Grammarly Alternatives for iPhone in 2026: 6 Apps Compared
Short answer: for most people the closest Grammarly alternative on iPhone is QuillBot, which pairs grammar checking with paraphrasing in a keyboard. If your iPhone supports Apple Intelligence, Apple Writing Tools already does basic proofreading and rewriting for free. Wordtune has the most generous free rewriting. If what you write is mostly messages rather than documents, TextAI is the alternative built for that.
Plan details are from each app's official pricing page or App Store listing on October 2, 2026, linked in each section. We make TextAI, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Why people look for a Grammarly alternative
Grammarly's keyboard for iPhone is good at what it was built for: catching mistakes while you type. The reasons people look elsewhere are usually one of these:
- The free plan stops at mistakes. According to Grammarly's plans page, the free plan fixes spelling and grammar, shows your tone and includes 100 AI prompts a month. Changing the tone and rewriting full sentences need Pro.
- It corrects, it does not compose. If the hard part is knowing what to say back, a grammar checker is the wrong tool.
- They only need it for one thing, like paraphrasing or tone, and want an app focused on that.
The comparison
| App | Free plan covers | Keyboard | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| QuillBot | Grammar checks, 2 paraphrase modes | Yes | Paraphrasing and humanizing |
| Wordtune | Unlimited spelling and grammar, 10 rewrites a day, 3 summaries a month | Yes | Rewording sentences |
| Apple Writing Tools | Proofread, rewrite in 3 tones, summarize | Built into iOS | Free basics on newer iPhones |
| TypeAI | See App Store listing | Yes | A chatbot inside the keyboard |
| TextAI | A few free generations, then Pro | Yes | Replies and everyday messages |
| ChatGPT | Free tier with usage limits | No | Long drafts and open questions |
1. QuillBot: the closest all-round alternative
QuillBot covers the same two jobs most people use Grammarly for, fixing grammar and improving wording, and adds a paraphraser, a Humanizer mode for AI-sounding text, a translator for 40+ languages and an AI detector. The keyboard brings grammar checks, paraphrasing and translation into other apps.
Trade-offs: two paraphrase modes are free and eight are Premium, and you need an account to start. It is designed for study and writing work more than for chat.
2. Wordtune: the most free rewriting
Wordtune's free plan includes unlimited spelling and grammar corrections, 10 rewrites and AI suggestions a day and 3 summaries a month. Rewrites come with tone and length controls, and the keyboard works across apps.
Trade-offs: ten rewrites a day is plenty for a few emails and tight for heavy use. As of October 2026 the app's last update was in May 2026.
3. Apple Writing Tools: free and already on your phone
Writing Tools is part of Apple Intelligence. Select text in most apps and you can proofread it, rewrite it as Friendly, Professional or Concise, or summarize it, with nothing to install.
Trade-offs: it needs an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or an iPhone 16 model or later. It does not underline mistakes while you type, and it works on your own text only.
4. TypeAI: a general assistant in the keyboard
TypeAI is a keyboard with grammar checking in seven languages, paraphrasing, translation, message autocomplete and a chatbot you can ask without leaving the app you are in.
Trade-offs: grammar checking covers seven languages, and most requests go through one general assistant, so you write the prompt each time.
5. TextAI: built for messages
TextAI is our app, so here is what it does and does not do. Instead of one assistant it has 228 single-purpose tools, and its keyboard puts 28 of them above the keys in any app: Proofread for plain grammar fixes, Paraphrase, Change tone, Shorten and Reply. It can draft a reply from a screenshot of the whole conversation, and it has tools that read a message for you, like Decode a message and Vibe check.
Trade-offs: iPhone only, iOS 17 or later. It does not watch your typing and underline mistakes the way Grammarly does; you run a tool when you want one. There is no document editor or plagiarism checker. A few generations are free and regular use needs Pro.
6. ChatGPT: the most flexible, the least convenient
The ChatGPT app will rewrite, explain or draft anything you ask, and its free tier is enough to try it properly.
Trade-offs: there is no keyboard, so every edit is a copy, a prompt and a paste. It needs iOS 18.
How to choose
- You want Grammarly, but free: Apple Writing Tools on a supported iPhone, otherwise Wordtune.
- You paraphrase a lot: QuillBot.
- You mostly text, and the problem is what to say: TextAI.
- You write long pieces: ChatGPT, or keep Grammarly for the final pass.
Whichever keyboard you pick, add it in Settings and turn on Allow Full Access, or the AI features will not run. Our AI keyboard setup guide covers it step by step, and the full comparison of AI writing apps includes Grammarly itself.
FAQ
What is the best free alternative to Grammarly on iPhone?
If your iPhone supports Apple Intelligence (iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 or later), Apple Writing Tools is free and proofreads and rewrites in most apps. On other iPhones, Wordtune's free plan includes unlimited spelling and grammar checks plus 10 rewrites a day, and QuillBot gives you two paraphrase modes for free.
Can Grammarly change my tone for free?
No. As of October 2026, Grammarly's free plan shows you the tone of your writing but adjusting the tone and rewriting full sentences are part of the paid Pro plan. The free plan does include spelling and grammar fixes and 100 AI prompts a month.
Is there a Grammarly alternative made for texting?
Yes. Grammarly is built around correcting what you wrote. TextAI is built around messages: it drafts replies, reads a screenshot of the conversation, changes the tone of a text and includes dating tools. It also has a Proofread tool on its keyboard for plain grammar fixes.
Do these apps work inside iMessage and WhatsApp?
The ones with a keyboard do: QuillBot, Wordtune, TypeAI and TextAI all add a third-party iOS keyboard that works in most apps, and Apple Writing Tools is built into iOS. ChatGPT does not have a keyboard, so you copy text in and out of the app.