Here, we feature the 8 best punctuation checkers to help you edit and publish error-free writing.
Do you find yourself getting tripped up by commas and periods? If punctuation is a problem, then you may want to brush up on your grammar rules.
While you do, try one of these best punctuation checkers to make your writing more effective through proper punctuation. They can help you address issues like errant commas, missing full-stops and incorrect usage of the apostrophe.
Contents
Most punctuation checkers are built into grammar checkers. By using one of these, you can be confident that your writing will be error-free.
1. Grammarly
Who It’s For: Grammarly is for anyone who writes online. Bloggers, business writers, and even people making social media posts can all benefit from a checker that looks for spelling and punctuation mistakes as well as grammatical errors.
Pricing: Free to $30 a month
Grammarly is a robust grammar checker that is free to use. It also includes an option to upgrade to a premium version for $30 a month. It catches a wide range of punctuation errors, like errant commas and a lack of ending punctuation.
Bloggers and online writers love Grammarly because it has a browser plugin that lets them check their work as they write. It also works well for businesses that need clean grammar.
I use Grammarly the most frequently to check and revise sentences and punctuation in articles and blog posts. It proposes rewrites and also catches other issues like missing full stops and incorrect apostrophe usage.
Read our Grammarly review
We tested dozens of grammar checkers, and Grammarly is the best tool on the market today. It'll help you write and edit your work much faster. Grammarly provides a powerful AI writing assistant and plagiarism checker. Anyone who works with the written word should use it.
2. ProWritingAid
Who It’s For ProWritingAid is for all professional writers, but it specializes in fiction writing. The option to buy one license for life makes it ideal for those who write professionally.
Pricing: $60 per year
ProWritingAid is more than just a punctuation checker, though it does do that job. This powerful program will catch spelling mistakes, writing style issues, typos, and grammatical errors. It has a free version to allow people to try it before buying the paid option. However, you can only check punctuation up to 500 words. It costs $60 per year.
While editing my last book, I used the various reports inside of ProWritingAid to check individual book chapters. It worked nicely with Scrivener. As you can see in the below picture, it catches missing commas and other punctuation issues.
Read our ProWritingAid review
ProWritingAid is a powerful, accurate grammar checker and style editor. It's suitable for non-fiction and fiction writers and doesn't require a monthly subscription. Save 20% per month or year.
3. WhiteSmoke
Who It’s For: WhiteSmoke is commonly used in the business world, but those who work with blogging and online writing can also benefit from it
Pricing: $6.99 per month
WhiteSmoke is a web-based or desktop software that catches punctuation, spelling and grammar mistakes in the English language. It also has an algorithm that uses artificial intelligence to offer suggestions to correct errors. It has a style checker, grammar checker, punctuation checker, video tutorials and spell checker. It caught some punctuation issues in our test, however the user interface was slower than the above tools.
It costs $6.99 per month. Whitesmoke is a relatively useful tool, although Grammarly and ProWritingAid are both more powerful and easier to use.
4. Ginger
Who It’s For: Ginger is for someone who is looking for an alternative writing checker and who may want to translate their work into other languages.
Pricing: $13.99 per month
The Ginger software program includes a strong punctuation checking system. It checks for unneeded spaces, errant commas, semicolon issues, and more. This is a relatively useful grammar corrector that checks spelling and syntax as well as grammar and punctuation, so you can eliminate most writing errors and really improve your writing skills.
A few years ago, Ginger was a good alternative to ProWritingAid and Grammarly. However, today it lacks the same writing reports as its competitors and isn’t available on a Mac. It costs $13.99 per month, at a discount.
Read our comparison Grammarly vs Ginger
5. PaperRater
Who It’s For: PaperRater works well as an online proofreader for writers who do not do a high volume but want software to check their work.
Pricing: $11.21 per month
PaperRater proofreads through an online platform to help you find errors in punctuation and grammar quickly. It is a free online system, so you have nothing to download and no costs for use. PaperRater also checks for passive voice construction. It costs $11.21 per month, although you can check five pages for free.
6. LanguageTool
Who It’s For: This tool is for anyone who wants to tighten up their writing and works well for non-English language speakers who want to write well in English.
Pricing: Free to $4.43 per month
LanguageTool is a helpful tool for checking English grammar as well as grammar in many different languages. It is an open-source application, and it has a free punctuation checker built into the program. Most people find that it is simple to use so they can start checking their work right away for common grammatical mistakes. It costs approximately $5 per month.
7. After The Deadline
Who It’s For: After the Deadline was created with online writers in mind, including website content creators and bloggers.
Pricing: Free
After the Deadline, also called Polish My Writing, provides quick and simple grammar and spelling checking. It highlights grammar and punctuation errors in green with spelling errors in red.
This program was made by the creators of WordPress. Unfortunately, it’s no longer in development or being maintained. So don’t expect updates. To be honest, it’s easier to use the Chrome plugin for Grammarly. However, After the Deadline is free.
8. Antidote
Who It’s For: Those who prefer editing their work locally rather than online or with cloud software
Pricing: $59.95 per year
Antidote is a lesser-known grammar and punctuation checker. Developed in France, it’s available on Mac Windows, Linux and Chromebook.
It costs $59.95 per year. Unlike, other checkers here, Antidote works locally on your computer. It’s a good choice if you dislike uploading your work to the cloud or online. It’s popular with businesses and academic institutions.
That said, the company also offers Antidote+, which operates online like Grammarly.
Our Testing Criteria
We regularly update this roundup of punctuation checkers as the products evolve. We test new features by checking articles, book chapters, and blog posts for grammatical mistakes and other issues. Typically, we test using them by using the web app and or the desktop app.
Why You Can Trust Us
I’ve written and published dozens of articles for newspapers, magazines and online publications including, Forbes and Lifehacker. I’m also a best-selling non-fiction author, a trained journalist and a copywriter.
Punctuation software forms a key part of my writing workflow for non-fiction. I use this software to improve my work and also to check work by freelance writers who publish content on this site.
Final Word on the Best Punctuation Checker
The best punctuation checker includes a built online grammar checker that helps you edit and fine-tune a piece of writing. We like ProWritingAid and Grammarly due to their accuracy, price point and ease of use. Antidote is another interesting option that’s suitable for those who dislike cloud software. We also like them as they help with analyzing readability.
In short, these tools will help you transform a piece of writing into a powerful, effective work.
FAQs on the Best Punctuation Checker
Is there a free punctuation checker?
Online punctuation checker tools are often part of online grammar checkers, and many of these have free versions. Grammarly and ProWritingAid are examples of free options.
Is there an app that checks punctuation?
The best way to check punctuation is with a grammar checker. Not only will you catch missing apostrophes and commas, but you will also catch other grammar mistakes and spelling errors. Consider using one as part of your self-editing workflow.
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