How Does This Sound vs Grammarly
We focus on communication risk, not grammar. Use both for complete coverage.
Quick Summary
Choose How Does This Sound if:
- ✓ You want to check if your message might be misinterpreted
- ✓ You need specific feedback on risky sentences
- ✓ You want tone-adjusted rewrites without a subscription
- ✓ You have dyslexia or communication anxiety
Choose Grammarly if:
- ✓ You need grammar and spelling correction
- ✓ You want style and clarity suggestions
- ✓ You need a browser extension that works everywhere
- ✓ You need plagiarism checking
Our recommendation: Use both! Grammarly for what it does best, then How Does This Sound for a final "will this sound wrong?" check.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | How Does This Sound | Grammarly |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Communication risk & misinterpretation | Grammar, spelling, style |
| Tone Detection | Risk-focused (what might go wrong) | Descriptive (what tone you're using) |
| Tone Rewrites | Free (with daily limit) | Pro only ($12/month) |
| Risk-Focused Analysis | ✓ | Limited |
| Sentence-Level Risk Feedback | ✓ | Limited |
| Grammar Checking | — | ✓ |
| Spelling Correction | — | ✓ |
| Risk Categories (tone, clarity, cultural, etc.) | 6 dedicated categories | Different approach |
| BYOK (Use Your Own API Key) | ✓ | — |
| Free Tier | 5 analyses/day, no sign-up | Limited features, account required |
| Browser Extension | — | ✓ |
| Plagiarism Checker | — | Premium |
Based on publicly available information and our assessment of each tool's primary focus. Features may vary by plan or version.
Key Differences Explained
Different Problems, Different Solutions
Grammarly answers "Is this written correctly?" We answer "Will this be understood correctly?" Your grammar can be perfect while your message still sounds passive-aggressive, confusing, or harsh. These are complementary tools, not competitors.
Risk vs Description
Grammarly's tone detector tells you what tone you're using (formal, friendly, confident). We tell you what might go wrong - which specific sentences could be misinterpreted and why. It's the difference between "you sound formal" and "this sentence might come across as dismissive."
Privacy & Data Control
We offer a BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) option where you use your own API key directly. Messages are logged for debugging purposes - see our privacy policy for details. For privacy-conscious users, BYOK provides control over which AI provider handles your text.
Example: What Each Tool Catches
"Per my last email, I need this by end of day. Let me know if you have questions."
✍️ Grammarly Would Say:
Grammarly would check grammar (correct) and spelling (correct). Its tone detector might describe the tone, but typically wouldn't flag "per my last email" as problematic.
We Would Say:
We flag "per my last email" as potentially passive-aggressive language that could affect the relationship, even though the grammar is perfect. We explain why it matters and suggest alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Add Another Layer of Confidence
Your grammar might be perfect. But will your message land the way you intended?
Check Your Message FreeGrammarly is a trademark of its respective owner. How Does This Sound is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Grammarly. Comparisons are based on publicly available information as of January 2025 and may not reflect current features.