Alternatives
The best ChatGPT alternatives for non-native English writers
By ESL Humanizer editorial team · Prices and limits checked September 2026
Short answer
The best ChatGPT alternative depends on why you're switching. If you wrote the text yourself and want it to sound natural without changing your meaning, ESL Humanizer is built for that. DeepL Write is a good fit if you translate from your first language and then polish in English; Grammarly is a good fit if you want real-time grammar help in email, Docs and every browser field.
Why people look for a ChatGPT alternative
- Its rewrites sound like ChatGPT and can raise AI-detection scores
- No change tracking
- It sometimes adds facts or achievements you didn't write
ChatGPT and its alternatives compared
Details come from each tool’s own website in September 2026 and can change. ESL Humanizer is our product, so its row sticks to verifiable facts.
| Tool | Built for | Free option | Paid from |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESL Humanizer | Polishing English you wrote yourself | 1 rewrite a day (2 when signed in), up to 1,500 characters (~250 words) each | $24.95/month or $89 for 4 months |
| DeepL Write | Refining text for clarity and tone, alongside DeepL's translator | Free version on the web with limits | Write Pro add-on from €6.99/user/month billed yearly, on a paid DeepL plan |
| Grammarly | Correcting grammar and tone as you write; its humanizer rewrites AI-generated text | Grammar and spelling checks, 100 AI prompts a month, basic free humanizer | Pro from $12/month |
| LanguageTool | Grammar and style checking in 30+ languages | Up to 2,000 characters per check, 3 paraphrases a day | Premium — see its pricing page (shown at checkout) |
| QuillBot | General paraphrasing, grammar and summarizing | Paraphraser up to 125 words per run | $19.95/month or $8.33/month billed yearly |
| ChatGPT (for reference) | General conversation, writing and research help | Free tier with usage limits | Plus from $20/month |
The alternatives, one by one
1. ESL Humanizer — for English you wrote yourself
ESL Humanizer rewrites a non-native writer’s own paragraph so it reads naturally, then shows every change word by word with a meaning score and an AI-detection estimate. It doesn’t generate content and never promises to beat detectors.
- ESL Humanizer is instructed to keep your meaning and voice and never add content.
- You get a word-by-word diff, not a black-box rewrite.
- A meaning score flags drift; an AI-detection estimate shows how the result reads.
2. DeepL Write — refining text for clarity and tone, alongside DeepL's translator
DeepL's writing assistant, which suggests clearer wording and corrections, from the company behind DeepL Translator.
- Choose it if you translate from your first language and then polish in English
- Watch out for: its Pro features need a paid DeepL subscription
- Free option: Free version on the web with limits
3. Grammarly — correcting grammar and tone as you write; its humanizer rewrites AI-generated text
A grammar and writing assistant that also offers a free AI humanizer for rewriting AI-generated drafts.
- Choose it if you want real-time grammar help in email, Docs and every browser field
- Watch out for: its humanizer is designed for AI-generated text, not for a non-native writer's own draft
- Free option: Grammar and spelling checks, 100 AI prompts a month, basic free humanizer
4. LanguageTool — grammar and style checking in 30+ languages
A multilingual grammar, style and spelling checker with an AI paraphraser.
- Choose it if you write in German, Spanish, French or other languages as well as English
- Watch out for: error correction won't fix sentences that are grammatical but sound translated
- Free option: Up to 2,000 characters per check, 3 paraphrases a day
5. QuillBot — general paraphrasing, grammar and summarizing
A paraphrasing suite with several rewrite modes, a grammar checker, a summarizer and a humanizer.
- Choose it if you need a summarizer, citation tool and paraphraser in one subscription
- Watch out for: the free paraphraser stops at 125 words per run
- Free option: Paraphraser up to 125 words per run
When sticking with ChatGPT makes sense
- You want to discuss ideas, get explanations or learn a grammar rule
- You're drafting from scratch and your course allows AI assistance
Wrote it yourself? Make it sound natural.
Paste a paragraph. ESL Humanizer fixes non-native phrasing, keeps your meaning and highlights every change — free for up to ~250 words.
Quick answers
Is it cheating to ask ChatGPT to fix my grammar?
Policies differ by institution and assignment. Many allow proofreading help but not AI-generated content. The safest approach is to keep your own wording, see every change, and check your course's rules.
Why does my essay get flagged after ChatGPT edits it?
Detectors look for predictable, AI-typical phrasing. A full ChatGPT rewrite replaces your wording with exactly that style, so the edited version can score as more AI-like than your original.