7 Best Grammarly Alternatives in 2026

Last updated: June 2026

The best Grammarly alternatives in 2026 are Polish (transform text in any app, privately, with one shortcut), ProWritingAid (deep style and long-form editing), LanguageTool (open-source, multilingual, self-hostable), Wordtune (inline rephrasing in the browser), QuillBot (dedicated paraphrasing), Hemingway Editor (readability and concision) and Ginger (budget all-rounder). Which one is right depends on whether you want always-on proofreading, deep editing, paraphrasing, privacy, or system-wide speed.

How to choose: want passive proofreading as you type? Grammarly or LanguageTool. Deep editing for long-form? ProWritingAid. Paraphrasing? QuillBot or Wordtune. Readability? Hemingway. Privacy, offline use, and edits in every app from one shortcut? Polish.

The alternatives, ranked by use case

1. Polish

Best for transforming text in any app, privately

A native app for macOS, Windows and Linux that fixes grammar, rewrites for tone, translates 50+ languages and summarizes text in any app with a keyboard shortcut. Select text, press Ctrl/⌘+Space for the action menu, or jump straight in with Ctrl/⌘+Shift+F (Fix) and Ctrl/⌘+Shift+R (Rewrite). It is unique for its fully offline Local mode (on-device Gemma 3, Qwen 2.5 or Phi-4 Mini), a Zero-Data-Retention cloud, no account, and the option to bring your own API key. On-demand rather than always-on. Free tier of 20 transformations a month, Unlimited from $4/month.

2. ProWritingAid

Best for deep style and long-form editing

A thorough editor for grammar, readability, pacing, overused words and sentence variety, with integrations for Word, Google Docs and Scrivener. Excellent for authors and long-form writers who want detailed reports and a genuine style audit, not just quick fixes.

3. LanguageTool

Best open-source, privacy-conscious checker

An open-source grammar and style checker supporting 25+ languages, with a free tier, browser extensions, and a self-hostable server for full data control. A strong privacy-minded pick for multilingual writing, and free to run on your own infrastructure.

4. Wordtune

Best for inline rephrasing in the browser

An AI rephrasing assistant that offers several alternative phrasings when you highlight a sentence in a web editor, plus summarizing. Genuinely good for brainstorming wording while you write on the web, although it is cloud only and needs an account.

5. QuillBot

Best dedicated paraphraser

A popular paraphrasing tool with multiple rewrite modes (standard, fluency, formal, creative), a summarizer and a grammar checker. The right pick when rewording an existing text is your primary task rather than proofreading.

6. Hemingway Editor

Best for readability and concision

A style coach that flags long sentences, passive voice and adverbs with a color-coded system, so your prose reads punchier. The Plus version adds AI rewrites. Best when clarity and concision matter more than catching every comma.

7. Ginger

Best budget all-rounder

Grammar and spelling correction with rephrasing and translation across devices, often at a lower price point than Grammarly Premium. A solid value option if you want broad coverage without the top-tier cost.

Why people leave Grammarly

Grammarly is genuinely excellent at continuous, real-time proofreading, and that is worth keeping in mind. The common reasons to look elsewhere are practical: it works mainly in the browser and a handful of apps rather than everywhere you type; text is processed in the cloud with no offline option; it requires an account; and Premium is relatively expensive at around $12/month. Tools like Polish and LanguageTool directly address privacy and reach, while ProWritingAid and Hemingway go deeper on the craft of editing.

What to weigh before you switch

Where you write. If most of your writing happens outside the browser (email clients, Slack, Notion, code comments, terminals, Word), a system-wide tool beats a browser extension.
Always-on vs on-demand. Grammarly underlines as you type. Polish runs only when you ask, with a shortcut, which many people find less distracting.
Privacy and offline. If your text is sensitive, look for a local, on-device mode (Polish) or a self-hostable server (LanguageTool).
Job to be done. Proofreading, paraphrasing, deep style editing and translation are different tasks. Some tools do one well, Polish bundles several into one shortcut.
Account and price. Decide whether you are willing to create an account and what you want to pay. Polish needs no sign-up and starts free.

Our pick for privacy and reach: Polish

If your main frustration with Grammarly is that it does not work everywhere and that your text goes to the cloud, Polish is the most direct fix. It runs system-wide on macOS, Windows and Linux, transforms text in place in any app, and offers a fully offline Local mode plus a Zero-Data-Retention cloud, with no account and a free tier. Beyond fixing and rewriting, it can summarize, translate, turn prose into a bullet list or a Markdown table, extract action items, and even answer questions about the selected text or a whole web page. See the detailed Polish vs Grammarly comparison for the full picture.

Try Polish free

A private, system-wide Grammarly alternative on Mac, Windows and Linux. 20 free transformations a month, no account.

Download Polish See pricing

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free Grammarly alternative?

LanguageTool is the strongest free, open-source option for grammar and style across many languages, and it can be self-hosted for full privacy. Polish also has a free tier (20 transformations a month, no account) and a fully offline Local mode.

What is the best Grammarly alternative for privacy?

Polish and LanguageTool lead on privacy. Polish offers a Local mode where text never leaves your device, plus a Zero-Data-Retention cloud. LanguageTool is open-source and self-hostable, so you can run it on your own server.

Is there a Grammarly alternative that works in every app?

Yes. Polish works system-wide on macOS, Windows and Linux through the operating system, so it transforms text in any app (email, Slack, Notion, VS Code, Word and more), not just the browser, with no extension to install.

Which Grammarly alternative is best for paraphrasing?

QuillBot and Wordtune are both built around paraphrasing. Polish also rewrites for tone (clearer, shorter, formal, casual, more confident) in place in any app if you prefer a shortcut-driven workflow over a separate web editor.

Is there an offline Grammarly alternative?

Yes. Polish has a Local mode that runs an on-device model (Gemma 3, Qwen 2.5 or Phi-4 Mini), so you can fix, rewrite and translate with no internet connection and nothing leaving your device. LanguageTool can also be self-hosted for offline use.

What is the best Grammarly alternative for long-form writing?

ProWritingAid is the standout for long-form work, with detailed reports on pacing, readability, overused words and sentence variety, plus integrations for Word, Google Docs and Scrivener. Hemingway is a good companion for tightening readability.

Do any Grammarly alternatives work without an account?

Polish requires no sign-up. Your license key is stored in the OS keychain, and the free tier needs no card and no account. Most other tools, including Grammarly and Wordtune, require you to create an account.

Is Polish cheaper than Grammarly Premium?

Yes. Grammarly Premium is around $12/month. Polish has a free tier and Unlimited from $4/month (billed yearly), or you can bring your own API key and pay only your provider.