Refine vs QuillBot

An offline QuillBot alternative for private Mac writing.

QuillBot combines paraphrasing, grammar, plagiarism, citation, and AI tools across web and apps. Refine focuses on private local writing assistance across most Mac apps.

Download for Mac

v1.34

macOS 14+

Full-featured 7-day free trial

Refine vs QuillBot at a glance

Offline writing help

Refine
Yes, after downloading a local model
QuillBot
QuillBot's Word add-in requires internet and sends text to its online servers; its Mac app guide does not advertise an offline mode

Where writing is processed

Refine
On your Mac when a local model is selected
QuillBot
In QuillBot's cloud service; its Word add-in documentation explicitly describes online server processing

Published language coverage

Refine
50+ languages and regional variants
QuillBot
QuillBot's Premium page lists 23 paraphrasing languages, grammar in 6 languages, and translation in 40+ languages

Pricing model

Refine
$38 one-device lifetime license
QuillBot
Free plan; Premium advertised at $8.33/month billed annually. Price can vary by region.

QuillBot alternative feature comparison

This comparison uses published features, limits, and data practices. It does not claim that either tool produces more accurate corrections without a controlled, reproducible test.

Grammar and style

Refine

Context-aware grammar, spelling, fluency, and explanation features from your selected local model.

QuillBot

Free grammar, spelling, and punctuation checks. Premium adds advanced recommendations, sentence rewrites, and tone insights.

Paraphrasing and rewriting

Refine

Fluency changes, translation, built-in and custom rewrite presets, custom prompts, and per-task model choices.

QuillBot

A dedicated Paraphraser with Standard and Fluency modes on the Free plan, plus nine published modes, Custom modes, Compare Modes, and history on Premium.

Academic and originality tools

Refine

Focused on improving and transforming writing; it does not include plagiarism scanning, AI detection, or citation generation.

QuillBot

Includes a Citation Generator and an AI Detector. Premium includes Plagiarism Checker access with a published 25,000-word monthly allowance.

Writing privacy and AI training

Refine

Local checks can keep the checked text and model response on your Mac.

QuillBot

QuillBot says inputs and usage data help provide and personalize its service and train its models. Current extensions offer storage and training opt-outs; Team Plan inputs are excluded from model training.

Mac writing workflow

Refine

Surfaces suggestions in compatible text fields across most Mac apps, with a floating editor fallback.

QuillBot

Its macOS app brings inline grammar and paraphrasing to supported desktop apps; a separate Word add-in opens the tools in a sidebar.

Platforms and integrations

Refine

A native app for macOS 14 or later.

QuillBot

Web tools plus apps or extensions for macOS, Windows, Chrome, Edge, Safari, Word, iOS, and Android.

Published usage limits

Refine

Local checks do not have a metered per-word subscription quota.

QuillBot

Free paraphrasing is limited to 125 words at a time and summarizing to 1,200 words. Premium removes the paraphrasing limit and raises summarizing to 6,000 words.

Price and license

Refine

$38 once for one Mac, or $68 once for 3 Macs.

QuillBot

A limited Free plan is available. The public U.S. Premium page advertises $8.33/month billed annually; QuillBot says checkout prices can vary by location and currency.

The practical privacy difference

Local processing and cloud data controls solve different problems

QuillBot offers opt-outs and publishes a separate Team Plan rule, but its writing service still processes text online. Refine can run the writing task locally after a model is downloaded.

Refine local model

Checked text stays on your Mac

The checked text and model response stay on your Mac. Optional hosted providers, license checks, telemetry, and user-submitted feedback are separate network flows.

QuillBot individual use

Cloud processing with data controls

QuillBot says inputs and usage data are used to provide and personalize its service and train its models. For current extensions, text-input storage is on by default; all users can opt out of storage, and signed-in users can opt out of training.

QuillBot Team Plan

Inputs excluded from training

QuillBot says it does not train on text inputs from Team Plan users. The service remains cloud-based, and the Team Plan adds administration, usage reports, and data controls.

Which writing assistant should you choose?

Choose Refine for local, offline Mac writing

Refine is the stronger fit when private local processing and a Mac-wide writing workflow matter more than a broad online tool suite.

  • You want grammar and rewriting to work without internet after setup.
  • You write sensitive drafts and want local model inference.
  • You prefer custom prompts, 50+ languages, and a one-time lifetime license.

Choose QuillBot for paraphrasing and academic tools

QuillBot is the stronger fit when a broad cross-platform suite matters more than offline local processing.

  • You want dedicated paraphrasing modes, a summarizer, and an AI Humanizer.
  • You need plagiarism scanning, AI detection, or citation generation in one service.
  • You work across web browsers, Windows, macOS, Word, iOS, and Android.

Refine vs QuillBot FAQ

What is a private QuillBot alternative for Mac?

Refine is a QuillBot alternative for Mac users who want grammar checking, fluency improvements, explanations, translation, and custom rewriting with local AI models. QuillBot offers a wider online suite that includes plagiarism checking, AI detection, citation generation, summarization, and dedicated paraphrasing modes.

Can QuillBot work offline?

QuillBot's official Word documentation says the add-in needs an active internet connection, connects to online servers, and does not function without internet. Its current macOS guide advertises inline grammar and paraphrasing but does not document an offline mode. Refine works offline after a local model is downloaded.

Does QuillBot use my writing to train AI?

QuillBot says inputs and usage data are used to provide and personalize its services and train its models. Current extension users can opt out of text storage, and signed-in users can also opt out of training. QuillBot says Team Plan inputs are not used for model training. Refine's local checks do not upload the checked text.

Which tool supports more languages, Refine or QuillBot?

Refine supports 50+ languages and regional variants for its local writing workflow. QuillBot's published coverage varies by tool: its Premium page lists 23 paraphrasing languages, grammar correction in 6 languages, and translation in 40+ languages.

Is Refine or QuillBot better?

Choose Refine for offline local inference, private Mac writing, custom prompts, and one-time pricing. Choose QuillBot for dedicated paraphrasing modes, plagiarism checking, AI detection, citations, and broader device support.

How do Refine and QuillBot compare on price?

Refine starts at $38 as a one-time lifetime license. QuillBot has a limited Free plan and advertises Premium at $8.33/month billed annually on its public U.S. page. QuillBot notes that prices can vary by region and currency.

Sources and fact-check date

QuillBot features, limits, data practices, and public U.S. pricing were checked against its official website and help center on July 31, 2026. Product details and regional pricing can change.

All comparisons

Browse direct comparisons for choosing a private AI writing assistant.

Comparisons

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Refine vs LanguageTool

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Refine vs Self-Hosted LanguageTool

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Refine vs Harper

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Refine vs Hemingway Editor

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Refine vs ProWritingAid

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Refine vs DeepL Write

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Try a private QuillBot alternative on your Mac

Download Refine and use the full-featured trial before buying a lifetime license.

Download for Mac

v1.34

macOS 14+

Full-featured 7-day free trial