Is Grammarly Safe? Security Review
3/5
Overall Safety Score
★
★
★
★
★
Verdict: Grammarly is technically secure but its core function requires reading everything you type across all websites and apps. This level of access is a significant privacy trade-off that users should understand.
Grammarly is a writing assistant used by over 30 million daily active users. Its browser extension and keyboard app read everything you type to provide suggestions, creating significant data access that many users don't fully consider.
Security Ratings Breakdown
| Category | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | 4/5 | |
| Privacy | 2/5 | |
| Track Record | 3/5 |
Security Features
- SOC 2 Type II compliance
- AES-256 encryption
- Enterprise security controls
- GDPR and CCPA compliance
- Two-factor authentication
Privacy Concerns
- Browser extension reads ALL text you type on every website (including passwords, banking sites, private messages)
- Text snippets sent to Grammarly servers for analysis
- User writing data used to improve AI models
- Enterprise version more private, but personal version retains broad data use rights
- Keyboard app version reads all mobile typing
Past Security Incidents
- 2018 browser extension vulnerability allowed any website to access user's documents, auth tokens, and data from Grammarly's server (patched quickly)
- No major data breaches as of 2025
How to Stay Safe Using Grammarly
- Disable Grammarly on sensitive sites (banking, healthcare, email with confidential info)
- Use the site blocklist feature to exclude sensitive websites
- Review and limit data sharing in account settings
- Consider using Grammarly only in specific writing apps, not as a browser extension
Safer Alternatives
- LanguageTool (open-source, self-hostable)
- ProWritingAid (alternative writing assistant)
- Built-in browser/OS spell check (no cloud processing)
Last updated: February 10, 2026