AutoCrit vs ProWritingAid (2025): Which Tool Is Better?

Choosing the best writing tool can be a game changer for both aspiring novelists and seasoned authors striving to perfect their craft. ProWritingAid and AutoCrit are two top contenders, each offering distinct features designed to enhance your writing.

In this article, we’ll explore their key features, strengths, and use cases to help you determine which tool aligns best with your writing goals. Whether you need detailed writing reports, genre-specific insights, or a budget-friendly option, this article has you covered.

Overview

AutoCrit

AutoCrit is designed for fiction writers seeking feedback to refine their storytelling. It focuses on elements like pacing, dialogue, and POV consistency, helping authors strengthen their narratives and identify areas for improvement.

The tool includes AI-powered features that evaluate plot, characters, and structure, while also offering AI-driven assistance to generate short story segments or enhance descriptions. While AutoCrit is geared toward big-picture story analysis, it lacks real-time grammar and style checking, as well as integrations with popular writing apps like Scrivener, Word, and Google Docs.

ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid is a versatile digital toolkit for creative writers, combining line editing and developmental editing at an affordable price. It acts like a personal editor, refining grammar, style, and readability while offering big-picture insights into plot, characters, and pacing.

When writer’s block strikes, ProWritingAid helps spark ideas with alternative phrasing, richer descriptions, and improved transitions. Whether you’re polishing prose or strengthening story structure, it delivers deep feedback expected from both line and developmental editors, making it a comprehensive writing solution.

Key Differences

AutoCrit and ProWritingAid are both designed for fiction authors and creative writers. While they share many features, there are some key differences:

• ProWritingAid works across platforms like Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and browsers via its browser extensions and desktop integrations. AutoCrit only has an online editor.

• Unlike AutoCrit, ProWritingAid includes world-class grammar checking, so you don’t require a Premium license with another tool such as Grammarly.

• ProWritingAid has advanced features to help creative writers paraphrase text and overcome writer’s block. While AutoCrit can highlight errors, such as passive voice and repeated words, it can’t show you how you can fix them.

• ProWritingAid prioritizes your privacy and security. ProWritingAid never uses your text to train its algorithms and undergoes external audits each year to guarantee this.

Side-by-Side Feature Comparison

Let’s compare some features of ProWritingAid and AutoCrit side by side.

Writing Style Analysis and Feedback

A side-by-side comparison of AutoCrit and ProWritingAid reveals that many of their writing style reports share similar features. They analyze key elements like: 

• Sentence structure

• Pacing

• Dialogue

• Adverbs

• Sensory details

• Clichés

• Redundancies

• Word choice

• Readability

• Consistency

ProWritingAid and AutoCrit offer some unique reports that set them apart. For example, ProWritingAid includes alliteration, sensory language, and transitions reports, which AutoCrit lacks, while AutoCrit provides POV consistency and paragraph variation reports, which are exclusive to its platform.

See the full list of ProWritingAid’s reports here

Story Analysis and Feedback

Both ProWritingAid and AutoCrit analyze full manuscripts and individual chapters, providing feedback on key storytelling elements such as:

• Plot

• Characters

• Setting

• Pacing

• Dialogue

• Tension

• Strengths and areas for improvement

AutoCrit offers big-picture story analysis, but it doesn’t provide clear guidance on how to apply the feedback. In contrast, ProWritingAid goes further by offering detailed explanations, direct references, and prioritized improvement suggestions, helping writers refine their storytelling with actionable insights.

Author Comparison

Both tools offer a writing comparison feature, allowing writers to analyze their style against bestselling authors like J.R.R. Tolkien and Stephen King. This helps authors identify stylistic patterns, refine their voice, and enhance their writing to align with literary greats.

Genre-Specific Suggestions

Both ProWritingAid and AutoCrit provide feedback tailored to your specific genre—such as romance, thriller, mystery, and science fiction—allowing writers to fine-tune their work to meet the unique expectations of their chosen genre.

Grammar Checking

ProWritingAid offers solid grammar-checking features in its free version, effectively catching basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. To access advanced grammar tools and remove word count limits, a premium subscription is required.

In contrast, AutoCrit does not have a built-in grammar checker but allows integration with Grammarly. The downside is that premium suggestions from Grammarly require a separate paid subscription. 

With ProWritingAid, these advanced features are already included in its Premium plan, meaning you only need to pay one subscription instead of two.

Paraphrasing

ProWritingAid’s Rephrase feature provides alternative ways to rewrite sentences, such as incorporating sensory details to create more vivid and engaging descriptions. Meanwhile, the Sparks feature helps polish longer pieces of text by improving readability and ensuring seamless transitions between ideas. ProWritingAid inspires creativity by suggesting improvements that refine style while staying true to the writer’s unique voice.

AutoCrit does not have a built-in paraphrasing tool. However, it allows Grammarly integration, which offers paraphrasing functionality. Accessing Grammarly’s premium rewriting suggestions requires a separate paid subscription, making it a less convenient solution.

Generative AI

ProWritingAid’s generative AI is designed specifically for creative writers, acting as a tool to enhance—not replace—creativity. Its Sparks feature aids brainstorming by generating sentences that help overcome writer’s block and inspire fresh ideas. With insightful suggestions that align with your unique style, ProWritingAid fosters creative breakthroughs at every stage of the writing process.

AutoCrit also offers AI-driven features through its Inspiration Studio, which helps expand stories in different ways. It can generate the next part of a scene, introducing unexpected twists or continuing the narrative. Additionally, it can enhance descriptive depth by generating emotional cues, physical sensations, environmental details, and internal dialogue, helping writers craft more immersive scenes.

