Whether you are a top-notch writer or a novice looking to learn the ropes on the basics of grammar, you will always need the support of a grammar checker as a writing companion. As a business owner, you would understand the importance of crafting clear and grammatically correct copy. While some would prefer to hire an editor, the most affordable and convenient, option would be grammar checker software.
Grammar checker software steps in to help experienced writers perfect their work, and on the other hand, help aspiring writers get in sync with the basics of grammar and sentence structure. Talking of grammar checker tools, Grammarly and Ginger are the most noticeable. However, there has been heated debate on which grammar checker software is best between the two.
While each of these has its unique capabilities, it would be fair to say their differences also help writers with varying capabilities choose the best between them. We take a look at these two by comparing the common features and what sets each of them apart from the other.
Feature #1: Proofreading database and editor accuracy
Grammarly boasts of up to 16 billion sources in its database, specifically focused on proofreading. This number is proof enough that the software has a high accuracy level. It also helps that Grammarly is popular and used by thousands, if not millions of writers every day. It takes advantage of this feat by raking writers’ grammar to provide accurate contexts.
Grammarly’s editor focuses on the exact spelling issues in your text. It also offers helpful insights and suggestions on what could be done to avoid repeating the same issue. This makes it much easier to learn and get better with your writing much faster.
Ginger, on the other hand, focuses more on the hard-to-read sentences. What’s more, it offers suggestions to reword them, thanks to its ‘sentence rephraser’ feature. This helps keep your sentence more seamless and improves the accuracy of your grammar.
You will love Ginger’s multilingual support. It thrives with its English Personal Trainer tool that acts as your personal coach on matters language. Ginger, however, does not have a definite number in regards to its database. As such, one cannot be sure how far-reaching it is.
Who wins?
On this front, Grammarly takes the day, thanks to its detailed suggestions on grammatical changes and a comprehensive database.
Feature #2: Device Usage and Editor Limitations
Let’s face it; both Ginger and Grammarly have their limitation when it comes to editing and device usage. For instance, Ginger limits its free users to 14 corrections a month. This is too limiting, especially if you are a heavy user. However, its premium version offers unlimited access to all paying members.
On the other hand, Grammarly offers more access to members, even in its free version. However, free members do not get access to the plagiarism detector feature.
In regards to device compatibility, however, both tools are almost neck to neck. For one, they can be used on most operating systems as well as the web-based versions. They both have excellent browser extensions. Grammarly’s Chrome extensions, for instance, comes in handy by tracking every word your type, both on the browser and Google docs.
Both Grammarly and Ginger have a desktop app, only that for Grammarly, the app only applies on a Mac. The Ms word extensions work pretty well for both and feature the same functionality as it does on the web versions.
Who wins?
As much as most of the functionalities on this feature seem to go head-to-head, Grammarly gets a slight edge thanks to its extended functionality on its free version to help you catch even more grammatical errors. So, if you do not need to check for plagiarism on your work, you might never need to have the paid version as the free version works just as good on proofreading.
Feature #3: Multilingual support
Grammarly may be hugely popular, but this is only meant so for English writers. This is because its editor only supports English. Well, it may help with differentiating between British or American English, but that is as far as it goes.
Ginger, on the other hand, supports more than 40 languages. All a user has to do is select their preferred home language, set the preferred destination language, create the content, and hit translate. Ginger will then take over by correcting all the grammatical issues based on your selected language.
Who wins?
Ginger is a definite winner on this thanks to its multiple language compatibility. This works best for international writers looking to perfect their writings in English or any other preferred language.
Feature #4: The costs
As a writer, you are not only concerned about checking your grammar but also how much it will cost you. Luckily, both Grammarly and Ginger have free versions, albeit with their limits. For the paid options, you can either choose monthly or other long term plans.
Grammarly offers a monthly plan of $29.99, while Ginger charges $20.97 for the same period. For a better deal, however, you are better off biting the bullet and paying for the yearly plans. This will bring down the monthly costs significantly.
Grammarly charges a one-time payment of $139.95 for the yearly plan. This technically means you will be paying just $11.66/month. Ginger, on the other hand, has a yearly plan of $89.88. This rate boils down to about $7.49 per month.
Who Wins?
If you are working on a budget and only looking for a grammar checker that does not necessarily involve plagiarism checks, then Ginger takes the day.
Here is a comparison table to help you get a clear picture of the two grammar checkers:
Comparison Table
| Grammarly | Ginger |
| Limited to English language support | Offers multilingual support of over 40 languages |
| Helps in picking wordiness | No wordiness feature offered |
| Mac desktop compatibility | Not Mac compatible |
| Clearly displays the article’s accuracy score | No accuracy score offer |
| Can pick out incorrect use of numbers | Does not recognize wrong use of numbers |
| Can Check for plagiarism | No plagiarism checker |
| No mobile app | Mobile app available |
| Has Monthly, 3-month and yearly plans | Basic/free and premium (monthly or yearly) plans |
| Can check uploaded documents | No such feature on Ginger |
| Text-to –speech feature not available | Text-to-speech feature available |
To have a clearer picture, let’s compare the merits and demerits of each software:
Grammarly Pros
- Sign up and set us is super easy and thus ideal for a beginner
- The brewer extensions come in handy for your day to day writing ranging from emails to social media posts.
- Helpful in picking out a plagiarized section for writing using multiple online resources
- An ideal drag-and-drop editor for both MS word and Google docs
Cons
- No free trial version for the premium subscription. However, the free version’s multiple capability would be ideal to gauge the premium version will work out.
- Some corrections made by Grammarly may not necessarily be correct based on context. As such, it will still need a keen human eye during the editing process.
Ginger pros
- Effective sentence rephrasing feature. This helps to cover for its lack of a plagiarism checker.
- Features a learning center where novice writers can learn to become even better writers through guides and editors
- Available in multiple languages
- Offers grammar checking abilities that are context specific
- Affordable compared to Grammarly both for its monthly and yearly premium versions.
Cons
- Limited usability on the Mac
- No free trial for premium versions
- Does not offer plagiarism checks
So which one to choose?
When it comes to creating quality, error-free content, you would take the need for a grammar checker software seriously. Grammar and Ginger are two dependable grammar checkers that have been in the market for some time now. However, as already established, each of these grammar checkers have their own unique features, advantages, and disadvantages. Whatever the case, you would want to settle on one tool at the end of the day. In this regard, you would need to consider the following factors before you make your decision:
Functionality- If you are an experienced writer who does not have to worry about plagiarism but only looking to correct simple grammatical mistakes, Ginger would be your best bet.
Limits – The free versions of both Grammarly and Ginger have limitations on editing, but Grammarly offers more capabilities on its free version.
Pricing – Ginger is more affordable compared to Ginger. However, grammar offers more functionalities thus the higher pricing.
Level of experience – Grammarly works best with novice writers looking for better guidance and suggestions on spelling, voice and overall sentence structure. Ginger, on the other hand, would work best for the seasoned writers looking to brush up their content.
Based on these parameters, it is clear that your choice will be dependent on a number of factors. As such it may not make much sense to pick a favorite. However, if we were to pick a favorite, Grammarly takes the day, thanks to its extensive functionality and ease of use. Grammar has a broader database, which translates to even more accuracy in its editing and proofreading functionality.