Silent Scribe vs Grammarly: Which Writing Assistant Fits Your Workflow?

Silent Scribe specializes in technical documentation with 100% local processing, while Grammarly excels at general writing across 500,000+ platforms. Both prioritize quality, but serve fundamentally different needs.

Zero Data Transmission
Works Offline
No Signup Required
Silent Scribe logo

Silent Scribe

Built for Technical Documentation

Technical Documentation & Docs-as-Code

Built specifically for developers and technical writers who need privacy-first writing assistance integrated into their docs-as-code workflow.

P

Grammarly

Built for Universal Writing

Universal Writing Assistant

Integrated AI writing assistant for Proton Mail users who need email composition help with multi-language support and privacy-conscious processing.

Last updated: October 8, 2025

Which Tool is Right for You?

Both tools excel at different use cases. Here's an honest comparison to help you choose.

Silent Scribe Ideal For

Technical Documentation & Developer Workflows

  • Software developers writing README files, API documentation, and technical guides
  • Technical writers managing docs-as-code repositories in GitHub/GitLab
  • Open source maintainers enforcing consistent documentation across contributors
  • DevOps teams integrating documentation quality checks into CI/CD pipelines
  • Security-conscious organizations requiring zero external data transmission
  • Teams working with mixed content (prose interleaved with code blocks)
  • Documentation teams enforcing custom style guides via version-controlled configuration

Grammarly Ideal For

Alternative Workflow

  • Business professionals writing emails, reports, and presentations
  • Content marketers creating blog posts, social media, and web copy
  • Students and academics writing papers and research (non-technical fields)
  • Customer support teams ensuring professional, on-brand communication
  • General writers seeking comprehensive grammar and style improvement
  • Teams needing writing assistance across Microsoft Office and Google Workspace
  • Organizations comfortable with cloud-based AI processing for convenience

API Documentation

Writing comprehensive API reference documentation with consistent parameter descriptions and endpoint formatting

Best: Silent Scribe

Business Communication

Composing professional business emails with appropriate tone and error-free prose

Best: Grammarly

Technical Documentation

Documenting REST API endpoints with consistent parameter descriptions

Best: Silent Scribe

Marketing Content

Writing marketing content that maintains brand voice across channels

Best: Grammarly

Developer Guides & Tutorials

Maintaining developer documentation alongside code in the same pull request

Best: Silent Scribe

Reports & Presentations

Creating reports and presentations with polished, error-free prose

Best: Grammarly

Open Source Documentation

Enforcing terminology consistency across 50+ markdown files

Best: Silent Scribe

Customer Support

Ensuring consistent communication across global customer support teams

Best: Grammarly

💡 Honest Assessment

These tools serve fundamentally different purposes and aren't direct competitors.Silent Scribe is built for developers and technical writers managing documentation, while Grammarly is designed for Proton Mail users who need email writing assistance.

Many users may benefit from using both tools for their respective strengths rather than choosing between them.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

A comprehensive breakdown of capabilities, integrations, and requirements

Core Writing Assistance

Primary Focus

Silent Scribe
Technical documentation specialization
Grammarly
Universal writing across all contexts

Grammar & Spelling

Silent Scribe
Basic grammar with technical writing focus
Grammarly
400+ comprehensive grammar, spelling, and punctuation checks

Writing Features

Silent Scribe
  • Passive voice detection
  • Inclusive language checking
  • Terminology consistency
  • Acronym governance
  • Code-aware parsing
  • Technical jargon intelligence
Grammarly
  • Tone detection & adjustment
  • Vocabulary enhancement
  • Clarity & conciseness
  • Plagiarism detection (Premium)
  • GrammarlyGO (generative AI)
  • Readability scoring
  • Writing goals customization

Code Awareness

Silent Scribe
Full markdown and code block parsing
Grammarly
Not code-aware

Technical Documentation Patterns

Silent Scribe
API documentation validation, parameter consistency, return value formatting
Grammarly
Not applicable

Privacy & Security Architecture

Processing Model

Silent Scribe
100% local WASM processing
Grammarly
Cloud-based AI processing

Data Transmission

Silent Scribe
Zero network transmission
Grammarly
All text sent to Grammarly servers

Offline Functionality

Silent Scribe
Complete offline capability
Grammarly
Internet required for AI features

Security Certifications

Silent Scribe
Not applicable (no data transmission)
Grammarly
SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001/27017/27018/27701, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA compliant

