Who Is Grammarly Premium For?
Grammarly is a writing assistant that catches grammar mistakes, suggests improvements, and helps you write more clearly. The question isn't whether Grammarly is useful—it's whether the paid version is worth 10x the free version's cost.
The ideal Grammarly Premium user:
- Writes professionally — Emails, reports, content creation
- English is a second language — Premium catches more nuanced errors
- Writes high-stakes documents — Job applications, client proposals
- Wants style suggestions — Not just grammar, but clarity and tone
If you write a few emails a week and occasionally check a document, the free version handles that fine.
Pricing Breakdown
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | What's Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 |
|
| Premium | $30 | $144/yr ($12/mo) |
|
| Business | $15/user | $180/user/yr |
|
Hidden Costs: None, but premium is only worthwhile with annual commitment.
Refund Policy: 7-day money-back guarantee.
Free vs. Premium: What's Actually Different?
| Feature | Free | Premium | |---------|------|---------| | Spelling & grammar | ✅ | ✅ | | Punctuation | ✅ | ✅ | | Conciseness | Basic | Advanced | | Clarity | ❌ | ✅ | | Tone detection | ❌ | ✅ | | Word choice | ❌ | ✅ | | Plagiarism | ❌ | ✅ | | Formality level | ❌ | ✅ |
The free version catches obvious errors. Premium catches subtle issues and helps with style.
Time vs. Money Tradeoff
| Factor | Details | |--------|---------| | Setup Time | 5 minutes (browser extension + apps) | | Learning Curve | None—works automatically | | Time to Value | Immediate |
Grammarly works passively. You don't learn it; you just install it and it catches errors as you type.
The Real Question: Is Premium 10x Better?
Free Grammarly catches maybe 70% of issues most people care about. Premium catches 90%+.
That extra 20% includes:
- Clarity rewrites — "This is a sentence that is too long" → "This sentence is too long"
- Tone adjustments — Flagging when you sound too aggressive in emails
- Word variety — Noticing you've used "important" five times
- Engagement suggestions — Making writing more compelling
For casual writing, that 20% doesn't matter much. For professional writing, it can be the difference between "good enough" and "polished."
Alternatives Comparison
| Product | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Grammarly Premium (This review) | — | — |
| Grammarly Free | $0 | Casual users, basic error catching |
| Hemingway Editor | $20 one-time | Clarity focus, no grammar check |
| ProWritingAid | $10/mo | Fiction writers, in-depth reports |
| ChatGPT/Claude | $0-20/mo | Rewriting, brainstorming, flexible |
| Microsoft Editor | $0 (with M365) | Microsoft ecosystem users |
Grammarly vs. ChatGPT/Claude for Editing
Here's the thing: AI chatbots can now do what Grammarly does—and more.
Paste your text into ChatGPT/Claude and ask:
"Check this for grammar, clarity, and tone. Suggest improvements."
You'll get detailed suggestions, rewrites, and explanations—often better than Grammarly's automated suggestions.
Grammarly's advantage: Works inline, everywhere, automatically. No copy-pasting.
AI's advantage: More flexible, can explain why, can rewrite entire sections.
If you already pay for ChatGPT Plus ($20/mo), you're overpaying for Grammarly Premium.
When Grammarly Premium Is NOT Worth It
❌ Skip If:
- You already use ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro — Use AI for editing instead
- You write casually — Free version catches what matters
- You're a native speaker writing informally — Your instincts are probably fine
- You're on a budget — $144/year is steep for grammar checking
- You mainly write in apps Grammarly doesn't support — Limited coverage
The biggest trap: subscribing because the free version keeps nagging you about "Premium suggestions," then realizing those suggestions are mostly nice-to-haves.
When Grammarly Premium IS Worth It
✅ Buy If:
- English is your second language — Premium catches errors native speakers instinctively avoid
- You write professionally daily — Reports, client emails, content
- You write high-stakes documents — Job applications, proposals, legal
- You don't use other AI tools — Grammarly is simpler than copy-pasting to ChatGPT
- Your employer pays — Ask if they'll cover it as a business expense
The Plagiarism Checker
Premium includes unlimited plagiarism checks. This is valuable if you're:
- A student checking originality before submission
- A manager reviewing content from freelancers
- A blogger ensuring uniqueness for SEO
If you don't need plagiarism checking, this feature adds no value to you.
Final Verdict
DEPENDS
Grammarly Premium is worth it for professional writers and non-native English speakers who write daily. The style and clarity suggestions genuinely improve output.
It's not worth it for casual users. The free version catches most errors, and $144/year is expensive for incremental improvements to occasional writing.
Bottom Line: Use Free for a month. Count how many "Premium suggestions" you actually wish you had. If it's more than a few per day, upgrade. If not, save your money—or use ChatGPT instead.
FAQ
Is Grammarly Premium worth it for students?
Depends on your writing load. If you write papers weekly, Premium helps with clarity and the plagiarism checker is useful. If you write occasionally, the free version is enough. Check if your school offers free Premium access first.
Is Grammarly Premium worth it vs. ChatGPT?
If you already pay for ChatGPT Plus, probably not. ChatGPT can edit, rewrite, and explain in ways Grammarly can't. Grammarly's advantage is convenience—it works inline everywhere without copy-pasting.
Does Grammarly Premium work offline?
Limited. Grammarly requires an internet connection for most features. Basic spelling works offline, but the advanced Premium features need connectivity.
Is Grammarly secure? Does it read my documents?
Grammarly processes text on their servers to provide suggestions. For sensitive documents (legal, medical, confidential), this may be a concern. They claim not to sell data, but the text does leave your device.