There are a bunch of grammar and editing tools out there. And to be honest, a lot of them are redundant and garbage. However, I cannot say the same about ProWritingAid.
I’ll be upfront with you. ProWritingAid is hands down the best grammar/spell checker/general editing tool available for writers today. And in this ProWritingAid review, I’m going to break everything that makes this tool so great, and why it’s a worthwhile investment for any author. Check it out here.
So without wasting anymore time, let’s get into the thick of things. I’ve put in a handy table of contents, so if you want to skip ahead through this ProWritingAid review…Just click through the links below.
- What is ProWritingAid?
- How much does ProWritingAid cost?
- ProWritingAid Free vs ProWritingAid Premium
- How can ProWritingAid make me a better writer?
- ProWritingAid Extensions and Integrations
- ProWritingAid vs Grammarly
- What I do not like about ProWritingAid
- ProWritingAid Review: Is It Worth the Money?
And with that… let’s get started!
What is ProWritingAid?
ProWritingAid is a premium editing tool for written content. It’s great for authors, bloggers, email writers… essentially if you write anything for personal or professional uses, PWA is meant for you.
At its heart, PWA is a grammar and spell checker. But that barely scratches the surface of what this editing software can do. ProWritingAid has the capacity to analyze and provide input on so many aspects of your writing including:
- Grammar
- Spelling
- Tone
- Style
- Sentence Structure
- Diction
- Cliche Usage
- Consistency
- Acronyms
- Pacing
- Dialogue
- AND SO MUCH MORE!
Seriously, it’s a one-stop shop for your editing needs–especially for small business related tasks such as reports and email. For larger projects like books and novels, ProWritingAid is an amazing tool to use in conjunction with a professional editor.
If you check out ProWritingAid’s website, you’ll find that they claim to be a “grammar guru, style editor, and writing mentor” all rolled up into one neat little package. Now normally, I’d be pretty skeptical of talk like this. But ProWritingAid actually delivers.
I personally use PWA almost every single day. And I’ve been able to adjust and expand upon my writing capabilities. I’m not necessarily the best writer out there, but PWA is helping bring out the best of me. If it wasn’t, this ProWritingAid review would definitely take another tone.
ProWritingAid Review: How Much Does ProWritingAid Cost?
Well, let’s get down to brass tacks. If you wanted to start using PWA today, you could do so absolutely free.
Yep, that’s right. FREE.
All you have to do is head over to their website and sign up for an account. No credit card, PayPal, or blood sacrifice required. Simply enter your email, create a password, and you’re on your way. You can use their online web app or download the Chrome extension without any cost at all.
Here’s the thing though. The good folks over at ProWritingAid gotta eat and pay the bills too. So while they offer their services for free, they are relatively limited compared to what the paid version can do.
Don’t get me wrong. There’s no other free tool like it. But the paid version is so much better–we’ll go over that in a bit.
ProWritingAid Premium comes in three different pricing tiers.
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Monthly Subscription at $30/Month
Ok, so here’s the thing. If you’re only going to need to use PWA on a short-term basis, this is the best option for you. Let’s say you’re a project writer or manager working on accomplishing some specific tasks for the month. Instead of looking out on Fiverr or Upwork for an editor, ProWritingAid could probably handle everything you need without all the extra hassle. Again, nothing against editors. But for simple case-by-case editing, PWA could handle most of your needs.
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Yearly Subscription at $120/Year
I recommend this tier at a minimum for professional bloggers and writers. And I would mainly look at it as a trial period. Give it a shot and see if you like it. $79 may sound like a lot, but it’s really a great investment for your writing.
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Lifetime Purchase for $399
If you’re a seasoned vet, you already know the importance of having and using pro writing software. And this tool truly is a game changer. So if you’re ready to make the plunge, this is the best option to take. And there’s no need to worry if the program upgrades because you’ll get all future enhancements for free.
What’s the Difference: ProWritingAid Free vs ProWritingAid Paid Premium?
This wouldn’t be a proper ProWritingAid review if I didn’t go over the big differences between the free and paid versions.
ProWritingAid Free
For a free tool, PWA brings some serious heat. You’ve really got to give it up to them.
- Online Use Only
When using the free version, you’re only allowed to utilize the application online. So, if you’re a stickler for Google Docs or don’t mind copying and pasting…This shouldn’t be too much of a big deal.
- You can only check 500 words at a time.
Honestly, this is probably one of the bigger reasons I swapped over to the paid version when I first found PWA. When using the online app, you’re limited to 500 words. Now, you can always copy and paste 500 after 500. But if you’re writing longer content, this will start to get aggravating quick. However, those looking to proofread and check short emails and memos… This shouldn’t affect you at all.
- Access to 25 Different Reports but with Limitations
ProWritingAid offers 25 different reports each on their own criteria when analyzing your writing. And the free version lets you use them all–with limitations. If you’re really looking to utilize these–which you absolutely should–you’ll get more out of the paid version.
ProWritingAid Premium
The paid version of the program is where you really start cooking with natural gas. You get everything that comes with the free version but there’s no limitations plus a whole bunch more.
- You can make use of their desktop app.
Let’s face it. It’s can be much nicer to have a full power desktop application instead of a lightweight online app. Plus, what are you going to do if you don’t have a connection available? PWA’s desktop app is a good solution for that.
- Unlimited Word Count
The first time you swap over from the 500 word count limit to this… I swear it will change your life.
