Playbook by MediaBistro | Tools & Software for Creative Professionals
Frase and Grammarly serve distinctly different roles in the content creation process. Frase is built for SEO-focused content strategists who need data-driven research and optimization, while Grammarly is designed for writers who need real-time grammar, clarity, and tone correction across all writing contexts.
Frase positions itself as an end-to-end SEO content workflow tool that bridges the gap between research and writing. The platform analyzes search engine results pages (SERPs) to identify what's ranking for target keywords, then automatically generates content briefs with recommended headings, questions to answer, and topics to cover. This approach transforms hours of manual competitive research into a streamlined, data-informed process.
Beyond research, Frase includes AI writing capabilities powered by large language models, allowing users to generate content sections directly within the platform. The tool integrates content optimization scoring that compares your draft against top-ranking competitors in real-time, highlighting gaps and opportunities. For content teams managing SEO strategies, Frase consolidates what would typically require multiple tools—keyword research platforms, content briefs, and writing assistants—into a single interface designed specifically for search-optimized content production.
Grammarly has established itself as the most widely-used writing assistant in the market, with a browser extension and integrations that work across virtually every writing surface—from Gmail and Google Docs to Slack and social media platforms. At its core, Grammarly provides real-time grammar and spelling correction, but its capabilities extend far beyond basic proofreading to include style suggestions, clarity improvements, and tone detection that helps writers understand how their message might be perceived.
What sets Grammarly apart is its contextual adaptability and accessibility. The tool recognizes different writing contexts—whether you're crafting a formal business proposal, a casual email to a colleague, or an academic essay—and adjusts its suggestions accordingly. The free tier offers substantial value for basic grammar checking, while premium features add plagiarism detection, vocabulary enhancement, and advanced style recommendations. Grammarly doesn't help you decide what to write about, but it ensures that whatever you do write is clear, correct, and communicates your intended tone effectively.
SEO content research, brief creation, and optimization-focused writing
Grammar checking, style improvement, and tone refinement across all writing
SERP analysis, automatic content brief generation, competitor topic extraction
No content research capabilities; focuses on refining existing text
AI text generation and SEO scoring within the Frase editor
Cross-platform grammar, clarity, and tone suggestions wherever you write
Content scoring against SERP competitors, keyword tracking, topic coverage analysis
No SEO-specific features; optimizes for readability and clarity only
Basic AI writing capabilities but no dedicated grammar engine
Advanced grammar, punctuation, style, and clarity checking with contextual explanations
Standalone platform with Google Docs integration; content lives primarily in Frase
Browser extension works across 500,000+ apps and websites; desktop and mobile apps
Grammarly is significantly more affordable and offers substantial value in its free tier, making it accessible to individual writers. Frase's higher price point reflects its specialized SEO research capabilities and is positioned for content marketers with budget allocated specifically for SEO tools. These tools serve different enough purposes that many professionals might justify using both rather than choosing one over the other.
Frase and Grammarly are complementary rather than competitive tools—they address entirely different stages of the writing process. Choose Frase if your primary challenge is identifying what content to create, understanding what topics and questions your content must address to rank, and optimizing drafts against search competitors. It's purpose-built for SEO professionals who need research and optimization intelligence baked into their workflow. The higher price reflects specialized functionality that directly impacts search visibility.
Choose Grammarly if your content strategy and topics are already defined, and your focus is on producing clear, grammatically correct, well-toned writing across all your communication channels. Its universal availability and real-time feedback make it invaluable for anyone who writes regularly, regardless of whether SEO is a consideration. For content teams, the ideal setup often includes both: Frase for the research and SEO optimization phase, and Grammarly for the editing and refinement stage. If budget requires choosing just one, let your primary bottleneck decide—research and strategy challenges point to Frase, while editing and clarity issues point to Grammarly.
