Ever stared at an important email for 20 minutes, second-guessing every sentence? Or submitted what you thought was a polished document, only to find embarrassing typos later? We’ve all been there. Writing well isn’t just about avoiding grammar mistakes—it’s about communicating clearly and making the right impression. This is where AI writing assistants like Grammarly come in, promising to elevate our writing. But with plans ranging from free to nearly $30 per month, is Grammarly Premium actually worth the investment?
I’ve been using Grammarly for over three years now, across both free and premium tiers. In this review, I’ll break down exactly what Grammarly offers, how it performs in real-world situations, and whether the premium features justify the price tag. Let’s dive in.
What Exactly Is Grammarly?
Grammarly is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps improve your writing by checking for grammar, spelling, punctuation, clarity, engagement, and delivery issues. It works across platforms—through browser extensions, desktop apps, mobile keyboards, and direct integration with tools like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
The key difference between Grammarly and basic spell checkers is its ability to understand context and provide suggestions that go beyond simple corrections. It doesn’t just fix what’s wrong—it helps make your writing better.
Free vs. Premium: What’s the Difference?
Before we dig deeper, let’s clarify what you get at each tier:
| Feature | Free Version | Premium Version |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Grammar & Spelling | ✓ | ✓ |
| Punctuation Corrections | ✓ | ✓ |
| Conciseness Suggestions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tone Detection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Advanced Grammar Checks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Clarity Improvements | ✗ | ✓ |
| Engagement Suggestions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Delivery Adjustments | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plagiarism Detection | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full-Length Document Analysis | ✗ | ✓ |
| Formality Level Adjustments | ✗ | ✓ |
The free version handles the basics well, but Premium unlocks a more comprehensive writing experience. And honestly? Those advanced features are where the real value lies for most serious writers.
How Grammarly AI Works in Practice
The User Experience
Grammarly integrates seamlessly into your daily writing workflow. Once installed, it checks your writing in real-time across websites, documents, and apps. The interface is intuitive—underlined text indicates a suggestion, and clicking reveals options to accept or ignore.
What’s particularly impressive is how unobtrusive it feels. Unlike some tools that interrupt your writing flow, Grammarly quietly works in the background until you need it.
Performance and Accuracy
In my experience, Grammarly catches about 85-90% of obvious errors—significantly better than built-in spell checkers. But where it really shines is in catching contextual mistakes that other tools miss:
- Using “affect” when you meant “effect”
- Inconsistent tense usage throughout a document
- Wordiness that clouds your meaning
- Passive voice when active would be stronger
However, it’s not perfect. Grammarly occasionally suggests changes that would alter your intended meaning, especially in creative or technical writing. This is why the best approach is to view Grammarly as a helpful second pair of eyes—not an infallible authority.
Key Premium Features Worth Considering
Clarity and Engagement Suggestions
The Premium version excels at identifying sentences that are hard to read or could be more engaging. It flags overly complex sentences, suggests alternative phrasing, and helps with word choice to make your writing more impactful.
This feature alone has saved me countless hours of editing and revision, especially when writing longer pieces like reports or blog posts.
Tone Adjustments
One of my favorite Premium features is tone detection and adjustment. Grammarly analyzes your writing and suggests changes to match your intended tone—whether formal, friendly, confident, or diplomatic.
For professionals who switch between different types of communication throughout the day, this feature is invaluable. The difference between coming across as abrupt versus approachable can significantly impact how your message is received.
Plagiarism Checker
Premium includes a plagiarism checker that compares your text against billions of web pages and academic papers. While most honest writers aren’t intentionally plagiarizing, this feature helps identify:
- Instances where you’ve forgotten to attribute a quote
- Sections that are too similar to published sources
- Content that might trigger plagiarism flags in academic or professional settings
For students and content creators, this extra layer of protection is particularly valuable.
Where Grammarly Falls Short
No tool is perfect, and Grammarly has its limitations:
- Highly technical writing: Grammarly sometimes struggles with specialized terminology, suggesting changes to industry-standard terms.
- Creative liberties: If you’re writing fiction or poetry where breaking grammar rules is intentional, Grammarly’s suggestions can be more hindrance than help.
- Platform limitations: While coverage is broad, some platforms and specialized software lack full integration.
- Context understanding: Despite AI advances, Grammarly occasionally misses the broader context of a piece, leading to inappropriate suggestions.
Most people overlook this, but it really matters: you still need to review each suggestion critically. Blindly accepting all of Grammarly’s recommendations can sometimes weaken your writing rather than strengthen it.
Is Grammarly Premium Worth the Cost?
The premium version currently costs between $12-30 per month, depending on whether you choose monthly, quarterly, or annual billing. Here’s who I think should consider upgrading:
Premium Makes Sense For:
- Professionals whose writing impacts their success: Sales professionals, marketers, business owners, and executives who regularly communicate with clients and stakeholders.
- Students working on important papers: The plagiarism checker and advanced suggestions can make the difference between average and excellent grades.
- Non-native English speakers: The detailed explanations and advanced suggestions help master the nuances of English.
- Content creators: Bloggers, copywriters, and anyone regularly publishing content can benefit from the comprehensive checks.
Stick With Free If:
- You primarily need basic spell-checking: The free version handles basic grammar and spelling admirably.
- You’re on a tight budget: The improvements are valuable but may not justify the cost for occasional writers.
- You write in highly specialized fields: If you constantly have to ignore suggestions related to technical terminology, the premium features might not add enough value.
Alternatives to Consider
Grammarly isn’t the only option in the AI writing assistant space. Here are some worthy alternatives:
- ProWritingAid: Often preferred by book authors and long-form content creators for its more in-depth stylistic analysis.
- Hemingway Editor: Focuses specifically on readability and conciseness, with a one-time purchase model.
- QuillBot: Offers powerful paraphrasing tools alongside grammar checking.
- Language Tool: An open-source alternative with support for multiple languages.
Each has its strengths, and your choice might depend on your specific writing needs and budget constraints.
The Bottom Line: My Personal Take
After three years with Grammarly, here’s what worked for me: starting with the free version, then upgrading to Premium during periods of intensive writing (like when preparing important reports or creating content batches).
The Premium features definitely improve your writing—especially the clarity and engagement suggestions—but their value depends entirely on how much you write and what’s at stake in your communication.
And honestly? The biggest benefit isn’t just error-free writing—it’s the confidence that comes from knowing your message is clear, engaging, and professional. For many writers, that peace of mind alone justifies the cost.
Grammarly won’t magically transform you into Ernest Hemingway, but it will help you communicate more effectively and avoid embarrassing mistakes. In a world where written communication often forms first impressions, that’s an advantage worth considering.
Your Turn
Have you tried Grammarly Premium or similar tools? I’d be curious to hear about your experience in the comments below. Which features have you found most valuable, and do you think the premium version is worth the investment?