A Grammarly alternative for students
What a student needs from a writing tool, what each option costs, and how to use them within the rules.
What students actually need
- Fewer slips. Typos and grammar mistakes cost marks and look careless.
- Clearer sentences. Long, tangled sentences hide good ideas.
- Real sources. A citation to a paper that doesn't exist is worse than no citation. Always open and read the source.
- Correct citation format. APA, MLA or Chicago, the way your course asks for it.
- A price that fits. A tool you can keep using all year.
The options compared
| Paid plan from | Good for | |
|---|---|---|
| NOVA Ink | US$5.99 a month paid yearly | Fixes as you type, rewrites, real sources and citations, in Chrome and Edge |
| Grammarly | Pro listed at US$12 | Wide app support, plagiarism and AI detection on Pro |
| QuillBot | US$8.33 a month paid annually | Paraphrasing modes, a citation generator and plagiarism checks |
| LanguageTool | Local currency | Writing in more than one language |
| Wordtune | US$6.99 a month paid annually | Rewrites and summaries |
Prices from each company's own page on 22 October 2026. See our full comparison of Grammarly alternatives.
Why sources matter more than you think
AI chat tools can invent references that look real. With NOVA Ink, you highlight a claim and tap Find sources. It searches Crossref and OpenAlex, two public research databases, and shows published papers with a working DOI link, then formats the citation in APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago. A match is a starting point: open the paper and check it supports your point before you cite it. For the formats, read how to cite a source in APA, MLA and Chicago.
Staying within your school's rules
- Check your course policy on AI tools before you use any of them.
- Use writing tools to fix and improve what you wrote, not to write it for you.
- Keep your drafts, so you can show how your work developed.
- Never cite a source you haven't opened.
NOVA Ink's natural check is a writing style check, not an AI detector. It can't tell you what your school's tools will say.
Questions
What is the best Grammarly alternative for students?
It depends on what you need. For fixes as you type plus real sources and citations at a low price, NOVA Ink. For paraphrasing, QuillBot. For other languages, LanguageTool.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Grammarly Premium?
Grammarly lists Pro at US$12. NOVA Ink is US$5.99 a month paid yearly, QuillBot Premium is US$8.33 a month paid annually and Wordtune Advanced is US$6.99 a month paid annually.
Is using a grammar checker cheating?
Fixing spelling and grammar in your own work is usually allowed, but rules differ. Check your course policy, especially for AI rewriting.
Does NOVA Ink make up sources?
No. Find sources only shows published records from Crossref and OpenAlex, each with a DOI link you can open.
Better marks start with fewer slips.
NOVA Ink helps in Chrome and Edge, right where you type. 7-day trial with 10 AI actions a day. No card needed.