QuillBot Cheat Sheet
Last updated: April 2026
Quick Facts
Pricing
Freemium model. Free plan is very limited. Premium is $9.95/month or $4.17/month billed annually.
Free Plan
Yes, but it's restrictive. Includes 125 words per paraphrase, 1,200 words in Summarizer, Standard/Fluency modes, and basic grammar checks.
Rating
4.3/5
Best For
Students and non-native English speakers who need a reliable, straightforward tool for paraphrasing and improving sentence fluency.
Key Features
- ✓Paraphraser
Core feature with seven modes. I tested them all; Formal and Creative are most useful for drastically changing tone. Premium unlocks all modes and word limits.
- ✓Grammar Checker
Integrated checker that flags issues as you write or paste text. In my experience, it's decent for basics but less robust than dedicated tools like Grammarly.
- ✓Plagiarism Checker
Premium-only feature that scans text against web pages. What surprised me was its speed, but results are a basic similarity report, not a deep academic analysis.
- ✓Summarizer
Condenses articles or papers into key points. I use it daily for research. Choose paragraph or bullet format; it's excellent for grasping long texts quickly.
- ✓Citation Generator
Automatically creates citations in APA, MLA, Chicago, and others. I find it accurate for simple sources but always double-check against official style guides.
- ✓Co-Writer
All-in-one dashboard combining paraphraser, summarizer, and a writing pad. In my workflow, it's clunky; I prefer using the individual tools separately for focus.
- ✓Translator
Supports over 30 languages. I tested Spanish-to-English; it's fine for getting the gist but not for nuanced, publishable translation work.
- ✓Tone Adjuster
Premium feature that suggests changes to make text more confident, diplomatic, etc. My take: it's a gimmick. The paraphrasing modes offer better tonal control.
- ✓Word Flipper
Adjusts synonym randomness with a slider. This is a secret weapon for fine-tuning output. Max setting often creates unusable, silly text, so use sparingly.
- ✓Browser Extensions
Add-ons for Chrome, Word, and macOS. The Chrome extension is indispensable; I use it to rewrite text in any web-based form or document instantly.
- ✓Paraphrase History
Saves your last few paraphrases. A lifesaver when you cycle through modes and want to revert to a previous, better version.
- ✓Custom Mode (Premium)
Lets you blend modes (e.g., Formal + Creative). This is where QuillBot shines for experts. I created a 'Academic Creative' preset that's perfect for my blog.
Tips & Tricks
For complex sentences, run them through the Fluency mode first, then Formal or Creative. This two-step process yields the cleanest, most original results.
Use the Summarizer on your *own* dense drafts to see if your key arguments are coming through clearly. It's a great self-editing trick.
When paraphrasing, always change the 'Word Flipper' setting. The default is too conservative. I keep mine at 2-3 for a good balance of change and readability.
Install the Chrome extension. It turns any website text box into a QuillBot pad, saving you countless copy-paste steps.
For plagiarism checks, break long documents into 1500-word chunks. The checker works best on focused sections, not 50-page theses all at once.
Don't rely on the Citation Generator for unusual sources like court cases or patents. It often fails or formats them incorrectly.
In the Co-Writer, use the 'Research' tab to quickly find and summarize web articles without leaving the interface. It's a hidden time-saver.
Limitations
- -The free plan is practically useless, with a 125-word cap that feels designed to frustrate you into paying.
- -It can struggle with highly technical or niche jargon, often replacing precise terms with incorrect synonyms.
- -The AI sometimes 'over-paraphrases,' creating sentences that are grammatically correct but semantically awkward or lose the original nuance.
- -The plagiarism checker's database isn't as extensive as Turnitin's, so don't consider it a definitive guarantee of originality.