Grammarly vs RewriteBar

Choosing the right AI-powered writing assistant can be a game-changer. This comparison breaks down Grammarly and RewriteBar to help you decide which tool best fits your workflow.

Summary

Grammarly is a comprehensive writing assistant that works across web browsers, desktop applications, and mobile devices. It offers real-time grammar and spelling correction, tone detection, plagiarism checking, and writing suggestions. Grammarly uses a freemium model with premium features available through subscription ($12/month billed annually or $30/month billed monthly).RewriteBar is a specialized macOS menu bar app that provides instant AI-powered text editing across any application. It offers grammar/spelling fixes, tone adjustments, summarization/expansion, and translation into 500+ languages through a command palette interface.RewriteBar is available via a $5/month ($40/year) subscription or a $29 one-time license where you supply your own API key from various providers.

Core Features

What are the core features of Grammarly and RewriteBar?

GrammarlyRewriteBar
Platform Support
Web browsers, desktop apps, mobile devices (cross-platform)
macOS only - menu bar app that works in any macOS application
Integration
Browser extensions, desktop apps, mobile apps with real-time suggestions
Works in any macOS app via a menu-bar command palette (Cmd+Shift+P)
Grammar & Spelling
Real-time grammar and spelling correction with detailed explanations
Grammar/spelling correction via command menu with instant results
Tone Detection
Advanced tone detection and suggestions for different contexts
Tone adjustment with customizable options
Writing Suggestions
Rewrite full sentences, adjust writing tone, stay on-brand
Text improvement through AI-powered editing actions
Plagiarism Checker
Built-in plagiarism detection (premium feature)
No built-in plagiarism checking
Translation
No built-in translation features
Instant translation into 500+ languages and dialects
Custom Actions
Not available - focused on grammar and writing suggestions
Create your own action with custom prompts for specialized workflows
AI Models
Uses proprietary AI models with generative AI features (2,000 AI prompts on Pro)
Subscription uses RewriteBar's backend (GPT-5 suite); one-time license lets you choose from 11 providers
Privacy & Security
Text processed on Grammarly servers; privacy concerns noted by users
API key in Keychain; direct-to-provider; no RewriteBar servers for one-time license

Platform & Compatibility

Grammarly

  • OS: Cross-platform (Web, Windows, Mac, Mobile)
  • Architecture: Intel & Apple Silicon
  • Works In: Browser extensions, desktop apps, mobile apps

RewriteBar

  • OS: macOS 13+ (Ventura and later)
  • Architecture: Intel & Apple Silicon
  • Works In: Any application with a text field

Pricing & Licensing

How does Grammarly compares with RewriteBar in terms of Pricing and License?

GrammarlyRewriteBar
Free Plan
Write without mistakes, see writing tone, 100 AI prompts
Free trial: 100 requests (GPT-4o-mini)
Premium Plan
$12/month billed annually or $30/month billed monthly
$5/month
One-Time License
Not available - subscription only
$29 (lifetime; supply your own API key; choose provider/model)
Enterprise Plan
Contact Sales (unlimited members, dedicated support)
Not applicable - individual use focused
Device Limits
Unlimited devices across platforms
Unlimited devices on subscription
AI Prompts
2,000 AI prompts on Pro plan
3 million words per month on subscription

Strengths & Gaps

Grammarly Strengths

  • Comprehensive grammar and spelling correction with detailed explanations
  • Advanced tone detection and writing suggestions
  • Cross-platform support (web, desktop, mobile)
  • Built-in plagiarism checker (premium feature)
  • Real-time suggestions as you type
  • Extensive browser extension ecosystem
  • Generative AI features with 2,000 AI prompts
  • Brand style guide and tone consistency

Grammarly Gaps

  • Subscription-only model (no one-time purchase)
  • Text processed on Grammarly servers (privacy concerns)
  • No built-in translation features
  • No custom action creation
  • Not specialized for quick text editing workflows
  • Requires internet connection for all features
  • Limited to 2,000 AI prompts on Pro plan
  • Larger app size with less customization

RewriteBar Strengths

  • Lightning-fast command palette interface for instant text editing
  • Built-in translation into 500+ languages
  • Flexible pricing: subscription or one-time with any provider
  • Custom action creation for specialized workflows
  • Works offline with one-time license
  • Privacy-focused with direct API connections
  • Specialized for macOS productivity workflows
  • Smaller app size and more customization options
  • Unlimited AI usage on subscription (no prompt limits)

RewriteBar Gaps

  • macOS only (no cross-platform support)
  • No built-in plagiarism checking
  • No real-time suggestions as you type
  • No team collaboration features
  • No detailed grammar explanations
  • No brand style guide features

Which to Choose?

Choose Grammarly if…

  • You need comprehensive grammar and spelling correction with detailed explanations.
  • You want real-time writing suggestions as you type.
  • You need cross-platform support (web, desktop, mobile).
  • You require built-in plagiarism checking.
  • You need generative AI features with 2,000 AI prompts.
  • You want brand style guide and tone consistency features.
  • You prefer a subscription model with unlimited usage.
  • You need tone detection and adjustment features.

