LanguageTool alternatives: what to use now that the extension is paid
Six options in detail, one answer per reason for leaving, and a six-step exit.
The short answer: Grammarly if you write mostly in English and want the strongest checks, QuillBot if you want a free extension that feels like LanguageTool (same parent company), Harper if you want something free that never sends your text anywhere, ProWritingAid for long-form writing, Antidote if you also write in French. And if you want LanguageTool itself, its open-source server runs on your own machine and the extension still connects to it. We compared all six in 2026 on languages, entry price and how hard the move is.
Some links are affiliate links. The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why so many people are dropping LanguageTool
LanguageTool is still a solid multilingual checker, with 30+ languages. People are not leaving over accuracy. They are leaving over a business decision: in 2026, the extension went Premium-only. Here are the six reasons that keep coming up in forums and comment threads.
The browser extension is Premium-only
In 2026 LanguageTool limited its browser extension to paying subscribers. The company said most of its 6 million extension users were on the free plan. In practice, the underlines in Gmail, LinkedIn and Google Docs are gone unless you pay. Free checking still exists, but only on the LanguageTool website, by copy and paste.
The free website stops at 2,000 characters
On the website, the Basic plan checks 2,000 characters per text field, roughly 300 words. Premium goes up to 150,000. AI sentence rephrasing is capped at 3 per day for free users. Fine for an email, painful for a 10-page report you have to paste in chunks.
Premium is about $70 a year
At LanguageTool's own checkout for US buyers, Premium is $69.90 a year or $24.90 a month. Paying monthly costs about four times more over a year. For a checker you used mostly in the browser, that is a hard sell, and many commenters said so. Watch out for launch discounts too: the renewal price is the one that matters.
Advanced checks cover only 7 languages
The basic checker handles 30+ languages, but Premium's advanced checks cover English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, Polish and Portuguese only. If you write in Italian or Catalan, you mostly pay for longer texts. One Italian user called the checks weak in his language.
The extension is not open source
LanguageTool's engine is open source, but the browser extension is not. On self-hosting forums this is a real complaint: even when it points at your own server, you cannot audit what it does with your text. For legal or HR teams, that is a reason to pick a checker that runs fully on the device.
Specialists beat generalists in English
LanguageTool is a generalist that covers many languages reasonably well. If English is all you write, tools built for English go further on tone, clarity and style. One blogger who compared eleven checkers by hand rated Grammarly the strongest in English, while noting it over-corrects.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right LanguageTool alternative depends on what you lost. One line usually fits. Each card links to the full entry below.
Free for basic fixes, Pro listed at $12.
You just want a free extension backQuillBotSame parent company, free grammar extension on Chrome, Edge and Safari.
You want free and fully privateHarperOpen source, runs locally in your browser, English only.
You write books or long reportsProWritingAidStyle reports built for long-form, $10/mo billed yearly.
You also write in FrenchAntidoteEnglish and French, $89.95 the first year for both.
You want LanguageTool without payingSelf-hosted LanguageToolRun the open-source server; the extension still connects to it.
LanguageTool alternatives, one by one
For each option: why switch to it, who it fits, its limit, how to move from LanguageTool, and what it costs. Prices are the ones each vendor shows in 2026, in US dollars.
Grammarly: the strongest choice for English
Best for EnglishWhy switch to Grammarly. Grammarly is still the benchmark for English: tone, clarity, concision and AI rewrites. Its free extension works on Chrome and Firefox and underlines as you type, which is exactly what LanguageTool free users lost. Less known: it also flags basic spelling and grammar in French and Spanish for free.
Who it fits. Anyone writing emails, proposals or posts in English every day.
Who it doesn't fit. People who need deep checks in several languages: outside English, clarity, tone and advanced grammar are paid.
Its limit. The free plan gives 100 AI prompts a month, and many advanced suggestions are blurred until you upgrade. Some users find it pushy: it rewrites sentences that were fine.
