How to write
Comparison of Free Essay Writers: Which Ones Are Worth Your Time?
Author:
Michael Perkins
Apr 10, 2025
16 min
Table of contents
- Comparison of Free Essay Writers: Which Ones Are Worth Your Time?
- ChatGPT
- Editpad
- The Good AI
- Jenni.ai
- PerfectEssayWriter AI
- TinyWow Essay Writer
- EssayFlow
- Samwell.ai
- Textero.ai
- Writeless AI
- Comparison of Free Essay Tools
- Where Do All Free Essay Writing Websites Fall Short?
- AI vs Human Writing: Why Manual Content Still Wins
- Writers vs AI
- The Bottom Line
- FAQs
Comparison of Free Essay Writers: Which Ones Are Worth Your Time?
Free AI essay writers are everywhere right now. The promise is simple: AI that writes essays free, no stress, no long nights, no overthinking. With just a few clicks, these tools can generate essays and take care of the structure for you. That kind of speed is hard to ignore.
Still, these free essay writing tools come with some major drawbacks:
- They often miss the point of the assignment
- Sentences can feel awkward or off-topic
- The content might not match your writing style
- You can’t always trust the facts
- There's a real risk with plagiarism-free content
And they don’t understand academic writing the way people do
That’s why we built EssayWriters.com - a place where students can get real help with the essay writing process, from finding ideas to writing clear, high-quality essays. While AI tools can support your work, human writing will always do a better job when it comes to clear thinking, strong arguments, and staying true to your voice.
Need Essay Writing Help?
EssayWriters is here with real, human support.
ChatGPT
ChatGPT is probably the most popular AI paper writer free tool. It’s made by OpenAI and offers a free version that many students use to generate essays, come up with ideas, or get past writer’s block. The free version runs on GPT-3.5, which is still powerful but less advanced than the paid version (GPT-4).
This essay feels clean and well-organized, but very typical of what you'd expect from an AI tool. It says all the right things - like how “social media isn’t all bad” and can be ‘a lifeline during tough times’ - but it doesn’t really say anything new. The conclusion feels almost copy-paste level with lines like ‘it appears to be doing more harm than good.’ It’s not badly written - the structure makes sense, and it’s easy to read - but it’s missing personality, deeper insight, or any real point of view. It sounds like something you’d write in a hurry just to meet a word count.
Key Free Features
- Unlimited chats with GPT-3.5
- Basic help with grammar, structure, and content ideas
- Works for different writing styles and subjects
- Can brainstorm ideas, write outlines, and suggest titles
Interface and User Experience
- Simple, clean layout
- No login needed for quick access (on some platforms)
- Easy to copy or edit text while chatting
- Works on desktop and mobile
Free Plan Limitations
- GPT-3.5 can be repetitive or vague
- No access to the internet for up-to-date info
- Doesn’t always follow detailed prompts
- Can’t detect or avoid plagiarism on its own
- No built-in citation feature
Cons:
- Content can sound robotic or generic
- Doesn’t fully understand the academic context
- May overlook the writing style your professor expects
- Lacks the depth needed for high-quality essays
- The essay structure can be too broad or loosely organized
- Often repeats phrases or restates points without adding value
- Struggles with subject-specific vocabulary in academic writing
- Doesn’t cite sources or reference credible material
- Fails to reflect your actual writing style, which can raise flags with professors
Editpad
Editpad is a free AI writing tool that offers a bunch of basic services like paraphrasing, summarizing, and essay generation. It’s mostly used for quick edits or to create essays from simple prompts. You don’t need an account to use most of its tools, which makes it a popular option for fast fixes.
This essay from Editpad reads like a collection of textbook facts put together without much personality or flow. It’s packed with statistics and phrases like 'approximately 37% of young people...have been bullied online,' which adds credibility, but the writing feels flat and repetitive. Lines like 'social media has the potential to offer benefits' and 'understanding the balance between the positives and negatives' sound like typical AI filler. On the plus side, it stays on topic and is clear to read. But overall, it reads more like a stitched-together summary than a real essay with a voice or original thought behind it.
