Grammarly Review: A Comprehensive Writing Assistant After 3 Years of Use

Grammarly is a versatile writing assistant that has gained significant popularity in recent years. It combines grammar checking, proofreading, plagiarism detection, and spell-checking into one comprehensive tool. Designed for content writers, authors, students, and bloggers, Grammarly aims to improve writing quality and help users understand complex grammatical rules with ease. This review is based on three years of personal experience with the platform.

Using Grammarly is straightforward and user-friendly. The process involves four main steps: 1) Signing up for an account, which is required even for the free version. 2) Creating a document by accessing the dashboard and clicking 'New'. 3) Downloading extensions and applications, particularly the Chrome extension, to streamline the editing process across various platforms. 4) Editing documents by either copying and pasting text or uploading files in supported formats (txt, Microsoft Word, rtf, and pdf). The Grammarly interface is clean and intuitive, making it accessible for non-technical users.

Grammarly's free plan offers several useful features: 1) Setting document goals to customize suggestions based on audience, domain, intent, and formality. 2) Checking correctness for basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. 3) Limited clarity checks to improve readability. 4) Tone detection to analyze how content sounds to readers. 5) Personal dictionary to add custom words. 6) Overall score to rate writing quality. 7) Language settings to choose between different English variants. While the free version is helpful for basic editing, it has limitations in advanced features and suggestions.

The Premium plan offers more advanced features: 1) Enhanced clarity checks with more detailed suggestions for improving readability. 2) Engagement checks to make writing more interesting and natural. 3) Delivery checks to ensure content aligns with its intended purpose and domain. 4) Access to expert writing help for professional review. 5) Plagiarism checking, though it's noted to be average compared to specialized tools. 6) Generative AI tools for creating various types of content. These features are particularly beneficial for professional writers and researchers looking to refine their work further.

Grammarly offers various applications to cater to different user needs: 1) Grammarly for Chrome, which works on any Chrome browser regardless of the operating system. 2) Grammarly for Mac, specifically designed for Macbook users. 3) Grammarly for iPhone and iPad, featuring a custom keyboard for real-time checks. 4) Grammarly for Android, similar to the iOS version. While these applications extend Grammarly's functionality across devices, the reviewer notes that the mobile keyboard feature may not be widely used, especially by iPhone users who are accustomed to the native autocorrect function.

Grammarly offers four pricing tiers: Free ($0), Premium ($12/month), Business ($15/month), and Enterprise (custom pricing). The Premium plan is recommended for individual professional writers, while the Business plan includes additional features like SAML SSO and more AI writing prompts. The Enterprise plan offers enhanced privacy, security, and governance features suitable for large organizations.

Pros of Grammarly include reliable grammar and spell checking, smooth third-party integrations, and the ability to enhance writing fluidity. Cons include occasional vague writing suggestions, a less robust plagiarism checker compared to specialized tools, and support limited to English language only. Despite these drawbacks, the reviewer suggests that Grammarly remains a valuable tool for most users.

After three years of use, the reviewer concludes that Grammarly is one of the best tools for grammar checking and proofreading. While the free plan has limitations, it excels in detecting grammar and tone-related errors. For the best value and advanced features, upgrading to Grammarly Premium is recommended, especially for professional content writers looking to refine their skills. Overall, Grammarly is considered a versatile and effective writing assistant, despite some minor shortcomings.