Air-Gap Compatible

Silent Scribe
Yes
Grammarly
No

Privacy Model

Silent Scribe
Trustless (verifiable)
Grammarly
Trust-based (certified)

Platform Integration & Availability

Browser Extensions

Silent Scribe
Chrome, Edge, Opera, Brave (Chromium)
Grammarly
Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge

Platform Breadth

Silent Scribe
GitHub, GitLab, web IDEs, Notion, Confluence, contenteditable elements
Grammarly
500,000+ websites and applications

Desktop Applications

Silent Scribe
Planned (VS Code, JetBrains IDEs)
Grammarly
Windows, macOS native apps

Mobile Support

Silent Scribe
Planned (Phase 2)
Grammarly
iOS and Android keyboards (system-wide)

Developer Platform Integration

Silent Scribe
Native GitHub/GitLab, web-based IDEs
Grammarly
No code-specific integrations

CI/CD Pipeline Support

Silent Scribe
Full support for automated docs quality checks
Grammarly
Not supported

Customization & Style Guide Enforcement

Custom Style Guides

Silent Scribe
Project-level glossaries via version-controlled YAML files
Grammarly
Brand tones (Business/Enterprise) via centralized dashboard

Version Control Integration

Silent Scribe
Configuration files committed with documentation
Grammarly
No version control for style guides

Team Style Sharing

Silent Scribe
Via git repository
Grammarly
Via admin dashboard

Automated Enforcement

Silent Scribe
CI/CD build gates
Grammarly
No automated enforcement

Custom Rule Creation

Silent Scribe
Build project-specific rules
Grammarly
Personal dictionary and writing goals

Vale Compatibility

Silent Scribe
Import Vale-compatible style packages
Grammarly
Not applicable

Developer-Specific Features

Markdown Syntax Support

Silent Scribe
Full markdown awareness
Grammarly
Treats markdown as text to correct

Code Block Preservation

Silent Scribe
Recognizes and preserves fenced code blocks
Grammarly
May suggest changes to code syntax

Function Name Recognition

Silent Scribe
Understands camelCase, snake_case, PascalCase
Grammarly
Flags as spelling errors

API Documentation Patterns

Silent Scribe
Validates endpoint descriptions, parameter consistency
Grammarly
Not applicable

Docs-as-Code Workflow

Silent Scribe
Built specifically for docs-as-code
Grammarly
Not designed for this workflow

General Writing Features

Tone Analysis

Silent Scribe
Not available
Grammarly
AI-powered tone detection and adjustment

Plagiarism Detection

Silent Scribe
Not available
Grammarly
Scans against billions of web pages (Premium)

Generative AI

Silent Scribe
Not available
Grammarly
GrammarlyGO for composing and rewriting

Multi-Language Support

Silent Scribe
English (technical documentation)
Grammarly
English (future: multilingual)

Real-World Scenario Walkthroughs

See exactly how each tool handles common workflows in practice

A

Silent Scribe

  1. 1
    Extension activates automatically in GitHub editor
  2. 2
    Real-time passive voice detection: "The package can be installed" → "Install the package"
  3. 3
    Terminology consistency flagged: "configuration file" vs "config file"
  4. 4
    Undefined acronym detected: suggests expanding "API" on first use
  5. 5
    Code blocks completely preserved—no false errors on npm, package names
  6. 6
    Weasel word flagged: "Simply run the command" (assumes skill level)
  7. 7
    All processing instant with zero network latency
  8. 8
    Commit changes directly—documentation in same PR as code
B

Grammarly

  1. 1
    Must compose README in Grammarly-enabled environment (Google Docs)
  2. 2
    Excellent grammar and clarity suggestions for prose sections
  3. 3
    Grammarly flags "npm" as spelling error
  4. 4
    Function names flagged as incorrect
  5. 5
    Manually add technical terms to personal dictionary
  6. 6
    Copy polished content from Google Docs
  7. 7
    Paste into GitHub editor, losing formatting
  8. 8
    Manual cleanup required
  9. 9
    Breaks docs-as-code workflow

Pricing & Value Comparison

Transparent breakdown of costs, tiers, and what you get with each tool

Silent Scribe Pricing

Product-led growth: Start free, upgrade when you see value

Free

per forever
$0
  • Full linting engine with all core rules
  • Unlimited document processing
  • Project-level glossaries
  • Custom rule configuration
  • 100% local processing
  • All platform integrations
  • Community support

