WriterBar vs Grammarly
Grammarly checks your writing as you type and is sold as a subscription. WriterBar works on demand: you select text, press a shortcut, and an AI action rewrites it in place. It is a one-time purchase and, on Standard and Pro, can use your own API key.
Core features
| WriterBar | Grammarly | |
|---|---|---|
| How you use it | Select text, press ⌥Space or click a PopClip button, pick an action; the rewrite replaces your selection in place | Suggestions as you type, across supported apps |
| Grammar and spelling | The Fix Grammar & Spelling action, run on demand | Grammar and spelling checks, including on its free plan |
| Tone | Make Professional, Make Casual, Make Confident and Change Tone actions | Tone detection, with tone adjustment on its paid plan |
| Rewriting | Improve Writing, Rephrase, Make Shorter, Make Longer and more, as separate actions | Full-sentence rewrites on its paid plan |
| Writing from scratch | Write an Email, Write a Reply, Write a Follow-Up Message and other actions | AI prompts, with a monthly allowance that depends on the plan |
| Plagiarism and AI-text detection | No | Listed on its paid plan |
| Snippets and custom actions | Reusable snippets and signatures with variables; custom actions | Not described on its plans page |
AI models and privacy
| WriterBar | Grammarly | |
|---|---|---|
| The AI behind it | Built-in cloud models from vendors including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, xAI and Mistral; or your own key for Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini or OpenRouter (300+ models) | Grammarly's built-in AI |
| Your own API key | Yes, on Standard and Pro | Its plans page doesn't list one; its Enterprise plan lists BYOK encryption, which is about encryption keys |
| What happens to your text | Text is processed in memory and not stored or logged, and is never used to train models; with your own API key it goes straight from your Mac to that provider | See its privacy pages; privacy controls let you turn it off in specific apps |
Platform and compatibility
| WriterBar | Grammarly | |
|---|---|---|
| On the Mac | macOS 14 or later, menu bar app | Native Mac app for macOS 10.15 or later |
| Works in | Any Mac app with selectable text, with a clipboard fallback for apps that do not expose their text | Word, Pages, email clients, desktop apps and web browsers |
| Beyond the Mac | macOS | Also works in web browsers |
Pricing and licensing
| WriterBar | Grammarly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Subscription, billed monthly or annually |
| Price | Standard $19, Pro $39, paid once | Varies by region; see grammarly.com/plans |
| Free option | Free trial with 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), no card required | A free plan with limited features |
| Refunds | 14 days on one-time licenses | See its terms |
Where each one is stronger
Grammarly is stronger at
- Suggestions appear as you type, with no action to choose.
- Tone detection while you write.
- Plagiarism and AI-text detection on its paid plan.
- A free plan that includes grammar and spelling checks.
- Works across Word, Pages, email clients and web browsers.
- Enterprise features such as custom roles and data loss prevention.
WriterBar is stronger at
- Pay once instead of subscribing.
- Choose the AI model, or use your own API key.
- A library of separate actions for tone, length, translation, replies and more.
- Snippets and signatures alongside rewriting.
- PopClip support and a ⌥Space command palette.
- Your text is not stored or logged, and not used for training.
Which should you choose?
Choose Grammarly if
- You want suggestions as you type, without choosing an action each time.
- You need plagiarism or AI-text detection.
- You also write in a web browser and want one tool in both places.
- Your organisation needs enterprise controls.
- You are on a Mac older than macOS 14.
Choose WriterBar if
- You would rather pay once than subscribe.
- You want to pick the AI model, or use your own API key.
- You rewrite selected text on demand (change tone, shorten, translate, reply) with one shortcut.
- You reuse text such as signatures, templates and snippets.
- You want your text kept out of storage and training.
WriterBar plans
Buy the app once. See the full details on the pricing page.
Trial
Free
Try WriterBar with real cloud AI — no card required.
- 100,000 credits (one-time)
- All built-in actions & snippets
- Free AI models
- Buy credits or subscribe any time
Standard
$19 one-time
One-time purchase with cloud credits and API key support.
- 1 Million credits (one-time)
- All AI models
- Bring your own API keys
- Apple Intelligence on-device
- Everything synced across devices
- Unlimited app updates
Pro
$39 one-time
One-time purchase with a year of WriterBar Cloud included.
- 3 Million credits/month — 1 year of WriterBar Cloud included
- All AI models
- Bring your own API keys
- Apple Intelligence on-device
- Everything synced across devices
- Unlimited app updates
Frequently asked questions
Is WriterBar a Grammarly replacement?
Partly. WriterBar fixes grammar and spelling and rewrites tone when you select text and run an action, but it does not check as you type and it has no plagiarism or AI-text detection. If you rely on those, keep Grammarly or use both.
Is WriterBar cheaper than Grammarly?
They are billed differently. WriterBar is $19 or $39 once. Grammarly is billed monthly or annually and its prices vary by region, so the gap grows with every year you subscribe.
Does Grammarly let me use my own AI key?
Its plans page does not list that option. WriterBar supports your own key for Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini and OpenRouter on Standard and Pro.
Does WriterBar check my writing as I type?
No. You select text, press ⌥Space or click a PopClip button, and choose an action. That is the trade: fewer interruptions and more control, but no live suggestions.
How does WriterBar work?
Select text in any app, press your WriterBar hotkey (⌥Space by default) or click a PopClip button, and pick an action such as Improve Writing. The result streams into a small panel where you can replace the original text, copy it, or refine it further. On Mac, WriterBar reads and writes the selection through the macOS Accessibility API, with a clipboard fallback for apps that do not expose their text.
Why does WriterBar need the Accessibility permission?
It is what lets WriterBar read the text you have selected and write the improved version back in place, in any app. You grant it under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. It is used only for reading and replacing your current selection.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Every account starts with a one-time grant of 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), no card required, with all built-in actions and snippets and the free AI models.
How much does WriterBar cost?
Standard is $19 and Pro is $39, both one-time purchases with unlimited app updates. Optional credit packs for the built-in cloud AI start from $2.19 and never expire.
Can I use my own API key?
Yes, on Standard and Pro, for Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini and OpenRouter. Your key is stored in the macOS Keychain, and your text goes directly from your Mac to that provider.
Does WriterBar store my text?
No. With the built-in models, your text is sent over an encrypted connection to WriterBar’s server, forwarded to an AI provider, and streamed back, processed in memory only and never logged or kept. It is never used to train AI models.
Can I get a refund?
Yes: 14 days from purchase on one-time licenses. Email support@writerbar.app with your purchase details. After heavy use of the trial or a paid credit balance, a refund request is reviewed case by case.
Which apps does WriterBar work in?
Practically all of them: browsers, Mail, Slack, Notes, Word and Google Docs, code editors, and anything else with a text field. If an app does not expose its text through Accessibility, WriterBar falls back to a clipboard-based flow.
How does WriterBar compare with other tools?
Written by WriterBar. What we say about Grammarly comes from its public pages as of October 2026, so check Grammarly plans, Grammarly for Mac for current details. If something here is out of date, tell us at support@writerbar.app.