As a prolific author and online content writer, I’ve found the best proofreading software is a toss-up between Grammarly’s free version or ProWritingAid’s premium version.
However, each proofreading tool has its own pros and cons. To see which one works best for your unique situation, I’ve compiled a list of pros and cons for 12 different proofreading tools.
Proofreading tools give you an edge over your competition. They help you work faster and write better.
Built-in spell checkers can catch some mistakes, but they’re nothing compared to modern alternatives, such as ProWritingAid, Grammarly, Ginger, and Hemingway.
Poking around the internet, I noticed that most online reviews of these tools are woefully outdated. So I decided to do my homework and write recommendations of my own.
This article will compare and contrast what’s available to help you find the best proofreading software for your unique situation.
Want to know more about editing besides software? You can learn all about editing yourself, hiring an editor, or more on the software, at this link.
- Grammarly
- Ginger
- Hemingway
- ProWritingAid
- Quillbot
- Autocrit
- Whitesmoke
- LanguageTool
- PaperRater
- Slick Write
- PerfectIt
Table of contents
I’ll also tell you if proofreading software can replace a human editor. (Spoiler: It can’t.)
Links in this article may give me a small commission if you use them to purchase any proofreading software. There’s NO extra cost to you.
What is proofreading in writing?
Proofreading in writing means making sure that your spelling and grammar are correct. This may be in an essay, a novel, a manual, a website, or any other medium.
It is crucial to proofread your writing. Proper spelling and grammar give off a professional air and ensure your reader understands you. Poor proofreading may lead to embarrassment, miscommunication, and even fewer job opportunities.
Best Proofreading Software to Use for Writing
The best proofreading software to use for writing novels is a combination of ProWritingAid and Hemingway, which check different things. For blogs, emails, memos, social media posts, and shorter projects, Grammarly is a robust proofreading tool — even the free version.
Bottom line: These proofreading tools work better than the native spell checkers in word processors like MS Word.
In this table are the 5 leading proofreading softwares (because they’re the best). After the table, I’ll talk about the pros and cons of these plus 3 additional proofreading tools.
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1. Grammarly
With over 10 million users, Grammarly is one of the most popular online proofreading softwares on the market. It’s easy to use, beautifully designed, and widely considered one of the best tools for catching spelling and grammar mistakes.
Whether you’re writing a book, a blog article, an email, or a social media post (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.), this handy tool has you covered.
Grammarly offers free browser extensions for:
- Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Safari
- Edge
You can also install the Grammarly desktop app for Windows and Mac. There’s even a mobile app to improve your writing on the go!
How much does Grammarly cost?
- The free version offers a massive number of features
- $29.95 per month
- $59.94 per 3 months ($19.98/month value)
- $139.95 per year ($11.66/month value)
- $12.50/month per member (minimum 3 members) with Grammarly Business
If you encounter a program or website Grammarly is not compatible with, you can simply paste your writing into Grammarly’s online editor, correct it there, and paste it back.
Grammarly’s premium version comes with double the suggestions (often more than double), a sentence structure checker, a plagiarism detector (great if you hire ghostwriters), and genre-specific feedback.
Read my full review of Grammarly for more info, as well as my list of Grammarly alternatives.
Pros of Grammarly
- Free version has a robust suite of features
- Conforms to your writing style (academic, casual, creative, etc.)
- Adjustable formality levels: formal, neutral, and informal
- Grammarly works great for everyone, not just professional writers
- Premium version has a plagiarism checker
- Easy to use with a variety of browsers and websites
- Integrates with MS Word (and MS Outlook on Windows only)
- App available on iOS and Android
Cons of Grammarly
- Only works with English, not other languages
- Still in beta with Google Docs (works well, but not perfectly)
- Doesn’t offer much feedback on big picture writing
- Website editor only allows documents up to 4 MB and 100,000 characters
- Premium version charges a monthly fee (no one-time purchase option)
- Doesn’t integrate with most writing softwares, like Scrivener, yWriter, or Apple Pages
- Their marketing pushes you to buy the premium version (you can unsubscribe from their emails)
2. Ginger
Ginger has been a proofreading powerhouse since 2007. Recent updates have made Ginger one of the best proofreading softwares on the market.
