Alternatives
The best LanguageTool alternatives for non-native English writers
By ESL Humanizer editorial team · Prices and limits checked September 2026
Short answer
The best LanguageTool 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. Grammarly is a good fit if you want real-time grammar help in email, Docs and every browser field; DeepL Write is a good fit if you translate from your first language and then polish in English.
Why people look for a LanguageTool alternative
- Grammar fixes alone don't make English sound fluent
- The paraphraser is limited to 3 uses a day for free
- Writers want a focused tool for essays and applications
LanguageTool 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| ProWritingAid | Style analysis and editing for long documents | 500 words per document, 2 line edits and 10 rephrases a day | Premium $30/month or $120/year; lifetime from $399 |
| Wordtune | Rewriting sentences for clarity, tone and length | 10 rewrites and AI suggestions a day | Advanced $6.99/month ($4.89 billed yearly); Unlimited $9.99/month ($6.99 billed yearly) |
| LanguageTool (for reference) | 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) |
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 targets naturalness, not just errors — the thing detectors and readers notice in second-language writing.
- Each rewrite shows a meaning score and a word-by-word diff.
- Includes an AI-detection estimate for the rewritten text.
2. 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
3. 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
4. ProWritingAid — style analysis and editing for long documents
A grammar checker and style editor with in-depth writing reports, popular with fiction and long-form writers.
- Choose it if you're writing a novel or long report and want detailed style analysis
- Watch out for: reports take time to act on and assume strong English already
- Free option: 500 words per document, 2 line edits and 10 rephrases a day
5. Wordtune — rewriting sentences for clarity, tone and length
An AI rewriting assistant that suggests alternative versions of sentences, from AI21 Labs.
- Choose it if you like hand-picking the wording of each sentence
- Watch out for: sentence-by-sentence work can leave a paragraph that doesn't flow
- Free option: 10 rewrites and AI suggestions a day
When sticking with LanguageTool makes sense
- You write in German, Spanish, French or other languages as well as English
- You want a free checker for error spotting in long documents
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 LanguageTool better than Grammarly for non-native speakers?
LanguageTool is stronger if you write in several languages and has a generous free limit; Grammarly has more polished integrations. Neither is designed to make correct but non-native phrasing sound natural — that's where a rewriting tool helps.
How much text can LanguageTool check for free?
Up to 2,000 characters per text field on the free plan; Premium raises that to 150,000 characters.