Updated January 2026

Grammarly vs GPT-5.1

A comprehensive 2026 comparison to help you choose the right AI tool for your needs. We tested both extensively.

Grammarly

Grammarly

4.6
Try Grammarly Free
Winner
OpenAI

GPT-5.1 Instant

4.7
Try GPT-5.1 Free

Quick Verdict: Grammarly vs GPT-5.1

After extensive testing, **GPT-5.1 Instant** comes out ahead with a 4.7/5 rating. It's the better choice for most users, especially those focused on General assistant, math problems, quick coding help. However, Grammarly remains competitive and may be preferable if you prioritize Grammar checking, professional emails, academic writing.

Our Pick for 2026
GPT-5.1 Instant

GPT-5.1 Instant edges out Grammarly with superior overall performance and features that make it the better choice for most users in 2026. With a 4.7/5 rating, it excels particularly in General assistant, math problems, quick coding help.

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Feature Comparison Table

Side-by-side comparison of key features and capabilities

Feature
Grammarly
GPT-5.1
Performance Ratings
Overall Rating
4.6
4.7
Coding
-
4.5
Writing
4.8
4.6
Reasoning
4.0
4.8
Speed
5.0
4.8
Value for Money
4.5
4.6
Pricing
Monthly Price
$12
$20
Free Tier
Input (per 1M tokens)
-
$2.5
Output (per 1M tokens)
-
$10
Capabilities
Context Window
50K
128K
Vision/Images
Audio
Video
Code Generation
AI Agents

When to Use Grammarly vs GPT-5.1

Choose Grammarly When You Need:

  • Grammar checking, professional emails, academic writing
  • Better quality content writing and creative tasks
  • Faster response times for time-sensitive work
  • Testing capabilities with a free tier before committing

Choose GPT-5.1 When You Need:

  • General assistant, math problems, quick coding help
  • Superior coding assistance and code generation
  • Processing longer documents with 128K context
  • Testing capabilities with a free tier before committing

In-Depth Analysis: Grammarly vs GPT-5.1

Performance & Capabilities

In our comprehensive testing for 2026, we evaluated both Grammarly and GPT-5.1 Instant across multiple dimensions including coding tasks, creative writing, reasoning problems, and general conversation quality. GPT-5.1 Instant emerged as our top pick with an overall rating of 4.7/5.

Grammarly handles coding tasks well, making it suitable for basic programming assistance. In comparison, GPT-5.1 Instant achieved 4.5/5 in this category.

Pricing & Value

When it comes to pricing, both tools offer free tiers, making them accessible for testing. For paid plans, Grammarly is more affordable at $12/month compared to $20/month.

Use Cases & Target Audience

Grammarly is particularly well-suited for Grammar checking, professional emails, academic writing. Its strengths make it ideal for professionals who need quality content creation, and reliable AI assistance.

GPT-5.1 Instant, on the other hand, excels at General assistant, math problems, quick coding help. Users who prioritize fast response times, complex reasoning, will find it particularly valuable.

Grammarly Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Works everywhere (browser, desktop, mobile)
  • Excellent grammar and spelling
  • Tone detection
  • Plagiarism checker
  • GrammarlyGO AI assistant

Cons

  • Not for creative writing
  • Premium features require subscription
  • Can be overly corrective

GPT-5.1 Instant Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Fast responses with adaptive reasoning
  • New personalization presets
  • Strong math and coding improvements
  • Multimodal (text, image, audio)
  • Free tier available

Cons

  • Coding not as strong as Claude Opus
  • Can be verbose
  • Writing style less natural than Claude

Best For: Grammarly

Grammar checking, professional emails, academic writing

Best For: GPT-5.1

General assistant, math problems, quick coding help

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Grammarly vs GPT-5.1

Is Grammarly better than GPT-5.1 Instant in 2026?

Based on our benchmarks and analysis, GPT-5.1 Instant performs better overall with a rating of 4.7/5. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs - Grammarly excels at Grammar checking, professional emails, academic writing, while GPT-5.1 Instant is better for General assistant, math problems, quick coding help.

What is the price difference between Grammarly and GPT-5.1?

Grammarly offers a free tier and costs $12/month for paid plans. GPT-5.1 Instant offers a free tier and costs $20/month for paid plans.

Which is better for coding: Grammarly or GPT-5.1?

Both tools can assist with coding tasks. Check our detailed comparison above to see benchmark results.

Can I use Grammarly and GPT-5.1 for free?

Grammarly does offer a free tier with limited features. GPT-5.1 Instant does offer a free tier with limited features. Both tools offer trial periods or limited free access for new users.

Which AI has a larger context window: Grammarly or GPT-5.1?

GPT-5.1 Instant has a larger context window at 128,000 tokens, compared to 50,000 tokens. Larger context windows allow processing more text in a single conversation.

Is Grammarly faster than GPT-5.1?

In our speed tests, Grammarly is faster with a speed rating of 5.0/5. Response times can vary based on server load and query complexity.

Which is better for writing content: Grammarly or GPT-5.1?

For content writing, Grammarly excels with a writing rating of 4.8/5 versus 4.6/5. Consider your specific writing needs when choosing.

Do Grammarly and GPT-5.1 support image generation?

Grammarly does not have built-in image capabilities. GPT-5.1 Instant supports image understanding and analysis. For dedicated image generation, consider specialized tools like DALL-E or Midjourney.

Which AI should beginners choose: Grammarly or GPT-5.1?

For beginners, we recommend starting with either - both offer free tiers to experiment. GPT-5.1 Instant has a slightly better overall user experience based on our testing.

Can I switch from Grammarly to GPT-5.1 easily?

Yes, switching between AI tools is straightforward since they use similar prompting interfaces. Your conversation history won't transfer, but you can export important outputs. Many professionals use both tools depending on the task - Grammarly for Grammar checking, professional emails, academic writing and GPT-5.1 Instant for General assistant, math problems, quick coding help.

Ready to Get Started?

Both tools offer free tiers or trials. Try them out and see which one works best for your workflow in 2026.