WindowSill vs Grammarly

Choosing the right AI writing tool can make or break your productivity. This comparison breaks down Grammarly and WindowSill to help you decide which fits your workflow.

Summary

Grammarly is a comprehensive writing assistant that works across web browsers, desktop applications, and mobile devices. It offers real-time grammar and spelling correction, tone detection, plagiarism checking, and sentence rewrites. Grammarly uses a freemium model with Pro features available through subscription at $12/month. It is primarily focused on English-language writing.

WindowSill is a Windows desktop command bar that provides AI-powered text assistance (grammar fix, rewriting, translation in 35+ languages, custom prompts) alongside productivity features like media control, clipboard history, meeting management, reminders, and image utilities. WindowSill supports BYOK models like OpenAI or local LLMs. It has a free-tier. Premium features are available via a $4/month subscription or a $48 lifetime license.

Feature comparison

WindowSill Grammarly
Grammar & Spelling AI-powered proofreading via text selection with instant text replacement Real-time inline suggestions as you type with detailed explanations
Tone Adjustment Professional, casual, attention-grabbing, and custom tones presets Advanced tone detection and suggestions for different contexts
Text Rewriting AI-powered rewriting with one click and model selection AI-powered rewriting with one click
Translation 35+ languages with instant translation Not available
Custom AI Prompts Create reusable prompts locally with variables (date/time injection and more) Uses Grammarly's built-in prompts (100 free, 2,000 Pro)
Per-Prompt Model Selection Choose different AI models per prompt Proprietary AI only
Summarization One-click summarize One-click summarize
Plagiarism Detection Not available Built-in plagiarism and AI text detection (Pro)
AI Providers 8 built-in BYOK providers, local LLMs, and any OpenAI-compatible API Proprietary AI only
Media Control Built-in — Spotify, YouTube, Netflix, Apple Music, and more Not available
Clipboard History With screenshot protection and password hiding Not available
Meeting Control Mute, unmute, leave Teams meetings Not available
Short-Term Reminders Full-screen (ADHD-friendly) and toast notifications Not available
Image & Video Utilities Batch convert, resize, compress Not available
Extensions SDK with growing marketplace Browser extension ecosystem
Enterprise & Organization AI provider allow-lists, managed prompts, usage analytics Custom roles & permission, usage analytics

Platform & Compatibility

WindowSill

  • OS: Windows 10 and 11
  • Memory: 300 MB recommended
  • Works in: Any application
  • Distribution: Microsoft Store + standalone installer (Pro)

Grammarly

  • OS: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Web
  • Memory: 8 GB recommended for optimal performance
  • Works in: Any application
  • Distribution: Direct download, browser stores, app stores

Pricing comparison

WindowSill Grammarly
Free PlanAll core productivity features (media, clipboard, reminders, utilities, extensions); no AIBasic grammar & spelling; 100 AI prompts/month
Individual PaidFrom $4/month or $48/year (WindowSill+)$12/month (Pro)
One-Time License$48 lifetime (BYOK only)Not available
EnterpriseFrom $3.60/user/month with graduated discountsCustom pricing (contact sales)
AI PromptsUnlimited on any paid tier2,000/month (Pro); unlimited (Enterprise)
Free Trial1-week free trial1-week free trial

Strengths & Gaps

WindowSill Strengths

  • AI writing as part of a full productivity toolkit
  • Translation into 35+ languages
  • BYOK with 8 built-in providers, OpenAI-compatible providers, and local LLMs
  • Use different models for different tasks
  • Custom reusable prompts with variable injection
  • Media control, clipboard, reminders built in
  • Privacy-first (local LLMs, screen recording protection)
  • Lifetime purchase option ($48)
  • Lower price than Grammarly ($4/mo vs $12/mo)
  • Enterprise AI governance (provider allow-lists, usage stats)

WindowSill Gaps

  • No real-time inline suggestions as you type
  • No plagiarism or AI text detection
  • Windows only (including browsers, but no mobile or macOS)
  • No detailed grammar explanations (doable through custom prompt)
  • No brand style guide or tone consistency features (doable through custom prompt)

Grammarly Strengths

  • Best-in-class real-time inline grammar suggestions
  • Detailed grammar and style explanations
  • Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, web)
  • Plagiarism and AI text detection (Pro)
  • Brand style guide and tone consistency (Enterprise)
  • Trusted by 40M+ users and 50,000 organizations

Grammarly Gaps

  • Subscription only — no lifetime purchase
  • Primarily English-focused (limited multilingual support)
  • No BYOK or local LLM support — proprietary AI only
  • No custom prompt creation with variables
  • No productivity features beyond writing (no media, clipboard, meetings)
  • AI prompts capped at 2,000/month on Pro

Which to Choose?

Choose WindowSill if…

  • You want AI writing as part of a broader productivity toolkit.
  • You work in multiple languages, not just English.
  • You want to choose your own AI provider or use local LLMs.
  • You need custom reusable prompts for repetitive tasks.
  • You prefer a one-time $48 lifetime purchase over subscriptions.
  • You care about data privacy (local LLM, screen recording protection).
  • You want unlimited AI usage without prompt caps.

Choose Grammarly if…

  • You need real-time inline grammar suggestions as you type.
  • You write primarily in English and need deep style analysis.
  • You use macOS, iOS, or Android in addition to Windows.
  • You need plagiarism and AI text detection.
  • You want brand style guides and tone consistency for your team.
  • You prefer a simple, single-purpose writing tool.
  • You need detailed grammar explanations to improve your writing.

Ready to boost your productivity?

Start with WindowSill for free and upgrade when you need more.

Download Free
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