21 of the Best Writing Tools for 2024

The best writing software programs — why do you need to know about them?

To find out the answer to this question, read on…

Humans have been writing from the time when the earth’s crust was cooling. Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch, but you get the point, right?

From reed quills to pen and paper to typewriters, our writing tools have evolved a great deal.

Today, we have editing tools that help us articulate our ideas in a clear, engaging tone. They simplify the writing process by helping us with research, ideation, proofreading, and editing.

Some sophisticated writing tools also offer advanced suggestions (like voice and word choice) that make our writing easier to read and digest. Using them, you can create content that people will love to read and share.

What’s more?

The best writing software programs also allow you to collaborate with other stakeholders. They let you share documents, comment on them, and maintain version histories, making the review cycle simple and short.

And if you deal with marketing content, content writing tools become indispensable. The best writing tools in this genre offer SEO tips and platform-specific guidelines. By digging into tool analytics, content marketers can decide what type of content to create to achieve the desired results.

Impressive, right?

Exactly.

However, selecting the best writing software program is not easy.

With most tools boasting of comparable features and prices, it’s hard to evaluate tools objectively. Plus, not all tools offer free trials in which you can assess their performance. And, how many of us actually read the fine print of return policies?

To help you make an informed decision, we’ve assessed 21 of the best writing tools and programs of 2024 in this post. Along with big-picture feedback on each tool, we’ve covered the features, pros, cons, and pricing in detail. We’ve laid out the good and bad of each tool, no holds barred.

Intrigued?

Then, check out our list of 21 best writing tools below.

What Are the 21 Best Writing Applications You Can’t Do Without?

You might be familiar with a few of these best writing software programs, but you might not know how they stack up against the competition. Since we’ve personally vetted these tools side-by-side, we know what it takes for a writing tool to be the best.

Let’s take a look at best writing platforms for writers/editors.

Best Writing Tool #1: ProWritingAid

If you need a spell checker, editor, and writing mentor in one tool, ProWritingAid should be your pick. While it corrects your writing, it delves deep into your work to draw 20 analytics reports.

With ProWritingAid, you can edit where you write. They have a great desktop writing app and plugins for MS Word, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Google Docs. If you are writing for work, it also integrates with a wide range of sales and helpdesk apps, including Salesforce, Zendesk, Pipedrive, and more.

But that’s not all. With all of their plans, they offer a free trial and a 14-day money-back guarantee. Don’t be surprised; we did promise to bring you the BEST writing tools.

Key Features:

• No limit on word counts
• Realtime grammar and style suggestions
• Resource library for writers
• 20 analytics reports
• Readability, consistency and overused words  suggestions
• In-app videos and quizzes to hone your writing skills
• Contextual thesaurus and Word Explorer feature
• Customizable style guides and dictionaries
• Native integration with MS-Word, Chrome, Google Docs, Scrivener, and more apps.

To learn more about the tool’s features, check out our ProWritingAid review.

Cost:

ProWritingAid offers three pricing plans — Monthly for $20, Yearly for $79, and Lifetime for $399.

To buy their plagiarism checker, you can opt for the Premium Plus plan worth $24 monthly.

Do you want to try their plans? Here’s your free trial link.

Pros:

• Helps you go beyond just grammar to improve your writing technique.
• Can be used with most operating systems, including Mac and Windows
• Tons of free resources and training events for subscribers to help build skillsBest value for the money
• Proactive support
• Advanced features at basic prices

Cons:

• Becomes sluggish when editing large documents
• No mobile keyboard

Usability: Can be hard to master for beginners

Level: Intermediate

Case Study:

On their “Wall of Love” (aka Twitter handle), we found many positive customer testimonials. One of them stood out:

Award-winning author, A.K. Vagnetti, vouches for ProWritingAid with these words:

“I can't say enough about ProWritingAid! Without it, my editor would pull her hair out. Their editing software just takes my writing to another level.”

Pro Tip:

If you’re a busy writer/editor always on the move, install ProWritingAid’s writing app free of cost. Want to add their plugin to Chrome? Here’s a free link for you.

