Hemingway Editor
A readability editor that colour-codes long sentences, adverbs and passive voice.
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About Hemingway Editor
Hemingway Editor is a deliberately simple tool: paste or type text and it highlights hard-to-read sentences in yellow and very hard ones in red, flags adverbs, passive voice and complicated words, and shows a reading grade level. It doesn't rewrite for you in its classic form; the point is to make you see where your prose gets heavy. The free web editor still does exactly that. Hemingway Editor Plus is the newer subscription, adding AI fixes for highlighted issues, grammar checks and tone adjustments, with a two-week trial. The classic desktop app for Mac and Windows is a one-off purchase, works without an internet connection and can publish straight to WordPress, but it does not include the AI features. It is made by Boondoggle Studio, a small independent company. Hemingway is a good habit-builder for plain, direct writing, though its rules can push every sentence toward the same short rhythm.
Best for: Writers who want to make their prose shorter and plainer, without AI rewriting.
Pros and cons
What works
- Instantly shows which sentences are hard to read
- Free web version needs no account
- Desktop app is a one-time purchase and works offline
Why people leave
- Classic version has no grammar or spelling check
- AI features need a separate subscription
- Rules can flatten deliberate stylistic choices
Top Hemingway Editor alternatives
See all 5- 1
ProWritingAid66.5Adds full grammar checking and many more style reports, with a lifetime licence option.
- 2
Grammarly62.6Catches grammar and spelling too, and works inside every app instead of a separate editor.
- 3
Vale59.6Free, open-source and scriptable, for enforcing plain-language rules on docs.
- 4
Wordtune57.2Suggests actual rewrites of wordy sentences instead of only flagging them.
- 5
Harper55.3Free offline checker that adds grammar and spelling, with no account needed.
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Hemingway Editor: common questions
Is Hemingway Editor free?
Hemingway Editor has a free plan and paid plans.
Is Hemingway Editor open source?
No, Hemingway Editor is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Vale and Harper.
What platforms does Hemingway Editor run on?
Hemingway Editor is available for Web, Windows and macOS.
What are the best alternatives to Hemingway Editor?
The highest-ranked Hemingway Editor alternatives right now are ProWritingAid, Grammarly and Vale. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.