Team

per per member/month (estimated)
$8
  • Shared style guide synchronization
  • Team analytics dashboard
  • Usage metrics and violation tracking
  • Priority email support
  • Advanced customization options
  • Onboarding assistance

Enterprise

Custom
  • Custom rule development service
  • Dedicated support engineer
  • On-premise deployment options
  • SLA guarantees (99.9% uptime)
  • Training and onboarding programs
  • Compliance assistance
  • White-glove migration support

Grammarly Pricing

Included with select plans or available as add-on

Free

$0
  • Basic grammar and spelling checks
  • Limited style suggestions
  • Browser extension
  • Works on 500,000+ apps
  • Mobile keyboard

Pro

per per month (annual) or $30/month (monthly)
$12
  • Advanced grammar checks (400+ checks)
  • Clarity and conciseness suggestions
  • Tone detection and adjustment
  • Word choice improvements
  • Formality level control
  • Plagiarism detection
  • Fluency improvements
  • GrammarlyGO (generative AI assistance)

Business

per per member/month (annual billing)
$15
  • Everything in Pro
  • Brand tones (style guide enforcement)
  • Snippets library
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Centralized billing
  • Account roles and permissions
  • SAML SSO
  • Priority support

Enterprise

Custom
  • Everything in Business
  • Unlimited seats
  • Advanced security controls
  • Custom deployment options
  • Dedicated account manager
  • Premium support SLA
  • Custom integrations
  • Compliance features

Important Pricing Note

Grammarly is notably not available for single-user Proton Unlimited subscribers, which has been a point of user frustration. To access Grammarly, Unlimited users must upgrade to multi-user plans (Duo, Family) designed for multiple people.

Silent Scribe has no such restrictions—individuals get full access to the free tier without forced plan upgrades.

💰 12-Month Cost Comparison

Silent Scribe (Individual)

$0

Free tier for individuals

Grammarly (Via Proton Duo Upgrade)

$72/year

Additional cost to access from Unlimited plan

Platform Availability

Where each tool works today and what's coming in the future

Silent Scribe

Available across developer tools and documentation platforms

Available Now

  • Chrome, Edge, Opera, Brave
    Any Chromium browser
  • GitHub web interface
    Native integration for issues, PRs, wiki, README
  • GitLab web interface
    Native integration for merge requests, snippets, wiki
  • Web-based IDEs
    CodeSandbox, Repl.it, Gitpod, StackBlitz
  • Notion
    Editing mode with markdown support
  • Confluence Cloud
    Editor interface
  • Any contenteditable element
    Universal compatibility

Coming Soon

  • Firefox support
    Phase 2 roadmap - WebExtensions API
  • VS Code native extension
    Phase 2 - direct IDE integration
  • JetBrains IDEs
    Phase 3 - IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm
  • Responsive web app
    Phase 2 - mobile browser access

Grammarly

Exclusive to Proton Mail ecosystem

Available Now

  • Browser extensions
    Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge
  • 500,000+ websites
    Universal web application support
  • Desktop applications
    Windows, macOS (with offline capability)
  • Mobile keyboards
    iOS, Android (native system-wide integration)
  • Microsoft Office
    Word, PowerPoint, Outlook (add-in)
  • Google Workspace
    Docs, Gmail (direct integration)
  • Enterprise platforms
    Slack, Salesforce, Zendesk, Jira, Asana
  • Social media
    LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter/X (via browser extension)
  • Email clients
    Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo Mail, Apple Mail

Not Supported

  • GitHub/GitLab-specific code awareness
    Not designed for technical documentation
  • Markdown syntax preservation
    Treats markdown as text to correct
  • Docs-as-code CI/CD integration
    No developer workflow integration
  • Technical documentation patterns
    Optimized for general writing

📱 Platform Strategy Difference

Silent Scribe prioritizes developer platforms and documentation tools, focusing on where technical writing happens (GitHub, GitLab, web IDEs).

Grammarly is exclusively integrated into the Proton Mail ecosystem, designed specifically for email composition rather than documentation workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions about Silent Scribe vs Grammarly

Ready to Choose the Right Tool?

Whether you're writing technical documentation or general content, both tools offer quality assistance tailored to their specific use cases.

Learn About Grammarly

Complementary Use: Many professionals use both tools—Grammarly for business communication and Silent Scribe for technical documentation. These tools complement rather than compete, serving different writing contexts within the same workflow.

Last updated: 2025-10-04