Image via ProWritingAid

Best Writing Tool #2: Grammarly

No list of best writing tools would be complete without Grammarly on it.

Although many Grammarly alternatives have popped up, nothing beats the original when it comes to editing.

Grammarly can check your documents for wordiness, readability, and plagiarism (the Premium version only). Their recently-launched Beta version is compatible with Google Docs and shows phrasal predictions. Grammarly also scores your work against comparable pieces in your genre.

Grammarly suggests better word choices and flags spelling mistakes as you are writing. You can check synonyms and definitions of specific words by double-clicking on them. All of these features can enhance your writing in a big way.

Key Features:

• Automated grammar checker
• Grammarly keyboard to error-proof your emails and social captions
• Plagiarism detection
• Readability scoring
• MS-Office plugin
• Free browser extension

Cost:

Grammarly offers a free version with limited features, such as checking for conciseness and spelling errors. If you need more thorough proofing, you can buy their Premium plan for $29.95 monthly. If you pay upfront for a year, the monthly price comes down to $11.66.

Pros:

• Great mobile keyboard
• Fast online editor
• Premium features
• Extensive learning resources on their blog

Cons:

• Pricey plans
• No support for offline editing

Usability: Grammarly can be used by anyone, from students to novelists to academic writers.

Level: Intermediate

Case Study:

According to Grammarly’s user survey, 76% of the customers who bought their Premium edition have started enjoying writing and 99% have reported better grades.

Pro Tip:

To take full advantage of Grammarly’s prowess, choose their Premium plan. You get insights into how your writing compares to similar works by other Grammarly users.

Image via Grammarly

Best Writing Tool #3: Microsoft Word

The next best writing tool on our round-up is a word-processing veteran, Microsoft Word.

You can probably use Microsoft Word even with your eyes closed, but did you know that it can translate your document into non-native languages or publish newsletters on the web? These are just some of its standout features. Let’s take a look at the rest of them.

Key Features:

• Easy web publishing
• One-click translation
• 3D models and SmartArt
• Allows embedding external objects
• Can read your doc back to you to help spot errors and aid reading comprehension
• Review mode to help editors
• Desktop app

Cost:

If you need Microsoft Word for personal use, you can buy the MS-Office 365 pack for $9.99 monthly or $99 yearly. It can accommodate up to 6 users on Mac or PC.

Pros:

• Powerful formatting options
• Slick templates for brochures, invitations, and more
• Print and publish capabilities
• Compatible with most platforms
• Robust support by means of tutorial videos, in-app FAQs, and blog

Cons:

• If you open older documents in it, version mismatch can skew the formatting
• No phrasal auto-fill
• Poor watermarking

Usability: It’s easy to get started with the tool since its interface is self-explanatory.

Level: Intermediate

Pro Tip:

Keep checking out their website to learn about the newest features and updates.

Image via Microsoft Office

Best Writing Tool #4: Google Docs

Just like Microsoft Word, Google Docs is one of the best writing tools out there. The word processor comes bundled with Google Sheets and Google Slides in G Suite by Google.

This cloud-based editor lets you access and edit your documents anytime, anywhere for FREE. If you install the app, you can edit offline on tablets, PCs, and phones. Whether you want to create content for business or for personal use, Google Docs is the best writing tool for you.

Key Features:

• Cloud-based to enable editing on the go
• Hundreds of pre-made templates for resumes, reports, etc.
• Allows collaboration via shareable links, chats, and comments
• Add links, videos, snippets, images, and other rich media
• Intelligent phrasal suggestions (new feature)
• Auto save
• Version histories (sorted date-wise)
• Compatible with Microsoft Word
• Built-in Google Search
• Variety of add-ons, like Lucidchart Diagrams

Cost: 

It’s free for personal use. Businesses can opt for a 14-day free trial, following which they will have to create a G Suite business account. Pricing details are available on request.

Pros:

• Collaborative features
• Hassle-free content saving
• Free of cost for individuals
• 24/7 support
• Native integration with Google Search and Microsoft Word
• Easy document restore
• Free branded Gmail account with G Suite business plan

Cons:

• Adding and editing images is time-consuming.
• Fewer formatting options compared to Microsoft Word. You have to download add-ons to insert rich media objects.

