Using AI for writing can save you hours on first drafts, emails and edits. But the tools are not all the same, and the free plans have real limits. This guide compares the main AI writing tools, what you get free, what paid plans cost, and how to use them without your writing sounding like a robot.
Prices and features below come from each company’s own pricing page, checked in November 2026. They change often, so check the linked page before you pay.
Quick comparison
- ChatGPT (OpenAI): free plan, plus paid Go, Plus and Pro plans. Good all-round drafting and rewriting.
- Claude (Anthropic): free plan, Pro at $20 a month billed monthly or $17 a month billed yearly. Good for long documents and editing.
- Gemini (Google): free plan, plus paid Google AI plans. Works inside Gmail and Docs on paid plans.
- Grammarly: free plan, Pro listed at $12 USD. Best for fixing grammar, tone and clarity in what you already wrote.
The best AI tools for writing
ChatGPT
ChatGPT’s pricing page lists a Free plan and paid Go, Plus and Pro plans. The free plan includes everyday text chats, with limits on uploads and some features. Paid plans add more messages, longer memory and stronger reasoning models.
Good for: outlines, first drafts, email replies, rewriting a paragraph in a simpler way.
Watch out for: generic wording. Always edit the output in your own voice.
Claude
Claude’s pricing page lists a Free plan and a Pro plan at $20 a month billed monthly, or $17 a month with a yearly plan ($200 billed up front). Higher Max plans exist for heavy use.
Good for: editing long drafts, summarizing documents and keeping a consistent tone.
Gemini
Google’s Gemini plans page lists a Free plan and paid Google AI Plus, Pro and Ultra plans. Paid plans add Gemini inside Gmail, Docs and other Google apps, which helps if you already write in Google Docs. Ultra starts at $99.99 a month in the US.
Good for: people who live in Google Docs and Gmail.
Grammarly
Grammarly’s plans page lists a Free plan and a Pro plan shown at $12 USD, with a free trial. It works as a checker inside your browser and apps.
Good for: catching mistakes and fixing tone in writing you did yourself.
Want more free AI tools that save time beyond writing? Hux covers five in this Short:
Free vs paid: which do you need?
Start free. The free plans are enough to learn how these tools work and to draft short pieces. Pay only when you hit a limit you feel every week, like message caps or file uploads. One paid tool is usually enough. Paying for three that do the same thing is a common waste.
How to use AI for writing without sounding like AI
- Give it your notes, not just a topic. “Write a blog post about budgeting” gets bland text. Your own points and examples get useful drafts.
- Ask for an outline first. Fix the structure before any full draft.
- Rewrite the opening and ending yourself. Readers notice those most.
- Cut filler words. Delete phrases that sound like a brochure.
- Check every fact. AI tools can state wrong things confidently. Verify numbers and names from the original source.
- Read it out loud. If it doesn’t sound like you, change it.
What AI writing tools are bad at
- Your real experiences and opinions. Only you have those.
- Up-to-date facts, unless the tool searches the web and shows sources.
- Knowing your audience as well as you do.
Where to go next
See our AI and productivity hub for more tools that save time. If you want to turn writing into income, freelance writing is one of the ideas in our 25 side hustle ideas for beginners, and our Start Here guide shows how to start.
FAQ
What is the best free AI for writing?
ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini all have free plans that handle drafts well. Grammarly’s free plan is better for checking writing you already did. Try two and keep the one you like.
Is it okay to use AI for writing blog posts?
Yes, if the final post is helpful, accurate and checked by you. Google’s guidance on AI content focuses on whether content helps people, not on which tool helped write it.
Can AI writing tools replace a human writer?
They speed up drafts, but they can’t add your experience, judgment or fact-checking. Treat them as an assistant.
Are AI writing tool prices the same everywhere?
No. Prices vary by country and change over time. Always check the official pricing page.