How to move. Create an account, install the extension, then set your dialect (US or UK English) in preferences. Add your custom words to its personal dictionary.
Price. Free for the basics. Pro is listed at $12 on the plans page. If you ever leave Grammarly too, our Grammarly alternatives page covers the reverse trip.
- Free
- basic fixes, 100 AI prompts/mo
- Paid
- Pro $12
- Languages
- English first
- Limit
- advanced checks paid
QuillBot: the free extension from the same group
Closest replacementWhy switch to QuillBot. It is the alternative LanguageTool itself points to, because both brands belong to the same parent company, Learneo. Its browser extension stays free for grammar and spelling and underlines as you type. It covers English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Dutch.
Who it fits. You, if you just want your underlines back in Gmail or Google Docs at no cost, on Chrome, Edge or Safari.
Who it doesn't fit. Firefox users: there is no QuillBot extension for Firefox. And writers who want the finest checks.
Its limit. QuillBot is a paraphrasing tool first. The free paraphraser caps the length of each passage and offers two modes; extra modes, the plagiarism checker and long texts need Premium.
How to move. Remove the LanguageTool extension before installing QuillBot: two checkers on the same page fight each other. Your dictionary does not carry over, so add words as they come up.
Price. Free for grammar checking. Premium is $8.33/mo billed yearly, the only rate its official page lists. Our QuillBot review explains what each plan unlocks.
- Free
- unlimited grammar in the extension
- Paid
- $8.33/mo billed yearly
- Languages
- 6
- Limit
- no Firefox extension
Harper: free, open source, and nothing leaves your browser
Best free and privateWhy switch to Harper. Harper is an open-source grammar checker now backed by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. It runs entirely inside your browser through WebAssembly: no account, no server, no text sent anywhere. Extensions exist for Chrome and Firefox, plus editor plugins.
Who it fits. Developers, privacy-minded writers and anyone who wants underlines back for free in English.
Who it doesn't fit. Anyone writing in another language: Harper is English only.
Its limit. It catches fewer errors than the big paid tools. One reviewer who ran his own error list found it missed most of them. Treat it as a fast safety net, not an editor.
How to move. Install the extension from writewithharper.com, then remove LanguageTool's. There is nothing to migrate.
Price. Free.
- Free
- yes, open source
- Paid
- $0
- Languages
- English
- Limit
- misses subtle errors
ProWritingAid: for books and long reports
Best for long-formWhy switch to ProWritingAid. If you used LanguageTool to check long documents, ProWritingAid goes much deeper: style, pacing, repeated words, sentence length, readability, with a report for each. It works in Word, Google Docs and the browser.
Who it fits. Authors, students and content teams who write long-form in English.
Who it doesn't fit. Multilingual writers: ProWritingAid is English only.
Its limit. The free plan checks 500 words at a time, with 10 rephrases a day. Monthly billing is not refundable.
How to move. Start on the free plan with one of your real chapters. If you buy, take yearly or lifetime: both come with a 3-day money-back guarantee.
Price. Premium is $10/mo billed yearly ($120), $30 month to month, or $399 lifetime. Premium Pro is $12/mo billed yearly ($144) or $699 lifetime.
- Free
- 500 words at a time
- Paid
- $10/mo billed yearly
- Languages
- English
- Limit
- English only
Antidote: if you write in English and French
Best for FrenchWhy switch to Antidote. Antidote, made by Druide in Montreal, bundles a checker, dictionaries and grammar guides that explain each rule. It is the reference for French and solid in English, so it suits bilingual teams in Canada or anyone who writes in both languages.
Who it fits. Translators, Canadian teams, and writers who switch between English and French.
Who it doesn't fit. Anyone who needs Spanish, German or another language.
Its limit. It does not underline live in every browser field the way LanguageTool did. You run a check and review the results in a panel: slower for a quick message, safer for a contract.
How to move. Take the 30-day free trial. Export your LanguageTool dictionary to CSV, keep one column of words, and import it into an Antidote personal dictionary.
