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Browser Extensions · head to head

Hemingway Editor vs Userscripts

Hemingway Editor logo

Hemingway Editor

Browser Extensions

Make your writing bold and clear

From
Free
Rated
-
Userscripts logo

Userscripts

Browser Extensions

Open-source userscript manager for Safari on Mac and iOS

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hemingway Editor no grammar or spelling corrections; tool focuses only on style, readability, and clarity, leaving grammatical errors unflagged; Userscripts safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • They diverge on capability: Hemingway Editor covers Readability analysis, Userscripts covers Built-in script editor.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hemingway Editor and Userscripts actually diverge.

Attributes where Hemingway Editor and Userscripts differ
AttributeHemingway EditorUserscripts
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, macOS, WindowsSafari, macOS, iOS
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Browser Extensions).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hemingway Editor

  • Readability analysis
  • Sentence complexity
  • Passive voice detection
  • Adverb highlighting
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support

Only in Userscripts

  • Built-in script editor
  • Standard metadata support
  • GM API
  • Remote script updating
  • iCloud sync
  • Per-page popup

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hemingway Editor

  • Checking readability and flagging dense sentencesnot Userscripts
  • Grammar checking and proofreading a draftnot Userscripts
  • Adjusting tone before publishingnot Userscripts
  • Paraphrasing passages with the free web toolsnot Userscripts

Userscripts

  • Running userscripts on Safari without paying for Tampermonkeynot Hemingway Editor
  • Running userscripts on an iPhone or iPadnot Hemingway Editor
  • Writing scripts on a Mac and syncing them to iOSnot Hemingway Editor
  • Blocking or restyling site elements Safari content blockers cannot reachnot Hemingway Editor
  • Keeping a script library under an open-source licencenot Hemingway Editor

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hemingway Editor

  • No grammar or spelling corrections; tool focuses only on style, readability, and clarity, leaving grammatical errors unflagged
  • Cannot distinguish context for idioms and colloquialisms, sometimes suggesting inappropriate replacements that alter intended meaning
  • Free version cannot suggest fixes for highlighted issues, only displays problems without solutions
  • Not suitable for academic or formal writing where its simplicity bias penalizes legitimate complex sentence structures

Userscripts

  • Safari cannot let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy, so strict sites produce "Refused to execute a script" errors that the @inject-into workaround does not always fix.
  • Apple only. There is no Chrome, Firefox or Edge build, so it cannot be a cross-browser answer.
  • iCloud sync is documented as having delays, which is awkward when editing the same script on two devices.
  • Requires macOS 12 and Safari 14.1, or iOS 15.1, so older Apple hardware is excluded.
  • GPL v3 means a commercial licence is required for non-open-source use, which matters if you are embedding rather than just using it.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hemingway Editor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Readability checking
    • Sentence highlighting
    • Adverb detection
  • Hemingway Editor Plus Individual 5K$8.33/month
    • 5,000 AI sentence rewrites monthly
    • Advanced grammar fixes (unlimited)
    • Unlimited document review
  • Hemingway Editor Plus Individual 10K$12.5/month
    • 10,000 AI sentence rewrites monthly
    • Advanced grammar fixes (unlimited)
    • Unlimited document review
  • Hemingway Editor Plus Team 10K$12.5/month
    • 10,000 AI sentence rewrites per user monthly
    • Role-based admin controls
    • Priority support

Userscripts

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full functionality
    • GPL v3 licensed
    • macOS, iOS and iPadOS

Which should you pick?

Choose Hemingway Editor if

  • You need readability analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want sentence complexity.

Choose Userscripts if

  • You need built-in script editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Safari, macOS, iOS.
  • You also want standard metadata support.

Questions people ask

Is Hemingway Editor or Userscripts better?
Neither clearly leads. Hemingway Editor starts at Free and Userscripts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hemingway Editor or Userscripts?
Hemingway Editor starts at Free and Userscripts at Free.
Does Hemingway Editor or Userscripts run on more platforms?
Hemingway Editor runs on Web, macOS, Windows. Userscripts runs on Safari, macOS, iOS.
Can I use Hemingway Editor for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hemingway Editor best used for?
Hemingway Editor is most often used for checking readability and flagging dense sentences, grammar checking and proofreading a draft, adjusting tone before publishing, paraphrasing passages with the free web tools. Of those, checking readability and flagging dense sentences and grammar checking and proofreading a draft are not what Userscripts is typically brought in for.
What can Hemingway Editor do that Userscripts cannot?
Hemingway Editor covers Readability analysis, Sentence complexity, Passive voice detection, Adverb highlighting. Userscripts covers Built-in script editor, Standard metadata support, GM API, Remote script updating.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hemingway Editor: Is there a free version and what does it include?

Yes. The free web version at hemingwayapp.com includes readability scoring, highlighting of complex sentences, passive voice detection, and weak adverb flagging. No account needed. Hemingway Editor Plus ($8.33/month or $100/year) adds advanced grammar fixes, AI sentence rewrites (10,000 monthly on best value plan), and unlimited document feedback.

Source
Userscripts: Is Userscripts for Safari free?

Yes, free on the App Store and licensed under GPL v3. A commercial licence is required for use in something that is not itself open source.

Source
Hemingway Editor: Does Hemingway Editor work offline?

The free web version requires internet. The desktop version for Mac and Windows ($19.99 one-time payment) works fully offline after download, enabling distraction-free writing without network connectivity.

Source
Userscripts: Does it work on iPhone?

Yes, on iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later, which makes it one of the few ways to run userscripts on an iPhone.

Source
Hemingway Editor: What writing metrics does Hemingway measure?

Hemingway grades readability level, highlights adverbs and weak words, flags passive voice constructions, marks complex or hard-to-read sentences in color (red for very hard, yellow for difficult), and suggests simpler alternatives for complex phrases.

Source
Userscripts: Why do I get "Refused to execute a script" errors?

Safari does not let extensions bypass a site's Content Security Policy the way other browsers do. The documented workaround is changing the script's @inject-into setting, though it does not resolve every case.

Source
Hemingway Editor: Can I collaborate with others or share documents?

The web version allows pasting text directly, but Hemingway Editor itself does not have native collaboration or team features. Team plans on Hemingway Plus support $12.50/user/month pricing and role-based admin controls, but are primarily for shared workspace management rather than live document collaboration.

Source
Userscripts: Do my scripts sync between Mac and iPhone?

Yes, over iCloud, though the project notes the sync can be delayed rather than immediate.

Source
Userscripts: What are the system requirements?

macOS 12 or later with Safari 14.1 or later, or iOS and iPadOS 15.1 or later.

Source
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