LanguageTool vs Grammarly

LanguageTool vs Grammarly: Multilingual Features Compared

LanguageTool and Grammarly are two popular tools for improving writing, but they cater to different needs. Here’s a quick breakdown:

LanguageTool supports 30+ languages and is a better choice for multilingual writers. It’s affordable, starting at $4.99/month (annual plan), and offers features like automatic language detection, dialect support, and personal dictionaries.
Grammarly focuses on English and excels in advanced grammar and style suggestions. It’s perfect for English-only users and includes features like plagiarism detection and AI-powered writing tools, starting at $12/month (annual plan).

Quick Comparison

Feature	LanguageTool	Grammarly
Languages Supported	30+	English only
Monthly Cost	$4.99 (annual plan)	$12 (annual plan)
Error Detection	Multilingual, 19/20 errors found	English-focused, 11/20 errors
Key Features	Dialect support, custom rules	AI rephrasing, plagiarism tool
Best For	Multilingual writers	English-only users

LanguageTool is ideal for those juggling multiple languages, while Grammarly is best for English-specific writing. Choose based on your primary writing needs.

Language Support

LanguageTool‘s Language Options

LanguageTool can check spelling, grammar, and punctuation in over 30 languages. For six key languages – English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish, and Portuguese – the Premium version offers additional features. It also recognizes various dialects, including:

English: Australian, British, Canadian, New Zealand, South African, U.S.
German: Austria, Germany, Switzerland
Portuguese: Angola, Brazil, Mozambique, Portugal

The platform automatically detects the language after analyzing just five words, making it a smooth choice for multilingual users.Now, let’s see how Grammarly handles language diversity.

Grammarly‘s Language Options

Grammarly primarily focuses on English and supports several dialects: American, British, Canadian, Australian, and Indian English. It’s highly skilled at addressing English-specific nuances and providing context-aware suggestions. However, its ability to handle multiple languages is more limited compared to LanguageTool.

Language Support Quality

Here’s a side-by-side look at how the two tools compare in key areas:

Aspect	LanguageTool	Grammarly
Error Detection	Detects most issues but may occasionally miss word order problems	Excels in English error detection with contextual suggestions
Grammar Rules	Offers ~6,000 rules for English, 6,900 for French, and 5,200 for German	Focused on English, with frequent updates to rules
User Rating	4.8/10 on Chrome Web Store (over 1M users)	4.5/10 on Chrome Web Store (over 10M users)

“LanguageTool impressed us as a solid grammar-checker alternative to Grammarly. It provides excellent multilingual support, is easy to use, and is more affordable but may struggle with longer texts”.

LanguageTool also includes features like mother tongue settings, single-word translations, and custom dictionaries for specialized terms. These tools make it a strong choice for those juggling multiple languages. Comparing these features highlights each platform’s strengths in handling language variety and customization.

Grammarly vs. LanguageTool: Which Tool is Best?

Error Detection

Error detection plays a key role in supporting multilingual writing, building on the language features discussed earlier.

Multilingual Error Checking

In recent evaluations, LanguageTool identified 19 out of 20 errors, while the free version of Grammarly caught 11 out of 20 errors. LanguageTool’s multilingual abilities cover a range of error types, such as:

Capitalization of proper names
Missing punctuation (like commas and hyphens)
Use of slang or informal expressions
Misleading “false friends” in language pairs

Let’s dive into how these tools refine their suggestions based on context.

Context-Based Corrections

Both tools offer advanced context-aware corrections, but they take different approaches. LanguageTool’s “Picky Mode” focuses on improving writing by identifying complex sentence structures, informal phrases, redundancies, and offering synonyms for repetitive words.Grammarly Premium, on the other hand, provides tailored support for non-native English speakers:

Native Language	Features Offered
French	Highlights false cognates (e.g., differences in “chance”)
German	Points out frequent translation issues
Hindi	Delivers corrections suited to specific contexts
Mandarin	Targets common ESL-related errors
Spanish	Recommends natural English replacements

While Grammarly excels at addressing subtle English-specific issues, LanguageTool offers consistent performance across multiple languages, reflecting variations in the quality and scope of their training data.