Key Free Features
- AI essay writer with basic content generation
- Paraphrasing tool
- Grammar and plagiarism checker
- Summarizer and text editor
- Unlimited access to most tools
Interface and User Experience
- Simple layout with tools clearly listed
- No sign-up required
- Text boxes are easy to use but not great for longer writing
- Can feel cluttered with ads and popups
Free Plan Limitations
- Doesn’t support detailed or structured academic writing
- Weak on research-based content
- Output is often short, repetitive, or lacking key points
- Not ideal for full-length academic papers or research papers
Cons:
- Lacks depth and organization for serious assignments
- Text often needs rewriting to sound natural
- Doesn’t always align with academic integrity standards
- No clear word count control or style matching
- Essays lack flow and usually follow a rigid, basic template
- Grammar suggestions are limited and not context-aware
- Rewritten content often sounds awkward or overly simplified
- Doesn’t recognize citation needs, making it unreliable for academic papers
- Ads and pop-ups disrupt the writing process and slow things down
The Good AI
The Good AI is a free AI-powered essay writer built specifically for students. It’s designed to help you generate high-quality essays by asking a few quick questions about your topic. While it aims to support the essay writing process, it’s more of a basic essay builder than a full writing assistant.
This essay from The Good AI tries to sound formal and academic, but it ends up feeling overcomplicated and a bit forced. It throws in phrases like 'contentious topic in contemporary discourse' and 'dual potential for both harm and benefit,' which feel unnecessarily heavy for such a basic topic. That being said, it does a solid job covering both sides of the argument and mentions that 'online forums and support groups can offer solace and understanding.' The structure is clear, but the tone feels robotic and unnatural - like it's trying too hard to sound smart without actually saying much that's new or personal.
Key Free Features
- Simple step-by-step essay generator
- Option to choose essay type and topic
- Automatic introduction, body, and conclusion generation
- Works well for shorter academic essays
Interface and User Experience
- Very beginner-friendly
- The guided format makes it easy to follow
- No extra tools or clutter on the page
- No login required for the free version
Free Plan Limitations
- Doesn’t allow much customization
- Can’t adjust writing style or tone
- No built-in grammar or plagiarism checks
- Output sometimes feels too generic or formulaic
Cons:
- Limited content depth
- Struggles with complex or nuanced topics
- Can’t support more detailed academic assignments
- Lacks tools for editing or refining drafts
- Content lacks critical reasoning or clear argument structure
- Struggles with essay types like compare and contrast or literary analysis
- No way to insert citations or mention real sources
- Repetitive sentence starters and transitions make the writing feel unnatural
- Doesn’t help improve your writing skills in the long term
Jenni.ai
Jenni.ai is one of the essay writers for free. The AI writing assistant is focused on academic writing. It's designed to help with research papers, essays, and even citations. While it has a clean interface and some helpful tools, the free version comes with limits on how much you can write each day.
This essay from Jenni.ai reads more like a research summary than an actual student essay. It’s packed with citations and technical phrasing like 'a rigorous examination of its multifaceted influence' or 'the intricate interplay between social media usage and mental health outcomes.' While this style might impress at first glance, it doesn’t feel natural or personal at all. The constant name-dropping of studies like 'Karim et al., 2020' and 'Khalaf et al., 2023' makes it sound more like a bibliography than an argument. Still, the essay is well-organized and covers relevant points like 'fueling anxiety and a perpetual need for validation,' which shows the tool can handle research-heavy writing - just without much human voice.
Key Free Features
- Sentence-by-sentence writing assistance
- Auto-complete suggestions as you type
- Citation generation (APA, MLA, Chicago)
- Works well for structured academic essays
Interface and User Experience
- Minimal, distraction-free layout
- Real-time suggestions show up as you write
- Designed for academic use, not casual writing
- Requires sign-up to access the editor
Free Plan Limitations
- Daily word limit (around 200 words/day)
- No access to advanced writing modes
- The free version lacks long-form content support
- No plagiarism checker in the free plan
Cons:
- Strict word cap limits usefulness
- Not ideal for writing full academic papers
- Some suggestions feel mechanical or repetitive
- Requires constant editing to match your writing style
- The 200-word limit per day makes it unusable for full essays
- Citation tool sometimes misformats sources or skips key info
- Writing suggestions repeat common phrases and lack variety
- Can't generate full introductions or conclusions without manual effort
- The output feels stiff and rarely fits specific assignment instructions
PerfectEssayWriter AI
PerfectEssayWriter.ai is a tool designed to help students write essays using artificial intelligence. The free version gives you access to all the basic tools, but there's a limit on how much content you can generate before hitting a paywall.
