Grammarly vs ProWritingAid vs Hemingway 2026: Best Writing Assistant

Every writer needs a second pair of eyes. Grammarly, ProWritingAid, and Hemingway Editor are the three most popular writing assistants, each with a different approach to improving your writing. We compared all three to help you pick the right tool.

See also our Grammarly review 2026, Grammarly alternatives guide, and best AI grammar checkers roundup.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Grammarly	ProWritingAid	Hemingway
Best For	Professionals & students	Authors & long-form writers	Clarity & readability
Grammar Check	Excellent	Excellent	Basic
Style Analysis	Good	Best	Good (readability focus)
AI Writing	GrammarlyGO (advanced)	AI suggestions	Minimal
Free Plan	Yes (basic checks)	Yes (500 words limit)	Yes (web editor)
Pro Price	$12/month (annual)	$10/month or $399 lifetime	$10/month
Integrations	50+ (browser, desktop, mobile)	15+ (Word, Scrivener, Chrome)	Web, desktop app
Plagiarism Check	Yes (Premium)	Yes (Premium)	No

Grammarly: The All-Purpose Writing Tool

Grammarly is the most widely used writing assistant with over 30 million daily users. It works everywhere — email, documents, social media, and messaging apps — through its browser extension and desktop app.

Strengths

• GrammarlyGO — AI-powered rewriting, tone adjustment, and content generation. Ask it to make text more formal, concise, or friendly.
• Ubiquitous Integration — Works in Chrome, Edge, Safari, Word, Google Docs, Gmail, Slack, and 50+ other platforms.
• Tone Detection — Analyzes the emotional tone of your writing and suggests adjustments.
• Clean Interface — Suggestions are clear, actionable, and easy to accept or dismiss.
• Plagiarism Detection — Checks against billions of web pages (Premium feature).

Weaknesses

• Premium is expensive at $12/month (annual) or $30/month (monthly)
• Can be overly aggressive with suggestions on creative writing
• Style reports are less detailed than ProWritingAid
• Free plan is limited to basic grammar and spelling

ProWritingAid: The Deep Style Analyst

ProWritingAid goes deeper than grammar. It analyzes sentence structure, pacing, readability, cliches, dialogue tags, and 20+ other style dimensions. It is the preferred tool for novelists, screenwriters, and long-form content creators.

Strengths

• 20+ Reports — Style, structure, readability, pacing, dialogue, cliches, sentence variety, and more.
• Lifetime License — $399 one-time payment versus ongoing subscriptions. Saves money long-term.
• Scrivener Integration — Direct integration with the popular novel-writing software.
• In-Depth Explanations — Each suggestion includes writing education explaining why the change helps.
• Word Explorer — Built-in thesaurus and contextual dictionary for finding better words.

Weaknesses

• Slower analysis, especially on long documents
• Interface feels dated compared to Grammarly
• Fewer integrations (no mobile app, limited browser support)
• Can overwhelm new users with too many suggestions

Hemingway Editor: The Clarity Champion

Hemingway takes a radically different approach. Instead of checking grammar, it focuses on readability. It highlights complex sentences, passive voice, adverbs, and hard-to-read passages, pushing you toward clear, direct writing.

Strengths

• Readability Score — Instant grade-level score for your writing. Aim for Grade 6-8 for maximum clarity.
• Visual Highlights — Color-coded highlighting shows problem areas at a glance.
• Simplicity — No account required for the web version. Paste text and start editing.
• Free Web Version — Full functionality in the browser at no cost.
• Focus on Clarity — Forces you to write shorter sentences and use active voice.

Weaknesses

• Minimal grammar checking
• No plagiarism detection
• No browser extension or integrations
• Not suitable as a primary editing tool
• One-size-fits-all approach does not suit all writing styles

Pricing

Plan	Grammarly	ProWritingAid	Hemingway
Free	Basic grammar/spelling	500 words per check	Full web editor
Monthly	$30/month	$30/month	$10/month
Annual	$12/month	$10/month	$100/year
Lifetime	N/A	$399 one-time	N/A

Who Should Use What?

Grammarly — Business professionals, students, and anyone who writes across multiple platforms daily. Best all-around choice.

ProWritingAid — Novelists, bloggers, and content creators who write long-form and want deep style analysis. Best value with lifetime option.

Hemingway — Anyone who wants clearer, more concise writing. Best used alongside another tool for grammar checking.

Explore more writing tools: best AI paraphrasing tools and best AI writing tools for SEO.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ProWritingAid better than Grammarly?

ProWritingAid offers more in-depth style analysis and is significantly cheaper with a one-time payment option. Grammarly has a better user interface, faster checking, and more integrations. ProWritingAid is better for authors; Grammarly is better for professionals.

Is Hemingway Editor free?

The Hemingway web editor is free to use. Hemingway Editor Plus (desktop app with AI features) costs $10/month or $100/year.

Which writing tool has the best AI features?

Grammarly has the most advanced AI with GrammarlyGO, which can rewrite, generate, and adjust tone. ProWritingAid added AI suggestions in 2025. Hemingway keeps AI minimal, focusing on readability.

Final Verdict

The ideal setup for most writers is Grammarly for everyday writing plus Hemingway for final readability checks. Serious long-form writers should consider ProWritingAid for its unmatched depth of analysis and lifetime pricing option.