Academic writing assistants compared

An academic writing assistant helps you polish text you have written: it checks grammar and spelling, flags unclear sentences, suggests more precise wording and, in some tools, offers AI features for rephrasing, translation or drafting. For non-native speakers and anyone writing under time pressure, they can save a lot of proofreading effort. They become problematic when they start writing content for you, which is where most examination rules draw the line.

Note: your examination regulations, your supervisor or the journal’s policy decide whether and how AI-based writing tools may be used. Many institutions require AI use to be declared. Use these tools to revise and improve your own text, not to produce text you submit as your own work.

Three levels of help

Level	What the tool does	Typical status under examination rules
Correction	Spelling, grammar, punctuation	Usually treated like a spell checker
Revision	Style suggestions, clarity, rephrasing your sentences	Often allowed, sometimes with declaration
Generation	Writing new sentences or paragraphs, continuing text	Often restricted or prohibited in assessed work, declaration usually required

The further down this table a feature sits, the more important it is to check your rules.

Six tools compared

Tool	Main focus	Languages	Strength	Keep in mind
Paperpal	Academic English	English	Suggestions tuned to academic writing	Generative features need the same caution as any AI tool
Jenni AI	AI drafting support with citations	Mainly English	Autocomplete and citation support while writing	Generated text is AI output; check rules and declare
QuillBot	Paraphrasing and grammar	Several	Alternative phrasings for your own sentences	Never use it to rework someone else’s text
LanguageTool	Grammar and style	Many, including German, French, Spanish	Multilingual checking, browser and office add-ons	Free and paid tiers differ in depth
Grammarly	Grammar, clarity, tone	English	Polished interface, wide integration	Generative AI features fall under AI rules
DeepL	Translation and writing aid	Many	High-quality translation	Translation may count as AI use; check terminology

Status October 2026, based on provider documentation. Features, plans and language coverage change frequently.

Paperpal

Paperpal is designed for academic English and offers language suggestions, consistency checks and AI features. It is aimed at researchers preparing papers as well as students. As with every tool on this page, the generative features should be used in line with your institution’s or journal’s rules.

Jenni AI

Jenni AI is a writing assistant that suggests continuations of your text and supports adding citations. Because it generates text, it falls clearly into the generation level. Use it, if at all, for brainstorming or structuring and only where your rules permit; any suggested source must be checked against the original.

QuillBot

QuillBot offers paraphrasing modes, a grammar checker and other features. It is helpful if you have written a clumsy sentence and want to see alternative phrasings. It is not a tool for rewording sources: reworded text without citation remains plagiarism, as explained in our guide to plagiarism checkers.

LanguageTool

LanguageTool checks grammar and style in many languages, which makes it useful for multilingual researchers and for writing in German. It works as a browser extension and with common office tools.

Grammarly

Grammarly is a widely used English writing assistant with suggestions on correctness, clarity and tone. Newer versions include generative AI features; treat them as AI use under your rules.

DeepL

DeepL is a machine translation service with additional writing features. It can help you understand sources in other languages or check your own phrasing. Translating an entire thesis from another language may count as AI use, so check the rules and revise the result carefully for technical terms.

Good practice

1. Write first, polish later. Draft in your own words based on your notes and outline, then use tools to revise.
2. Accept suggestions consciously. Read each change; automated suggestions can alter meaning or introduce wrong terminology.
3. Keep your voice. Over-polished text can sound generic. Technical precision matters more than elegant wording.
4. Protect your data. Check what happens to uploaded text before using cloud tools with unpublished results or personal data.
5. Document AI use as your institution requires.

Where writing assistants fit

Language tools help most in the final phases of a thesis, once the structure is clear and the argument stands. Correct citations come from a reference manager and a consistent citation style, not from a writing assistant. For AI tools that help with finding and understanding literature, see AI research tools. All comparisons are in the tools section.