Price. Antidote+ Personal: $59.95 the first year for one language, then $48/yr; $89.95 then $72 for English and French. Taxes extra.
- Free
- 30-day trial
- Paid
- $59.95 first year, then $48
- Languages
- English, French
- Limit
- no live underlines everywhere
Self-hosted LanguageTool: keep the tool, skip the subscription
For technical usersWhy stay, differently. LanguageTool's engine is open source. You can run it on your laptop or a small server and enter its address in the extension's advanced settings: the extension still works with a personal server, no subscription. Your text never leaves your machine.
Who it fits. Technical users, teams that already run a server, and anyone who needs LanguageTool's 30+ languages.
Who it doesn't fit. You, if Java and Docker mean nothing to you.
Its limit. You only get the base rules: Premium's AI checks and picky mode stay in the vendor's cloud. The optional n-gram data, which catches confused words like their and there, takes several gigabytes. One user found it slow outside English on a laptop.
How to do it. The easiest route is a community Docker image (erikvl87/languagetool is the most used) on port 8010. Otherwise, install Java and start the server with the --public flag. Then pick the local server option in the extension.
Price. Free, plus hosting if you don't run it locally.
- Free
- yes, open source
- Paid
- $0, hosting aside
- Languages
- 30+
- Limit
- base rules only
All 6 options side by side
Our default pick: Grammarly if you write in English for work, QuillBot if you just want a free extension again. Over one year, LanguageTool Premium costs $69.90, QuillBot Premium $8.33 a month billed yearly, ProWritingAid $120, and Antidote $59.95 for one language in the first year. Harper and self-hosted LanguageTool cost nothing. One row per option: what is free on the left, entry price and extension on the right.
| What's free | Entry price and extension | |
|---|---|---|
| LanguageToolStarting point | Website only, 2,000 characters per field, 3 rephrases a day | Premium $69.90/yr or $24.90/mo; extension is Premium-only |
| GrammarlyEnglish | Basic fixes, 100 AI prompts a month | Pro $12; Chrome and Firefox extensions |
| QuillBotSame group | Unlimited grammar, 125-word paraphrasing | Premium $8.33/mo billed yearly; Chrome, Edge, Safari, no Firefox |
| HarperLocal, open source | Everything | $0; Chrome and Firefox extensions, English only |
| ProWritingAidLong-form | 500 words at a time, 10 rephrases a day | Premium $10/mo billed yearly, $399 lifetime |
| AntidoteEnglish and French | 30-day trial | $59.95 first year, then $48 (one language) |
| Self-hosted LanguageToolTechnical | Base rules, 30+ languages | $0 plus hosting; extension connects to your server |
Prices shown by each vendor in 2026, in US dollars. LanguageTool prices from its own US checkout.
Leave LanguageTool in six steps
Switching checkers takes under an hour. Three things get lost easily: your dictionary, your money if you cancel at the wrong time, and your data if you want the account gone. This order protects all three.
List where you actually check text
10 minutesWrite down every place you use LanguageTool: browser extension (on which sites?), Word or Google Docs add-on, LibreOffice, desktop app, phone. Note your languages too.
This list picks your tool better than any ranking: QuillBot has no Firefox extension, Harper and ProWritingAid only do English, Antidote only English and French.
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Risk if skipped
- a tool that doesn't run where you write
Export your personal dictionary
Do this firstYour dictionary holds years of names, product terms and jargon. In the LanguageTool editor settings, open the dictionary: a button downloads it as a CSV file. Do it while your account is still active.
Two details: only the first column is read, and imports cap at 1,000 words. Clean it to one word per line before importing it elsewhere.
- Format
- CSV, one column
- Cap
- 1,000 words per import
Compare on your own writing
One weekPick three texts you already wrote: an email, a long document, something technical. Run them through two candidates at most. Count real catches and false alarms, the ones that annoy you after a week.
