Grammarly is a grammar and spell checker that can also serve as a writing assistant. It is available on desktop, mobile devices, most major browsers and as a Microsoft Word add-in.
Microsoft has its own grammar checking tool called Microsoft Editor. Let’s see how it does against Grammarly in our tests.
Features
Grammarly offers a wide range of features to help you correct and improve your writing. It can identify more types of errors and offer suggestions for corrections than Microsoft Word’s built-in spelling and grammar checker.
It also includes a vocabulary builder and can detect plagiarism in your documents. It can even recommend changes to your tone and lexicon to make your writing more engaging.
Grammarly is available as an add-in for Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and most major browsers. It’s free to use and can detect more types of errors than Microsoft Word’s built-in spell and grammar checker. However, it’s not as comprehensive as a dedicated writing assistant like Grammarly. For dedicated users who want to take their writing skills to the next level, Grammarly is worth the price. It will find more errors and offer more in-depth explanations of errors to help you correct them. It will also help you develop your writing style over time.
Pricing
Grammarly is more expensive than Microsoft Word, but it offers a lot more features. The software can correct errors in spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and tone. It also can provide suggestions for sentence structure and clarity. It also has a feature that detects plagiarism.
The software is available as a browser extension, app, and plugin for WordPress and Microsoft Word. It has a support team that is available 24/7 to answer questions. Grammarly is available on a subscription basis and costs $144 per year.
Microsoft Word has a built-in spell and grammar checker, but it is less accurate than Grammarly. In a test, Microsoft Word identified four out of seven mistakes, but it didn’t always make the right corrections.
Availability
Grammarly is available on a variety of platforms, including a web editor, a Chrome extension that works in most Chromium-based browsers and also has Firefox and Edge counterparts, desktop apps for Windows and Mac, an Android app, a mobile keyboard for iOS and Android and a plug-in for Microsoft Word. Any corrections it offers will often come with a quick explanation of what the error is and how to fix it.
Microsoft Editor is available for a much more affordable price and will catch most spelling errors but may not be as thorough in its analysis of the writing. Dedicated writers who want to improve their writing over the long term should opt for the more expensive Grammarly which allows you to specify your writing goals and will offer suggestions accordingly. It also has more advanced features than Microsoft Word. But, it’s still quite a bit more expensive. The good news is that you can get a one-month trial of Grammarly to see if it’s right for you before you decide to commit.
Conclusions
As a writing assistant, Grammarly is more comprehensive than Microsoft Word. It can correct more mistakes and improve your style over time. It also has a more nuanced understanding of the English language. However, it also costs more.
Grammarly is available for desktop and mobile, major browsers, and Microsoft Word. It can also help you find homonyms, determine the level of formality of your writing, and catch comma splices. It can even detect plagiarism and suggest corrections.
While both Microsoft Word and Grammarly are reliable grammar checkers, the decision to purchase one or another depends on your needs and budget. Microsoft Editor is cheaper and included in subscriptions to Office 365, but it does not have the same features as Grammarly. If you are a heavy Word user, you may want to consider a premium Grammarly account. Otherwise, you can use other free grammar checkers such as WhiteSmoke or ProWritingAid. They can also be used as add-ins for Microsoft Word.