Usability: The interface can be complicated for beginners.

Level: Expert

Case Study:

DB Corp started using G Suite in 2015. Their CTO, R.D. Bhatnagar, reports better agility and speed in their business processes, thanks to tools like Google Docs. He feels the tool has helped him stay organized and improve his writing habits.

He is very impressed with Google’s support team who helped him use the product with ease and efficiency. According to him, Google Docs is the best writing tool in the free category.

Pro Tip:

Take advantage of Google Docs keyboard shortcuts to get your editing job done quickly.

Image via Google Docs

Best Writing Tool #5: Hemingway Editor

Another of the best writing tools that we vouch for is Hemingway Editor.

The tool aptly named after renowned author, Ernest Hemingway, is a favorite of book writers and authors globally. Whether you write short-form or long-form content, this editing tool’s got you covered. From social media captions to whitepapers, you can proof all sorts of content using the tool.

It analyzes your content, sentence by sentence, and uses color-coding to indicate its readability. It also highlights voice issues and wordiness. Over time, it sharpens your writing skills.

Key Features:

• Flags unnecessary adverbs
• Provides simpler phrasal alternatives
• Indicates readability level and reading time
• Allows link addition
• Supports many export formats
• Direct content publication
• Desktop app

Cost:

The online editor is completely free. The desktop app is available for a one-time payment of $19.99, for both Mac and Windows. At this price, you are entitled to all of their future updates.

Pros:

• Real-time online editor
• Direct publishing to WordPress and Medium (only via app)
• Advanced readability analysis
• More affordable than peers

Cons:

• No browser plugin
• Not as full-featured as ProWritingAid and Grammarly
• No cloud backup

Usability: You can use it online and offline, for writing as well as editing. Overall, it’s best used for composing social content since it focuses on readability and conciseness.

Level: Intermediate

Pro Tip:

Keep an eye on the Hemingway Summary on the right-hand side. It shows your content’s reading time. This is helpful for people who publish on sites like Medium, which offer reading time information to readers.

Image via Hemingway Editor

Best Writing Tool #6: SmartEdit

If you’re a novelist, one of the best writing tools for you is SmartEdit.

Using the drag-and-drop editor, you can move your novel scenes around. You can attach research notes, links, and images to scenes, and keep track of your daily word count.

Regular writers can use their nifty Microsoft Word plugin to polish their writing. Professional writers can use the Pro version that works on all web browsers with Windows 7, 8.1, or 10.

Key Features:

• 25+ language checks
• Highlights phrase overuse
• Sentence structure analysis
• Flags cliches and “crutch words”
• Identifies punctuation issues
• Automatic backup (in app version)

Cost:

The online editor is free forever. The Word plugin and Pro edition cost $77 and $139 for lifetime use. They also offer a 10-day free trial of the plugin.

Pros:

• No restriction on word limit
• Free online editor
• Robust spell-checking capability
• Intuitive interface

Cons:

• No suggestions for vocabulary or sentence structure
• No auto-correct
• Mainly suited for manuscript editing

Usability: You can use it on PCs, phones, or tablets, with or without Microsoft Word and internet connectivity.

Level: Beginner

Case Study:

WordPress user, Ashley Parker Owens, finds SmartEdit’s monitored word list to be a useful feature. It identifies overused phrases and redundancy. Using the tool, she has been able to streamline her content to a great degree.

Image via SmartEdit

Best Writing Tool #7: WriteMonkey

For distraction-free writing and editing, WriteMonkey or WM is the best writing tool.

One of the oldest style editors in the market, WM is famous for the minimalist work environment it provides. That’s why it’s an essential productivity tool for writing professionals.

Although it has some publication and organizational features, it’s primarily meant for editing. So, if you’re old-school and prefer to avoid gimmicky features, WM should be your pick.

