Grammarly and QuillBot are the two writing assistants most people compare, and they overlap more every year — both check grammar, both paraphrase, both offer AI writing help. But their pricing is meaningfully different, and the gap depends heavily on whether you pay monthly or annually.
This guide breaks down every plan, the real per-month cost on each billing cycle, and which tool is the better value for students, writers, and teams.
Pricing Overview
Grammarly Pricing (2026)
| Plan | Price | Right For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Casual writers, basic grammar checks |
| Pro | $12/month (billed annually; $30 monthly) | Students, freelancers, power writers |
| Business | $15/seat/month (billed annually) | Teams of 3+ |
QuillBot Pricing (2026)
| Plan | Price | Right For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Light paraphrasing and grammar checks |
| Premium (annual) | $8.33/month ($99.95/year) | Regular writers, students |
| Premium (semi-annual) | $13.31/month | Medium-term commitment |
| Premium (monthly) | $19.95/month | Short-term use |
The Key Difference: Billing Cycle Sensitivity
Both tools are dramatically cheaper on annual billing, but the penalty for paying monthly is steep on both:
- Grammarly: $12/month annually vs $30/month monthly — 2.5x more.
- QuillBot: $8.33/month annually vs $19.95/month monthly — 2.4x more.
On an annual plan, QuillBot Premium ($8.33) is meaningfully cheaper than Grammarly Pro ($12) — about $45/year less ($99.95 vs $144). On a monthly plan, QuillBot ($19.95) is still cheaper than Grammarly ($30).
So if cost is the deciding factor, QuillBot wins on price at every billing cycle. The real question is whether its feature mix matches what you need.
What You Actually Pay For
The tools lean in different directions:
- Grammarly is strongest at real-time grammar, clarity, tone, and style suggestions across every app you write in (browser, Word, Google Docs, desktop). Its generative assistant handles drafting and rewriting.
- QuillBot is built around paraphrasing and summarizing first, with grammar checking and a citation generator added on. If rewording, summarizing, and avoiding repetition are your core needs, QuillBot’s toolset is purpose-built for it.
Paying less for QuillBot is only a saving if its paraphrase-first feature set covers your work. For comprehensive, always-on writing correction across apps, Grammarly’s $12 may be the better fit.
Cost Scenario: A Year of Writing
For a single user on annual billing:
- QuillBot Premium: $99.95/year
- Grammarly Pro: $144/year
QuillBot saves about $44/year. For a team of 5 (Grammarly Business at $15/seat = $900/year), QuillBot’s flat per-user Premium can be the cheaper team option too, though Grammarly Business adds centralized admin controls QuillBot doesn’t match at that price.
Verdict
Choose QuillBot if paraphrasing, summarizing, and citations are central to your work, and you want the lower price. On annual billing it’s the cheaper writing assistant by roughly $44/year.
Choose Grammarly if you want best-in-class real-time grammar, clarity, and tone help everywhere you type, and you’ll use it across many apps daily. The extra few dollars buys broader, deeper correction.
For both tools, always choose annual billing — paying monthly costs roughly 2.5x more. See the full Grammarly pricing breakdown for details, and explore more options in best Grammarly alternatives and Grammarly vs ProWritingAid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Grammarly or QuillBot cheaper?
QuillBot is cheaper at every billing cycle. Annual Premium is $8.33/month ($99.95/year) vs Grammarly Pro’s $12/month ($144/year), and monthly QuillBot ($19.95) still beats Grammarly monthly ($30).
What’s the difference between them?
Grammarly leads on real-time grammar, clarity, and tone across all your apps. QuillBot is built around paraphrasing, summarizing, and citations, with grammar checking added on.
Why is monthly billing so expensive?
Both tools price monthly plans 2.4–2.5x higher than annual. Grammarly jumps from $12 to $30/month and QuillBot from $8.33 to $19.95/month — annual billing is almost always the better deal.
Which is better for students?
QuillBot’s paraphrasing, summarizing, and citation tools fit academic writing well and cost less. Grammarly is better if you want comprehensive grammar and clarity feedback across every document you write.