How much does Ginger cost?
- Its free version has a few useful features
- $29.96/month
- $59.88/year ($12.48/month value)
- $95.76/24 months ($9.99/month value)
Ginger occasionally runs sales that save you up to 60%, so watch for those special deals.
What really sets Ginger apart are the cool advanced features that come with its premium version.
The most useful is Ginger’s text reader, which reads text aloud from Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Outlook emails, and some websites opened with Google Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
This lets you hear how your writing sounds and helps you find opportunities to strengthen your syntax and word choice. It’s a handy productivity tool, allowing you to listen to articles or blog posts while you fold the laundry or walk on the treadmill.
Ginger Premium also includes a translator that will easily translate your writing into over 60 languages. This can be great for day-to-day communication but has many more applications for fiction writers.
Want the character in your novel to overhear a secret phone call in French? To discover a scandalous old letter written by the hero’s Russian grandmother? Ginger can help you make it happen!
Grammarly is probably a more robust option over Ginger for general grammar and spell check use. For a more measurable comparison, Ginger’s free Chrome extension has a 3.72 star-rating after 1,388 reviews, while Grammarly’s free Chrome extension has a 4.62-star rating with 29,650 total reviews.
In the example below, you’ll notice Grammarly suggesting I change “more good” to better. That’s a smart catch that Ginger seems to be missing.
Pros of Ginger
- Great for catching spelling and grammar errors
- Easy to use with multiple browsers (but not Firefox)
- Offers a lot of value in its free version
- Available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
- Premium version can translate into more than 60 languages
Cons of Ginger
- Free version is not as robust and user-friendly as Grammarly
- Doesn’t offer much big-picture feedback on writing
- Premium version charges a monthly fee
3. Hemingway
Hemingway stands apart from the other tools on this list in that its goal isn’t to catch misspelled words or grammar mistakes. Instead, it’s designed to make your writing “bold and clear,” more like the writing of Ernest Hemingway.
How much does Hemingway cost?
- Hemingway’s online editor is a free online proofreading tool
- Hemingway’s desktop app costs $19.99 for Windows or macOS
Hemingway will strengthen your writing by helping you avoid too many adverbs, slipping into passive voice, being overly wordy, or writing complicated sentences that are hard to read.
Unlike Grammarly or Ginger, the Hemingway editor generally doesn’t make specific suggestions. It just points out problematic areas in your writing and nudges you in the direction of stronger alternatives.
To be clear, Hemingway won’t magically turn terrible writing into the work of Ernest Hemingway. And it’s worth noting that good writing is more than a set of rules.
In fact, The New Yorker has a great piece where it shows that even Hemingway himself doesn’t always pass the Hemingway test (sometimes the best writing comes from breaking the rules).
However, while this software won’t make your writing perfect, it can make your writing more effective. It’s a smart tool to have in your arsenal.
Hemingway does not come with any browser extensions. You simply copy and paste into the online editor, which is free, easy to use, and requires no signup or installation.
Admittedly, this is a hassle for longer pieces. If you’re writing a book or plan to use this tool frequently, you might want to purchase the desktop app, available for Mac and Windows.
The app allows you to import your writing, perform edits, then export to text, PDF, or DOC. If you’re a blogger, the app can also export as HTML or Markdown — it even lets you publish directly to WordPress or Medium.
Pros of Hemingway
- Big-picture feedback, including style and formatting
- Easily identifiable color-coded errors
- Online editor is free
- Desktop app is a one-time fee: an affordable $19.99
- Can export from desktop app to TXT, PDF, DOC, HTML, or Markdown
- Makes more indirect suggestions, allowing you to maintain a feeling of control over your writing
Cons of Hemingway
- Does not catch spelling errors
- Does not make specific suggestions
- No browser extension
- Not meant for Gmail or Facebook, like other proofreading apps on this list
- Even Hemingway doesn’t always pass the Hemingway test, showing that following the many rules of writing shouldn’t ever be a hard-and-fast rule
4. ProWritingAid
ProWritingAid looks for grammatical and punctuation mistakes while also checking for structural issues like repetition, cliches, and a lack of variety in sentence length.
