Grammarly vs Quillbot: Which Is Better for Students?
You have an essay due at midnight. You need to fix your typos, but you also need to rewrite a clunky paragraph so it makes sense. Which AI tool do you open?
Most students think Grammarly and Quillbot do the same thing. They don't.
One is an editor; the other is a rewriter. If you use the wrong one at the wrong time, you might waste hours, or worse, get flagged for plagiarism.
Here is the straightforward breakdown of which tool does what, and how to use them to get an A.
1. Grammarly: The "Polisher"
Think of Grammarly as a strict English teacher standing over your shoulder. Its main job is to fix what you have already written.
It scans your text for mistakes in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. But it also does something smarter: it checks your tone. It will tell you if your email to a professor sounds too casual or if your argumentative essay sounds weak.
Best for:
Catching Typos: It finds small errors that spell-check misses.
Clarity: It suggests removing unnecessary words to make your writing punchy.
Citations: The paid version helps auto-generate citations in MLA, APA, and Chicago formats.
The Downside: The free version is great for basic grammar, but it won't rewrite whole sentences for you unless you pay for Premium.
2. Quillbot: The "Rewriter"
If Grammarly is a teacher, Quillbot is a study buddy who helps you rephrase things. Its main power is paraphrasing.
You paste a sentence in, and it spits out a new version that means the same thing but uses different words. This is a lifesaver when you are trying to incorporate research without copying the source directly.
Best for:
Paraphrasing: Changing the structure of a sentence to avoid plagiarism.
Summarizing: You can paste a long article into its "Summarizer" tool to get the main points instantly.
Fluency: If English isn't your first language, it can turn broken sentences into smooth, native-sounding text.
The Downside: The free version has a "word limit" (usually 125 words at a time), so you can't paste a whole essay at once.
The Verdict: Which One Do You Need?
You actually need both, but for different stages of your writing process.
Feature | Grammarly | Quillbot |
Primary Job | Fixes grammar & spelling | Rewrites & paraphrases text |
Best Used For | Final proofreading | Drafting & research |
Free Version | Unlimited spell check | Limited word count (125 words) |
Plagiarism Check | Excellent (Premium only) | Good (Premium only, limited pages) |
Winner for Editing: Grammarly is safer for checking your final draft before submission. Winner for Drafting: Quillbot is better for when you are stuck and can't find the right words.
Conclusion
Don't choose just one. The smartest students use them together to save time.
Use Quillbot while you are writing to help you flow through difficult paragraphs. Then, once you are done, run the whole document through Grammarly to polish it to perfection.
Next Step: Install the free Chrome extensions for both Grammarly and Quillbot today. They work side-by-side in Google Docs, so you get the best of both worlds without paying a cent.
