I tested the 5 best free AI writing software tools in 2026 (here’s what I found)

The world of AI writing tools is getting crowded. It seems like a new one launches every week. More choice is good, but it makes it harder to find quality tools that don't immediately ask for your credit card. So, which free tools are actually useful, and which are just glorified demos?

I decided to find out. I've spent time testing the most popular free AI writers to see what they're capable of. Some are simple proofreaders, while others can write entire articles.

At eesel AI, we faced this same challenge. We needed to create more content, but most tools didn't meet our quality standards. That's why we built our own, which helped us take our blog impressions from 70,000 to 750,000 impressions. Let's take a look at what I found.

What is free AI writing software?

Simply put, AI writing software uses artificial intelligence to help you write, edit, or improve text. These tools run on Large Language Models (LLMs) trained on huge amounts of data from the internet. This lets them understand language, context, and style, so they can generate new content from a basic prompt.

They usually come in a few flavors:

• AI Text Generators: These are built to create new content from scratch. You give them a topic or a few instructions, and they can generate blog posts, ad copy, or emails.
• AI Writing Assistants: These tools act like an editor, focusing on improving text you've already written. They fix grammar, rephrase sentences, and help adjust the tone.
• AI Content Optimization Tools: This type of software is made for SEO. It looks at your content and suggests ways to help it rank higher in search engines, like adding certain keywords.

  

How we evaluated the best free AI writing software

To make a fair comparison, I used the same checklist for every tool. Here's what I focused on:

• Quality of the writing: Is the text clear, accurate, and human-like? Or does it need a ton of editing before it's ready to go live? The less cleanup work, the better.
• How generous is the free plan? What can you get done without paying? I checked the limits on words, features, and daily uses. A good free plan should let you complete a task, not just show you a tiny preview.
• How easy is it to use? A good tool should be straightforward. You should be able to get started quickly without needing to watch a bunch of tutorials.
• What is it best for? Is the tool an all-rounder, or is it made for a specific job? Some are good for many things, while others are great at one thing, like long-form content or copywriting.

Free AI writing software comparison table

Here’s a quick look at how the top tools compare.

The 5 best free AI writing software tools

This list covers tools for different jobs, from simple proofreading to full content production. The right one for you depends on what you need to do.

1. eesel AI blog writer

The eesel AI blog writer is a specialized tool built to do one thing well: turn a single keyword into a complete, SEO-optimized blog post with images and other media, ready to publish. It’s not about making a rough draft; it’s about creating a finished piece of content.

What sets it apart is that it handles the entire process. It researches the topic and automatically includes things like AI-generated images, infographics, and data tables. It also pulls in social proof from Reddit and YouTube to make the content more credible. It uses context-aware research to find relevant data (like pricing for comparison posts) and is optimized for AI answer engines (AEO), not just old-school search.

• Pros: The biggest plus is how much time it saves on research, writing, formatting, and finding visuals. The final article is designed to rank in search engines and has a human-like tone, avoiding the generic filler you get from many AI tools.
• Cons: You can generate your first blog for free, but it’s not a "free forever" tool. It’s made for people who are serious about creating content at scale, so its value is in the time saved and the results.
• Pricing:
  • Free: Generate your first blog post completely free to see the quality.
  • Paid: It costs $99 for 50 blog credits, and you can buy more when you need them.

2. Grammarly

Grammarly has been the standard for AI writing help for years. It started as a tool for fixing grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Now, with its generative AI features, called GrammarlyGO and AI Agents, it can also help you rewrite sentences, change your tone, and come up with ideas.

Even paid users are limited to 1000 prompts/month which heavy users would run through quite fast. Overall, it seems better suited to copywriting and improving some written material than as a full-fledged editor.

Reddit

• Pros: The free version is very powerful for making sure anything you write is clear and correct. Its browser extensions and app integrations mean it works almost everywhere you write. It’s a great proofreader, and its plagiarism checker is a trusted tool.
• Cons: The free plan's generative AI is limited to 100 prompts per month, which you can use up fast. At its core, Grammarly is an assistant, not a generator. It improves what you've written but won't write a full blog post for you.
• Pricing:
  • Free: Basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation checks, plus 100 AI prompts per month.
  • Pro: Starts at $12 per member per month for more advanced features and 2,000 AI prompts.