Key Features:

• Plain text editor
• Markdown enabled
• Converts text to HTML directly
• Auto saves files every 10 seconds
• Replicates the typewriter experience

Cost:

WM 2 is free to download, but works only with Windows. The latest edition, WM 3, works with most OS and can be installed with a WM donor key.

Pros:

• Clean interface
• Keyboard friendly with plenty of shortcuts
• Extremely lightweight
• Portable (can be stored in a pen drive)
• 100% customizable interface

Cons:

• No user manual
• Few publication features

Usability: WM 3 can be used with Windows, Linux, and OSX devices.

Level: Beginner

Case Study:

User Sunny Lee calls WriteMonkey one of the best writing tools when it comes to novel writing. It has helped him to come up with new ideas for writing stories. This way, he is able to overcome the proverbial writer’s block and utilize his writing time fully. He also loves the platform’s frequent upgrades and clutter-free interface.

Pro Tip:

To make the most of your writing time, customize the information bar in WM to show only the formatting features you REALLY want to see.

Image via WriteMonkey

Best Writing Tool #8: Reedsy

For creating publish-ready ebook manuscripts, Reedsy is the best writing tool.

This powerful book editor includes content marketing benefits as well. You can hire professional ghostwriters, cover designers, marketers, editors, and publishers from their talent pool. All resources are personally vetted by the Reedsy team.

But if you prefer to do your own writing/editing, Reedsy is your go-to tool. It also takes the stress out of DIY book publishing.

It produces beautifully typeset books that you can export to e-publishers directly. It edits your manuscripts as you write and generates print-ready PDF and ePub files that can be submitted right away.

Key Features:

• WYSIWYG editor
• Powerful conversion and formatting
• Formatting features pertinent to book writers
• Collaborative editing (coming soon)
• Ready-to-distribute drafts
• Marketplace for professional writers/editors

Cost:

The book editor is free after you register with your email address (no online editor available).

Pros:

• Verified writing resources
• Distribution-ready manuscript creation
• Support for top e-publishers like Smashwords
• Easy-to-use interface
• Free webinars with product info

Cons:

• Mandatory registration before you start editing (though it’s free)
• Limited features for business writers

Usability: Reedsy is a powerful editing tool for digital book writers. It can be used on most devices and OS.

Level: Intermediate

Pro Tip:

Once your book is ready and self-edited, connect with one of the reviewers in Reedsy’s database. Getting a fresh perspective on your work can improve the final quality.

Image via Reedsy

Best Writing Tool #9: LibreOffice Writer

If you’re a fan of Microsoft Word, you’ll love its free counterpart, LibreOffice Writer. It’s one of the best writing tools for Linux users, but also works seamlessly on Windows and Mac machines.

With many remarkable editing and publishing features, it’s a must-have for professional writers. Like Microsoft Word, it comes bundled with a calculator, spreadsheet, and presentation tools.

From a simple memo to a full-length book, you can write and edit almost anything on the platform. It can spot typos and spelling errors, apply custom formatting, and beautify your document with a few clicks.

Key Features:

• Auto-correct dictionary
• Mail merge for emails and letters
• Wizards for creating standard formats
• Easy import of .doc, .xls, .pdf, and other file formats

Cost: Free

Pros:

• Support for desktop publishing
• Powerful track change mode
• Open source so you can inspect the backend code
• Data security
• Frequent updates
• Quick bug fixing
• Robust support via community assistance, blog, and FAQs

Cons:

• Lacks SmartArt
• Sometimes corrupts formatting of imported documents

Usability: It can be used on Windows, Linux, and Apple, thanks to its unicode.

Level: Intermediate

Pro Tip:

For greater cost savings, use LibreOffice with Linux. You can reduce licensing costs and also get faster processing.

Image via LibreOffice Writer

Best Writing Tool #10: Mellel

One of the best writing applications for Mac and iPad users is Mellel. From doctoral theses to term papers, this word processor can create them all. It can also help write production-ready scripts and technical whitepapers.

Key Features:

• Multiple page views
• Super-fast processing
• Colored highlighters
• Outline pane
• Auto titles (for style consistency)
• Track changes
• Easy indexing
• Story View for fiction writers

Cost: 

Mellel for MacOS costs $49 for two years of free updates, valid for up to 5 users. The iOS version can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store. They also offer a 30-day free trial.

