Proofly
Free on-device Chrome proofreading with Gemini Nano for total privacy
Proofly is the privacy purist's grammar checker—free, open-source, and fully offline, but it's niche. You need Chrome 141+, and you'll get spelling and grammar fixes only; no style or tone help. Worth installing if you write sensitive content in Chrome and trust nothing cloud-based. Otherwise, Grammarly offers more features at the cost of your data.
Verified 2d ago · liveness 53/100 · cite: rightaichoice.com/tools/proofly
- Privacy-conscious writers who distrust cloud grammar checkers
- Students needing offline proofreading for essays in Chrome
- Professionals writing sensitive emails on the web
- Chrome users wanting a no-account, free grammar checker
- Users needing style suggestions, tone analysis, or rewriting
- Non-Chrome browser users (no Firefox, Edge, Safari)
- Users with Chrome <141 or devices lacking on-device AI
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Skip Proofly if you need style suggestions, tone analysis, rewriting, or cross-browser support—it only checks grammatical correctness in Chrome 141+ and offers no style help.
Proofly is free—no hidden charges, no premium tiers. It's the most budget-friendly option for Chrome users, though you pay in compatibility: requires Chrome 141+ and on-device AI support. Cloud alternatives like Grammarly offer more features but at a monthly cost, starting around $12/mo.
In short
Proofly — Free on-device Chrome proofreading with Gemini Nano for total privacy. Best for Privacy-conscious writers who distrust cloud grammar checkers, Students needing offline proofreading for essays in Chrome, Professionals writing sensitive emails on the web. Free to use.
What's new in Proofly
Checked 7 days agoAcross the latest 1 update: 1 changelog entry.
What people actually say about Proofly — is it worth it?
We ran a structured research pass across product reviews, community discussions, and post-purchase forum threads to surface the patterns vendors won't publish themselves. Below: the recurring strengths, the hidden costs people mention most, and the cohort that consistently regrets adopting this tool.
5 mentions across 2 sources (Hacker News, Product Hunt) · researched Jul 3, 2026.
- +100% local processing ensures maximum privacy — no data sent.
- +Free and open-source, allowing community audit and customization.
- +Works offline after initial model download, useful for travel.
- +Focused on a single task: proofreading without bloat.
- +Native-feeling UI with popover corrections and sidebar.
- −No community feedback exists to validate its accuracy or reliability.
- −Name collision with another product causes confusion in search.
- −Requires Chrome 141+ — a very recent version limits users.
- −Only spelling, grammar, punctuation — no style or tone analysis.
- −Model download size and impact on device performance unknown.
- • No hidden costs; tool is free and open-source.
Viability Score
How well maintained and how widely used is Proofly? Built from what the vendor actually publishes (docs, changelog, tutorials, integrations, pricing), whether the site is live, and how much real users discuss it. How we calculate this
Last calculated: September 2026
How we score →Key Features
- On-device proofreading via Chrome's Gemini Nano
- Real-time underlining for spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, missing words, prepositions
- Native-feeling correction popovers
- Dedicated sidebar for reviewing all issues
- Works on input fields, textareas, contenteditable elements
- Toggle specific correction types
- Custom keyboard shortcut to check text
- Auto-correct and manual trigger modes
- Zero data transmission – 100% local
- No tracking, no telemetry, no account required
- Works completely offline after initial model download
- Lightweight, non-invasive UI
- Open-source code
- Free to use
About Proofly
Proofly is a free, privacy-first Chrome extension that proofreads your writing entirely on your device using Chrome's built-in Gemini Nano AI. It catches spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, missing words, and preposition errors across input fields, textareas, and contenteditable elements. Designed for students, professionals, and anyone who writes sensitive content online, Proofly ensures your keystrokes never leave your machine—no cloud, no account, no tracking. The extension works offline after a one-time model download and requires Chrome 141+ with on-device AI support. Its native-feeling underlines and popover corrections blend into your browsing, while a dedicated sidebar gives you an overview of all issues in one place. You can toggle specific correction types (like ignoring capitalization), set a custom keyboard shortcut to check a chunk of text, and switch between auto-correct and manual trigger modes. Unlike cloud-based assistants like Grammarly, Proofly guarantees absolute privacy. It's open-source, so you can audit exactly what runs on your browser. However, its focus is purely grammatical correctness—there's no style suggestions, tone analysis, or rewriting. For Chrome users who prioritize privacy over fancy features, Proofly is a solid, free pick; for cross-browser support or style help, you'd need to look at cloud-based tools.
Behind the Verdict
We'd reach for Proofly when writing confidential emails or documents in Chrome and you're not comfortable with a cloud service scanning your words. Its on-device processing with Gemini Nano is the real deal—your keystrokes never leave the machine. For that alone, the free price tag is hard to beat. Where it bites: Proofly's correction scope is narrow. It catches spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, missing words, and prepositions, but it won't suggest style improvements, tone adjustments, or rewrites. If you need more than proofreading, this isn't your tool. Compatibility is another constraint. It demands Chrome 141+ and a device that can run Chrome's built-in AI models. No Firefox, Edge, or Safari support, so if you're not all-in on Chrome, you're out of luck. And with only 195 users, the community is tiny—though that's less of an issue for a local tool. Compared to Grammarly, Proofly wins on privacy and price but loses on feature depth and cross-browser reach. Grammarly's free tier gives you style and tone suggestions, but it processes your text in the cloud. Proofly's trade-off is straightforward: complete privacy in exchange for simpler correction capabilities. In practice, the open-source nature means you can audit the code, and the lack of telemetry is refreshing. But don't expect collaborative features or shared settings—this is a solo, single-browser tool. For privacy-critical Chrome users, it's a dependable zero-cost option. For everyone else, consider your needs before switching from a more feature-rich assistant.
