Grammarly and ChatGPT both use AI to help with writing, but they're built for different jobs. Grammarly checks and polishes what you write wherever you write it; ChatGPT is a general assistant for explaining, brainstorming and giving feedback. Here's how they compare on features, free plans and price.
| Feature | Grammarly | ChatGPT |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Polishing your own writing and showing your process | Explaining, tutoring, brainstorming and draft feedback |
| Free plan | Grammar and spelling, tone detection, 100 AI prompts/month, Authorship, citation generator | Everyday chats, Study mode, limited file uploads |
| Paid price | Pro $12/month billed annually ($144/year), or $30/month billed monthly | Go $8/month (US); Plus $20/month |
| Student deal | 50% off Pro for students for a limited time via SheerID (schools can buy Grammarly for Education) | Student offer of 4 free Plus months ended Oct 31, 2026 |
| Grammar checking | Core feature, inline across apps | Only on request in chat |
| Rewriting and tone | Full-sentence rewrites and tone adjustment on Pro | Rewrites on request in chat |
| Explaining and tutoring | Limited | Core strength, plus Study mode |
| Plagiarism and AI checks | Plagiarism checker (Pro); AI detector; Authorship process reports | None |
| Citations | Free APA, MLA and Chicago generator | Can format citations but may invent sources — verify every one |
| Integrations | Browser extensions, Word, Google Docs, Windows and Mac apps, mobile | Web, desktop and mobile apps; file uploads |
Prices and features as of November 2026 — check the official site for current details
Prices and features as of November 2026 — check the official site for current details
Best for: polishing your own writing and showing how you wrote it
Grammarly is an AI writing assistant (now part of the company Superhuman) that checks grammar, spelling and tone as you type in Google Docs, Word, your browser and its desktop and mobile apps. The free plan includes grammar and spelling corrections, tone detection, 100 generative AI prompts a month, a citation generator for APA, MLA and Chicago, and Authorship, which records what you typed, pasted or generated with AI so you can share a report of your writing process. Pro adds full-sentence rewrites, tone adjustment, 2,000 AI prompts a month and a plagiarism checker; it costs $12/month billed annually ($144/year) or $30/month billed monthly.
Why students use it:
Best for: explaining concepts, brainstorming and feedback on drafts
ChatGPT is OpenAI's general-purpose assistant. Students use it to explain difficult topics, brainstorm essay angles, and get feedback on drafts they wrote themselves. Study mode, available on all plans, guides you with questions and step-by-step explanations instead of handing over answers, and you can upload notes and files (limited on Free). Plans: Free, Go ($8/month in the US) and Plus ($20/month); Free and Go may show ads. Through October 31, 2026, eligible US college and graduate students could claim four free months of ChatGPT Plus after SheerID verification; that offer has now ended.
Why students use it:
Choose Grammarly if you want your own writing checked as you type and a way to show your instructor how you wrote it. Choose ChatGPT if you need concepts explained, practice questions or brainstorming help. Many students use both — ChatGPT to understand the material, Grammarly to polish their own sentences. Whatever you use, verify facts and sources and follow your instructor's AI policy.
Using AI to fix typos or understand a topic is often allowed, but submitting AI-generated text as your own usually isn't. Turnitin's AI writing report flags text that appears AI-generated or run through AI paraphrasing tools, though Turnitin itself says results shouldn't be the only basis for action. Grammarly's Authorship feature can help you document your writing process if questions come up. Rules vary by course, so read your syllabus and disclose AI use when required.
Choosing a proofreading tool? Read our Grammarly vs ProWritingAid for students.