Grammarly Review: Still the Default Writing Assistant, or Just Habit?
Grammarly is the writing assistant almost everyone has seen — it's in the browser, in Google Docs, in Outlook, on the desktop. The question in 2026 isn't whether it works; it's whether the free tier is enough and whether Premium is worth the subscription when ChatGPT and Claude are one tab away. We used it as our default editor for 30 days to find out.
What Grammarly actually does
Grammarly checks grammar, spelling, punctuation, and clarity in real time wherever you type. The free tier covers correctness and a basic clarity suggestion. Premium adds full-sentence rewrites, tone and formality adjustments, plagiarism detection, and generative AI (GrammarlyGO) that can draft, rewrite, or summarize on command. It runs as a browser extension, a desktop app, a Microsoft Office add-in, and a mobile keyboard.
What worked well
The real-time correction is invisible in the best way. It catches the typos and missing words you'd never notice mid-sentence, and the suggestions rarely get in the way. After a month we'd stopped mentally editing for basic errors because Grammarly was doing it.
The free tier is genuinely useful. For most everyday writing — email, Slack, quick docs — the free plan catches the things that actually matter. You don't need Premium to avoid embarrassing mistakes.
Cross-platform coverage is the real moat. The same suggestions follow you from Gmail to Google Docs to a random web form. No other tool we tested sits in as many places with as little setup.
Generative AI is solid for first drafts. GrammarlyGO's "improve," "shorten," and "change tone" buttons are faster than opening a chatbot when you're already in the text. For polishing rather than creating, it's the right tool.
What didn't work
The upsell is aggressive. Premium features are teased constantly, and the free tier deliberately holds back the rewrite suggestions that would actually change your writing. It's a freemium product first and a writing tool second in that respect.
Premium rewrites read like Premium rewrites. The "make this more professional" button produces competent but generic corporate prose. For anything with a voice, you'll want to edit the suggestion, not accept it.
It's not for professional editors. If you're a writer or editor by trade, the suggestions will often feel obvious or conservative. Grammarly optimizes for the median writer, not for craft.
The pricing reality
Grammarly is free for core correctness. Premium runs roughly $12/month billed annually (with frequent discounts), and Business adds team features at a higher per-seat price. For the value: the free tier covers most people, and Premium is worth it mainly if you lean on the rewrites and generative AI daily.
Who should actually use it
- Buy Premium if you write a lot of external-facing prose — email, proposals, docs — and want the rewrite and tone tools without opening another app.
- Stay on free if you mostly need catch-basic-errors help; the free tier handles that well.
- Skip if you're a professional writer or editor who already has a strong process — the suggestions will feel redundant.