Text Reader

Unlike ProWritingAid, AutoCrit features a built-in Text Reader, enabling writers to hear their manuscript read aloud. This can help catch awkward phrasing, unnatural dialogue, and overlooked errors. 

Privacy

ProWritingAid clearly states that it does not use user-submitted content to train its AI, ensuring full privacy. It also has a SOC2 certification, which is an externally verified assurance that means the company meets strict criteria for data security and privacy. AutoCrit, however, does not explicitly clarify whether it uses user data for AI training, creating uncertainty about how user-submitted work is handled.

This lack of clarity could be a concern for authors, especially professionals and indie writers, who may worry about their original work being stored, analyzed, or repurposed for AI model improvements. 

Without clear policies, there’s no guarantee that manuscripts won’t be used beyond the intended purpose of the tool. For writers prioritizing data security and content ownership, ProWritingAid offers stronger assurances.

Integrations

ProWritingAid stands out in terms of accessibility compared to AutoCrit. It offers an online editor, browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), and a desktop app for both Mac and Windows. 

In contrast, AutoCrit is limited to an online editor, requiring users to copy and paste text between their preferred writing apps, which can be less convenient.

Pricing Breakdown: AutoCrit vs ProWritingAid

Both ProWritingAid and AutoCrit offer limited free versions and flexible monthly plans, but their annual subscriptions provide the best value for long-term users.

For those prioritizing affordability, ProWritingAid stands out as the more budget-friendly option. You also have the option to purchase a lifetime plan that eliminates the need for ongoing payments, making it an excellent choice for those seeking a long-term, hassle-free solution.

Find out more about ProWritingAid’s plans and pricing

What Users Are Saying: Reviews of AutoCrit and ProWritingAid

Providing an objective review of AutoCrit is challenging due to the limited number of user reviews available on major platforms, which signals a lack of widespread adoption or awareness of the tool.   

On the other hand, ProWritingAid has established a strong reputation on leading review sites, such as the Chrome Store with a rating of 4.8 out of 5 from over 6,000 ratings and Capterra with a rating of 4.7 out of 5 with over 400 ratings, highlighting its reliability and effectiveness.

While user experiences vary, we’d also like to highlight the endorsements from three USA Today Bestselling authors who have found significant value in ProWritingAid.

• Leeanna Morgan (59 novels published): “ProWritingAid makes my writing better. Having ProWritingAid has allowed me to bridge the gap between my knowledge as a reader and my ability as a writer.”

• Siera London (22 novels published): “ProWritingAid has been a resource in my writer toolkit for many years. The program helps me to craft and clarify my stories for a better reader experience. Your editor will thank you for making their job easier.”

• Melle Amade (76 books published): “No manuscript comes off my computer without it going through ProWritingAid. That alone has saved me $2,000 per manuscript. I rely on ProWritingAid to produce my polished, finished books that I can then publish.” 

Pros and Cons of AutoCrit and ProWritingAid

ProWritingAid

Pros

• Comprehensive editing tool for both line and developmental editing

• Advanced writing reports covering grammar, style, readability, and storytelling elements

• Built-in grammar checker and paraphrasing tools included in the Premium version (no need for third-party integration)

• More detailed and actionable story analysis, including explanations and improvement suggestions

• Many integrations, including browser extensions, an online editor, and a desktop app

• Clear privacy policy explicitly stating that user data is not used to train AI

• More budget-friendly and includes a lifetime plan option

• Established reputation, with strong reviews from users and bestselling authors

Cons

• Advanced grammar and style checks require a Premium subscription

• Limited use of paraphrasing tools in the free version

• Full manuscript analysis checks are not included in the Premium subscription

• Lacks a text reader feature to hear your story aloud

AutoCrit

Pros

• Designed for fiction and nonfiction writers with genre-specific feedback

• Developmental editing tools analyzing pacing, dialogue, POV consistency, and structure

• AI-powered Inspiration Studio helps generate story continuations and enhance descriptions

• Genre-based suggestions to refine writing based on industry expectations

• Insights into plot and character development for storytelling refinement

• Built-in text reader allows you to listen to your manuscript aloud, helping you catch awkward phrasing and dialogue issues

Cons

• No built-in grammar checker or paraphrasing tool (requires Grammarly integration, which needs a separate paid subscription)

• Limited to an online editor

• Privacy policy does not clarify whether user data is used to train its AI

• Paid subscription is more expensive than ProWritingAid

• Has no integrations to common Word processors, so you have to cut and paste or import into their editor, which may result in loss of formatting

Final Verdict: Which Software Should You Choose?

Choosing between ProWritingAid and AutoCrit depends on your writing needs.

If you’re looking for a comprehensive writing assistant that combines line editing, grammar checking, and developmental feedback, ProWritingAid is the better choice. It provides detailed analysis, actionable suggestions, and integrations across multiple platforms, making it ideal for writers of all genres who want sentence-level refinement and big-picture insights in one tool. 

On the other hand, AutoCrit is tailored for fiction writers who want developmental editing and storytelling feedback rather than grammar corrections. It offers genre-specific insights, story analysis, and AI-powered tools like the Inspiration Studio, making it great for authors focused on narrative structure, pacing, and character development. However, it lacks line editing features, such as a built-in grammar checker and paraphrasing tool, and a clear privacy policy regarding AI training.

Ultimately, if you need an all-in-one editing tool, ProWritingAid is the more versatile and cost-effective option. But if you’re a fiction writer prioritizing story development over grammar and style, AutoCrit may be worth exploring.

Happy writing.