Its browser extensions are free. You can use ProWritingAid’s limited online editor for free. Also, their premium versions come with a 30-day free trial and 14-day money-back guarantee.
How much does ProWritingAid Premium cost? If you use my Kindlepreneur link to buy ProWritingAid Premium, you can get 20% off the prices below!
- $20/month
- $79/year ($6.58/month value)
- $399 one-time payment
There is another premium version: ProWritingAid Premium Plus, which includes 50 plagiarism checks a year.
How much ProWritingAid Premium Plus cost?
- $24/month
- $89/year ($7.42/month value)
- $499 one-time payment
For businesses and groups, ProWritingAid offers bulk discounts.
A truly powerful editing software, ProWritingAid creates a detailed report for every piece you evaluate in its online editor.
- Big-picture feedback
- A graph of sentence lengths
- Vocabulary comparison
- A list of most used words to help you avoid unnecessary repetition
ProWritingAid offers browser extensions for:
The premium version of ProWritingAid comes with desktop apps for Mac and Windows, which allow you to work offline and are great for writers working in Scrivener or Microsoft Office.
ProWritingAid is best suited for writers seeking detailed feedback on longer pieces, like mystery novels, lengthy blog posts, memoirs, and academic essays. Using ProWritingAid’s browser extension for Facebook posts or casual emails may help but may feel like overkill.
Is there anything better than Grammarly? Yes, ProWritingAid is better than Grammarly to a lot of writers and proofreaders. ProWritingAid offers a more detailed, data-driven approach to online proofreading that appeals to many professionals. Plus, its free version is far more robust than Grammarly’s.
Read my full review of ProWritingAid.
Pros of ProWritingAid
- Features more writing reports than any other proofreading service
- Has a contextual thesaurus and style suggestions to strengthen your writing
- Available in different forms of English (American, Australian, British, etc.)
- Encourages you to vary sentence lengths to maintain reader interest
- Lets you know how dynamic your vocabulary is compared to other PWA users
- Shows you phrases you use multiple times, so you can decide if they are overused
- Compatible with most browsers, Google Docs, Scrivener, and Microsoft Office
- Works with Mac and Windows
- Premium Plus version comes with a robust plagiarism checker, or you could purchase plagiarism checks separately
Cons of ProWritingAid
- Catered to writers, not ordinary people just writing social media posts and emails
- No mobile app
- Premium version can get expensive
- Premium Plus version (that includes plagiarism detection) is costly and much less extensive than Grammarly’s plagiarism checker
- Steeper learning curve than other proofreading tools
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Click here to see it in action5. Quillbot
Quillbot is unique as a proofreading software, in that it uses AI for many of it's tools.
And it has a lot of different tools, some of which you won't find on other items on this list. For instance, you can use Quillbot to paraphrase short phrases so you're not plagiarizing, or if you just want to say something a different way.
You will find the following with Quillbot:
- Paraphraser
- Grammar Checker
- Plagiarism Checker
- Summarizer
- Citation Generator
How much does Quillbot cost?
- $19.95/month
- $13.33/month, billed semi-annually
- $8.33/month, billed annually
Is there a free version of Quillbot?
Yes, there is a free version of Quillbot, and it comes with the following:
- up to 125 words in the Paraphraser
- Limited modes for the grammar checker
- 3 synonym options
- 1,200 words on the Summarizer
Note that the premium version offers much more for each of these, and also includes faster processing speed, advanced grammar rewrites, and the plagiarism checker.
Quillbot has an excellent grammar checker, and while I think the program caters better to students and academic papers, it still has some nifty AI tools that come in handy.
