- What Grammarly's free version includes
- Grammarly Free vs Pro at a glance
- How the free version works day to day
- The Grammarly free version catch
- How to get the most from Grammarly for free
- Don't let it flatten your voice
- Who Grammarly Free suits best
- More help with your writing
- Where free Grammarly works
- Using the 100 AI prompts well
- Frequently asked questions
The short version: yes, Grammarly is free. The free version catches spelling and grammar mistakes, shows you your writing tone and lets you generate text with 100 AI prompts. Full sentence rewrites, tone adjustments, plagiarism and AI text detection and a bigger AI allowance of 2,000 prompts are on Grammarly Pro.
Grammarly is one of those tools many people install once and forget about, which is exactly why it's worth knowing what the free version is doing for you and what it isn't.
What Grammarly's free version includes
- Spelling and grammar checks: Grammarly's plan card calls it writing without mistakes.
- Tone detection: it shows you how your writing comes across.
- 100 AI prompts for generating text.
- A personal dictionary, so your own names and terms aren't flagged as mistakes.
Grammarly Free vs Pro at a glance
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Spelling and grammar | Yes | Yes |
| See your writing tone | Yes | Yes |
| Adjust your writing tone | No | Yes |
| Rewrite full sentences | No | Yes |
| Plagiarism and AI text detection | No | Yes |
| AI prompts | 100 | 2,000 |
| Personalised suggestions | Limited | Unlimited |
How the free version works day to day
Free Grammarly sits in your browser and writing apps and underlines mistakes as you type. It tells you what tone your writing gives off, which is useful for emails where you want to sound friendly rather than abrupt. The 100 AI prompts let you try generating drafts, replies or summaries without upgrading.
The personal dictionary is a small feature that makes a big difference. Grammarly's support page says you can add a word by clicking Add to dictionary on a suggestion, or manage the list under Account, then Writing. Add your business name, product names and any industry terms, and Grammarly stops flagging them.
The Grammarly free version catch
Here's what people miss. Free Grammarly tells you your tone, but adjusting it sits on Pro. So it can warn you that an email sounds blunt, but it won't rewrite it to sound warmer. The same goes for full sentence rewrites, which is often what people install Grammarly hoping for.
The other thing to know is that plagiarism and AI generated text detection are on Pro, not Free. If you're a student checking an essay or an editor checking a freelancer's work, the free version won't do that part.
And the 100 AI prompts go quickly if you use them for everyday drafting. Use them for the jobs where AI saves you the most time, and keep simple edits for the free checks.
How to get the most from Grammarly for free
- Install the free Grammarly browser extension or app.
- Add your business name, product names and industry terms to your personal dictionary.
- Check the tone feedback before you send important emails.
- Save your AI prompts for drafting jobs, not quick fixes.
- Read each suggestion before accepting it, since you know your meaning best.
Don't let it flatten your voice
Grammar tools are brilliant at catching typos and terrible at knowing when you've broken a rule on purpose. If you write in a warm, chatty style, you'll see suggestions to tighten sentences or make them more formal. Accept the ones that fix a real mistake and ignore the ones that make you sound like everyone else.
A good habit is to read your writing out loud after Grammarly has finished. If a sentence sounds like you, keep it. If it sounds like a corporate memo, change it back.
Who Grammarly Free suits best
It's a good fit for anyone who writes emails, social posts and documents and wants a second pair of eyes for typos and grammar. It's less suited to people who want AI to rewrite their writing or check it for plagiarism, because those are exactly the features on Pro.
More help with your writing
If you're a student, my guide to AI writing tools that help students study smarter covers where tools like Grammarly fit. And if you're thinking of checking writing for others, see what proofreading and editing work involves.
Where free Grammarly works
Grammarly works in the places most people write: in your web browser, in email and in documents, through the extension and apps. That's what makes the free version so useful. You don't need to copy text into a separate tool, because the checks appear as you type, whether you're writing a LinkedIn post or replying to a customer.
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If you write in more than one language, Grammarly's support centre says it has introduced multilingual suggestions in beta, with real time support in over 20 additional languages, including Spanish, French, German and Hindi. Check the current details on Grammarly's own pages before you rely on it for important work in another language.
Using the 100 AI prompts well
Think of the prompts as a small allowance for the jobs that eat your time. Drafting a first version of a tricky email, summarising a long thread or turning bullet points into a paragraph are good uses. Fixing a single typo isn't, because the free spelling and grammar checks already do that without using a prompt.
Write your prompt clearly the first time, with who it's for and what tone you want. A good prompt saves you having to ask twice, and that's the easiest way to make 100 last.
And remember that free Grammarly checks what you write but doesn't know your audience. You're still the best judge of whether a message sounds right for the person reading it.
My verdict: Grammarly's free version is worth installing for the spelling, grammar and tone checks alone. Upgrade only if you want rewrites or plagiarism checks, and keep your own voice either way.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grammarly free?
Yes. Grammarly has a free plan that checks spelling and grammar, shows your writing tone and includes 100 AI prompts.
Does free Grammarly check for plagiarism?
No. Grammarly lists plagiarism and AI generated text detection as Pro features.
How many AI prompts does free Grammarly include?
Grammarly's free plan includes 100 AI prompts, compared with 2,000 on Pro.
Can free Grammarly rewrite sentences?
No. Rewriting full sentences with a click is listed as a Pro feature.
How do I stop Grammarly flagging my business name?
Add it to your personal dictionary by clicking Add to dictionary on the suggestion, or manage it under Account, then Writing.
