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Quality consistency: Does the AI maintain your tone and style, or does everything sound robotic?
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Customisation options: Can you train the tool to match your voice, or does it enforce a one-size-fits-all approach?
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Integration with your workflow: Does it work inside your favourite applications, or do you need to copy-paste constantly?
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Free tier usefulness: Can you actually accomplish real work on the free plan, or is it just a feature-limited tease?
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Learning curve: How much time will you spend reading documentation versus actually writing?
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Specific use cases: Does it excel at emails, long-form articles, social media, or is it generalist?
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Accuracy and factuality: Does the tool occasionally invent facts (hallucinate), and how obvious is it when it does?
The Top Options
ChatGPT Writer ChatGPT Writer sits in your browser and lets you compose emails, messages, and short-form content directly within Gmail, LinkedIn, or any text field.
You describe what you need, and it generates a full draft in seconds. What it does well: This tool shines for routine professional communication. Need to send a follow-up email to a potential client? Drafting a LinkedIn message to network with editors? ChatGPT Writer handles these tasks faster than typing manually. The interface is straightforward, and the tool respects your existing tone if you give it context. It's also excellent at generating multiple variations so you can pick your favourite version. Pricing: The extension is free with a free ChatGPT account. If you want access to more powerful models (GPT-4), you'll need ChatGPT Plus at £15/month. Best for: Freelancers who send lots of emails, pitches, or professional messages. Social media managers juggling multiple accounts. Anyone who dislikes writing routine communication but needs it to sound natural. Limitations: It's designed for shorter content, not 2000-word articles. The generated text can sometimes feel generic if you don't provide detailed instructions. You're also dependent on OpenAI's API, so if they have outages, you lose access. The tool sometimes struggles with highly technical or niche industry terminology.
HyperWrite HyperWrite functions as a full writing assistant that works across the web.
You can use it to start articles, continue writing from a prompt, improve existing text, or generate ideas. It's more focused on longer-form work than ChatGPT Writer. What it does well: The tool excels at generating article outlines and expanding brief notes into fuller paragraphs. If you've got a rough idea but struggle with structure, HyperWrite can suggest a logical flow. The "magic editor" feature analyses your writing and suggests improvements without rewriting everything wholesale. Unlike some AI tools, it tends to maintain a more natural, less corporate-sounding voice. Pricing: Free tier includes 100 AI requests per month, which covers roughly 10-15 articles depending on length. Pro plan is £9.99/month for unlimited requests. Best for: Freelance writers tackling blog posts, articles, and longer content. Anyone who needs help with structure and organisation more than raw word generation. Writers comfortable experimenting with AI to find what works for them. Limitations: The free tier's 100 monthly requests sounds generous until you're working on multiple projects simultaneously. The tool sometimes generates slightly awkward phrasing when asked to expand short notes. It's also less integrated into other apps compared to ChatGPT Writer, so you'll be working in their web interface or copying text between tabs.
QuillBot QuillBot specialises in paraphrasing and rewriting.
Rather than generating new content from scratch, it takes existing text and offers alternative versions. Think of it as the most sophisticated thesaurus you've ever used. What it does well: This tool is very useful for the rewriting phase of your process. You've written a draft that's solid but sounds a bit clunky? QuillBot generates multiple ways to express the same ideas. It's particularly good at adjusting tone and formality level, so the same sentence can sound casual, professional, or academic depending on your setting. It also includes a plagiarism checker, which is genuinely useful for verifying your rewrites don't accidentally match your sources. Pricing: Free tier allows 125 rewrite credits per month. Premium is £9.99/month for unlimited rewrites and more advanced features. Best for: Writers who revise heavily and want variation in sentence structure. Non-native English speakers who want to polish their phrasing. Content creators who need to adapt the same core message for multiple audiences or platforms. Limitations: QuillBot works best on text you've already written. It's not a generation tool, so it won't help you start from a blank page. The free tier's 125 monthly credits is limiting if you're rewriting substantially. Some paraphrases feel overly complicated or miss the nuance of your original phrasing. It also won't catch logical errors or weak arguments, only rephrase what's there.
Prerequisites
Before you start with any of these tools, you'll need: - A free email account (Gmail recommended) for ChatGPT Writer, though it works with any email service
- About 10 minutes to install browser extensions and create accounts across the tools you want to test
- Basic familiarity with prompt writing (telling an AI what you want in clear instructions)
- No coding required for any of these tools
- API keys: Optional but available for all three if you want to integrate them with other software
- Device with a modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
- Realistic expectations about what AI can do. These tools assist you, they don't replace you
Our Recommendation
Here's the straightforward advice: if you're a freelance writer looking for genuine value on a limited budget, start with ChatGPT Writer for professional communication and QuillBot for revision work. Use both free tiers for a full month before deciding if either warrants paid upgrade. ChatGPT Writer wins on integration and ease of use. You'll save real time on email pitches and client communication, which means more hours for actual writing. QuillBot is your best investment if you're a perfectionist who revises multiple times. The ability to generate variations instantly beats manually restructuring sentences. HyperWrite splits the difference but doesn't excel at either task. It's worth testing if you struggle with article structure, but we'd recommend trying the other two first. If you're choosing just one tool and only want to pay money for a subscription, pick ChatGPT Plus with ChatGPT Writer. It's the most flexible and supports both writing assistance and communication.
Getting Started
Here's how to set up ChatGPT Writer in less than ten minutes:
Step 1: Install the extension
Head to the ChatGPT Writer website and install the browser extension for your browser. The installation is automatic and requires just one click.
Step 2: Log in with your OpenAI account
If you don't have one already, create a free OpenAI account. Sign in through the extension. This takes 2 minutes.
Step 3: Open Gmail or any text field
handle to your email inbox or any webpage with a text input box. You'll see a small ChatGPT Writer icon appear.
Step 4: Write your prompt
Click the icon and type what you need. Be specific:
Write a professional email to a potential client pitching
my freelance writing services. Mention my experience with
tech and SaaS blogs. Keep it under 150 words. Sound friendly
but not overly casual.
Step 5: Edit and send
Review the generated text, make tweaks if needed, and hit send. Most emails need only minor adjustments. That's it. You're now using AI to handle routine communication, freeing up mental energy for work that actually requires your unique voice and expertise.