Pros of Quillbot
- A paraphraser
- A summarizer
- A plagiarism checker
- A citation generator
- Affordable pricing
- There is a free version
Cons of Quillbot
- Limited options in the free version
- No lifetime purchase option
- Better at short documents and academic papers than long-form writing
6. Autocrit
Autocrit is a editing software built specifically for authors of fiction. It is unique in that it digests millions of fiction books to help Autocrit's algorithm analyze your book to see how it compares.
You will find the following critiques with Autocrit:
- Pacing and Momentum
- Dialogue
- Strong Writing
- Word Choice
- Repetition
- Compare to Fiction
How much does Autocrit cost?
- Basic plan: $10/month
- Professional plan: $30/month
- Elite plan: $80/month
Is there a free version of Autocrit?
No, there is not a free version of Autocrit. However, you can get a 14-day trial of the Professional or Elite plans for $1, after which it will revert to the $10 basic plan.
Pros of Autocrit
- Reasonably priced
- Excellent for fiction authors
- Focuses on fiction-specific editing that you can't get anywhere else
Cons of Autocrit
- Not as good at grammar when compared to ProWritingAid
- No lifetime price
7. WhiteSmoke
WhiteSmoke has an excellent spelling and grammar checking functionality, plus it checks for style and word choice.
How much does WhiteSmoke cost?
- $59.95/year ($5/month value) for browser extension
- $79.95/year ($6.66/month value) for desktop app and more
- $137.95/year ($11.50/month value) for business suite — includes phone customer support
All these prices get cut if you’re willing to pay for 3 years up front rather than just 1 year.
Educational firms around the world have rated WhiteSmoke as the #1 proofreading tool in the world.
If you’re running a business, WhiteSmoke is great for standardizing your employees’ proofreading software. It’s also useful for students and academics.
WhiteSmoke is based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology, which uses artificial intelligence and unique algorithms to improve your writing and ensure reader comprehension.
Google Search Engine loves NLP, so if you’re trying to strengthen your website’s SEO content, consider WhiteSmoke to proofread your blog posts and landing pages.
Pros of WhiteSmoke
- One-click proofreading
- Compatible with multiple browsers and operating systems
- Includes a translator to and from 55 languages
- Includes built-in templates
- Checks for style, clarity, and effective structure
- Built-in plagiarism checker
Cons of WhiteSmoke
- 10,000 character limit on desktop app
- Some inaccurate suggestions
- No free version
- No free trial
- No monthly billing, only yearly payments
- Slow customer service
- Not available on Google Play Store, although whitesmoke.com says it is (and yes, I know that’s strange)
8. LanguageTool
LanguageTool is a multi-language proofreading tool that you can use for blog posts or emails. Its low price, sleek design, and handy integrations make LanguageTool great for corporate teams.
How much does LanguageTool cost?
- $59/year ($4.92/month value) for individual users
- $53.10/year per team member ($8.85/month value) for teams of 2 to 4
The price per member continues to decrease for every team member for whom you purchase this software.
A huge downside of this proofreading tool is that the free version is limited to 10,000 characters at a time. The premium version is still limited to 40,000 characters at a time. That’s fewer than 7,000 words. Authors often need functionality for higher word counts.
Pros of LanguageTool
- Makes suggestions for grammar, spelling, style, tone, and even incorrect numbers
- Supports multiple languages
- Add-ons for Microsoft Word, Google Drive, OpenOffice, and LibreOffice
- Team pricing goes down for every member you add
Cons of LanguageTool
- Catered towards short-form writing, not book writing
- Does not work on Safari
- Free online editor is limited to 10,000 characters
- Premium editor is limited to 40,000 characters
9. PaperRater
PaperRater emphasizes its plagiarism checker. Since copying someone else’s work is a growing problem in today’s online world, PaperRater offers a FREE plagiarism checker.
How much does PaperRater cost?
