polishPolish vs Grammarly
Last updated: June 2026
Short answer: choose Polish if you want to fix, rewrite, translate or restructure text in any app with a shortcut, care about privacy (it runs fully offline in Local mode), work across Mac, Windows and Linux, and prefer no account and a lower price. Choose Grammarly if you want always-on, real-time grammar and style underlining as you type, plus extras like a plagiarism checker. They overlap, but solve the problem in genuinely different ways.
In one line: Grammarly is a continuous proofreader that watches your text. Polish is an on-demand transformer you trigger with a shortcut, anywhere, with an offline mode and no account.
What each tool is
Grammarly is a cloud-based writing assistant delivered mainly as a browser extension and desktop integration. It underlines grammar, spelling, clarity and tone issues in real time and suggests fixes, with generative features for rewriting. It is mature and especially strong for English proofreading.
Polish is a native app for macOS, Windows and Linux that lives in your menu bar or system tray. Select any text in any app, press a shortcut (Ctrl/⌘+Space for the menu, or direct keys like Ctrl/⌘+Shift+F to fix), and Polish writes the result back in place. It can fix, rewrite for tone, translate 50+ languages, summarize, restructure and answer questions, and it can do all of this on-device with no network.
Side by side
| Feature | Polish | Grammarly |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Every app, system-wide (Mac, Windows, Linux) | Browser, Word, desktop overlay |
| How it triggers | On demand, keyboard shortcut | Continuous, real-time underlining |
| Local / offline AI | Yes, all actions on-device | No, cloud only |
| Privacy | Local mode plus Zero-Data-Retention cloud | Text processed on Grammarly servers |
| Account required | No, license key only | Yes |
| Real-time underlining | No (on-demand) | Yes, the core strength |
| Translate | 50+ languages | Limited |
| Rewrite and tone | Formal, casual, clearer, shorter, confident, friendlier | Yes (GrammarlyGO) |
| Structure tools | Bullet list, Markdown table, ASCII diagram, action items | No |
| Ask and chat about text or a page | Yes | Limited |
| Plagiarism checker | No | Yes |
| Bring your own AI key | Yes | No |
| Price | Free 20/mo, Unlimited from $4/mo | About $12/mo Premium |
When Grammarly is the better choice
- You want passive, always-on proofreading that catches mistakes as you type.
- You write long-form English and want deep style, clarity and consistency checks.
- You need a plagiarism checker or shared team style guides.
When Polish is the better choice
- You want to transform text in any app, including email, Slack, Notion, VS Code and Word, and on Windows or Linux, not just the browser.
- Privacy matters: you want a local, offline mode where text never leaves your machine.
- You translate, summarize, restructure (bullets, tables, diagrams) or pull out action items, and want one shortcut for each.
- You want to ask questions about a selection or a whole page and chat to iterate.
- You prefer no account, a free tier and a lower price, or want to bring your own API key.
The honest verdict
These tools are different philosophies more than direct rivals. Grammarly is the best-in-class continuous proofreader. Polish is a fast, private, cross-platform transformer for the 90% of everyday AI use that is rephrasing, fixing, translating and restructuring. Many people use Grammarly for long-form drafting and Polish for quick in-place edits across every other app.
Try Polish free
20 transformations a month, no card, no account. Works in every app on Mac, Windows and Linux.
Frequently asked questions
Is Polish a good Grammarly alternative?
Polish is a strong alternative if you want to fix, rewrite, translate or restructure text in any app with a shortcut, value privacy (it has a fully offline local mode and a Zero-Data-Retention cloud), work across Mac, Windows and Linux, and prefer no account and a lower price. Grammarly remains stronger for continuous, real-time underlining and features like a plagiarism checker.
Does Polish check grammar as I type like Grammarly?
No. Polish is on-demand: you select text and press a shortcut to fix, rewrite or translate it. Grammarly underlines mistakes continuously in the background. If you want always-on proofreading, Grammarly fits better. If you want fast, in-place transformations on demand, Polish fits better.
Which is more private, Polish or Grammarly?
Polish offers a Local mode where text never leaves your device, and its cloud mode runs under Zero Data Retention. Grammarly processes text on its servers. For privacy-sensitive or offline work, Polish has the advantage.
Is Polish cheaper than Grammarly?
Yes. Polish Unlimited starts at $4/month (billed yearly) with a free tier of 20 transformations a month and no account. Grammarly Premium is typically around $12/month. Polish also lets you bring your own API key.
Does Polish work in Microsoft Word and Google Docs?
Yes. Because Polish works system-wide, it works in Word, Google Docs, email clients, Slack, Notion, VS Code and essentially any app with editable text, not only the browser.
Does Polish work on Windows and Linux?
Yes. Polish is a native app for macOS, Windows and Linux, unlike many writing tools that are Mac-only or browser-only.
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