Use the trials: 30 days on Antidote, free plans everywhere else. Keep one checker active per browser during the trial.
- Time
- one week
- Rule
- one active checker at a time
Cancel at the right time
SavingsCancel from your account settings in the LanguageTool editor (languagetool.org/editor/settings/account). Premium keeps running until the end of the period you paid for, so cancel as soon as you decide.
If you just subscribed, LanguageTool offers a 14-day money-back guarantee. After that, there is no prorated refund.
- Guarantee
- 14 days
- After canceling
- access until period ends
Install the replacement everywhere
Switch dayRemove the LanguageTool extension, then install the replacement in every browser and app on your list. In LibreOffice, turn LanguageTool off in the writing aids options. In Word, remove the add-in.
Then check the default language and dialect: US or UK English changes a lot of suggestions.
- Time
- 15 minutes per device
- Trap
- wrong default dialect
Delete your account if you want to
DataCanceling does not delete your account or any texts the web editor stored. The delete button only appears on a free account with no active payment. With Premium still running, you have to ask support. Cancel first, wait for the period to end, then delete.
- Order
- cancel, then delete
- With active Premium
- through support
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a checker switch go wrong
Changing grammar checkers looks trivial. The same mistakes still show up again and again in forum threads, and each costs either money or published typos.
Paying monthly "just for now"
LanguageTool at $24.90 a month adds up to almost $300 a year, against $69.90 on the yearly plan. If you are unsure, use a free trial elsewhere rather than one more month of LanguageTool.
Running two extensions
Two checkers on one page contradict each other, slow typing and sometimes break editors like Google Docs or WordPress. Keep one active.
Forgetting the dictionary
Without it, your new tool underlines client names and product terms for weeks. The CSV export takes two minutes. Do it before you cancel.
Picking a tool your browser can't run
QuillBot has no Firefox extension. Check compatibility against your usage list before comparing prices.
Assuming free checks as much
Harper misses subtle errors, and self-hosted LanguageTool lacks Premium rules. For anything a client will read, compare on real text. Our grammar checker ranking rates each tool's depth.
Sending sensitive text anywhere
Contracts and HR files go through the vendor's servers. For those, prefer a local checker (Harper, self-hosted LanguageTool) or a vendor hosting in Europe. Our European grammar checkers page compares where your data goes.
LanguageTool alternative: common questions
Is LanguageTool still free?
Yes, but only on its website. Since 2026, the browser extension is for Premium subscribers. The free website checks 2,000 characters per field and gives 3 AI rephrases a day. Tip: the extension still works for free if you point it at your own LanguageTool server.
What is the best free LanguageTool alternative?
For English, Harper: free, open source and fully local, but less thorough. If you want something closer to LanguageTool in several languages, QuillBot's free extension covers six languages on Chrome, Edge and Safari.
Is Grammarly better than LanguageTool?
For English, yes: Grammarly goes deeper on tone and clarity. For other languages, LanguageTool covers far more (30+). On price, LanguageTool Premium is $69.90 a year and Grammarly Pro is listed at $12.
Are QuillBot and LanguageTool the same company?
Both belong to Learneo. QuillBot is a paraphraser first with a free grammar extension in six languages; LanguageTool is a checker first, deeper and more multilingual. See our QuillBot pricing page for the full plan.
Is there a grammar checker that works offline?
Yes. Harper runs entirely in your browser. LanguageTool itself can run locally with Java or Docker, without Premium rules. Antidote's checker runs on your computer too, though its AI rewriting uses a server.
Can I keep my LanguageTool dictionary?
Yes. Export it as CSV from the editor settings before canceling. Only one column of words is kept, and imports cap at 1,000 words. Clean it, then import it or add words as you go.
How do I get a LanguageTool refund?
Ask support within 14 days of purchase: that is the guarantee LanguageTool states. After that, canceling only stops the next charge, and you keep access until the paid period ends.
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One tool to leave, one replacement, an exit with no surprises. Nothing else.