If you want writing checks in Mac apps without sending every draft to a cloud service, start with TextWarden or Refine: both describe local checking options. LanguageTool offers in-app suggestions across named Mac apps and via a shortcut elsewhere, but its advanced checker requires an internet connection. None is proven to work in every text field, and the products’ privacy descriptions are vendor or project claims—not independent security audits.
Which private Grammarly alternative fits your Mac workflow?
| Option | How checking appears | Privacy model described by its maker | Language and compatibility notes | Price model described |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TextWarden | Checks supported fields and can show underlines; coverage and correction behavior vary by app. | Project says grammar checks run locally with bundled Harper. Optional AI features use Apple Intelligence on the Mac. | Grammar checking is English-only. The project publishes an app matrix but warns some editors expose too little information for reliable underlines or safe correction. | Project says it is free and has no subscription. |
| Refine | Offers grammar and fluency checks, rewrites, translations, and explanations inside Mac apps. | Developer says downloaded default models run locally. Selected hosted tasks can be sent directly to a provider configured by the user. | Requires macOS 14.0 or later, according to its About page. It does not enumerate every supported app, so verify your editor. | Developer describes a free trial and one-time license. |
| LanguageTool for macOS | Underlines errors in supported apps; a shortcut can invoke its writing tool in other apps. | Advanced spelling, grammar, and style checking requires an internet connection. | Lists Mail, Messages, Notes, Word (beta), Slack (beta), and Teams (beta). Its checker supports more than 30 languages and dialects. | Offers free and Premium versions; feature coverage differs. |
| Harper | Official site describes browser/editor integrations and a macOS desktop option. | Harper says checks are local, with no cloud round-trips or telemetry. | The cited page does not establish the desktop release status or provide a detailed supported-app list. | Checker described as free. |
These descriptions come from the respective makers: TextWarden, Refine, LanguageTool, and Harper. The sources do not provide a comparable independent accuracy benchmark, so there is no evidence-based accuracy ranking here.
What “private” means for each option
TextWarden: local grammar checks, optional on-device AI
TextWarden says it reads text from fields after you grant Accessibility permission, then checks it locally using bundled Harper. Its optional AI features use Apple Intelligence on the Mac. Those are project statements; the cited documentation is not an independent audit of data handling or network traffic. TextWarden also says grammar checking is English-only. Its detection of selected non-English passages can suppress English checks, but it does not proofread those languages.
Refine: local default models, with configurable hosted tasks
Refine says its downloaded default models run on your Mac and can check text without an internet connection. It also lets users configure selected tasks to go directly to a chosen hosted provider; the developer says the API key is kept in macOS Keychain. Treat this as a flexible local-first setup rather than a promise that every feature is offline. Its About page lists macOS 14.0 or later, a free trial, and a one-time license; check the current page for terms and availability.
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LanguageTool: online advanced checking
LanguageTool explicitly says an internet connection is required for its advanced spelling, grammar, and style checker. Its product page distinguishes the free version—spelling, simple punctuation, and some style mistakes—from Premium, which shows more errors. It supports more than 30 languages and dialects, according to the product page. Do not interpret its privacy wording as proof that advanced checks happen only on your Mac.
Harper: local claims, but confirm Mac readiness
Harper’s official site describes local checks without cloud round-trips or telemetry. It also lists a macOS desktop option, but the cited page does not establish its precise current release status or identify a full set of supported Mac apps. Confirm those details before choosing it for a specific workflow.
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Will it work in the app where you write?
“Works in any text field” is not established for these options. Support depends on how each Mac app exposes text to system tools, and inline underlines or safe replacement can fail in custom editors.
- TextWarden: Its project publishes a broad app table, including Apple Mail, Notes, Messages, Safari, Chrome, Brave, Slack, Microsoft Word, Outlook, Teams, and several chat and web apps. The table includes app-specific exceptions; the project warns that some editors do not expose enough information for reliable underlines or safe corrections. Replacing an entire field can also remove formatting.
- LanguageTool: Its macOS page names Apple Mail, Messages, Notes, Microsoft Word (beta), Slack (beta), and Teams (beta) for direct checking. In other Mac apps, a shortcut can invoke its writing tool, which is different from automatic inline checking.
- Refine and Harper: Their cited pages do not supply a detailed Mac app-by-app compatibility matrix. Check whether your exact editor is supported before relying on either.
LanguageTool says system-level checking requires macOS Accessibility permission. TextWarden also requires Accessibility permission to read and check fields. Review the permission prompt and the product’s current documentation before granting access; a system permission is part of how these tools interact with apps, not evidence by itself of a particular privacy model.
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How to choose based on your actual needs
- Identify the exact app and text field. Confirm the app appears in the product’s current support information. If it is a web app or custom editor, test a representative field before making it your default.
- Decide what “private” must mean. If checks must remain on-device, favor a configuration whose maker says the relevant task runs locally, and avoid enabling hosted tasks. If you need LanguageTool’s advanced checker, its documented internet requirement means it does not meet a strict offline-only requirement.
- Match proofreading language, not just menus. LanguageTool states coverage for more than 30 languages and dialects. TextWarden’s grammar checking is English-only; its non-English detection can suppress English checks but does not provide non-English proofreading.
- Check the permission and correction behavior. System-wide access requires Accessibility permission for LanguageTool and TextWarden. In editors with limited text-field access, underlines or corrections may be incomplete; avoid whole-field replacement where preserving formatting matters.
- Verify current product and pricing details. The makers describe different models—free, free plus Premium, trial plus one-time license, or no subscription—but those labels do not imply equivalent capabilities. Pricing, app support, and release status can change.
Does Grammarly itself already work in Mac text fields?
Grammarly’s Mac page describes desktop and browser use without copying and pasting, an option to turn it off in a particular app, and compatibility with Apple Mail and Microsoft Word/Outlook. It lists macOS 10.15 or newer and a free version. That means in-field operation alone does not distinguish an alternative; the deciding questions are your privacy requirement, language needs, and the particular app workflow. See Grammarly for Mac for its current compatibility details.
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Best Value
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