Pros:

• Flexible page setup
• Easy section creation
• Easier to use than most Mac editors

Cons:

• Strict document hierarchy
• Not free like its alternatives

Usability: Mellel is not meant for Windows users or non-serious writers. It’s a matured word processor, and hence, the hefty price tag.

Level: Expert

Pro Tip:

Use Mellel for typesetting lengthy writing projects. Its Styles and Auto-Titles features can come in handy that time.

Image via Mellel

Best Writing Tool #11: Scrivener

Among literature lovers, Scrivener is a well-known name. For the uninitiated, this book editing tool is not a traditional word processor.

Why, you wonder?

It functions as a ring binder of sorts — a place where you pin your thoughts, characters, plots, and other story elements. But that doesn’t mean that it is a note-taking app. It helps you loosely structure your ideas and move them around until your final draft takes shape.

From ideation to proofing, Scrivener smoothes your book writing routine so you fall in love with writing all over again. That’s why Scrivener deserves to be on our list of the best writing tools.

Key Features:

• Familiar editing options
• Presets for formatting text blocks
• File import in .docx, .txt, .pdf, and other formats
• Deep linking of corkboard and manuscript
• Outliner for easy navigation

Cost:

The Scrivener standard license for MacOS and Windows costs $49 yearly. You can also opt for their 30-day free trial.

Pros:

• Separate notes section to organize story ideas
• Easy section rearrangement
• Generous trial period of 30 days
• Tailor made for novelists and fiction writers

Cons:

• No thesaurus, punctuation checker
• No check for plagiarism
• No style checker

Usability: Scrivener can be used by Windows, Linus, and MacOS users.

Level: Intermediate

Pro Tip: 

To view your book layout at a glance, keep the outliner open in the side pane. You can easily shuffle around the chapters and sections as needed.

Image via Scrivener

Best Writing Tool #12: Evernote

Do you get frustrated when you lose track of your research notes and have to go hunting for them again?

Yes?

Then, Evernote is the best writing tool for you. Using it, you can pin your ideas, lists, tasks, and reminders to a bulletin board. To add more context to your notes, you can add voice clips, images, and links to them.

With all your notes in one place, you can focus on writing and maximize your productivity.

Key Features:

• Automatic sync of notes across devices
• A Save button for browsers to clip web snippets
• Note-making templates
• Advance search to find text in notes
• Contextual tags
• Document scanning

Cost:

Evernote offers three pricing plans — Basic (free), Premium ($3 per month), and Business ($6 per month). The Basic plan doesn’t provide team collaboration and integration features. To watch the tool in action, you can try it free of cost, no credit card required.

Pros:

• No restriction on word limit
• Free online editor
• Robust spell-checking capability
• Intuitive interface

Cons:

• Less than required sub-levels in some of their templates
• Basic web-capturing

Usability: It comes with a super-fast app for Android and iOS, with multi-device sync. It’s perfect for individuals as well as teams.

Level: Beginner

Pro Tip:

Use Evernote’s Default Notebook extensively. It lets you import emails, web clips, and voice notes on the fly. Also, use their Camera feature to capture visuals when you are out and about.

Image via Evernote

Best Writing Tool #13: Roam Research

Take your notetaking to the next level by using this best writing tool, Roam Research.

“Networked thoughts” is how they describe themselves on the website. Simply put, the tool lets you link your notes.

It also helps you identify notes with the most internal links.

The benefit?

You can interlink your pages better. This is a great SEO technique to keep readers hooked to your website for longer.

Key Features:

• Visual overview of your networked notes
• Bidirectional note linking
• Sidebar to display linked notes
• Easy journaling

Cost:

Roam Research has two plans — Standard (for $15 monthly) and Believer (for $500 for 5 years). They also offer a 2-week free trial, after which they start billing automatically.

