AI Writing Tools review

Hemingway Editor review

Highlights hard-to-read sentences so writing gets clearer and shorter.

ResearchedBy WhatsTheStack Editorial TeamLast verified

7.7GoodEditorial score / 10Editorial score 7.7 out of 10
Starting price
Free web editor; Plus from $8.33 / month billed annually
Free plan
Yes
Free trial
No
Visit Hemingway

Prices are indicative; confirm on the vendor’s site.

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Our verdict · 7.7/10 Good

A focused clarity tool that pairs well with a grammar checker. It is not a full writing assistant.

Key takeaways

  • Best for: Writers who want plainer language.
  • Strongest area: Ease of use (9.4/10). Weakest: Integrations & ecosystem (6.4/10).
  • Price: Free web editor; Plus from $8.33 / month billed annually — free plan available.
  • Watch out for: Limited integrations.

What is Hemingway Editor?

Hemingway Editor colour-codes long sentences, passive voice, adverbs and complex words, and shows a readability grade. The free web editor covers the basics; Hemingway Editor Plus adds AI fixes for clarity, tone and grammar with word-based monthly allowances.

Hemingway Editor is made by Hemingway and is reviewed here as a AI writing tool. It is priced on a freemium basis, and our editorial score is 7.7 out of 10, calculated from six weighted criteria.

Who it’s for — and who should skip it

Choose Hemingway Editor if

  • Writers who want plainer language
  • Support and help-centre content
  • Public-sector and accessibility-focused copy

Not for you if

  • Teams wanting copy generation
  • Heavy grammar checking needs

Key features

Readability highlights

Colour-coded hard sentences, passive voice and adverbs.

Grade level

Shows the reading level of your text.

AI fixes

One-click clarity, tone and grammar fixes on Plus.

Style guide

Team rules on the Team plan.

Integrates with
  • Web editor
  • Chrome
  • WordPress (copy/paste)

Pros & cons

What we like

  • Very easy to understand
  • Free web version
  • Clear readability grade
  • AI fixes on Plus

Watch out for

  • Limited integrations
  • Word allowances on Plus
  • Narrow feature set

Pricing & true cost

ModelFreemium
Starts atFree web editor; Plus from $8.33 / month billed annually
Free planAvailable
Free trialNot available
Hemingway Editor pricing tiers (indicative)
PlanIndicative priceNotes
FreeFree—
Plus Individual 5K≈ $8.33 / user / mo$100/year
Plus Team 10K≈ $12.50 / user / mo$150/user/year, up to 50 users

Pricing watch-out: Individual 5K is $100/year; 10K and Team plans are $150 per user/year.

True cost at 5, 10 and 25 seats

5 seats$42/mo$500/yr · Plus Individual 5K
10 seats$83/mo$1,000/yr · Plus Individual 5K
25 seats$208/mo$2,499/yr · Plus Individual 5K

Cheapest paid plan that fits each team size, from indicative list prices checked November 5, 2026. Excludes tax, add-ons, onboarding fees and promotional discounts.

Contract questions to ask before you sign
  1. Does the plan auto-renew, and how many days’ notice do you need to cancel?
  2. Is the advertised price for annual billing? What is the month-to-month price?
  3. Is the first-year price a promotion? What will renewal cost, and is it capped?
  4. Is there a minimum number of seats, or a charge for inactive users?
  5. Are onboarding, implementation or premium-support fees extra?
  6. How do we export all our data if we leave, and in what format?

General questions for any vendor — not findings about this product. Build a full checklist with our requirements builder.

Indicative USD pricing, last checked November 5, 2026 (source). Vendors change prices and promotions often — always confirm on their website. Model your own numbers with our SaaS TCO calculator.

