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CMD-C.app vs Grammarly

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Cheaper paid plan
CMD-C.app — $2.99/mo vs $12/mo for Grammarly
Free plan
Both have one
Higher Trust score
Grammarly — 94 vs 78 for CMD-C.app
Best fit
CMD-C.app: macOS users who want grammar correction without leaving their current app · Grammarly: Anyone writing in a browser, Word or email who wants corrections in place
Platforms
CMD-C.app: macOS · Grammarly: Web, Chrome extension, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

Side by side

FactCMD-C.appGrammarly
CategoryGrammar & ProofreadingGrammar & Proofreading
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$2.99/mo$12/mo
Trust score78 / 10094 / 100
PlatformsmacOSWeb, Chrome extension, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
CompanyCailTech Inc.Superhuman
Launched—2009
Last verifiedOct 15, 2026Oct 16, 2026

What our research says

CMD-C.app

CMD-C's system-wide shortcut avoids the usual grammar-checker friction of copying text into a separate app, and the bring-your-own-API-key option makes it effectively free for anyone who already pays for OpenAI or OpenRouter directly. It's macOS-only and a small one-developer utility, so long-term support rests on very little.

Pros

  • Works inside any macOS app via a keyboard shortcut, no copy-paste to a separate tool
  • Free tier available for users with their own API key
  • Cheap paid tier at under $3 a month for several thousand corrections
  • Correction history with explanations, not just silent edits

Cons

  • macOS only, no Windows or Linux version
  • The only company detail is a code-signing name, CailTech Inc., and support goes to a personal email address
  • Free tier depends on the user already holding a separate paid API key
  • The site quotes both 7,000 and 8,000 monthly corrections for the same plan

Grammarly

Still the default for catching mistakes inside other people's software, but the free tier has quietly become an AI-prompt meter and the honest price is $30 unless you commit to a full year.

Pros

  • Runs inside the apps people already write in rather than as a separate editor
  • Free tier still covers spelling, grammar and tone detection with no time limit
  • Pro folds in plagiarism and AI-text detection that rivals charge for separately

Cons

  • The $12 headline is the annual rate; paying monthly costs $30
  • Free AI allowance is 100 prompts a month and depletes quickly
  • No public API, so it cannot be embedded in another product
  • Enterprise pricing is not published anywhere on the site

Which one fits

Choose CMD-C.app if you need

  • macOS users who want grammar correction without leaving their current app
  • People who already have an OpenAI or OpenRouter API key and want a free option
  • Anyone wanting an editable prompt and a correction history

Choose Grammarly if you need

  • Anyone writing in a browser, Word or email who wants corrections in place
  • Teams enforcing a house style guide across people who are not writers
  • Non-native English speakers who want fluency rewrites, not just error flags

CMD-C.app vs Grammarly: the questions people ask

Is CMD-C.app cheaper than Grammarly?

On published entry prices, CMD-C.app starts lower — $2.99/mo against $12/mo for Grammarly. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it; what each plan includes differs.

Does CMD-C.app or Grammarly have a free tier?

Both: CMD-C.app has a free tier, and Grammarly has a free tier.

Browse all Grammar & Proofreading →