Pros:

• Easy linking
• Fluid notes hierarchy
• Robust filtering
• Easy navigation between notes
• Fixes duplicate tags
• A bubbling online user community

Cons:

• Not a fully-shipped product
• Data loss instances
• Loads slowly when you import big documents
• Dodgy customer support

Usability: As of now, Roam is available only as a web app.

Level: Intermediate

Case Study:

Mansi Jain from Stanford has been able to improve her productivity 3x after using Roam. She says that the tool helps delimit her thought process and streamline her research.

Pro Tip:

Don’t forget to exploit Roam’s tagging feature. Using it, you can discover old notes that are relevant to what you’re currently writing.

Image via Roam Research

Best Writing Tool #14: Ulysses

The best writing tools offer a clean, focused writing environment. And that’s precisely what Ulysses does. But that’s just one of its many capabilities.

It also offers document management, file synching, and style editing. It’s the perfect accessory for serious writers who work on Mac or iOS.

Key Features:

• Unified library to organize your documents
• Distraction-free interface
• Word counter
• iCloud to sync documents
• Exports text to HTML, DOC, PDF, and other formats

Cost:

The subscription costs $5.99 monthly or $49.99 yearly. Students can avail special discounted rates. You can try the tool for 14 days (free of cost) before buying it.

Pros:

• Efficient document management
• Multiple view options
• Trackable writing goals
• Direct publishing on WordPress and Medium

Cons:

• Doesn’t work on Windows devices
• No prescriptive experience

Usability: You can use Ulysses on Mac and iOS devices.

Level: Intermediate

Case Study:

Best-selling author, David Heusen, enjoys Ulysses’ minimalistic environment as much as its powerful backend. These features allow him to focus on story writing, without being caught up in the tool mechanics.

Pro Tip:

Leverage the iCloud synchronization that comes with all their plans, and edit on the move.

Image via Ulysses

Best Writing Tool #15: Ceros

Ceros is a cloud-powered platform that transforms static text to animations without coding.

What makes Ceros one of the best writing tools is that it’s backed by an expert team and decades-long experience creating standout digital content. Using immersive visuals, you can provide your website visitors with a memorable user experience.

What else?

Content, when presented visually, strikes a chord with 65% of consumers who are visual learners. They retain and recall visual content much better than plain-text. This way, Ceros helps you beat the competition just by serving great content.

Key Features:

• Drag-and-drop editor
• Coding-free web content
• Support for varied media assets, including widgets, fonts, and videos
• Content marketing services
• Rich template library

Cost: 

You can contact their sales team for prices. Meanwhile, you can start their free 30-day pilot program with unlimited access to Ceros features and services.

Pros:

• Intuitive interface
• Responsive to customer feedback

Cons:

• Messy CSV file for presenting analytics data
• Hard to create interactive quizzes

Usability: It’s a web-based platform that runs on the cloud.

Level: Expert

Pro Tip:

For inspiration, check out the fun projects in their Inspire gallery.

Image via Ceros

Best Writing Tool #16: Scripted

Scripted is not a writing tool per se. Yet, it’s on our list of best writing tools owing to its remarkable writing services. You can select pre-vetted writers and editors from the platform’s huge database.

The benefit?

Small businesses may not have the resources and skills to create stellar content on their own. For them, it makes sense to hire external resources, especially if they are affordable. And budget is not an issue when it comes to Scripted. Their resources are lower priced than other writing-service providers.

Key Features:

• Huge talent pool of freelance copywriters
• Experts in every domain
• Analytics to monitor your writers
• Digital-friendly content
• Blog Idea section

Cost: 

Their self-serve Basic plan is worth $199 monthly. At this price, you get access to writers, blog ideas, 2 rounds of revision, and $199 in monthly content credits.

Pros:

• Monthly content credits with the Basic plan
• Quick turnarounds guaranteed

Cons:

• Sluggish customer service

Usability: Anybody who's serious about content can hire Scripted writers. If you’re a writer interested in picking up freelance gigs, Scripted can be a good place to start.

Level: Intermediate

Case Study:

Ted Chan of CareDash, a health and nutrition brand, found their idea content partner in Scripted. For years, the platform has been providing them with quality writers at affordable rates. Using their resultful content, CareDash has been able to establish their brand as a go-to resource for health enthusiasts.

