Is Grammarly Safe? Data Privacy and Security Explained

Before trusting your writing to any AI tool, you should understand how it handles your data. Here’s an honest breakdown of Grammarly’s privacy and security practices.

What Data Does Grammarly Collect?

Grammarly collects:

• The text you type into the Grammarly editor or with the browser extension
• Basic account information (email, name)
• Usage data (features used, document statistics)
• Device and browser information

Does Grammarly Read Your Emails?

Yes, when the Chrome extension is active, Grammarly can see text you type in Gmail, Outlook, and other web apps. This is necessary for real-time corrections.

However: Grammarly states they do not sell your text content to third parties, and they delete your text from their servers after processing.

Grammarly’s Security Certifications

• SOC 2 (Type II) certified
• ISO 27001 certified
• GDPR compliant
• CCPA compliant
• HIPAA compliant (Business plan with BAA)

Is Grammarly Safe for Business Use?

For most business use: Yes. Grammarly Business includes:

• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• No employee data used for training
• Admin controls for data management

Should You Avoid Grammarly for Sensitive Content?

Consider alternatives or disable Grammarly when working with:

• Attorney-client privileged information
• Medical records (HIPAA requires BAA agreement)
• Classified government information
• Trade secrets (check your company’s AI policy)

Alternatives for Privacy-Conscious Users

• LanguageTool (self-hosted): Can run entirely locally with no data leaving your computer
• Microsoft Editor: Integrated with Microsoft 365, governed by Microsoft’s privacy policies
• Manual editing: Always the most private option

Bottom Line

Grammarly is safe for the vast majority of everyday writing tasks. For routine business communication, blog writing, and general correspondence, the privacy tradeoffs are acceptable and well-documented. For highly sensitive content, be selective about what you run through it.

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