Grammarly Premium is billed on the company’s official website as “a paid upgrade that offers over 400 types of checks and features, [and] checks for grammatical errors…”
Setting aside the tech company’s awkward wording while describing their flagship product, I recently tested the software firsthand before writing an independent review.
To begin the process, I subscribed to Grammarly Premium with a monthly recurring fee of $30 USD and installed the app on my desktop. To test the program’s ability to correctly identify errors, I intentionally typed a few imperfect sentences with the expectation it would flag most, if not all the grammatical missteps. Curiously, not a single error was identified. Continuing the test, I lowered the bar by introducing sentences with “mistakes” that were impossible to miss. Specifically, every sentence violated subject-verb agreement with deliberate intent. Included were sentences that began with “I is”, “She were”, and “Them are.”
Grammarly had one job—highlight errors and provide corrective feedback. Contrary to expectations, however, not only did the app fail to recognize a single infraction, but instead provided an endless stream of positive feedback, complete with “thumbs up” emojis.
When testing the product, one thing becomes clear. Rather than a technology that provides actionable feedback aimed at improving subscribers’ writing, Grammarly functions as an online marketing canvasser, soliciting additional paid upgrades including services of writing coaches who advertise on the company’s platform.
Considering a self-described grammar-checking technology failed to identify a single error, I’m sure most would agree that Grammarly’s poor performance merits a solid “F”.
Given the paid app’s inability to recognize even the most basic grammatical misconstructions, it’s extraordinary that a single person—let alone the sheer number of YouTubers, students, writers, and editors—continues to recommend Grammarly to their respective audiences. I cannot offer an explanation for why that is. What I can say is something that was mentioned earlier, but bears repeating. Grammarly had—and has— only one job. I’m certain that job does not entail registering a “thumbs up” in response to a sentence beginning with “I is” while charging $30 per month to do so—a gesture that more closely resembles a middle finger if you ask me.
Incidentally, my experience when cancelling the paid monthly subscription was anything but hassle-free.
For writing advice that won’t cost you a penny from legendary authors including Stephen King, click here.
For my list of writer’s resources, all of which are free, click here.