{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "harper",
            "name": "Harper",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://writewithharper.com/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/harper",
            "tagline": "Open-source grammar checker that runs on your own device",
            "summary": "Harper is a free, open-source grammar and spell checker that runs locally on your device. It has browser extensions for Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and plugins for VS Code, Obsidian and Neovim. The code is licensed under Apache-2.0 and published on GitHub.",
            "platforms": [
                "macos",
                "browser-extension"
            ],
            "pricing": "open-source",
            "price_note": "Free and open source under Apache-2.0; no paid tier listed",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "Apache-2.0",
            "source": "https://github.com/Automattic/harper",
            "strengths": [
                "Free and open source under Apache-2.0",
                "Checks run on your device, with no telemetry",
                "Fast enough for live checks as you type"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Desktop app is listed for macOS only",
                "No AI rewriting or tone suggestions"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Harper checks spelling, capitalization, awkward phrasing and broken grammar, and it covers US, UK, Canadian, Australian and Indian English. The project says every check runs on the device, with no cloud round-trip and no telemetry. It is written in Rust, which keeps checks fast enough to run as you type.\n\nHarper is distributed as a macOS desktop app, as Chrome, Edge and Firefox extensions, and as plugins for VS Code, Obsidian, Neovim and Zed. Its source is on GitHub under Apache-2.0. The project says no language model runs in the loop, so Harper does not offer AI rewrites or tone suggestions. The desktop app is listed for macOS only."
        },
        {
            "slug": "microsoft-editor",
            "name": "Microsoft Editor",
            "kind": "web",
            "website": "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-editor",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/microsoft-editor",
            "tagline": "Spelling, grammar and style checks built into Word and Outlook on the web",
            "summary": "Microsoft Editor is the spelling, grammar and writing-suggestion feature in Word and Outlook for the web. It checks clarity, conciseness and formality, and it can use a user dictionary. Microsoft calls its grammar checker free, and it says the full feature set works best with Microsoft 365.",
            "developer": "Microsoft",
            "platforms": [
                "web"
            ],
            "pricing": "freemium",
            "price_note": "Free grammar checker; advanced checks work best with Microsoft 365",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": false,
            "strengths": [
                "Built into Word and Outlook for the web",
                "Clarity and conciseness checks, not only spelling",
                "User dictionary for names and terms"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Full options work best with a Microsoft 365 subscription",
                "Works only inside Microsoft's own apps"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "Editor is the spelling, grammar and writing feature in Word and Outlook for the web. It checks spelling, grammar, capitalization and punctuation, and it suggests clearer and shorter wording for wordy sentences. It can build a user dictionary for names and terms, and the page also lists a similarity checker for reviewing documents.\n\nEditor belongs to Microsoft's own apps rather than to a browser extension, so it is most useful for people who already write in Word or Outlook. Microsoft's page calls its grammar checker free and says Editor works better with a Microsoft 365 subscription, which adds advanced clarity and formality checks."
        }
    ],
    "differences": [
        "Only Harper runs on macOS.",
        "Only Microsoft Editor runs on Web.",
        "Harper is open source; Microsoft Editor is not.",
        "Harper: free and open source. Microsoft Editor: free plan, paid upgrades."
    ],
    "shared_rankings": [
        {
            "list": "grammar-and-proofreading-tools",
            "name": "Grammar and proofreading tools",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/grammar-and-proofreading-tools",
            "of": 10,
            "results": [
                {
                    "product": "harper",
                    "rank": 3,
                    "score": 89.5,
                    "verdict": "Free, Apache-2.0 open source, with checks that run on your device. It covers grammar and spelling only, and its desktop app is listed for macOS.",
                    "best_for": "Private, free grammar checks on your own device",
                    "spec": {
                        "where": "On your device, in browsers and editors",
                        "rewrites": "None; no AI model in the loop",
                        "style": "Grammar and spelling only"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "product": "microsoft-editor",
                    "rank": 5,
                    "score": 86.5,
                    "verdict": "Built into Word and Outlook for the web, with a free grammar checker. Its full set of options is tied to a Microsoft 365 subscription, and it works only in Microsoft's apps.",
                    "best_for": "Checking grammar inside Word and Outlook on the web",
                    "spec": {
                        "where": "Word and Outlook for the web",
                        "rewrites": "Shorter wording suggestions",
                        "style": "Clarity and conciseness checks"
                    }
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "ranks_higher_in_closest_shared_list": "harper",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/harper-vs-microsoft-editor",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/harper-vs-microsoft-editor.json",
    "notes": [
        "Scores are editorial and only comparable inside one list. Products with connected_to_publisher true receive a disclosed ranking lift: https://listme.name/methodology"
    ],
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}