Level : Beginner
What is the best AI for writing in English?
By The Info Agent IA editorial team ·
For writing in English, ChatGPT and Claude are the two strongest all-round choices, with Le Chat by Mistral as a solid free alternative: all three have a free tier and are listed as writing assistants in our data. The best one for you depends mostly on what you write, how much you want to spend and which apps you already use.
What a writing assistant should do well
Writing with AI is more than asking for “a text about…”. A good writing assistant needs to deliver on several fronts at once:
- natural English in the right register, whether that is a casual message or a formal report;
- following instructions: length, tone, structure, audience, and British or American spelling;
- working on your own drafts: rewriting, shortening or proofreading a document you upload;
- useful settings, such as memory or custom instructions, so you do not have to describe your style every time;
- clear privacy rules, especially for work writing;
- a fair price, or a free tier that is good enough.
To see how these tools fit into the wider landscape, our ranking of the best AI tools explains how we compare them.
The contenders at a glance
Here are six assistants people commonly use for writing, with data collected from the companies’ websites:
| Assistant | Free | Paid from | Web search | Agent mode | Voice | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Limited | $8/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Claude | Limited | $20/mo | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Gemini | Limited | €4.99/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Copilot | Limited | $9.99/mo | Yes | — | Yes | Yes |
| Le Chat (Mistral Vibe) | Limited | $5.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Notion AI | Limited | $10/mo | Yes | Yes | — | — |
ChatGPT: the all-rounder
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is where many people start. For writing, it covers the basics and more: web search, file uploads, memory, voice, and image generation if you want to illustrate a post. It can switch from a formal cover letter to a light-hearted newsletter or an essay outline.
The Go plan costs $8 a month (US price) and Plus costs $20. On privacy, you can opt out of training under Settings, Data Controls, “Improve the model for everyone.” Temporary chats are not used for training and are kept for up to 30 days.
Claude: for long, nuanced writing
Anthropic’s Claude is also listed for writing in our data, along with work and coding. It reads the files you share, has memory and can search the web. Our Claude profile covers its models, including Claude Opus 5.5 and Claude Sonnet 5.5.
The Pro plan costs $20 a month, or $17 a month billed annually. On individual plans you can opt out of training, and incognito chats are never used for it. For a full head-to-head, read our ChatGPT or Claude comparison.
Le Chat by Mistral: the European option
Le Chat, renamed Mistral Vibe in 2026, comes from the French company Mistral AI. It handles English well and stores data in the European Union by default. Note that training is on by default on the Free, Pro and Student plans, and you can turn it off under Privacy.
Pro costs $14.99 a month before tax, and a Student plan costs $5.99 a month for verified students, for up to 12 months. Our guide to Le Chat by Mistral covers its three spaces: Chat, Work and Code.
Gemini, Copilot and Notion AI: writing where you already work
These three are less “writers” than assistants built into suites you may already use.
- Gemini, from Google, makes sense if you live in Gmail and Google Docs. The free version uses a lighter model, Flash-Lite. Paid Google AI plans add higher limits.
- Microsoft Copilot has a free version, but it is with a Microsoft 365 subscription, starting at $9.99 a month for Personal, that it shows up in Word and the other Office apps.
- Notion AI is mainly for writing inside a Notion workspace: notes, meeting summaries, project pages. AI is only available as a limited trial on the Free and Plus plans; full use comes with the Business plan, priced at 23.50 euros per member per month in Europe.
Which tool for which job
| What you write | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday emails and messages | ChatGPT or Le Chat (free) | Fast, no subscription needed |
| Long reports and articles | Claude | Works well with uploaded files and long documents |
| Sensitive work documents | Le Chat, or your employer’s approved tool | EU hosting by default; follow company policy |
| Documents in Word or Google Docs | Copilot or Gemini | Built into the suite you already use |
| Notes and project pages | Notion AI | Writes directly in your workspace |
| Cover letters and résumés | ChatGPT, Claude or Le Chat | See our dedicated guide |
For job applications, our guide to writing a résumé or email with AI includes example prompts. If budget comes first, our pick of the best free AI compares the free tiers.
Limits to keep in mind
An AI writing tool is still a tool, with well-known flaws.
It can make things up. A hallucination is false information stated with confidence: a date, a quote or a source that does not exist. In any text that cites facts, check everything.
It flattens your style. Without clear instructions, AI text tends to sound the same: the same transitions, the same bullet lists, the same stock phrases. Your own voice only comes through if you describe it or start from your own draft.
It may or may not be detected. So-called AI detectors claim to spot generated text. Their results are not fully reliable, in either direction.
British or American English?
English comes in several flavors, and AI assistants tend to default to one unless told otherwise. If you write for a UK, Irish, Australian or Indian audience, spelling and vocabulary matter: “colour” or “color”, “organise” or “organize”, “flat” or “apartment”. The fix is simple. State the variety you want in every important request, or save it once in your custom instructions or the assistant’s memory. Ask the assistant to keep the same variety across the whole document, then run a final read focused on spelling only.
The same goes for tone. A message to a colleague in London and one to a client in New York may call for different levels of formality. Tell the assistant who will read the text, and let it adjust.
How to write well with AI
Text quality starts with your prompt, the instruction you give the assistant. A simple four-step method:
- Give context: who is writing, for whom and why.
- Specify the format: length, tone, structure, and British or American English.
- Provide a sample of your style, or a draft to improve.
- Review and revise: ask for a shorter, plainer or warmer version, then edit the final draft yourself.
Our prompt generator helps you build a complete instruction in a few clicks.
Check yourself You ask an AI for a blog post that cites three studies. What do you do before publishing?
Check that each study really exists, with its author, date and figures, by opening the original source. AI can invent references that look credible. If you cannot find the source, remove the mention.
Who should use what? Our verdict
- You write occasionally, on no budget: the free version of ChatGPT or Claude.
- You write a lot, including long documents: Claude Pro or ChatGPT Plus, depending on which one you prefer.
- You want your writing stored in Europe: Le Chat, with training turned off.
- You work in Word or Google Docs: Copilot with Microsoft 365, or Gemini with a Google AI plan.
- You are a student: our guide to AI for students covers student plans and the rules to follow.
To compare more assistants or sharpen your prompt, try these two tools:
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free AI for writing?
ChatGPT, Claude and Le Chat by Mistral all have a limited free tier and are listed as strong writing assistants in our data. For occasional emails, posts and short texts, the free version of any of the three is usually enough.
Can AI write in British English instead of American English?
Yes, if you ask. Say “use British spelling and vocabulary” or “use American English” in your instructions, or save that preference in the assistant's custom instructions so you do not have to repeat it. Then check the final text, because spelling can drift in long documents.
Is it okay to use AI-written text at work?
Usually, as long as you review it, check the facts and follow your employer's policy. Avoid pasting confidential documents into a consumer chatbot before checking its privacy settings.
Do I need a paid plan to write with AI?
Not necessarily. Paid plans mainly give you higher usage limits and access to the most advanced models. They make sense if you write every day or work on long documents.