When you’re in university, essay deadlines and research projects seem to come one after another. You want your writing to sound polished, but hiring an editor isn’t realistic—and Grammarly Premium might feel too expensive for a student budget. So you might be wondering: are there free Grammarly alternatives that can actually help me write better essays?

The short answer: yes. There are several excellent tools out there that cost nothing or have generous free versions. Let’s break down why you might look beyond Grammarly, what features matter most for students, and which free options are worth trying.

Why Grammarly is so popular

Grammarly has become the go‑to writing assistant for students because it goes beyond a basic spellchecker. It catches grammar mistakes, suggests clearer phrasing, and even offers tone adjustments. The Premium version adds features like plagiarism checks, sentence variety suggestions, and vocabulary enhancement.

But here’s the catch: Premium isn’t cheap, and not everyone needs all its features. That’s why many students are on the hunt for free alternatives that still improve writing quality without draining their budget.

What to look for in a free alternative

Before exploring tools, it’s helpful to think about what you actually need. Ask yourself:

• Do I just need basic grammar and spelling help?

• Do I want style and readability suggestions?

• Do I need plagiarism detection?

• Will I use it on Word, Google Docs, or as a browser extension?

Most free tools won’t match every feature of Grammarly Premium, but by combining a few, you can cover almost all your writing needs.

Top free Grammarly alternatives for students

LanguageTool

LanguageTool is one of the strongest free alternatives. It offers grammar, spelling, and style checks in multiple languages and works with Google Docs, Word, and most browsers through extensions.

Why students like it:

• It underlines mistakes in real time.

• It explains errors so you actually learn.

• It’s open-source and constantly improving.

The free version allows up to 10,000 characters per check, which is more than enough for essays.

Hemingway Editor

Hemingway is not a grammar checker but a style tool. It highlights long, complex sentences, passive voice, and unnecessary adverbs. For academic essays, it’s great for making your arguments clearer and more direct.

How to use it:

• Paste your essay into the online editor.

• Look at the highlighted sentences and simplify where possible.

• Aim for lower “readability grades” without losing formality.

It’s completely free and works in any browser.

ProWritingAid (Free version)

ProWritingAid offers grammar and style suggestions similar to Grammarly, though its interface is a little more detailed. It also gives you reports on readability, sentence variety, and overused words.

Limitations:

• The free version limits you to 500 words at a time in the online editor.

• The premium version unlocks full integrations.

Still, if you break your essay into sections, the free tool can be very helpful.

Microsoft Editor

If you already use Microsoft Word or Outlook, you might already have a built‑in Grammarly alternative: Microsoft Editor. It provides grammar and spelling checks with clarity and conciseness suggestions.

Many universities provide Office 365 accounts to students, meaning you already have access to these features for free. Just make sure it’s turned on in your Word settings.

Google Docs grammar suggestions

For students who write essays in Google Docs, the built‑in grammar and spelling suggestions have improved massively over the years. It underlines confusing sentences, detects incorrect verb forms, and offers inline corrections.

Bonus: you don’t need to install anything—just start typing in Google Docs and pay attention to those colored underlines.

Combining tools for the best results

You don’t have to rely on just one tool. Many students use a mix:

• Write your draft in Google Docs (for basic checks).

• Paste into Hemingway Editor to simplify wordy sentences.

• Run sections through LanguageTool for advanced grammar fixes.

This multi‑tool workflow covers most of what Grammarly Premium would do—without the cost.

Features you might miss compared to Grammarly Premium

To be fair, free tools have limits. Some things Grammarly Premium does really well:

• Detecting subtle tone issues (e.g., your essay sounds too informal).

• Offering detailed plagiarism detection integrated in one place.

• Giving tailored word choice suggestions to diversify vocabulary.

If these are crucial for you—say you’re an international student or writing a high‑stakes thesis—Premium might still be worth considering for a few months. But for everyday essays, free tools often do enough.

Tips to get the most out of free tools

• Proofread manually too. Tools catch a lot, but not everything. Reading your essay aloud can reveal awkward phrasing.

• Use tools early. Don’t wait until the last hour before submission—give yourself time to revise.

• Keep learning. When a tool suggests a change, read the explanation. Understanding why it’s better will improve your writing long term.

Staying organized while writing

Even with the best grammar tools, essays get stressful when your notes are messy. Switching majors, juggling classes, or handling multiple deadlines means staying on top of content is just as important as grammar.

This is where Duetoday AI comes in. Duetoday is an AI notepad built for students—it records and transcribes your lectures, turns them into structured notes, and even generates PowerPoint slides from lectures or YouTube videos. Plus, it makes quizzes and flashcards and lets you chat with your lecture notes to clarify tricky concepts instantly. If you’re writing essays across different courses, Duetoday can save hours of prep time. And you can try it out free, making it a no‑brainer addition to your study toolkit.