This essay from PerfectEssayWriter AI feels calm, thoughtful, and well-organized, but it leans very heavily on safe and neutral phrasing. Lines like 'one aspect that is often overlooked' and 'another dimension to consider' make it sound like the essay is playing it extremely safe without saying anything bold or memorable. Still, I like that it touches on a less common idea - individual differences - pointing out that 'not everyone responds to social media in the same way.' That shows at least some attempt at nuance. The essay reads smoothly, but it's pretty forgettable overall - polished enough for a basic assignment, but lacking in voice, creativity, or real insight.
Key Free Features
- Essay generator, outline creator, paraphraser, and grammar checker
- Built-in citation tool (APA, MLA, Chicago)
- AI Humanizer tool to make the content sound more natural
- Up to 1,500 words of content on the free plan
Interface and User Experience
- Clean, easy-to-use layout
- Tools are clearly labeled and simple to switch between
- No credit card needed to sign up
Free Plan Limitations
- 1,500-word cap (roughly six pages)
- After the limit, most features lock until you upgrade
- Some tools feel repetitive when used together
- Doesn’t guarantee plagiarism-free essays
Cons:
- Word limit makes it tough to finish longer academic papers
- Content can feel flat or too generic
- Needs extra editing to meet academic writing standards
- Doesn’t adjust well to different writing styles
- Paragraphs can feel disconnected or rushed due to the word cap
- The humanizer tool isn’t always effective – results still sound AI-written
- Doesn’t offer sentence-level editing or deeper revisions
- Citation formatting can be inconsistent or overly general
- Not ideal for essays requiring strong argument development or original insights
TinyWow Essay Writer
TinyWow offers a wide range of free AI tools, including a simple essay writer that creates content based on the topic you give it. You don’t need to sign up, and everything works straight from the browser, which makes it convenient for quick writing tasks.
This essay from TinyWow is very basic and reads like a typical first draft from an online generator. It sticks to safe, obvious ideas like 'social media has become an integral part of our daily lives' and 'one of the main concerns... is its effect on mental health.' There's nothing technically wrong with the writing - it’s clear and easy to follow - but it’s extremely surface-level. On a positive note, it does touch on a slightly broader angle by mentioning 'the spread of misinformation' and 'false information can influence public opinion.' Still, the whole essay feels like it was built from common phrases pulled from multiple generic sources - no original thought, no voice, just textbook-style content.
Key Free Features
- AI essay builder that writes basic drafts
- Paragraph writer, sentence rewriter, and content improver
- Access to over 150 free tools across different categories
- No account needed
Interface and User Experience
- Easy-to-navigate website
- Each tool is labeled clearly and works in a few clicks
- Some tools load more slowly due to ads and CAPTCHAs
Free Plan Limitations
- No plagiarism checker included
- Content often sounds basic or too surface-level
- No control over structure or writing style
- Can’t support more serious academic writing needs
Cons:
- Lacks depth for longer academic essays
- No way to match your voice or tone
- Ads and CAPTCHAs interrupt the writing process
- Doesn’t meet the level required for high quality papers
- No ability to request sources or citations, even basic ones
- Paragraphs feel like summaries, not developed arguments
- No support for thesis-driven essays or structured outlines
- Not reliable for subjects that require technical accuracy
EssayFlow
EssayFlow is a simple AI free essay writing tool built to help students create essays that sound more natural and less like they were written by a machine. It includes a feature called ‘undetectable mode’ that tries to make content pass AI detection tools. The free version is enough to test out basic features, but it has limits.
This essay from EssayFlow feels like it was built straight from a template. It’s clean, very organized, and full of subheadings like 'Positive Effects on Mental Health' and 'Mitigation and Management Strategies' - but it reads like an online article rather than a real student essay. It does cover a wide range of ideas, from 'online therapy sessions' to 'setting clear usage limits,' which makes it informative. Still, the language is overly formal and stiff, with phrases like 'the deleterious effects of social media' and 'fostering environments of fear and isolation.' It’s polished on the surface but lacks a personal voice or real depth - more of a structured summary than something reflective or original.
