The short answer. Grammarly is the broadest: grammar, spelling, tone and rewriting, in a browser and in most text fields. Ludwig is the different one — a linguistic search engine that shows how a phrase is actually used in published English, which is a research tool rather than a corrector. RewriteBar rewrites from the menu bar, Selected operates on a selection, and TabType offers on-device completion. The dividing question is whether the problem is a mistake or a doubt, because a grammar checker fixes what is wrong and a usage search answers what you are unsure about, and only one of them can tell you that a sentence is grammatical and still sounds foreign.
This guide covers 5 english writing assistants for macOS. Every fact below is drawn from the same verified records that back each app’s own page. The recommendations are our editorial judgment, not payment.
Quick comparison
| App | What it is | Pricing | Licence | Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grammarly | productivity app | not published | not published | — |
| Ludwig | productivity app | not published | not published | 3.1.8 |
| RewriteBar | system tool | not published | not published | 2.36.0 |
| Selected | Mac utility | Open source | GPL-3.0 | 0.2.8 |
| TabType | productivity app | Open source | MIT | — |
What actually decides this
- Correction or research. A corrector finds errors. A usage search shows real examples. If the sentence is grammatically fine and still reads oddly, only the second helps, and a corrector will happily approve it.
- Where it runs. A browser extension sees web text fields. A system-wide tool sees every app. An on-device model sees everything and sends nothing. The coverage and the privacy posture are the same decision seen from two sides.
- Whether it rewrites or suggests. A suggestion you accept keeps your voice. A rewrite you paste replaces it. Tools that rewrite aggressively are useful for a second-language draft and dangerous for a voice you have spent years developing.
- What it does with technical text. Grammar rules were written for prose. Code, identifiers, API names and command lines trip every one of them. A tool with no way to exclude a block will mark correct text as wrong all day.
- Whether it learns your style or imposes one. Style matching is a feature and also a risk: a tool that rewrites toward a generic register will flatten the differences that made the writing worth reading.
Our picks
- Grammarly — Its record describes refining your English, which is the correction case. Choose it when you want broad correction across apps and the browser.
- Ludwig — Its record describes a linguistic search engine that helps you write better in English, which is the usage-research case. Choose it when you are unsure how a phrase is actually used.
- RewriteBar — Its record describes helping you write with AI assistance from the menu bar, which is the rewrite case. Choose it when you want rewriting from a menu bar shortcut.
- Selected — Its record describes various operations on selected text, which is the selection case. Choose it when the action should apply to a highlighted passage.
- TabType — Its record describes on-device ghost-text suggestions powered by a local model, which is the local case. Choose it when you want completion that runs on the machine.
The apps
Grammarly
Grammarly is a productivity app for macOS. Refine your english. Its pricing is not published.
What it does. Grammarly makes AI writing convenient. Work smarter with personalized AI guidance and text generation on any app or website.
Full profile and verified facts for Grammarly →
Ludwig
Ludwig is a productivity app for macOS. Linguistic search engine that helps you to write better in English. Its pricing is not published.
Ludwig is listed with current version 3.1.8.
Full profile and verified facts for Ludwig →
RewriteBar
RewriteBar is a system tool for macOS. A macOS menu bar app that helps you write your text with the assistance of AI. Its pricing is not published.
What it does. RewriteBar is the leading macOS AI writing assistant. Fix grammar, translate to 500+ languages, and enhance your writing in any app with AI-powered actions.
RewriteBar is listed with current version 2.36.0.
Full profile and verified facts for RewriteBar →
Selected
Selected is a Mac utility for macOS. A Mac tool that allows various operations on selected text. It is released under GPL-3.0.
What it does. A Mac tool that allows various operations on selected text.
Selected is listed with current version 0.2.8.
Full profile and verified facts for Selected →
TabType
TabType is a productivity app for macOS. Free, open-source AI autocomplete for every Mac app — on-device ghost-text suggestions powered by a local LLM (MLX); nothing leaves your Mac. It is released under MIT.
What it does. Inline ghost text everywhere you type, with pixel-matched placement and a text-mirroring mode for web apps. Type-through: keep typing and the suggestion shrinks to match, never flickers. Word-by-word or whole-suggestion accept; word alternatives popup (⌃⌥Space) when you want options. Instant dictionary + learned-phrase completions while the model works (zero latency).
Full profile and verified facts for TabType →
How to choose
- No licence fee, source available. Selected and TabType — the source can be read and, under the terms of each licence, reused.
- Pricing not published in our data. Grammarly, Ludwig and RewriteBar — check the developer’s own site before assuming anything about cost.
Open source: Selected and TabType (2 of 5).
Common mistakes
- Running a grammar checker over code and accepting its corrections.
- Letting a rewriter replace a sentence you had already got right.
- Using a usage search to check grammar. It shows frequency, not correctness.
- Installing a system-wide assistant without deciding what it is allowed to read.
How this guide was put together
Each app’s facts come from its own record: the developer’s own pages and repository, the App Store listing where one exists, and the documentation, each with a source grade and an access date. Where a fact rests on the developer’s own statement rather than on something we verified independently, the sentence says so. Where our data has no value for something, the guide says “not published” instead of guessing.
A price appears here only where the record carries one from a stated source; the guide never estimates one, and it records the pricing model alongside so the two can be read together. Prices change and vary by region, so each app links to its own page for the current detail.
The facts and the recommendations are kept apart on purpose. Everything in the app entries, the comparison table and the answers above is composed from the records. The short answer, the criteria and the picks are our editorial judgment: they reflect what we would choose and why, and they are not paid for. Where we make a recommendation we name the condition it applies under, because we do not call anything “the best” without explaining the criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose between these english writing assistants?
There is no single answer — it depends on what you need. This guide covers 5 english writing assistants: Grammarly, Ludwig, RewriteBar, Selected and TabType. They differ mainly in pricing model, licence and the trade-offs each one carries. Pick by the trade-off you care about rather than by rank.
Are these english writing assistants free?
Pricing across this group: not published (Grammarly, Ludwig and RewriteBar) and open source (Selected and TabType). Where we list pricing as not published, the developer does not state a model we could verify — check their own site before assuming anything about cost. We quote a price only where the record carries one from a stated source, and we never estimate one. Prices change and vary by region and by store, so always check the developer’s own page for the current figure.
Which of these english writing assistants are open source?
Selected (GPL-3.0) and TabType (MIT) are open source.
Do these english writing assistants support Apple Silicon?
Our data does not carry an explicit Apple Silicon statement for any app in this group, so we do not claim one. The absence of a statement is not the same as the absence of support.
How do I choose between them?
Start with how you pay: the guide groups these apps by pricing model, because the budget is the constraint most people actually have. Then check the trade-offs listed for each app: the limitations are the part that decides most people’s choice, because they describe what the app will not do for you.