Pro Tip:

Be sure to include any specific content requirements you might have in your content order. If you need certified editors or “urgent” content, let the Scripted team know so that they can match you with your best fit.

Image via Scripted

Best Writing Tool #17: Draftin

If you want a simpler version of Google Docs, Draftin or Draft is the best writing tool for you. It has the same version control, collaboration, and cloud sync as G-Docs, but with an easier interface. Plus, we love their email reminders about daily word count goals — helps keep writers focused and productive.

Key Features:

• Hemingway mode to boost content readability
• Version search
• Webhooks to publish content directly on WordPress, Tumblr, and more
• Easy document import from Evernote, Dropbox, and Google Drive
• Cloud sync
• Chrome extension
• Audio/video transcription tools
• Easy-to-import to-do lists (Markdown Todos)

Cost: 

Prices are available on request. Draftin offers a 30-day money back guarantee.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Minimalistic interface
• GitHub-style to-do lists that don’t corrupt when you migrate your system

Cons:

• Dodgy quality of exported documents

Usability: If you love Google Docs, you will love Draftin even more. However, for publishing ebooks, it’s advisable to use more advanced publishing tools like Calibre.

Level: Beginner

Pro Tip:

To edit on the go, be sure to install their Chrome extension.

Image via Draftin

Best Writing Tool #18: Ommwriter

If you find the click-clack of typewriters soothing, Ommwriter is meant for you. It lets you create the ideal writing environment by selecting background music and typefaces. The sparse interface keeps distractions at bay so nothing comes between you and your writing.

That’s what a best writing tool looks like, right?

Key Features:

• Full-screen writing mode
• Natural backgrounds
• Calming audio tracks
• Key clicks
• Direct export to .pdf and email
• Free experience test

Cost: 

Ommwriter comes with no set price. Crowdsourced by the Ommwriter community, the tool is available at flexible rates, which should be around $8.44 (for single users).

Pros:

• Flexible pricing
• Slashed-down rates for social projects
• Simplistic interface

Cons:

• Restricted options to play with images and text

Usability: Any writer who wants to discover their zen can use Ommwriter. It’s available on Mac and PCs.

Level: Beginner

Pro Tip:

If you need Ommwriter to create content for nonprofits, write to [email protected] for discounted rates.

Image via Ommwriter

Best Writing Tool #19: Ginger Software

Another one of the best writing tools you need to know is Ginger Software.

This grammar editor follows you around and corrects your errors as you type. Whether you’re writing a business email or a Facebook comment, Ginger keeps working in the background and error proofs your content.

Key Features:

• Advanced spellchecker
• Sentence rephraser
• Contextual synonyms
• Translation to 50+ languages
• Text reader
• Personal language trainer

Cost:

Ginger Software offers three plans, all with a 7-day 100% refund policy. The Monthly plan costs $20.97 per month, the Annual plan costs $7.49 per month (if billed annually), and the Two-Year plan costs $6.66 per month. There’s a special 30% promotional discount on all plans.

Pros:

• Excellent read-back feature
• Works with most browsers, including Safari, Mozilla, and IE
• Helps with paraphrasing

Cons:

• Sometimes bogs down other computer applications
• Doesn’t work with Google Docs

Level: Intermediate

Usability: It works well with Microsoft Office, Android, iOS, and Safari.

Case Study:

Sandra Grant, who suffers from dyslexia, loves Ginger’s text reader. Since she has trouble with writing, the readback feature helped her immensely.

Pro Tip:

To brush up your grammar and vocabulary, check out their tutorials and online drill sessions.

Image via Ginger Software

Best Writing Tool #20: Slick Write

Slick Write is an online grammar and spelling checker, with extensions for Chrome and Firefox. You don’t need to install any software to use the tool. Simply paste your content into the tool and check for stylistic errors. It also offers an interactive demo for first timers.

What makes it eligible for this list of best writing tools? It’s completely free although you can tip them through PayPal if you want.

