Grammarly vs LanguageTool
Both tools correct and rewrite text rather than write it from nothing. Grammarly is a US product that now sits inside the Superhuman suite, while LanguageTool has an LGPL core you can run on your own server, although the company that owns it is American too. The choice mostly turns on hosting control and language coverage.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose Grammarly ifyou want one assistant in most apps, need plagiarism and AI-text detection, and are fine with a US vendor inside a larger suite.
Choose LanguageTool ifyou write in several European languages, want the option of running your own server, or need a proofreading API.
Grammarly and LanguageTool side by side
| Grammarly | LanguageTool | |
|---|---|---|
| Our AI writing tool rank | #13 of 14 | #8 of 14 |
| Established in | United States | Germany |
| List price, 3 November 2026 | Free plan with 100 AI prompts; Pro with a free trial and 2,000 prompts (price shown per region, not quoted here); Enterprise via sales | Free account; Premium for individuals or teams, paid every month, quarter, year or two years (price not quoted here) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Employees and students who want corrections inside every app they type in | Multilingual writers and teams who want a self-hostable proofreading engine |
| Not for | Teams wanting marketing copy planned and generated at volume | Anyone who wants an AI to write the first draft |
Both are reviewed in full in our AI writing tool ranking: Grammarly and LanguageTool.
Where they differ
Grammarly 1 · LanguageTool 2 · open 1- 01
Who can host it
LanguageTool says its core technology is open-source software, and its GitHub repository shows the LGPL 2.1 licence, so users can set up their own server. Grammarly publishes no such option on the pages we read. Enterprise there adds customer-managed encryption keys, which is control over keys, not over the engine.
Edge: LanguageTool
- 02
What the paid plan adds
Grammarly Pro adds full-sentence rewrites, tone adjustment, plagiarism and AI-generated text detection, and 2,000 AI prompts, against 100 on the free plan. LanguageTool Premium adds unlimited AI paraphrasing and 20,000+ extra checks. Grammarly has the wider set of extras for a student or office worker.
Edge: Grammarly
- 03
Languages
LanguageTool's about page claims more than 30 languages, and Premium extras cover English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Polish and Portuguese. The Grammarly pages we read focus on English writing, including a fluent English feature. For anyone writing in German or Dutch, LanguageTool fits better.
Edge: LanguageTool
- 04
Ownership and where it sits
LanguageTool is run by LanguageTooler GmbH in Hamburg, yet its terms say Learneo, Inc., a Delaware corporation, owns and operates it. Grammarly's terms name Superhuman Platform Inc. as the contracting party, a renamed Grammarly, Inc., following the 2025 Coda and Superhuman Mail purchases. Neither is independent of a US parent.
Depends on the buyer
When neither fits
If you want an AI that drafts articles or campaign copy, neither is built for it. Jasper and Writer are listed in the same category for generating text.
Grammarly or LanguageTool: questions
3 answersIs LanguageTool a German company?
It is run from Hamburg by LanguageTooler GmbH, but its terms state that Learneo, Inc., a Delaware corporation, owns and operates it.
Is Grammarly free to try?
Yes, it covers spelling and grammar, tone reading and 100 AI prompts. Pro is offered with a free trial.
Can I run either on my own server?
LanguageTool says users can set up their own server from its open-source core. Grammarly does not state this on the pages we read.
Sources
Checked 3 November 2026- Grammarly plans: Free and Pro prompt counts, Pro rewrite and detection features, Enterprise key encryption.
- Grammarly terms: Terms name Superhuman Platform Inc. as the contracting party.
- Grammarly about: 2025 purchase of Coda and Superhuman Mail.
- LanguageTool Premium: Paraphrasing, 20,000+ extra checks, seven languages, payment intervals.
- LanguageTool terms: Owned and operated by Learneo, Inc., Delaware.
- LanguageTool about: 30+ languages, open-source core, own server.
- LanguageTool on GitHub: LGPL 2.1 licence.
- LanguageTool imprint: LanguageTooler GmbH, Hamburg.