Searching “Grammarly paraphrase” and expecting a solid rewriting tool can feel like a letdown when all you get are minor tweaks. There’ve been plenty of times I needed to reshape full paragraphs, not just swap a few words. The gap between what Grammarly offers and what real paraphrasing requires is wider than most realize. That’s why I took the time to dig into what it actually does, how far it goes and in this guide, I’ll take you through the best tools that fill in the gaps.
Grammarly’s Paraphrasing Function — What It Offers
Understanding how Grammarly paraphrase works helps set the right expectations, especially if you're relying on it for serious rewriting tasks. Grammarly has built its reputation on grammar and clarity, but its rephrasing capabilities are often misunderstood. While it does suggest alternative wordings and sentence structures, these changes are usually minimal, more about polish than transformation.
Features:
Intelligent AI rewrites that enhance clarity and adjust tone
In-depth corrections for grammar, punctuation, and writing style
Built-in tone detection to align your writing with academic or formal standards
Integration with Google Docs, Microsoft Word, and browser extensions
Pros:
Delivers top-tier grammar and clarity improvements
Provides smooth, well-structured sentence rewrites
Clean, intuitive interface with real-time suggestions that are easy to apply
Cons:
Rewrite suggestions are only available with Premium subscription
Doesn’t support full-paragraph rephrasing like Toolsmart
Offers minimal control over tone and style compared to tools like QuillBot
Now that you’ve seen what it brings to the table in terms of clarity and grammar, it’s worth understanding how to make the most of the Grammarly rephrase feature. Knowing how to apply it can make your writing smoother, sharper, and more polished with very little effort.
Step 1: Head over toGrammarly and sign in or create a free account. Once you're in, you'll be taken to the Grammarly Editor where you can upload or paste your text.
Step 2: In the Grammarly Editor, paste your text or upload it into the text box. Grammarly will immediately begin scanning your writing for grammar, spelling, and clarity issues.
Step 3: Look for underlined suggestions and review the suggested rewrites on the right hand side. You can accept it as-is or make your own adjustments if the tone or structure needs a personal touch.
Step 4: Continue reviewing the rest of your text using Grammarly’s side panel. You’ll also see insights into tone, clarity, and engagement which is helpful for essays that need a formal or academic tone.
Now, let me be honest. I’ve used Grammarly for years, and it’s great for fixing grammar slips and awkward sentences. But when I tried relying on it, I quickly ran into its limits. It’s fine for light edits, but it doesn’t offer the kind of flexible, tone-aware rewriting you need for more complex work. If you’re just cleaning up rough drafts, it works but anything more and you’ll probably need a stronger tool.
Best Alternatives to Grammarly for Paraphrasing
After exploring what the Grammarly paraphrasing tool can (and can’t) do, I started looking into other options that might offer more control and depth. While Grammarly is useful for light edits, it often misses the mark when you need full-sentence rewrites or style adjustments. That’s where dedicated paraphrasing tools come in, designed specifically to rework content with better nuance, flexibility, and tone.
Toolsmart
Toolsmart’s Paraphrasing Tool is a free, AI-powered writing assistant that shines when it comes to rewriting content. I started using it after running into the limits of other rewriting tools, and it immediately felt like a step up. It wasn’t just the clean output, it was the way it handled language with a clear sense of tone and intent. I didn’t need to adjust much after the rewrite, which saved me time and effort. What really impressed me was that everything was available up front: no locked features, no sign-ups, just a focused tool that actually does what it claims.
Features:
100% free with no login required, making access quick and hassle-free
AI-generated rewriting with human-like flow and natural structure
Handles long documents like essays and articles smoothly and efficiently
Pros:
Offers completely free access with no hidden paywalls
Delivers deep, context-aware rewriting that goes beyond word swaps
Includes multiple tone options like formal, casual, and concise
Cons:
Grammar and punctuation corrections aren’t as refined or advanced
Lacks the polished, high-end feel of more established tools like Grammarly
QuillBot
Quillbot was one of the first tools I tried when I needed more than basic edits, something that could actually reshape my writing with intention. What makes it appealing is the range of modes it offers, each designed for a different style or level of creativity. From tightening up formal writing to experimenting with more relaxed, conversational tones, QuillBot gives you a decent amount of control. It’s not perfect, especially in the free version, but it does a good enough job.