Key Free Features
- Essay generator for different types of assignments
- ‘Undetectable’ writing mode to avoid AI detection
- Supports over 50 languages
- Generates content in a step-by-step format
Interface and User Experience
- Clean and easy-to-follow layout
- Guided process from topic selection to final draft
- Doesn’t require much setup to start writing
Free Plan Limitations
- Word limit restricts longer academic essays
- No grammar or citation tools included
- Advanced features only available on paid plans
Cons:
- Struggles with critical thinking and deeper analysis
- Can’t fully match your tone or meet detailed writing style requirements
- Heavy reliance on AI raises academic integrity concerns
- Final drafts often need rewriting to improve clarity or structure
- Struggles with building multi-part arguments or layered analysis
- ‘Undetectable mode’ reduces originality – writing may feel too plain
- Can’t reference texts, data, or research unless manually added
- Lacks control over tone, leading to mismatches with assignment expectations
- Needs full rewrites to meet higher education standards
Samwell.ai
Samwell.ai is an AI essay writer built for students who need quick, citation-ready content. The free plan gives you just enough to draft a short essay and test how the tool handles sources and structure.
This essay from Samwell.ai looks like it was built for academic formatting rather than real-world writing. It’s filled with headings, subheadings, and constant citations like '(Karim S et al.)' or '(Cécile Rousseau et al.)' that make it feel more like a report than an essay. On the bright side, it covers a wide range of arguments and has decent flow between sections like 'Positive Aspects of Social Media' and 'Negative Impacts.' Still, the language is overly formal and robotic, using phrases like 'pervasive influence on daily life' or 'maladaptive use is linked to significant mental health challenges.' It reads like something stitched together from a database of research rather than written by a real person with a clear opinion or voice.
Key Free Features
- Essay generator with built-in citation support
- In-text references pulled from real sources
- Supports major styles like MLA, APA, and Harvard
- Generates up to 1,000 words per essay
Interface and User Experience
- Clean, simple layout
- Easy-to-follow steps from topic to final draft
- No distractions or confusing menus
Free Plan Limitations
- 1,000-word cap per essay
- No access to editing tools like the Power Editor
- Doesn’t include a plagiarism checker
- Limited flexibility for longer or complex assignments
Cons:
- Citations don’t always link to reliable sources or updated material
- The essay flow is formulaic – the intro, points, and conclusion feel disconnected
- Doesn’t guide you on how to improve or expand the content
- Poor at supporting specific essay types like research papers or case studies
- Without a plagiarism checker, you can’t verify content safety
- Essay examples often miss critical arguments or counterpoints
- The structure feels repetitive and doesn't adapt to more complex topics
- Lacks originality and tends to rephrase general ideas without depth
Textero.ai
Textero.ai is a student-focused AI essay writer that helps with short-form academic content. The free plan gives you daily writing credits and basic tools to draft essays with sources and citations included.
This essay from Textero.ai feels neat and very user-friendly, but it’s clearly built for simplicity rather than depth. The structure is obvious - 'Introduction,' 'Negative Impacts of Social Media,' 'Potential Benefits of Social Media' - almost like a blog outline turned into an essay. The writing is clean and approachable, with sentences like 'social media has transformed the way we communicate and share information.' It also does a good job balancing positives and negatives without sounding too robotic. Still, the whole thing feels safe and predictable. It sounds like a guide for beginners rather than academic writing - informative, but lacking critical insight or any original argument.
Key Free Features
- Generates up to 275 words per draft
- Includes MLA and APA in-text citations
- Uploads PDFs to pull from real sources
- Comes with two daily credits (about 550 words total)
- Basic paraphrasing and summarizing tools
Interface and User Experience
- Clean and easy layout
- Tools are built into one editor
- Fast setup with no extra steps
Free Plan Limitations
- Only two credits per day
- Max two sources per essay
- Drafts are short and often too surface-level
- No plagiarism checker built-in
Cons:
- The word limit makes it hard to write full-length academic essays
- Citations sometimes lack complete formatting or source detail
- Writing can feel stiff and needs editing for tone and flow
- Doesn’t support more advanced essay types like compare and contrast or literary analysis
- You’ll need another tool to check for plagiarism-free content
Writeless AI
Writeless AI is a simple AI writing tool that helps students generate essays with built-in citations. It’s meant to save time by producing short, structured drafts you can build on. The free version gives you just enough to test the basics.
The free plan doesn’t even provide a full essay - only a partial preview - so it’s hard to get a complete sense of its writing quality. But we can still detect the overly simple language with lines like 'social media has a big effect on mental health' and 'this can make them feel less alone in their struggles.' Writeless Ai might work for brainstorming or super short assignments, but it doesn’t seem useful for serious academic writing.
