Grammarly vs ProWritingAid: The Ultimate Writing Assistant Showdown
Choosing the right writing assistant can make or break your content creation process. Two of the most powerful tools in this space – Grammarly and ProWritingAid – dominate the market, but which one deserves your subscription? This comprehensive 2500+ word comparison breaks down every feature, pricing model, and use case scenario to help you make an informed decision.
What is Grammarly? The Industry Leader Explained
Grammarly has become synonymous with grammar checking, used by over 30 million daily active users worldwide. This AI-powered writing assistant goes beyond basic spellcheck to provide real-time suggestions for grammar, punctuation, style, tone, and even plagiarism detection. Available as a browser extension, desktop app, and mobile keyboard, Grammarly integrates seamlessly across platforms including Google Docs, Microsoft Office, and social media platforms.
The free version handles basic grammar and spelling corrections, while Grammarly Premium (starting at $12/month) adds advanced features like:
- Full-sentence rewrites for clarity
- Tone detection for emails and messages
- Word choice enhancements
- Plagiarism detection across 16 billion web pages
- Genre-specific writing style suggestions
Recent 2023 updates include a more robust mobile experience and improved suggestions for non-native English speakers. Grammarly Business ($15/member/month) adds team management features and style guide customization for enterprises.
ProWritingAid: The Writer’s Secret Weapon
While less ubiquitous than Grammarly, ProWritingAid has developed a loyal following among professional writers, authors, and content creators. This tool offers more comprehensive writing analysis with over 25 different reports that examine everything from sticky sentences to repeated phrases and pacing.
Key features include:
- In-depth style analysis with visual feedback
- Writing style comparisons to famous authors
- Detailed grammar explanations with examples
- Integration with Scrivener and Final Draft
- Offline desktop application
ProWritingAid’s premium version ($79/year) includes all features, while the free version limits analysis to 500 words at a time. Their recent partnership with Google Docs has significantly improved the real-time editing experience.
Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
Grammar and Spelling Accuracy
Both tools excel at catching basic errors, but independent testing shows Grammarly detects 10-15% more grammatical mistakes in complex sentences. ProWritingAid provides more detailed explanations of why something is incorrect, making it better for educational purposes.
Style and Readability
ProWritingAid dominates here with its 25+ reporting features that analyze pacing, dialogue tags, sensory details, and more. Grammarly’s style suggestions are more limited but better integrated into the writing flow.
Plagiarism Detection
Grammarly’s plagiarism checker scans 16 billion web pages compared to ProWritingAid’s 1 billion. However, ProWritingAid includes this in all premium plans while Grammarly charges extra for plagiarism checks beyond the free version.
Integration and Compatibility
Grammarly wins for seamless integration across more platforms including mobile. ProWritingAid offers better compatibility with book writing software and provides a more robust standalone desktop application.
Pricing Breakdown: Which Offers Better Value?
| Feature | Grammarly | ProWritingAid |
|---|---|---|
| Free Version | Basic grammar/spell check | 500 word limit per check |
| Premium Monthly | $30/month | $20/month |
| Premium Annual | $144/year ($12/month) | $79/year ($6.58/month) |
| Lifetime License | Not available | $399 (one-time payment) |
| Business Plans | $15/user/month | Custom pricing |
For budget-conscious users, ProWritingAid’s lifetime license offers tremendous long-term value. Grammarly’s monthly plans are more expensive but may justify the cost for users needing mobile functionality and real-time corrections.
Use Case Scenarios: Which Tool is Right For You?
Best for Students
Grammarly’s real-time corrections and plagiarism detection make it ideal for academic writing. The tone detector helps students craft more professional emails to professors.
Best for Authors and Novelists
ProWritingAid’s detailed style reports and compatibility with book writing software make it the top choice for fiction writers. The pacing and sensory detail analysis helps improve narrative flow.
Best for Business Professionals
Grammarly Business provides team management features and consistent style across company communications. The email tone suggestions help prevent miscommunication.
Best for ESL Writers
Grammarly’s clearer interface and more frequent corrections benefit non-native speakers. ProWritingAid’s detailed explanations help those wanting to deeply understand grammar rules.
User Experience and Interface Comparison
Grammarly offers a cleaner, more intuitive interface that works seamlessly across devices. The browser extension provides discrete underlining of errors with simple hover explanations. ProWritingAid’s interface feels more dated but provides richer analytical tools for those willing to navigate its learning curve.
Mobile users overwhelmingly prefer Grammarly, which offers full functionality on smartphones through its dedicated keyboard. ProWritingAid’s mobile experience remains limited to basic editing through browser access.
Advanced Features Worth Considering
Grammarly’s Unique Offerings
- Tone detector for emails and messages
- Goals setting for audience, formality, and intent
- Team style guides for businesses
- Performance statistics tracking
ProWritingAid’s Standout Tools
- Chapter-by-chapter analysis for long documents
- Writing style comparison to famous authors
- Historical document version comparison
- Offline desktop application
Privacy and Data Security
Both companies maintain strong privacy policies, but Grammarly has faced more scrutiny due to its larger user base. ProWritingAid processes more data locally in its desktop app, which some privacy-conscious users prefer. Neither tool should be used with highly sensitive documents.
The Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
For most everyday users, Grammarly provides the best combination of accuracy, ease-of-use, and cross-platform functionality. Its real-time suggestions and mobile integration make it ideal for quick communications and on-the-go editing.
Professional writers, authors, and those focused on long-form content creation will benefit more from ProWritingAid’s in-depth analysis and book writing features. The lifetime license option makes it particularly attractive for serious writers.
Explore Grammarly’s free version to test basic functionality or try ProWritingAid’s web editor for detailed style analysis. Many professional writers actually use both tools – ProWritingAid for deep editing passes and Grammarly for final polish and mobile use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both Grammarly and ProWritingAid together?
Yes, many writers use both tools in sequence – ProWritingAid for structural editing and Grammarly for final polish. Just disable both browser extensions when working in the same document to avoid conflicts.
Which tool catches more grammar mistakes?
Independent tests show Grammarly catches slightly more errors (about 10-15% more in complex documents), but ProWritingAid provides more detailed explanations for each correction.
Is the plagiarism checker accurate?
Grammarly’s plagiarism detection is more comprehensive, scanning 16 billion web pages versus ProWritingAid’s 1 billion. Both provide reliable results for academic and professional use.
Which works better with Google Docs?
Grammarly currently offers better real-time integration with Google Docs. ProWritingAid’s Google Docs support has improved but still lags slightly in responsiveness.
Do these tools work for languages other than English?
Grammarly offers limited support for German, French, and Spanish. ProWritingAid currently only supports English, though with multiple dialect options (US, UK, Canadian, etc.).
Ready to improve your writing? Try Grammarly’s free version today or explore ProWritingAid’s detailed analysis tools. For professional writers, combining both tools may provide the ultimate editing solution.