- $14.95/month
- $95.40/year ($7.95/month value)
- PaperRater’s FREE online editor checks for spelling, grammar, and plagiarism
This proofreading software doesn’t only check for plagiarism, though. PaperRater also checks for spelling, grammar, style, readability, passive voice, and more.
Its online editor is powered by Ginger but only works on English documents.
Pros of PaperRater
- Checks for plagiarism, even in the free version
- Automated scoring for academic papers
- Premium version lets you upload DOC, DOCX, TXT, ODT, and RTF files to check.
- Can contact PaperRater about premium scholarships if the premium version is too expensive
Cons of PaperRater
- Only works with English documents
- Website looks very outdated
- Online editor takes a little time to check everything and takes you to a different page
- Free version comes with ads
- Free version only checks about 1,500 words at a time
- Premium version only checks about 6,000 words at a time
10. Slick Write
Slick Write is a free software, similar to the Hemingway Editor app, that checks your writing for style and grammatical mistakes. It is a powerful tool, given that it's free, though we would still recommend the Hemingway Editor over this one when it comes to free proofreading software.
You will find the following with Slick Write:
- Grammar Checker
- Flow Analysis
- Statistics
- A Word Associator
How much does Slick Write cost?
Nothing. Slick Write is a completely free software. There is no paid or premium version anywhere. On the one hand, this is nice, but on the other, it would also be nice to know there was a better piece of software with more power behind it if you were willing to pay. That is why we recommend Hemingway Editor instead, and ProWritingAid as the best paid software.
Pros of Slick Write
- It's free
- The statistics are good
- The word associator is useful to overcome writer's block
Cons of Slick Write
- Ease of use could be better
- Not as accurate as other premium programs
- Doesn't check for spelling
- Lack of other features like a plagiarism checker
11. PerfectIt
PerfectIt is another great proofreading program, built for professional editors by Daniel Heuman in 2009. Since it is built specifically for editors and not for authors, it is uniquely built for that niche market. It was designed to help save time for all the editors out there.
You will find the following with PerfectIt:
- A hyphenation checker
- Spelling inconsistencies
- Checks for formatting consistency: like italics, brackets, quotes, the Oxford comma, etc.
- Integrates with multiple style sheets
How much does PerfectIt cost?
- Individuals and Teams: $70/year per person for 1 to 39 users
- Enterprise: As low as $25/year per person for teams of 40 or more
Is there a free version of PerfectIt?
There is not a free version of PerfectIt, but there is a 14-day free trial so you can give it a go on your own before you purchase. All features are available on all tiers, including the free trial.
Pros of PerfectIt
- Formatting consistency is excellent
- Customizable style sheets
- Free trial
- Available for PC and Mac
- Affordable pricing
Cons of PerfectIt
- Does not check for regular spelling and grammar mistakes
- Does not check passive voice
- Only works for MS Word
- No browser checker
- Not necessarily made for checking book manuscripts
12. Wordtune
Wordtune is another platform that is a little different, but worth mentioning here. Wordtune is an AI-based software designed to help you rewrite sentences to be more concise, and see greater improvements overall.
You will find the following with Wordtune:
- Style adjustments to make it more casual or more formal
- Word count shortener
- Word count expander
How much does Wordtune cost?
- Premium version: $24.99/month or $119.88/year
Is there a free version of Wordtune?
Yes, there is a free version of Wordtune which lets you rewrite up to 10 sentences per day.
Pros of Wordtune
- There is a free version
- Good for writer's block
- Browser extension and Word add-in
- Makes your writing clearer and more precise
Cons of Wordtune
- Frustrating interface
- Not all suggestions make sense
- Free version very limited
- Expensive for what you get
BONUS: Fictionary
Fictionary is another platform that I highly recommend, but for different reasons than other options on this list.Fictionary is a web-based editing software designed to simplify the developmental editing process for writers and editors.
Did you catch that? It's a “developmental” editing program, not a grammar/spelling editing program. That's why I'm including it as a bonus here instead of a true competitor with the rest. It's in a league of its own.
How much does Fictionary cost?
