Writing Tools replaces 7 paid apps
One open-source tool, 7 subscriptions it can stand in for. Each pairing below is curated and verified by hand, with the honest catch spelled out. No votes, no pay-to-list.
licenseGPL-3.0
runson your machine
installUse the portable Windows ZIP or macOS DMG; Linux currently runs from source
enginesGemini, native Ollama and any OpenAI-compatible cloud or local endpoint on Windows/Linux; the macOS port also supports OpenAI, Anthropic, Mistral, OpenRouter, Gemini, MLX and Ollama
dataAPI keys and configuration stay on the device; the app does not retain writing or logs, and selected text goes only to the chosen cloud provider unless a local model is used
setupYou must supply an API key or install a local model; macOS needs Accessibility permissions, while Linux installation and Wayland support remain rough
facts verified 2026-08-14
Select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, and fix, rewrite, summarize, or obey a custom instruction without opening another tab.
the catchIt is a manual select-text-and-hotkey workflow rather than Grammarly's continuous inline underlines and suggestions across supported apps.
the verdict →all Grammarly alternatives →
Select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, and fix, rewrite, summarize, or obey a custom instruction without opening another tab.
the catchIt handles selected-text rewrites well, but lacks QuillBot's structured paraphrasing modes, synonym controls, citation generator, and integrated editor.
the verdict →all QuillBot alternatives →
Select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, and fix, rewrite, summarize, or obey a custom instruction without opening another tab.
the catchIt can obey a custom prompt from selected text, but it lacks PromptDC's purpose-built coding-request expansion and browser-focused presentation.
the verdict →all PromptDC alternatives →
Select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, and fix, rewrite, summarize, or obey a custom instruction without opening another tab.
the catchIt excels at rewriting selected text, not Rytr's blank-page generation flow with a catalog of marketing use cases and reusable tones.
the verdict →all Rytr alternatives →
Select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, and fix, rewrite, summarize, or obey a custom instruction without opening another tab.
the catchIt is close for hotkey rewrites, but it does not match Wordtune's polished inline alternatives, sentence controls, and cross-device hosted consistency.
the verdict →all Wordtune alternatives →
Select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, and fix, rewrite, summarize, or obey a custom instruction without opening another tab.
the catchIt relies on generative models for corrections, so checks are less deterministic and its multilingual grammar rules and explanations are much thinner than LanguageTool's.
the verdict →all LanguageTool alternatives →
Select text anywhere, hit a hotkey, and fix, rewrite, summarize, or obey a custom instruction without opening another tab.
the catchIt rewrites selected text on demand rather than providing HyperWrite's continuous drafting assistance, autocomplete, and personal writing model.
the verdict →all HyperWrite alternatives →last updated 2026-08-14 · up to $960/yr replaced · no votes, no pay-to-list
