The Best Free AI Writing App for iPhone: What Each Free Plan Actually Includes
Short answer: if your iPhone supports Apple Intelligence, Apple Writing Tools is the best free option, because it has no usage limit and works in most apps. Otherwise, Wordtune has the most useful free plan for rewriting (10 rewrites a day, unlimited grammar checks), Grammarly is the best free mistake-catcher, and QuillBot is the best free paraphraser. Every third-party app on this list is "free to start" rather than free forever, so pick the one whose limit matches what you write.
Free-plan details come from each app's official pricing page or App Store listing on October 2, 2026. Limits change, so check the linked pages. We make TextAI.
Free plans compared
| App | What is free | Limit | Keyboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Writing Tools | Proofread, rewrite (Friendly, Professional, Concise), summarize | None; needs iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 or later | Built into iOS |
| Grammarly | Spelling and grammar fixes, tone detection, AI prompts | 100 AI prompts a month; no tone changes or full-sentence rewrites | Yes |
| Wordtune | Spelling and grammar, rewrites with tone and length | 10 rewrites a day, 3 summaries a month | Yes |
| QuillBot | Grammar checks, paraphrasing | 2 of 10 paraphrase modes | Yes |
| ChatGPT | General writing and editing | Free tier with usage limits | No |
| TextAI | All 228 tools and the keyboard, to try | A few free generations, then Pro | Yes |
How to read a free plan
Three questions decide whether a free plan is enough for you:
- What is metered? Grammarly meters AI prompts per month, Wordtune meters rewrites per day, QuillBot limits which modes you can use, and TextAI gives a few generations to try before Pro. Count how many messages you actually rewrite in a normal day.
- Is the feature you need free at all? Changing tone is the common trap: Grammarly's free plan tells you your tone but changing it is Pro.
- Does it work where you write? A free plan in an app you have to switch to is used less than a keyboard that is already there.
The best free option for each job
Fixing typos and grammar: Grammarly or Apple Writing Tools
Grammarly's free keyboard underlines mistakes as you type in every app, which nothing else here does. Apple Writing Tools proofreads selected text with no limit on supported iPhones.
Rewording a sentence: Wordtune
Ten rewrites a day with tone and length controls covers most people's emails and messages.
Paraphrasing for school or work: QuillBot
Two free paraphrase modes and a grammar checker in the keyboard. Remember that paraphrasing a source still needs a citation.
Long drafts and questions: ChatGPT
The free tier is the most capable general model here, at the cost of copying text in and out of the app.
Replies and messages: TextAI
Most free writing tools work on text you already wrote. TextAI's free generations let you try what it is built for: replying to a message, including from a screenshot of the conversation, changing the tone of a text, or writing a pick-up line, from a keyboard in any app. If you use it every day you will need Pro, and we would rather say that here than in the paywall.
Our pick
- On an iPhone 15 Pro or newer: start with Apple Writing Tools. Add an app only for what it cannot do.
- On an older iPhone: Wordtune for rewriting, Grammarly for mistakes.
- If the hard part is what to text back: try TextAI's free generations on a real conversation before deciding.
For the paid side of the comparison, see the best AI writing apps and keyboards for iPhone.
FAQ
Is there a completely free AI writing app for iPhone?
Apple Writing Tools is free with no usage limit on iPhones that support Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 and later). Every third-party app here has a free plan with limits and a paid plan for heavier use.
Which free plan gives the most rewrites?
Among the apps with a fixed allowance, Wordtune's free plan includes 10 rewrites a day plus unlimited spelling and grammar checks. Grammarly's free plan includes 100 AI prompts a month but does not rewrite full sentences or change tone.
Is TextAI free?
TextAI is free to download and includes a few free generations so you can try the tools and the keyboard. Unlimited use of every tool needs a Pro subscription; current prices are shown on the App Store and in the app.
Do free AI keyboards keep my text?
It depends on the app. Any AI keyboard sends the text you submit to a server to generate a result. Check each app's privacy policy for what is stored. TextAI keeps your writing history on your iPhone and sends submitted text to OpenAI to generate the result.