- Integrations with Other Platforms
Wouldn’t it be great if PWA could integrate with your Word or Scrivener? Or Google Docs or Open Office? I can answer that. Absolutely.
- Full Access to ProWritingAid’s Reports
Even without the other features, these reports alone are worth every single penny of the lifetime purchase. And you can take that to the bank. Having unfettered access to all 25 of PWA’s reports will allow you to fully explore every facet of your writing. This is the real secret behind PWA’s claim of being a writing coach wrapped up within a spell and grammar checker.
How Can ProWritingAid Make You a Better Writer?
ProWritingAid is one of those rare programs that doesn’t just help you fix your problems but improves your skills as well. And the more you take advantage of their different aspects, the more you’ll get out of it.
ProWritingAid can help you improve your grammar and spelling long-term.
Now, it sounds silly I know. Nobody ever really pays attention to their spell and grammar checker. You just click accept change and move to the next. Amirite? However, things are a bit different with PWA. It picks up errors in real time and actually explains to you why you are incorrect and how to fix it. And after a while of seeing those teaching tips, you’re going to start writing better without even realizing it.
ProWritingAid can enhance your vocabulary and word choice.
You ever find yourself using the exact same words over and over again? I know I do. But PWA helps to combat that and provides suitable alternative to commonly repeated words. By giving you great examples, ProWritingAid makes it easy for you to recall those selections in the future and broaden your writing horizons.
ProWritingAid can help you find the proper tone for your writing.
There’s a monumental difference between writing a technical report and a casual blog. In a technical paper, you need to really zero in and use the utmost of professional language, whereas I can throw OMGWTFBBQ on this blog and someone will get it–I hope. But learning to toe the line between different writing styles can be difficult. But with PWA it doesn’t have to be. You can actually set up the platform to read and review your writing based on different writing tones and styles. From formal scientific papers to casual emails, PWA has got you covered.
ProWritingAid’s reports are treasure troves of knowledge.
Seriously. There are 25 different reports that target completely different metrics of your writing. To not pay any attention to them kind of defeats the whole purpose. Do you know just how many cliches you’re using in your writing? PWA does. And it’s more than happy to help you iron them out. And what about your character dialogue? Is it really up to snuff? PWA can help you sort that out as well. Pretty much, if there’s something that you’re having troubles with, PWA has a report for it.
See How ProWritingAid Can Make You A Better Writer!
ProWritingAid Extensions and Integrations
One of the most biggest reasons that makes PWA so versatile is the different integrations it has with common writing platforms. Through these integrations, you can ensure you always have your ProWritingAid handy whenever you need it. You’ll be able to integrate with:
- Google Docs
- MS Outlook
- Word
- Scrivener
- Open Office
- Final Draft
- Medium
- Gmail
PWA also has browser extensions for the big 4 internet browsers.
- Chrome
- Safari
- Edge
- Firefox
And all of these come completely free with the Premium version.
ProWritingAid vs Grammarly
Now, ProWritingAid isn’t the only game in town when it comes to professional editing tools. Many of you may have heard of Grammarly. It’s another premium grammar/spell checking software that can greatly help your writing quality.
As a matter of fact, Grammarly’s actually a pretty decent platform. It’s a very quick and intuitive program that picks up every little grammar issue you didn’t even think possible. But it just can’t compare to PWA for me.
And the number one reason for that is….
ProWritingAid’s different reports!
It’s just insane how much you get out of one program, and there’s no other editing tool on the market that can do it like them. But if you are interested in learning more about Grammarly, check out the in-depth Grammarly review Kindlepreneur did. Grammarly really isn’t a bad tool at all, and I’d definitely recommend them as a viable alternative to ProWritingAid.
What I Do Not Like about ProWritingAid
Alright folks, this ProWritingAid review wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t have a few gripes about it. As amazing as ProWritingAid is, it’s not perfect. There are some things that could definitely be better.
There’s no iOS or Android support.
This is kind of a biggie. With the world becoming more and more mobile, just about everyone has a mobile app. Heck, that’s normally the first thing I do when a new program comes out. I get the app for my phone setup. But… PWA doesn’t offer mobile support. Hopefully, it’s something they’re working on right now.
ProWritingAid isn’t as good for short writing as some other programs.
And this makes sense. PWA analyzes your entire writing for stylistic and tone choices. It breaks down your word choices and lets you know your inconsistencies. But when you have less data, it’s hard to really do that. While long-form writing is awesome for PWA, I really wish they’d work a little more on their short game.
You need to pay extra for plagiarism checks.
This is really the only flaw in PWA’s pricing model. You would think you would at least get a couple of checks a month for free. Sadly, this just isn’t the case. And if plagiarism checks are a deal maker, you should probably head over to Grammarly where they are included in the price. Sorry, PWA.
ProWritingAid Review: Is It Worth the Money?
Despite the flaws it has, ProWritingAids is the absolute best value for your money when it comes to an editing software tool. There’s no other platform that has the power and capability of PWA. I have zero doubt that ProWritingAid will enhance the writing life for just about everybody who uses it.
But there’s one thing I need to make abundantly clear.
ProWritingAid cannot fully replace a human editor. It’s a wonderful tool to help you along your way, but there’s nothing like a human touch–especially for long-form writing such as books and novels.
That being said, there’s only one thing left to do. Break out your favorite ergonomic keyboard, sit down and write, then let PWA handle the rest.
Cheers!