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Real-world workflow fit
Concrete scenarios for the personas Proofly actually fits — and what changes day-one when you adopt it.
You draft sensitive emails in Gmail and want to ensure correct grammar without sending content to the cloud.
Outcome: Install Proofly, enable auto-correct, and see underlines appear in real-time. Click to apply suggestions locally, knowing your keystrokes never leave your device.
You write essays in Google Docs offline and need grammar checking without connectivity.
Outcome: After the initial model download, Proofly works fully offline. You can proofread your entire essay in the sidebar, catching errors before submission without needing Wi-Fi.
You frequently fill forms and comments across the web and want quick grammar checks without interrupting flow.
Outcome: Set a custom keyboard shortcut to check selected text, or let Proofly underline issues as you type. The non-invasive UI keeps out of your way.
Use Cases
- Proofread emails before sending for professional communication
- Check grammar and spelling in online forms, comments, and social media posts
- Review academic writing in Google Docs or other web-based editors
- Catch errors in sensitive documents without cloud exposure
- Use offline when traveling or in areas with unreliable internet
Models Under the Hood
as of 2026-08-30
Limitations
- Proofly requires Chrome 141+ and a device capable of running Chrome's built-in AI models.
- It processes text 100% on-device for privacy and offline use, but may not support all Chrome versions or devices.
- It offers a lightweight, non-invasive interface for proofreading tasks.
as of 2026-08-26
Verification history
We have re-verified Proofly 7 times since . Each pass re-reads the vendor's own pages and re-checks every listed field against that evidence; passes where nothing had changed are marked as such.
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
- — re-verified summary, description, our verdict, our analysis, pricing model, pricing tiers, features, integrations, who it suits, who should skip it
Showing the 6 most recent of 7 verification passes.
Free to cite with attribution — this page re-verifies continuously.
12-month cost
Project the real annual outlay, including the implied monthly cost when only an annual tier is published.
Vendor list price only. Add-on usage, seat overages, and contract minimums are surfaced under Hidden costs & gotchas.
Plans compared
For each published Proofly tier: who it actually fits, and what it adds vs. the previous tier. Cross-reference the cost calculator above for projected annual outlay.
Free
$0
Ideal for
Privacy-conscious Chrome users who want a free, on-device grammar checker without account or cloud exposure.
What this tier adds
Free entry point with all features: on-device proofreading, offline use, no account, no tracking. No paid tiers exist.
Where the pricing makes sense
The company stage and team size where Proofly's pricing actually pencils out — and where peers do it cheaper.
Proofly is free—no hidden charges, no premium tiers. It's the most budget-friendly option for Chrome users, though you pay in compatibility: requires Chrome 141+ and on-device AI support. Cloud alternatives like Grammarly offer more features but at a monthly cost, starting around $12/mo.
Setup time & first value
How long it actually takes to get something useful out of Proofly — broken out by persona, not the marketing-page minute.
Installation takes under a minute (11KiB extension). The first check triggers a one-time model download—on fast connections this takes a few seconds; on slower networks it may take a minute. After that, you're fully functional and can start proofreading immediately.
Resources & Guides
Tutorials & Learning
Official links
Tools that pair well with Proofly
Common stack mates teams adopt alongside Proofly, with the specific reason each pairing earns its keep.
Featured Head-to-Head Comparisons
Proofly vs Gem
Gem and Proofly serve completely different needs: Gem is a comprehensive, paid recruiting platform for talent teams, while Proofly is a free, privacy-first proofreading extension for Chrome users. Choose Gem if you need an all-in-one ATS/CRM with AI agents for sourcing, screening, and fraud detection. Choose Proofly if you want a lightweight, on-device grammar checker that never sends your data to the cloud. They are not direct competitors.
Proofly vs Letterhead
These tools address completely different needs. Proofly is a free, privacy-focused Chrome extension for on-device proofreading. Letterhead is a paid, enterprise-grade newsletter OS for teams managing multiple brands. Choose Proofly if you want a private, lightweight grammar checker; choose Letterhead if you run a multi-newsletter operation and need to scale production, audience management, and revenue.
Proofly vs Poke Interaction Co
Poke is a powerful AI assistant that manages email, calendar, and automations from messaging apps, ideal for power users willing to pay for deep integrations. Proofly is a free, private grammar checker for Chrome users who never want their text leaving the device. Your choice: control your digital life (Poke) or perfect your writing with zero data risk (Proofly).
Harvey vs Proofly
If you're a law firm or legal department needing an end-to-end AI platform for contract analysis, due diligence, and litigation support, Harvey is the obvious choice—though you'll need to contact for pricing. If you're an individual writer who values privacy and just wants a no-fuss, free grammar checker running locally on Chrome, Proofly is perfect. These tools serve completely different needs; pick based on your domain and privacy requirements.
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