Last updated 08-12-2026
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Hemingway Editor
Hemingway Editor highlights hard-to-read sentences, passive voice, adverbs, and weak phrasing so you can tighten prose before publishing. The free online readability checker scores your text at a grade level and marks yellow sentences (4+ grades above average) and red sentences (6+ grades above) in real time with unlimited word count. Hemingway Editor Plus adds one-click AI rewrites for grammar, clarity, tone, and custom editing instructions.
Grammarly and similar tools focus on correctness; Hemingway focuses on readability first. It targets an 8th-grade reading level because that is the average adult comprehension level in the United States, and it shows exactly which sentences trip readers up rather than just an overall score. The Plus tier rewrites up to 5,000 or 10,000 sentences monthly while keeping your voice, and the company states it will not sell your data or use it to train AI models.
Bloggers, marketers, and academics use it to cut jargon and wordiness. The classic desktop app (Hemingway Editor 3 at $19.99) works offline on Mac and PC without AI features. Plus subscribers get eight tone presets (confident, formal, friendly, persuasive, and more), document review feedback, context-aware synonym suggestions, and file import/export with target reading level controls.
Free readability checker with unlimited word count and real-time grade-level scoring
Yellow highlights flag sentences 4+ grade levels above average; red flags 6+ grades harder
Plus Individual 5K plan at $8.33/month (annual) includes 5,000 AI sentence rewrites monthly
Eight AI tone presets: shorten, add detail, confident, friendly, casual, formal, persuasive
Advanced grammar fixes beyond spellcheck with unlimited usage on all Plus plans
Classic desktop app (Hemingway Editor 3) costs $19.99 one-time and works offline without AI
2-week free Plus trial with no credit card required; cancels automatically
Free readability checker with unlimited words and real-time sentence-level highlights
Focuses on clarity and grade level rather than just grammar correctness
Plus AI rewrites match your tone instead of producing generic robot prose
Strong privacy stance: no data sales or AI training on user writing
Classic $19.99 desktop app works fully offline for travel or spotty Wi-Fi
2-week Plus trial requires no credit card and cancels automatically
AI rewrite limits cap at 5,000 or 10,000 sentences monthly on paid plans
Desktop app purchase does not include Plus AI features
Annual billing required for advertised monthly rates ($8.33 and $12.50)
Readability focus may oversimplify technical or academic writing that needs complexity
Is Hemingway Editor free?
Yes. The online readability checker is free with unlimited word count, grade-level scoring, and highlights for hard-to-read sentences, adverbs, and passive voice. Hemingway Editor Plus adds AI rewriting and grammar fixes with a 2-week free trial.
How much does Hemingway Editor Plus cost?
Hemingway Editor Plus Individual 5K costs $8.33 per month billed annually ($100/year) with 5,000 AI sentence rewrites monthly. The Individual 10K plan costs $12.50 per month annually ($150/year) with 10,000 rewrites. Team plans start at $12.50 per user monthly.
What reading level should Hemingway Editor target?
Hemingway Editor recommends writing at or below an 8th-grade reading level to reach the average US adult audience. The tool scores your text and highlights individual sentences that exceed this threshold, since one difficult sentence can confuse readers even in otherwise clear text.
Does Hemingway Editor check grammar?
The free version highlights readability issues like passive voice and complex sentences. Hemingway Editor Plus adds advanced grammar fixes with unlimited usage, including common errors like your/you're and its/it's confusions that basic spellcheckers miss.
What is the difference between Hemingway Editor and Plus?
The free Hemingway Editor provides readability scoring and manual highlighting. Plus adds AI sentence rewrites, grammar fixes, eight tone adjustment presets, document review feedback, custom AI editing commands, and synonym suggestions. The $19.99 desktop app is a separate offline purchase without AI.
Does Hemingway Editor use my writing to train AI?
No. Hemingway states it will never sell your data, let others use it to train an AI, or use it for advertising. This applies to Hemingway Editor Plus AI features.