Refine vs Grammarly

The private Grammarly alternative that works offline

Use Refine with a local model for offline grammar checks, fluency improvements, explanations, and translation on your Mac. Hosted providers connected with your API key process the selected task online.

Download for Mac

v1.39

macOS 14+

Free, no account

Quick comparison

Works offline

Refine with local model

Yes
Completely offline after the model is downloaded

Grammarly

Requires internet

Where text is checked

Refine with local model

On your Mac
Nothing is sent to external servers

Grammarly

Online
Text is sent to Grammarly for suggestions

Uses your data for AI training

Refine with local model

No
With local models, writing stays on your Mac and is not used for AI training.

Grammarly

Depends on the account
Training is on by default for individual accounts and multi-user Pro bought on Grammarly's website. It is off by default for Enterprise, Education, and plans bought through Sales.

Price

Refine with local model

$38 one-device lifetime license
Pay once. No monthly or yearly subscription.

Grammarly

Free plan; Pro $30 per member/month
Also available as $60 per member/three months or $144 per member/year.

Refine vs Grammarly feature comparison

Grammarly is a powerful cloud-based writing assistant. Refine is built for people who want AI writing help without sending their writing to the cloud.

Works offline

Refine with local model

Yes. Once an AI model is downloaded, Refine can check writing completely offline.

Grammarly

No. Grammarly describes itself as an online application that requires a stable internet connection.

Where your writing is processed

Refine with local model

On your Mac, using AI models stored locally.

Grammarly

Online. Grammarly says its apps use secure cloud infrastructure to provide suggestions.

Privacy setup

Refine with local model

Your documents and writing can stay on your Mac.

Grammarly

Privacy and security controls are available, but suggestions require online processing.

Writing stays off Refine servers

Refine with local model

Ordinary local checks run on your Mac without uploading the text.

Grammarly

Text is sent to Grammarly servers for suggestions. On Enterprise plans, Grammarly can sanitize certain data types before sending text if data loss prevention is enabled.

Online account required

Refine with local model

Designed as a local Mac app with AI models stored on your Mac.

Grammarly

Built around an online Grammarly account.

Grammar checking

Refine with local model

Available.

Grammarly

Available.

Explains corrections

Refine with local model

Available.

Grammarly

Available.

Languages supported

Refine with local model

36 languages, with regional options.See supported languages

Grammarly

Suggestions work in English plus 22 other languages. Paragraph rewrites are available in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Ukrainian.

Translation while writing

Refine with local model

Available.

Grammarly

Available on paid plans when generative AI is enabled; team admins can control access on organization-managed plans.

Custom writing instructions

Refine with local model

Available through custom prompts and instructions.

Grammarly

Available through style guides, snippets, brand tones, and team controls depending on plan.

Works across apps

Refine with local model

Works across most Mac apps.

Grammarly

Works across desktop apps, websites, browser extensions, and mobile apps.

Platform support

Refine with local model

macOS 14+.

Grammarly

Windows 10+, macOS 11+, iPhone, iPad, Android, and browser extensions.

Price

Refine with local model

$38 one-time for a one-device lifetime license. $68 one-time covers 3 Macs. No monthly or yearly subscription.

Grammarly

Free plan available; Pro costs $30 per member/month.Also available as $60 per member/three months or $144 per member/year. Each annual renewal is about 4x Refine's one-device price.

Usage limits

Refine with local model

No usage limits for local grammar checks.

Grammarly

Monthly AI prompt limits apply: 100 on Free, 2,000 per member on Pro, and unlimited per member on Enterprise.

Best for private writing

Refine with local model

A strong fit for journals, drafts, client notes, confidential writing, and text you do not want uploaded.

Grammarly

A better fit when sending text online is acceptable and features across devices matter more.

Main focus

Refine with local model

Private, offline AI grammar checking that keeps your writing on your Mac.

Grammarly

Cloud-based AI writing assistant for individuals, teams, and enterprises.

Try an offline grammar check on your Mac

  1. While online, install Refine and download a local model. Choose that model for the task you want to run. A hosted provider connected with your API key still needs internet.
  2. Disconnect from the internet, open a draft in a supported Mac app, and run a grammar check on this sentence.
Text to check
The team made a quickly decision before noon.
Recorded Refine output
The team made a quick decision before noon.

This existing example was reviewed July 30, 2026 with Refine v1.34 and Gemma 4 E2B in American English. It is not a fresh offline test or a Grammarly accuracy comparison. Your output can vary by model and version.

Review the suggested change, then try a paragraph of your own. Local AI can miss errors or change wording you wanted to keep.

Read the offline setup guide

Runs on your Mac

Offline grammar checks

Download an AI model once, then check writing without a live connection.

Processing on your Mac

Local checks run on your Mac, which keeps private writing out of Refine servers.

Which writing assistant should you choose?

Choose Refine when privacy comes first

Refine with a local model suits Mac users who want writing help without uploading text during checks. Hosted providers process text remotely.

  • You write confidential drafts, client notes, journals, or internal documents.
  • You need writing help while traveling, offline, or away from stable internet.
  • You prefer a one-time lifetime license, starting at $38, over another monthly subscription.

Choose Grammarly when team controls matter more

Grammarly is a mature cloud writing platform with broad device coverage and strong team admin controls.

  • Your team needs single sign-on, data loss prevention, domain controls, and central administration.
  • You want writing assistance across Windows, Mac, and mobile.
  • Your workflow can send writing online for suggestions.

Refine vs Grammarly FAQ

Is Refine an offline Grammarly alternative?

Yes. Refine is designed as an offline AI grammar checker for Mac. Once an AI model is downloaded, Refine can check grammar, improve fluency, explain suggestions, and translate text without a live internet connection.

Does Refine process writing locally?

Yes. With local models, Refine processes writing on your Mac. If you choose a hosted provider with your own API key, text for that task goes to that provider and requires a connection. If you choose to send a suggestion report, its included text is sent to Refine.

Does Grammarly work offline?

Grammarly does not work offline: its support page says the app requires a stable internet connection to analyze text and provide suggestions. Refine works offline after you download a local AI model, so you can check your writing without a live connection.

Which app is better for private writing?

For writing you want to keep on your Mac, use Refine with a local model. Hosted providers process text remotely. Grammarly is a better fit when online processing is acceptable and you need mobile access or team controls.

How do Refine and Grammarly compare on pricing?

Refine uses a one-time lifetime license for the Mac app: $38 for one Mac or $68 for 3 Macs. Grammarly has Free, Pro, and Enterprise plans. Grammarly Pro costs $30 per member/month, $60 per member/three months, or $144 per member/year by default in USD, while Enterprise is listed as Contact Sales. Regional prices may appear at checkout, and Grammarly says it does not offer lifetime or one-time plans.

When is Grammarly a better fit than Refine?

Grammarly is a better fit for teams and enterprises that need web and mobile coverage, single sign-on, data loss prevention, domain controls, and central administration.

Source notes

Offline requirement verified September 4, 2026 against the current Grammarly support page. Other details use support and plans snapshots reviewed May 8, 2026. Prices and features can vary by region, account, and admin settings.

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Try private grammar checking on your Mac

Download Refine and try it free in the apps you already use. Upgrade to a lifetime license whenever you're ready.

Download for Mac

v1.39

macOS 14+

Free, no account