Grammarly
iA Writer
| Feature | Grammarly | iA Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $12/mo | From $49.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | writers, students, professionals, non-native-speakers | writers, bloggers, minimalists, focused-writers |
| Founded | 2009 | 2010 |
| Grammar | ✓ | ✗ |
| Spelling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tone | ✓ | ✗ |
| Clarity | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plagiarism | ✓ | ✗ |
| Browser Extension | ✓ | ✗ |
| Focus Mode | ✗ | ✓ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Syntax Highlighting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Content Blocks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Publishing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Style Check | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Grammarly Pros
- Works everywhere
- Clear suggestions
- Tone detection
- Plagiarism checker
✗ Grammarly Cons
- Premium is pricey
- Can over-correct
- Privacy concerns
✓ iA Writer Pros
- Beautiful minimalism
- Focus mode
- Cross-platform
- One-time purchase
✗ iA Writer Cons
- Very minimal features
- No collaboration
- Limited formatting
The Verdict
Grammarly is built for writers and students, with a focus on grammar and spelling. iA Writer targets writers and bloggers and leads with focus-mode and markdown.
On pricing, Grammarly is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $12/mo compared to $49.99/mo for iA Writer. That $37.99/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Grammarly has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. iA Writer requires a paid subscription from day one.
Both tools are a solid fit for writers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
