and generative rewrite tools.
How students can use it
- Proofreading essays, lab reports, and research papers for grammar and clarity before submission
- Generating APA/MLA/Chicago citations while drafting a paper
- Checking tone and clarity of emails to professors or group-project messages
- Screening a draft for unintentionally uncredited or unedited AI-generated passages before turning it in
Key features
- Real-time grammar, spelling, and punctuation checking
- Tone detection with rewrite suggestions for clarity, conciseness, and formality
- Built-in plagiarism checker that compares text against published sources
- AI detector and authorship tracker that tags sentences as typed, AI-generated, or copied
- Citation generator for APA, MLA, and Chicago styles
- Browser extension and integrations with Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and Gmail
Pros and cons
Pros
- Real-time proofreading across browser, desktop, and mobile
- Easy-to-use interface with a minimal learning curve
- Wide integration with tools students already use (Google Docs, Word, Gmail)
- Plagiarism checker and citation generator built in for academic writing
- Generative AI features (rewriting, brainstorming) go beyond basic proofreading
Cons
- Free plan is limited; plagiarism checking and full AI detection require a paid or school-provided license
- Grammarly's own AI detector page states no AI detector is 100% accurate and can misclassify text
- Suggestions can feel rigid or generic for creative or highly technical writing
- English-only support
- Cannot fully replace human proofreading or subject-matter review
Is Grammarly free?
Yes — there is a free plan you can use without paying.
Free plan includes core spelling, grammar, and punctuation checks plus basic tone detection across the browser extension, desktop app, and mobile keyboard. The paid Pro plan ($12/month) adds full-sentence rewrites, plagiarism detection, and advanced clarity and style suggestions.
How to use it well
Read why a correction was suggested, not just accept it, so the underlying grammar or style rule is actually learned
Treat rewrite/paraphrase suggestions as alternatives to consider, not a substitute for writing the argument yourself
Use the citation generator as a starting draft, then verify entries against your course's required style guide
Limitations to know about
Its AI detector cannot conclusively prove AI was used and can flag human-written text as AI-generated
Its plagiarism checker compares against Grammarly's own source database, not a guaranteed substitute for tools like Turnitin
It does not evaluate factual accuracy, argument quality, or discipline-specific conventions
Some student-oriented features (AI Grader, full plagiarism scans) require Premium or an Education license
Alternatives to Grammarly
A paraphrasing and summarising tool aimed at writers and students.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grammarly free for students?
Grammarly's free plan covers basic grammar and spelling checks, but plagiarism detection, deeper AI detection, and generative rewrite tools sit behind Premium or a Grammarly for Education license. Some schools provide Grammarly for Education accounts to students at no cost, so it's worth checking with your institution first.
Does using Grammarly count as cheating?
Basic grammar and spelling correction is generally treated as ordinary proofreading, but leaning on its generative rewrite or humanizer features to produce substantial new content can cross into AI-assisted writing that some instructors restrict. Grammarly itself advises checking your school's policy rather than relying on its AI detector as proof of originality.
Last reviewed: