Grammarly is the most popular writing assistant in the world. Over 30 million people use it daily.
But with AI writing tools everywhere now, is Grammarly still worth it? Or has it been replaced by ChatGPT and friends?
After using Grammarly Premium daily for two years, here’s my honest take.
Quick verdict: Grammarly is still the best real-time writing assistant. It catches errors AI chatbots miss and works everywhere you write. The free version is genuinely useful; Premium is worth it for professionals.
What Grammarly Actually Does
Grammarly is a writing assistant that:
- Catches grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
- Suggests clarity and style improvements
- Checks tone and formality
- Detects plagiarism (Premium)
- Offers AI writing suggestions
It works as a browser extension, desktop app, mobile keyboard, and Microsoft Office add-in.
Key difference from ChatGPT: Grammarly works in real-time as you type. It’s embedded everywhere you write.
Grammarly Pricing (2026)
- Free: $0 – Basic grammar, spelling, punctuation
- Premium: $12/month (annual) – Full corrections, tone, plagiarism
- Business: $15/user/month – Team features, style guides
What I Like About Grammarly
1. It Actually Catches Errors
In my testing, it catches subject-verb agreement errors, comma splices, run-on sentences, misused words, passive voice overuse, and wordy phrases.
2. Works Everywhere
The browser extension works on Gmail, Google Docs, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Slack, WordPress, Notion, and hundreds more sites.
3. Tone Detection Is Surprisingly Useful
Grammarly analyzes your writing’s tone: formal vs. casual, confident vs. uncertain, friendly vs. neutral. It’s caught several “sounds angrier than I intended” messages for me.
4. The Free Version Is Legitimately Good
Unlike most freemium tools, Grammarly Free is actually useful with full grammar and spelling checking, no word limits.
What I Don’t Like
1. Premium Is Expensive Monthly
$30/month for Premium is steep. The annual plan ($12/month) is reasonable but requires $144 upfront.
2. Doesn’t Understand Creative Writing Well
For fiction, poetry, or intentionally informal writing, Grammarly can be annoying.
Final Verdict
Grammarly Rating: 4.5/5
Who should get Premium: Professionals who write daily and can expense it, or anyone who values polished writing.
Who should stick with Free: Casual writers, students, and anyone who just needs basic error-catching.
Get Grammarly Free | Try Grammarly Premium
Last updated: February 2026
Leave a Reply