{
    "products": [
        {
            "slug": "languagetool",
            "name": "LanguageTool",
            "kind": "app",
            "website": "https://languagetool.org/",
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/languagetool",
            "tagline": "Open-source grammar, spelling and style checker for many languages",
            "summary": "LanguageTool is a grammar, spelling and style checker for dozens of languages, with browser add-ons, Office plugins and a Premium tier. Its core is open-source software under the LGPL 2.1 license.",
            "platforms": [
                "web",
                "windows",
                "macos",
                "browser-extension"
            ],
            "pricing": "freemium",
            "price_note": "Free grammar checking; Premium adds unlimited paraphrasing and more features",
            "free_to_use": true,
            "open_source": true,
            "license": "LGPL-2.1",
            "source": "https://github.com/languagetool-org/languagetool",
            "strengths": [
                "Core source code on GitHub under LGPL 2.1",
                "Browser add-ons and Office plugins",
                "Covers dozens of languages"
            ],
            "limits": [
                "Paraphrasing is limited in the free version",
                "Less focused on generating new text than AI-first tools"
            ],
            "checked": "2026-10-10",
            "connected_to_publisher": false,
            "overview": "LanguageTool checks grammar, spelling, punctuation and style in its web editor and through browser add-ons for Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera. It also has Windows and macOS apps, add-ons for Gmail and Outlook, plugins for Google Docs, Word and LibreOffice, and a proofreading API for businesses.\n\nThe core checker is free to use, and Premium adds features such as unlimited paraphrasing. The core source is on GitHub under LGPL 2.1 or later, which places it among the open-source options in this category. Its focus is correctness and style checking across many languages rather than generating new text, so it complements an AI writing tool more than it replaces one."
        },
        {
            "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 LanguageTool runs on Windows.",
        "Only LanguageTool runs on macOS.",
        "LanguageTool is open source; Microsoft Editor is not."
    ],
    "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": "languagetool",
                    "rank": 2,
                    "score": 91,
                    "verdict": "Open-source core under LGPL-2.1, with browser add-ons, Office plugins and many languages. Free checking is solid, but paraphrasing is limited on the free tier.",
                    "best_for": "Open-source checking in many languages",
                    "spec": {
                        "where": "Browser add-ons, desktop apps and Office plugins",
                        "rewrites": "Paraphrasing, limited on the free plan",
                        "style": "Style checking in many languages"
                    }
                },
                {
                    "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": "languagetool",
    "page": "https://listme.name/compare/languagetool-vs-microsoft-editor",
    "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/compare/languagetool-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"
}