Choose RewriteBar if…

  • You primarily use macOS and want a native menu bar app.
  • You need lightning-fast text editing with a command palette interface.
  • You want flexible pricing options including a one-time purchase.
  • You need translation capabilities into multiple languages.
  • You prefer privacy-focused tools with direct API connections.
  • You want custom actions for specialized text workflows.
  • You value offline functionality with your own API keys.
  • You prefer a smaller, more customizable app with unlimited AI usage.

Ready to Experience the Difference?

Download RewriteBar today and see why our users love RewriteBar over the competition. Start your free trial with no credit card required.

Download RewriteBar FreeRequest Free License

No credit card required • 100 free executions • Cancel anytime

Purchase a License

All licenses include the full app. Pay once, then add extra devices or RewriteBar Gateway anytime.

Get 50% back

Create a short RewriteBar demo, share it publicly, and get up to 100% of your purchase refunded.

Learn more

Trial

Try it for free

1 device

Free

  • 1 Active Device
  • 35,000 Credits (One-Time)
  • BYOK
  • Third Party Providers

No credit card required

Standard

One-time license with cloud credits and API key support.

1 device

$29

USD

OneTime
  • 1 Active Device
  • 35,000 Credits (One-Time)
  • Unlimited App Updates
  • Third Party Providers
  • BYOK
  • Local AI Providers

One-time payment

Best value

Pro

One-time license with RewriteBar Gateway Subscription for 1 year.

3 devicesAI Gateway included

$59

USD

OneTime
  • 3 Active Devices
  • 3 Million Credits (Monthly)
  • Unlimited App Updates
  • Third Party Providers
  • BYOK
  • Local AI Providers
  • 1 Year RewriteBar Gateway Subscription

One-time payment

Optional Add-Ons

Extra devices or RewriteBar Cloud Subscription.

Extra Device

Add one Active Device to your license.

1 deviceAdd-on

$19

USD

OneTime
  • Add 1 Active Device to your license
  • For Standard or Pro licenses

One-time payment

RewriteBar Gateway

Use RewriteBar Gateway as your AI provider without your own API key.

$40

USD

Annually
  • Access 58 AI models
  • 3 Million Credits (Monthly)
  • Premium Models Included

Billed annually

How does RewriteBar compare to other AI Writing Tools?

We compared RewriteBar to other popular AI writing assistants to help you find the best tool for your needs.

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Alter

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Steer

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IntelliBar

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TypoTab

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MacCopilot

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Frequently Asked Questions

Your Questions, Answered

Have a question? Contact me on Twitter or by email.

  • RewriteBar captures the currently selected text using the macOS clipboard and sends it to a language model for rewriting. The corrected version is then automatically pasted back, replacing the original text.

  • Yes. RewriteBar does not store or track any of your data. How your text is processed depends on the provider you choose:

    • RewriteBar (default): Your selected text is sent to the RewriteBar server, which forwards the request to a language model and returns the corrected version. We do not store your text or API key on our server.
    • Third-Party Providers (e.g. OpenAI, Mistral, Ollama): Your request is sent directly from your device to the provider’s API. RewriteBar never sees or processes your text.

    The app is built using native macOS tools and is just ~20 MB in size — lightweight and privacy-focused.

  • Yes, RewriteBar works with almost any application or website that supports text input. It runs quietly in the background so you can stay focused and keep your writing flow.

    Examples include:

    • Google Chrome
    • Google Docs
    • Microsoft Word
    • Slack
    • WhatsApp
    • Emails
    • Microsoft Teams
    • Notion
    • Visual Studio Code
  • Yes, you can try RewriteBar for free with up to 100 corrections. When you’re ready to continue, you can choose a subscription or a one-time license, whichever suits you best.
  • Yes, you can request a refund within 14 days of purchase. Just reach out via email.

  • RewriteBar App Interface is translated into 12 languages.

    The translation action supports over 500 languages. However, language Support also depends on the selected model. Cloud models like GPT-5 are advanced and support most languages, while smaller local models can only support a limited number of languages.

    If you encounter issues with a specific language, feel free to contact us.

  • RewriteBar (once purchased) and local models do not incur additional costs. Additional charges apply only when using cloud AI providers via the BYOK (bring your own API key) option. In that case, you pay your chosen provider directly.
  • You can cancel your subscription through the Subscription Portal.
    If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via email.
  • No. Subscriptions like ChatGPT Plus/Pro or Claude Pro apply to their chat applications. API access is billed separately by each provider on a pay-as-you-go basis and is not included in those subscriptions. You can use your own API key (BYOK) and pay the provider directly, or use the RewriteBar AI Cloud (included in the RewriteBar subscription).
  • RewriteBar requests macOS Accessibility permissions so it can function as designed. This allows the app to read your currently selected text and replace it with the improved result, so it works seamlessly in your favorite apps. We do not store your data.
  • You can create an API key with any supported provider below:Setup instructions are available in our documentation

  • One-Time License: Includes all RewriteBar features but requires you to set up your own API accounts with AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.). You pay the providers directly for usage.

    Subscription: Includes all features from the one-time license plus RewriteBar Gateway access and priority support. No need to set up API accounts—you can access the same AI models through our cloud service. You can still use your own API key (BYOK) or local models at any time.

  • No. There is no Windows version, and none is planned. RewriteBar is purpose‑built and optimized for macOS. We may explore a Chrome extension in the future.
  • You can reach out any time by email. I’m happy to help!

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