- Storyteller: $19/month or $14/month with annual billing
- Storyteller Premium: $29/month or $21.58/month with annual billing
- StoryCoach: $49/month or $33.25/month with annual billing (editors only)
Is there a free version of Fictionary?
There is not a free version of Fictionary, but you can try the tool out for a 14-day free trial.
Pros of Fictionary
- Unique take on editing
- Ease of use and design
- Good documentation
- Great visual tools
Cons of Fictionary
- A lot of legwork required of the author
- Not subplot tracking
- Limited sentence-level editing
Proofreading Software vs. Human Proofreader
Can proofreading software replace a human proofreader? No, a proofreading checker cannot replace a human editor.
When you use Grammarly or ProWritingAid or any of the proofreading tools we’ve talked about, your writing may improve. But this does not mean you should skip hiring an editor before publishing.
Every author needs to have their work professionally edited by a qualified human editor before it is released to the public, bar none. Stephen King, George R.R. Martin, Nora Roberts — they all use editors, and for good reason.
If you don’t think a proofreading tool can meet your unique needs, then hiring a professional proofreader is a viable option. It will cost a pretty penny (about $0.01 per word, which adds up quickly). But if this is what works for you, then great!
How do you become a certified proofreader? You can become a professional proofreader by earning a certificate in Editing and/or Proofreading through various institutions. There are long-distance learning opportunities for at-home learners.
What software do professional proofreaders use? Professional proofreaders use various softwares to check their clients’ work. Many use native spell checkers and grammar checkers alongside their own skills. Others may use Grammarly, Hemingway, or PerfectIt to catch any mistakes they might miss.
Which online proofreading software is best for you?
The results of my hunt for the best proofreading software are Grammarly vs. Ginger vs. Hemingway vs. ProWritingAid. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, and some authors will want to invest in more than one.
- Grammarly is an excellent tool for everyday life (think emails, Facebook posts, comments on a blog). And it can also help people writing books, blogs, or essays catch spelling and grammar mistakes in their writing — more so than a default text editor.
- Ginger is a reliable alternative to Grammarly, with some cool extra features such as the text reader and translator.
- Hemingway is a handy software for people writing longer or persuasive pieces, like a nonfiction book or essay. Although Hemingway is by no means a magic wand, using a combination of this tool and your own brain can make you a stronger writer.
- ProWritingAid proofreads grammatical errors and spelling mistakes in real-time, as well as big picture feedback for strengthening your writing. It also comes with a one-time payment option, which can help you save money in the long run.
If I had to pick one tool from the list, it would be ProWritingAid. That's because it does better with long-form content, and has a lifetime subscription option.
And one of the cool things about that lifetime subscription is that you can get a 20% discount when you buy ProWritingAid through my link and with the code KINDLEPRENEUR20.
- Kindle Direct Publishing 
This review was extremely helpful. I am a medical writer and have used the free version of Grammarly. I found the premium version was recommending their style of writing as opposed to a style that is more commonly used and acceptable in creating science-related articles. So I do use Grammarly free version. I did not find PerfectIt to be sympatico with my writing style and I did not purchase it after the 14-day free trial.
I am sufficiently curious about the quality of translation from English into other languages to try Ginger or ProWritingAid. I have shared this URL with colleagues because it is very complete and easy to read. Thank you so much.
Stephen
Thanks Stephen. That means a lot to hear, and if you get any info back, let me know.
It’s interesting to paste your post “best meal delivery services for one person” to ProWritingAid and see the report.
Interestingly for the following sentence,
“Finding recipes and high-quality ingredients for these popular diets can be time consuming, but Factor 75 makes it simple by sending out delicious, fully prepared, single-serving meals every week.”
It says “Possible missing a hyphen” in “time consuming”. Then you click on “Realtime” twice to force it off and on and do a recheck, it then says “Don’t use a hyphen when this follows a verb”. This is really confusing.
That is interesting. I haven’t encountered this before. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I’ll look for ways to address this the next time I update the article!