User Settings

LanguageTool and Grammarly take different approaches to tailoring your writing experience. This is particularly helpful for multilingual users who need personalized corrections.

Personal Dictionaries

Both tools let you create personal dictionaries to avoid marking specialized terms as errors. LanguageTool stands out with its more extensive options:

Feature	LanguageTool	Grammarly
Entry Limit	25,000 words	Not specified
Platform Availability	Online editor, Windows, Mac, iOS	Accessible through account settings
Dictionary Import	Yes (with backup warning)	Not available
Special Character Support	Yes	Limited

“LanguageTool’s Personal Dictionary allows you to add custom words and phrases to the dictionary so that they don’t get marked as incorrect or misspelled.” – LanguageTool

If you’re importing entries into LanguageTool, make sure to back them up. The import process will overwrite any existing words.

Writing Style Settings

In addition to personal dictionaries, both tools let you customize your writing style in different ways. Grammarly Premium offers predefined settings tailored for academic, business, general, email, casual, and other types of writing. It also supports four English dialects: American, British, Canadian, and Australian/New Zealand English.LanguageTool provides a Style Guide that lets you create custom rules for consistency. For example, you can set it to replace commonly used transition words:

Original Term	Suggested Replacement
First	To begin
Second	Additionally
Third	Furthermore

This feature is particularly helpful for maintaining consistent terminology across different languages and contexts. For example, it can suggest using “Developing nation” instead of “Third-world country” – a useful tool for travel writers.For device access, LanguageTool supports unlimited devices under a single subscription, while Grammarly restricts usage to five devices.

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Tool Compatibility

Browser and App Support

Both LanguageTool and Grammarly offer extensive platform support through their browser extensions and dedicated applications. Here’s a breakdown of their integration options:

Platform	LanguageTool	Grammarly
Desktop OS	Windows, macOS	Windows, Mac
Mobile OS	iOS only	iOS, Android
Writing Apps	Google Docs, MS Word, LibreOffice, Gmail, Apple Mail, Thunderbird	Gmail, MS Outlook, Slack, Google Docs, MS Word, Figma

Grammarly stands out by integrating with over 500,000 applications and programs. This makes it especially useful for users managing tasks across multiple platforms and languages.

“Grammarly is a simple, easy tool that helps me keep one consistent voice across all my communication. Because Grammarly also integrates wherever I write, the biggest benefit is that I save time.” – Natasha Hipwell, President & Founder at The Online Hero

Let’s take a closer look at mobile and offline capabilities.

Mobile and Offline Use

LanguageTool supports offline use through a local Docker setup. This requires about 1.5 GB of disk space and Java. This option is ideal for users who value privacy or need offline access. Grammarly, on the other hand, offers limited offline functionality. Its desktop app for Windows and macOS provides basic offline support, and the Microsoft Office add-in allows for some offline writing assistance.When it comes to mobile, Grammarly supports both iOS and Android devices, while LanguageTool is currently available only on iOS.For offline multilingual support, LanguageTool covers all its supported languages. In contrast, Grammarly’s offline features are mainly focused on English-language checks.

Pricing Options

Free vs. Paid Features

LanguageTool and Grammarly both offer free versions with basic writing assistance, but they differ in their focus. LanguageTool’s free version supports grammar, punctuation, and spell-checking in over 25 languages (up to 10,000 characters), while Grammarly’s free version is designed solely for English.Here’s a quick comparison of features:

Feature	LanguageTool Free	LanguageTool Premium	Grammarly Free	Grammarly Pro
Languages Supported	25+ languages	25+ languages	English only	English only
Character Limit	10,000	100,000	Unlimited	Unlimited
Basic Grammar Check	✓	✓	✓	✓
Advanced Style Suggestions	✗	✓	✗	✓
AI-Powered Rephrasing	✗	✓	Limited	✓

Price Comparison

LanguageTool offers several subscription options to fit different budgets:

Monthly: $19.90
Quarterly: $13.00 per month
Annual: $4.99 per month (billed as $59.90 per year)

Grammarly Pro pricing is as follows:

Monthly: €30 (about $32.40)
Annual: €12 per month (about $13 per month)

For businesses, LanguageTool’s team plan starts at $9.48 per month for two users. Grammarly Enterprise provides custom pricing, adding features like BYOK encryption and unlimited AI prompts.