3. Rytr

Rytr is a well-known AI writer with over 40 templates for different kinds of content, like blog outlines, emails, ad copy, and social media posts. It's a solid tool for quickly generating short text in more than 30 languages.

The abundance of templates makes the process of content creation more streamlined and it was useful to be able to guide the tone of writing with the click of a button. Where it falls short though is riffing off what you've already written and working in line with that style. This, along with the stilted sentences makes it less-than-ideal for creative writing.

Reddit

• Pros: The free plan is a good way to try out different AI writing tasks. The variety of templates makes it easy to generate specific kinds of copy, and its "MyVoice" feature helps the AI learn your writing style over time.
• Cons: The free plan is limited to 10,000 characters per month, which isn't much if you're writing longer articles. The output can sometimes sound a bit generic and often needs editing to fit a specific brand voice.
• Pricing:
  • Free: 10,000 characters per month.
  • Saver: $9/month for 100,000 characters per month.

4. Copy.ai

Copy.ai is designed as a Go-to-Market (GTM) AI Platform for marketing and sales teams. It's best at automating tasks like sales prospecting, lead research, and creating content for marketing campaigns using its customizable workflows.

• Pros: The platform is easy to use, with a familiar chat interface. The free plan gives you enough words to test its copywriting features. It also supports over 25 languages and uses the best language model for each task.
• Cons: The free plan is limited to 2,000 words per month and 200 one-time workflow credits. Because it focuses on automation, the blog posts it generates are first drafts. Users will need to handle fact-checking, editing, and adding visuals.
• Pricing:
  • Free: 2,000 words per month.
  • Chat Plan: Starts at $29/month for 5 seats and unlimited words in the chat.

5. ParagraphAI

ParagraphAI is an accessible AI writer that works as a browser extension and a mobile keyboard. It’s made for quick, on-the-go writing, like drafting replies to emails, generating short paragraphs, and fixing grammar instantly.

• Pros: It's one of the few tools with a truly free forever plan. The AI mobile keyboard is its best feature, making it easy to write and edit text directly in other apps like Gmail or Slack.
• Cons: The free plan is very limited, giving you only 5 uses per day. That's not enough for anyone who writes regularly. The features are basic and not suited for long-form content or professional marketing materials.
• Pricing:
  • Free: 5 uses per day.
  • Pro: Starts at $19.99/month for unlimited use (or $12.49/month if you pay annually).

Tips for getting the most out of free AI writing software

Whichever tool you end up using, these tips will help you get better results.

• Give it detailed instructions: The quality of the output depends on the quality of the input. Don't just give the AI a keyword. Tell it about your audience, the tone you want, and any key points to include. More context equals better results.
• Use it as a writing partner, not a replacement: Think of AI as a tool to help you brainstorm, create outlines, and get past writer's block. You should always be in control of the final article.
• Always fact-check and edit: AI models can make things up. Human oversight is essential for accuracy. Always read through the generated content to make sure it's factually correct and fits your brand.
• Don't take the first draft: Work with the AI. Ask it to rephrase a section, expand on a point, or simplify complex ideas. Treat it like a conversation to guide the tool toward the output you want.

  

For a deeper dive into the best free options available today, the video below offers a great overview of tools you can start using right away.

The Nerdy Novelist offers a great overview of nine of the best options for free AI writing software and art tools.

Ready to try the best free AI writing software?

Plenty of good free AI writing tools exist, but most are built for one specific task. Grammarly is great for editing, and Rytr is good for short copy. But if you need to produce a lot of high-quality blog content, you need something that manages the whole process, from research to formatting.

The eesel AI blog writer was built to do just that and save you hours on every article. The easiest way to see what I mean is to try it. You can generate your first post for free and see the quality for yourself.