LanguageTool

LanguageTool checks grammar, spelling and style, and its distinguishing feature is that it works across languages rather than English alone. It detects the language being typed automatically and adapts its suggestions, which matters for anyone who writes in more than one language during a working day. Suggestions appear while typing rather than as a separate proofreading pass, whether the text is an email, a blog post or a short message.

Reach is the second differentiator. A browser add-on covers Chrome and Firefox and works across the web, a Google Docs add-on checks documents in place, and a Microsoft Word add-in supports Windows, Mac and the online version, requiring Word 2016 or later or Office 365. A macOS application extends checking into Word and most other Mac applications, and there is a Windows desktop application as well. The practical effect is that the same checker follows the writer between tools instead of forcing text into a dedicated editor.

That dedicated editor does exist for longer work. It offers a distraction-free writing view with a dark or light appearance, and the vendor states texts are stored securely. Statistics track productivity alongside the languages used, errors made and suggestions applied, so a writer can see patterns in their own mistakes rather than only fixing them one at a time. Picky Mode unlocks stricter checking for advanced punctuation, style and typography. The vendor states more than 2000 organisations use its writing tools.