For cleaner, more effective writing, consider using copyediting software as part of your writing toolkit.
As you grow a writing business, you will find that you don’t need a lot of tools to get things started. Yet copyediting software is one thing you will want in your writing and editing toolbox.
With the right software, copy editors and writers can cut down on their proofreading time and ensure they are publishing solid writing that is free of grammatical errors.
Yet with so many options out there to serve as grammar checkers and proofreading assistants, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Here is a guide to the top copyediting software options that you will want to add to your word processor or browser to make your writing stronger.
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Today’s writer has many options to choose from to help them write clearly. Copyediting software can help both editors and writers alike create error-free pieces. Here are some options to consider.
1. Grammarly
Who It’s For: Grammarly is ideal for online writers who want to copyedit their work in real-time.
Pricing: Free/From $30 per month.
Another popular choice, Grammarly provides real-time scanning of written work to ensure it is error-free. The Firefox plugin or Chrome extension is particularly helpful when blogging and posting online because it highlights programs directly in the web browser.
Grammarly has both a free version and Grammarly Premium. With the free version, you can get quite a bit of editing power, but the paid version is far more powerful.
As copyediting software goes, Grammarly is effective thanks to its AI writing assistant. It will flag up a series of suggestions and sentence structure improvements that you can accept or reject at a click. I’ve yet to see a comparable copyediting feature in another tool.
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.
2. ProWritingAid
Who It’s For: ProWritingAid is for any writer who wants to copyedit essays, blog posts, articles and books.
Pricing: $60 per year
ProWritingAid regularly tops the list of the best copyediting software because of all that it offers the user. This editing tool checks grammar as well as writing style, helping improve the readability of each piece.
This program is more than just a spellchecker. It is a robust writing tool that has many bells and whistles. The add-on scans browser-based writing in real-time to provide advice for better writing.
As copyediting software goes, ProWritingAid is effective at catching typos and word choice problems. It has several useful copyediting reports including:
- Stick sentences
- Overused words
- Sentence structure
- All repeats (that is repeated words)
I used all of these reports while self-editing a recent book before sending it to a proofreader.
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. Writer.Com
Who It’s For: Writer.com is best for business writers and writing teams.
Pricing: Free/ From $11 per month
Writer.com is an AI-driven copyediting program that helps you create stronger, more concise content. It corrects grammar, checks spelling, and watches punctuation. It also helps writers create a consistent brand voice, with specific features designed to work to connect all of the writers in a business to keep the writing consistent.
Writer.com works well for teams, giving them the ability to align their writing to a company’s specific style guide. This consistency improves branding effectiveness.
This software Is available as an add-on for Google Chrome, Google Docs, and Microsoft Word. It does not have a Mac version at this time.
4. Scrivener
Who It’s For: Scrivener works well for writers writing longer pieces, such as nonfiction and fiction writers writing a book or long report.
Pricing: $49
Scrivener is an interesting option because it is not directly a grammar checker. However, not all copyediting software needs to focus on grammar and spell-checking only. Scrivener helps you edit and organize your manuscript to prepare it for publication.
Most writers turn to Scrivener to help them organize and store their thoughts while they write. It’s useful for copyediting as you can manage multiple versions of the same file or piece of writing. It also integrates nicely with ProWritingAid, which is why it’s on this list.
I use Scrivener and ProWritingAid together for long-form writing projects.
5. PerfectIt
Who It’s For: Because it can support a style guide, PerfectIt works well for businesses and teams. It also offers features that work for individual writers who need help as they copyedit their work.
Pricing: Free/$70 per year
PerfectIt calls itself, “Proofreading software for professionals.” This program not only offers a good grammar check feature, but it also helps check for consistency and other style problems, such as abbreviations not previously defined.
PerfectIt is customizable to meet a business’s style needs. It works on all types of documents and across all operating systems.
6. AutoCrit
Who It’s for: AutoCrit is designed entirely for fiction writers who like to copyedit
Pricing: From free to $80 a month
AutoCrit analyzes your writing and marks areas to copyedit. It checks dialog, momentum and pace of a story. It also lets authors compare their works against other popular writers.
This comparison helps writers find common writing style mistakes and redundancies. For example, if a writer begins a sentence using the same word repeatedly, it highlight the word so the author can copyedit it. AutoCrit has a Free Forever plan, a Professional plan for $30 a month, and an Elite plan for $80 a month.
7. Antidote
Who It’s For: Those who prefer editing their work locally rather than online or with cloud software
Pricing: $59.95
Antidote is a lesser-known type of copyediting software. Developed in France, it’s available on Mac, Windows, Linux and also on Chromebook.
Unlike, other copyediting software here, Antidote works locally on your computer. It’s a good option if you dislike uploading your work to the cloud or online to copyedit. It’s popular with businesses and academic institutions.
That said, the company also offers Antidote+, which operates online like Grammarly. In our tests, Antidote flagged various copyediting issues with blog posts and articles.
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.
Copyediting software is a big part of my writing workflow for non-fiction. I use copyediting software regularly to improve my work and also to edit work by freelance writers who publish content on this site.
Our Testing Criteria
We regularly update this copyediting software roundup as the products evolve. We test new editing features by checking articles, book chapters and blog posts for grammatical mistakes and other issues. These articles and other writing samples range from several hundred to several thousand words in length. Typically, we test them using the web, desktop and browser apps and plugins.
A Final Word On Copyediting Software
Serious writers should use available tools to improve their writing structure, sentence length. grammar and spelling. All of these programs can help, and sometimes more than one is ideal to create error-free copy.
As you grow your abilities as a writer, don’t get lazy. Use copyediting software as part of the proofreading process. If you do, you will see a big improvement in your writing.
We use Grammarly and ProWritingAid the most due to their accuracy, price point and ease of use. However, Writer.com and Autocrit are good choices for business and fiction writers who like to copyedit, respectively. Antidote is also a good choice for academics and for anyone who works offline.
Remember, no copyediting software eliminates the need for a human editor entirely, so always check your work before submitting or pressing publish.
Still need help? Check our our self-editing checklist.
FAQs on Copyediting Software
What is the best editing software for Mac?
Grammarly and ProWritingAid regularly top the list of the best editing software, and both are compatible with Apple devices and platforms.
How can I become a copy editor?
A copy editor has to have a keen eye for detail and be able to spot grammar problems in written content. Learn grammar well, practice proofreading and you may be able to become a copy editor.