Key Features:

• Very easy to use
• Associator for phrasal alternatives and synonyms
• Customizable feedback
• Auto saves documents to browser local storage
• Data security
• Free application

Cost: Free

Pros:

• Lightning fast
• No software installation

Cons:

• Interface is not sophisticated

Level: Beginner

Usability: It can be used on Windows machines.

Pro Tip: 

In your spare time, play their word association game to broaden your vocabulary.

Image via Slick Write

Best Writing Tool #21: WordRake

Our best writing tool countdown comes to an end with WordRake.

The professional-grade editing platform can be used with Microsoft Outlook and Word. The key focus areas of the tool are brevity and clarity. It also provides contextual suggestions and detailed feedback on each error in your text.

Key Features:

• Minimizes jargon and legalese
• Flags wordy sentences
• Reduces nominalization and redundancy
• Changes tone from conversational to professional
• Instant results

Cost:

WordRake costs $129 annually for Microsoft Word only, and $199 for Microsoft Word and Outlook. For more than 20 users, you can opt for the Enterprise plan, which comes with a 30-day refund policy. The other plans can be tried for 7 days, free of cost.

Pros:

• Excellent for editing legal briefs
• Sophisticated features

Cons:

• No live chat support
• Not cloud-powered

Level: Intermediate

Usability: You can install WordRake on Windows and Mac devices.

Pro Tip:

Go through the writing tips by WordRake Founder, Gary Kinder. He offers a wealth of information about legal writing, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Image via WordRake

FAQs

Q1. What are writing tools?

A. Writing tools are software programs that help writers create, edit, and publish content with ease. The features of tools in this category differ widely.

Basic word processors help you write and format content, along with limited spell checks and word choice suggestions.

More sophisticated tools check content for readability, conciseness, and reading level. Book authoring tools possess different capabilities, including typesetting and ideation assistance.

Q2. What is the best writing tool?

A. Some of the best writing tools today are:

• ProWritingAid
• Grammarly
• Microsoft Word
• Google Docs
• Hemingway Editor
• SmartEdit
• WriteMonkey

Q3. What tools do you use to organize your writing?

A. To organize my writing, I use these tools:

• ProWritingAid: To proofread my work
• Google Docs: For collaborative writing and editing
• Hemingway Editor: To check the readability and scannability of content
• SmartEdit: To flag cliches
• WriteMonkey: For distraction-free writing
• Reedsy: To create publish-ready manuscripts
• Draftin: To achieve word count goals

Q4. What are good writing strategies?

A. Some proven writing strategies used by seasoned writers are:

• Create an outline to plan your content well and stay on track.
• While conducting research, pin your talking points on paper or sticky notes.
• Always proofread your work manually or using editing tools.
• Write according to reading level.

Q5. What program(s) do you use to write a letter?

A. The best tool for writing letters is Grammarly. Being a sophisticated word processor and editor, the tool edits as you write. It allows you to select the language, tone, and reading level of your writing. Moreover, you can easily export edited documents to your system or the cloud so that you can write on the move.

Q6. What do professional writers use to write?

A. Professional writers use professional-level writing software programs for proofing, publishing, and organizing their writing. Some of the top tools in this genre are ProWritingAid, Grammarly, Hemingway Editor, Reedsy, and Google Docs.

Q7. Why do I struggle with writing?

A. Some of the reasons why people struggle with writing are:

• They don’t organize their research material.
• They don’t write according to reading level.
• They get distracted.
• They don’t proofread their work.
• They can’t keep up with deadlines and quality standards.

To overcome these issues, you can use writing tools like ProWritingAid (for proofreading), Reedsy (to keep your writing on track), WriteMonkey (to eliminate distractions), and Roam Research (for notetaking).

Ready to Try These Best Writing Tools?

That’s our roundup of the best writing tools in the market today. Which is best? That depends on your specific needs.

While some of these tools can detect grammar flaws, others can help you stay organized and productive. Together, they are the arsenal every serious writer needs to own. And, since most of these tools offer free trials, there isn’t any harm in trying them out.

Do you want me to review any other tools? Leave your requests in the comments below. I would love to share my opinions.