Score breakdown

How the Hemingway Editor score is calculated
CriterionWeightScoreWhat it meansPoints
Features & fit25% 7.0Solid: Covers core needs; advanced features are missing, shallow or locked behind expensive tiers.1.80
Ease of use15% 9.4Effortless: Most users are productive within an hour with no training; admin is near zero.1.40
Value for money15% 8.6Good: Fair pricing; key features available on mid tiers; renewals predictable.1.30
Support & reliability10% 7.0Adequate: Support is slow or limited on lower tiers; documentation fills most gaps.0.70
Security & privacy20% 8.0Strong: MFA, encryption and admin controls as standard; audits published; minor gaps such as SSO only on top tiers.1.60
Integrations & ecosystem15% 6.4Adequate: Key integrations exist but others need an automation platform or workaround.1.00
Overall100%Weighted for AI tools products7.7

Security & compliance facts

Security and compliance status for Hemingway Editor
ItemStatusQuestion to ask Hemingway
Multi-factor authenticationStops most account takeovers from reused or phished passwords.Not verified by usCan admins enforce MFA for every user, on every plan?
Single sign-on (SAML/OIDC)Lets you remove a leaver’s access everywhere from one place.Not verified by usIs SSO included on the plan we are buying, or only on enterprise tiers?
SOC 2 Type II reportIndependent audit of the vendor’s security controls — often required by larger customers.Not verified by usCan we see your current SOC 2 Type II report (under NDA if needed)?
ISO/IEC 27001 certificationInternational standard for running an information-security programme.Not verified by usWhich legal entity and services does your ISO 27001 certificate cover?
GDPR data processing agreementNeeded if you handle personal data of people in the EU/UK.Not verified by usDo you offer a signed DPA and list your sub-processors?
HIPAA business associate agreementRequired before US healthcare businesses store protected health information.Not verified by usWill you sign a BAA, and on which plans?

We have not yet verified these items for Hemingway Editor against a primary source, so we don’t claim them either way. Check Hemingway’s trust or security page and ask for documents in writing.

Before you buy any AI writing tool

Check Hemingway Editor against the same list we use for every AI writing tool — and confirm each point on the plan you intend to buy, not the top tier.

  • Brand voice / style guide support
  • Works inside your writing apps
  • Team management
  • Clear data-usage terms
  • Pricing per seat vs usage

See every ranked option in AI Writing Tools.

Hemingway Editor alternatives

Pick an alternative by what matters to you

Computed from our published scores and indicative pricing for tools in the same category as Hemingway Editor. Scores are editorial; see the methodology.

Editor’s picks

Grammarly

AI Writing Tools

8.3Editorial score 8.3 out of 10

Writing assistance everywhere you type, from grammar fixes to AI rewrites.

From
Free plan; paid from around $12–15 / user / month
Free plan
Yes
Researched
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ProWritingAid

AI Writing Tools

8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10

A grammar checker and style editor with deep writing reports.

From
Free; Premium $10 / month billed annually
Free plan
Yes
Researched
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Wordtune

AI Writing Tools

7.6Editorial score 7.6 out of 10

An AI rewriting assistant that suggests clearer ways to say things.

From
Free; paid from around $7–14 / month
Free plan
Yes
Researched
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Review history

  1. Scored under methodology v2.0 (six weighted criteria, computed overall score).

Hemingway Editor FAQ

Is Hemingway Editor free?

The web editor is free; Hemingway Editor Plus adds AI suggestions from $100 a year.

Does Hemingway check grammar?

Plus includes grammar fixes, but most teams pair it with a dedicated grammar checker.

Does Hemingway Editor have a free plan?

Yes. Hemingway Editor offers a free plan. Paid plans start at Free web editor; Plus from $8.33 / month billed annually (indicative — check the vendor for current pricing).

Who is Hemingway Editor best for?

Hemingway Editor is best for: writers who want plainer language; support and help-centre content; public-sector and accessibility-focused copy.

How much does Hemingway Editor cost for a team of 10?

On indicative list prices, the cheapest paid plan that fits 10 users (Plus Individual 5K) works out at roughly $83 per month, or about $1,000 per year, before tax, add-ons and discounts.

How is the Hemingway Editor score calculated?

The 7.7/10 overall score is a weighted average of six sub-scores — features & fit, ease of use, value, support & reliability, security & privacy, and integrations — using the published weights for AI products. Affiliate relationships have no input. See our methodology page for the full rubric.

What are the best alternatives to Hemingway Editor?

Popular alternatives include Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Wordtune. See our comparisons for side-by-side verdicts.

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