Key Free Features
- Includes up to 5 citations (MLA, APA, Harvard, Chicago)
- Aims to create plagiarism-free essays
- Focuses on short academic content
Interface and User Experience
- Clean and simple design
- Easy setup with no learning curve
- Tools are organized and quick to access
Free Plan Limitations
- 500-word limit per draft
- No editing or paraphrasing tools
- Can’t customize structure or tone
- Premium-only access to AI bypass features
Cons:
- Doesn’t support longer or more complex academic assignments
- Citations can be incomplete or too generic
- The structure is fixed, so content often feels formulaic
- Requires rewriting to match your writing style
- Lacks advanced tools to help with academic integrity
Comparison of Free Essay Tools
There’s no shortage of AI essay writing tools online, but not all of them are built the same. Some can help you start writing or beat writer’s block, while others barely make it past a weak outline. We took a closer look at some of the most popular free essay writers to see what works, what doesn’t, and where things start to fall apart. Here's how they compare:
Where Do All Free Essay Writing Websites Fall Short?
- Lack of originality: Most free tools recycle the same ideas and phrasing across essays. That means your paper might sound just like someone else’s - and not in a good way.
- Weak arguments: These platforms usually lack the depth needed for solid analysis. Arguments often feel shallow or one-sided, making essays less convincing.
- Plagiarism & AI detection: Many tools don’t guarantee plagiarism free content. Some are easily flagged by AI detectors, which can raise red flags with your instructor.
- Inaccuracy: Facts can be outdated, misquoted, or just plain wrong. There’s no built-in fact-checking.
- Overly simple structure: AI essays tend to follow the same basic formula. They lack variety in sentence structure, transitions, and tone, making them easy to spot.
AI vs Human Writing: Why Manual Content Still Wins
Both AI tools and real people can write essays, but there’s a big gap when it comes to depth, quality, and reliability. This quick comparison between AI vs. manual content writing breaks down where AI falls short - and where human essay writers still come out on top.
Where AI Writing Struggles:
- Lacks originality - content often sounds recycled
- Builds weak or underdeveloped arguments
- Can trigger AI detection or raise plagiarism concerns
- Often includes inaccurate or outdated facts
- Follows a rigid, overly simple structure
Why Human Writing Is Better:
- Real insight and critical thinking behind every idea
- Arguments are fully developed and supported
- Can adapt to tone, audience, and purpose
- Fact-checked and based on real understanding
- Shows a unique voice and a personal writing style
Writers vs AI
Free AI essay writers can help you get started or brainstorm ideas, but they’re not built for real academic work. The writing often lacks depth, accuracy, and originality - and it won’t hold up under serious review. Students using these tools risk plagiarism, getting flagged by AI detection, and turning in low-quality essays that miss the mark.
In the end, nothing beats the clarity, structure, and insight of human writing. Whether you’re writing it yourself or working with someone who understands your topic, real thinking creates better results. If academic success is your goal, relying on people - not just tools - is still the smartest move.
The Bottom Line
AI that writes essays free might sound helpful, but it’s still just a tool - not a writer. If you care about quality, original ideas, and real insight, nothing beats human work. That’s where EssayWriters comes in.
Our essay writers offer essay help, writing support, and academic guidance that goes beyond what AI can do. For students who want writing that actually works, human support is still the best choice!
FAQs
Why Is Human-Written Content Better Than Free Essay Writing Tools?
Human writing brings original thinking, context, and real understanding to every sentence. Free tools might get the structure right, but they can’t replace insight, personal tone, or critical analysis.
Why Do Free Essay Writers Struggle with Complex Topics?
Most free AI tools rely on surface-level patterns. They can’t fully understand context, depth, or subject-specific language. That’s why essays on detailed or advanced topics often turn out vague, repetitive, or just plain wrong.
What Are the Risks of Using Free Essay Tools?
You risk turning in something that’s flagged by AI detection or full of errors. The writing might sound off, miss key points, or even pull in content that’s not plagiarism-free.
Sources
Clemson University Writing Lab. AI in Academic Writing. Clemson University. Accessed April 9, 2025. https://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/writing/writing-resources/writing-resources/ai-in-academic-writing.html
Hosseini, Mahdi, Zhila Esnaashari, Ehsan Nabovati, and Reza Safdari. “Application of Artificial Intelligence in Academic Writing: A Scoping Review.” Discover Artificial Intelligence 3, no. 1 (2023): Article 71. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666374023000717