“LanguageTool impressed us as a solid grammar-checker alternative to Grammarly. It provides excellent multilingual support, is easy to use, and is more affordable but may struggle with longer texts.” – Tooltivity

These pricing structures highlight how each tool caters to different user needs.

Best Tool for Your Money

The right tool depends on your specific writing needs. If you write in multiple languages, LanguageTool is a budget-friendly choice, supporting over 25 languages at about one-third of Grammarly’s annual cost.

“If you write in a different language than your native tongue, LanguageTool is probably the best proofreading tool for you”.

On the other hand, Grammarly is ideal for English-focused writers who need advanced features like plagiarism detection and detailed writing insights. Although it comes at a higher price, its value lies in its specialized tools. For multilingual professionals, however, LanguageTool’s premium plan offers a better deal with its broader language support and lower cost. Its open-source foundation also means ongoing improvements, making it a strong long-term option as its capabilities grow.

BeLikeNative Overview

BeLikeNative offers a fresh alternative to tools like LanguageTool and Grammarly, especially when it comes to multilingual writing. This Chrome extension takes a different route by focusing on quick text improvements and smooth integration across various platforms, making it a practical choice for users juggling multiple languages.

BeLikeNative Features

BeLikeNative supports over 80 languages and comes packed with features designed to enhance your writing experience. Here’s a breakdown:

Feature	Description	Availability
Quick Text & Platform Integration	Activate with a single keyboard shortcut; works with WhatsApp Web, Google products, Notion, and Microsoft Teams	All plans
Character Limit	Offers limits from 500 to 6,000 characters	Varies by plan
Daily Usage	Allows 5 to 125 uses per day	Depends on plan
Language Support	Over 80 languages supported	All plans

The pricing is straightforward, starting with a free Explorer plan and scaling up to paid options: Learner ($4/month), Native ($6/month), and Premium ($14/month). Each tier increases usage limits and adds features like customizable shortcuts and higher character caps.These features make it a strong option for anyone looking for a tool that combines language flexibility with ease of use.

BeLikeNative Advantages

BeLikeNative isn’t just about features – it’s also about making your workflow more efficient. Users report a 66% productivity boost and over 85 hours saved each month. How does it achieve this? Let’s look at the key factors:

Seamless Integration: Clipboard integration allows instant text enhancements across platforms without switching apps or tabs.
Customization Options: Adjust language preferences, writing tone, and style settings. Premium users can also set up personalized keyboard shortcuts.

Conclusion

Main Points

LanguageTool and Grammarly differ significantly in their language capabilities and features. LanguageTool supports over 30 languages, while Grammarly focuses solely on English, including its dialects. Here’s a quick comparison:

Feature	LanguageTool	Grammarly
Languages Supported	30+ languages	English only
Monthly Pricing	$24.90/month or $69.90/year	$30/month or $144/year
Character Limit (Free)	10,000 per document	100,000 per document
Paraphrasing Languages	6 languages	English only
User Rating	4.8 (Chrome Store)	4.7 (Capterra)

Tool Selection Guide

Which tool is right for you? It depends on your needs:

Choose LanguageTool if you often write in multiple languages. It’s ideal for:
- Multilingual error detection
- Cost-effective language support ($69.90/year)
- Paraphrasing in six European languages
Choose Grammarly if your focus is English. It’s perfect for:
- Advanced AI-powered writing suggestions
- Plagiarism detection
- Handling longer documents with its 100,000-character limit

For teams, LanguageTool offers custom dictionaries, while Grammarly Business provides style guides to maintain consistency. Your choice will hinge on whether you need broad language coverage at a lower price or more in-depth English-specific tools.