Features:
Multiple paraphrasing modes like Standard, Fluency, and Creative
Adjustable synonym slider lets you control how much wording is changed
Includes built-in tools like a summarizer and citation generator for added convenience
Pros:
Comes with an integrated grammar checker and plagiarism detector
Handles long-form content effectively, making it suitable for academic use
Fast processing with live preview allows you to see changes in real time
Cons:
Full access to advanced modes and features is locked behind a paid subscription
Free version limits the number of characters you can paraphrase at once
May occasionally produce stiff or robotic phrasing, especially in more complex rewrites
Comparison: Grammarly vs Toolsmart vs QuillBot
After testing a range of tools, it became clear that not every platform designed to paraphrase content offers the same value. Some barely go beyond word substitution, while others handle full-sentence restructuring with greater accuracy. If you're looking to paraphrase Grammarly outputs more effectively or want deeper rewrites from the start, comparing its features with tools like Toolsmart and QuillBot can save you time and frustration.
Feature / Criteria | Grammarly | Toolsmart | QuillBot |
---|---|---|---|
Rewriting Depth | Shallow, word/phrase level | Deep, sentence and idea-level rewriting | Moderate to deep (depends on mode) |
Tone & Style Control | Very limited | Multiple modes: formal, simple, casual | Available in Premium (formal, simple) |
AI Understanding | Basic NLP for grammar & clarity | Advanced contextual AI understanding | Good AI, especially with fluency mode |
Use Case Fit | General writing correction | Academic, content creation, business | Academic, creative, and formal rewriting |
Output Quality | Generic or lightly modified | Polished, human-like, tone-accurate | Varies by mode; setting-sensitive |
Multilingual Support | Not supported | Yes | Yes (Premium) |
Free Usage | Premium only for paraphrasing | Free and unlimited | Limited (word & mode restrictions) |
User Interface | Clean but limited editing | Intuitive, easy to adjust styles | Sleek, feature-rich UI |
Best For | Fixing grammar and clarity | Intelligent, deep rewrites with flexibility | Controlled paraphrasing with options |
Looking at the comparison, it’s clear that while Grammarly and QuillBot each have their strengths, Toolsmart stands out for offering deeper, more flexible paraphrasing without the usual limitations. Unlike the Grammarly rewriter, which focuses on light edits and minor tweaks, Toolsmart rewrites with real context awareness and tone control, something that truly matters when you’re working with longer or more complex content.
Toolsmart: Your All-in-One AI Tools Hub
By this point, Toolsmart had already proven itself as a strong paraphrasing tool but I quickly realized it’s more than just that. It’s actually part of a larger suite of AI-powered tools designed to simplify a wide range of writing tasks. It not only excels at summarizing long texts and converting videos to MP3s, Toolsmart brings together useful, time-saving features in one place. It’s just made a few of my everyday writing tasks a bit easier to keep up with.
It’s a workspace that focuses on practical tools for rewriting, organizing, and improving your content without unnecessary steps. When you’re moving between tasks like paraphrasing, summarizing, or cleaning up structure, having it all in one browser tab just makes the process smoother. Here’s what Toolsmart currently offers:
Paraphrasing Tool: Rewrites text with attention to tone, clarity, and context
AI Summarizer: Breaks down long content into clear, concise summaries
Article Rewriter: Restructures larger blocks of text for better flow and readability
YouTube to MP3 Converter: Lets you extract audio from videos for easier content review
Email Generator and Resume Builder: Quick, structured templates for everyday professional writing.
FAQs
1. Is Grammarly a paraphrasing tool?
Not exactly. It offers basic rewrite suggestions, but it doesn’t rewrite deeply or intelligently.
2. Can I paraphrase for free with Grammarly?
No. You’ll need a Premium subscription to access any paraphrasing features.
3. What’s a better alternative to Grammarly for paraphrasing?
Toolsmart. It’s free, more powerful, and gives better control over tone and context.
4. Does Grammarly support tone/style rewrites?
Only to a very limited degree; and only for Premium users.
5. Is Toolsmart safe and private to use?
Yes. There’s no sign-up required and your content isn’t stored.