Whitesmoke Writing Software Review: Accurate Or A Waste?

When it comes to better writing, you want it to be free of grammar and spelling errors. Having too many of them can look unprofessional, especially if you write for business. There are several writing tools to assist you, but have you heard of Whitesmoke? Not many people are familiar with it, but it has been around for a long time. As part of this Whitesmoke writing software guide, I’ll go over how the tool can improve your writing.

UPDATED: JUNE 25, 2022

What is WhiteSmoke?

Whitesmoke is a software tool that helps users write better, concise text for whatever they’re writing about. It helps with checking spelling and grammar corrections; along with that, the tool works with improving tone, style, and clarity of writing.

Founded in 2002, the software company focuses on technology solutions to help improve the overall writing for users. To learn how the brain works while writing, they use a technology called Natural Language Processing (NLP).

Whitesmoke writing software: Whitesmoke uses something called Natural Language Processing to understand the human mind while writing.

This software scans thousands of user-known passages and emails to understand how people write. Using different algorithms makes writing look and sound better overall.

Over the years, it continues to improve its services by looking into more artificial intelligence developments. Although they may not be well-known, they’re a reputable company that’s been around for a long time.

For the remainder of this article, I’ll go over how the writing tool works, the top features, and give some thoughts on whether it’s worth using or not.

How does the Whitesmoke tool work?

As mentioned earlier, Whitesmoke uses NLP for various writing suggestions (i.e. hundreds of them). The writing tool comes in two formats:

1. Whitesmoke Web

You can use the tool by simply downloading an app and logging into a web browser. It’s an easy setup that works on any browser, including Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari. It’s one of the easiest and more convenient ways to use the tool online.

From there, you can start using the tool to correct your writing. It does come with periodic updates, including:

  • Writing tutorials
  • Video tutorials
  • Letter templates

2. Whitesmoke Desktop Premium

This version can be downloaded on any type of desktop. There are additional functions to use through a desktop and are viewed as an all-in-one software program.

Some of the advanced functions include a plagiarism detector. So it helps to see if plagiarism is found in your writing and make sure you’re citing your sources properly.

Also, along with working on any browser, it’s easily integrated with Microsoft Word and Outlook. So the tool will be activated while using one of these Microsoft programs.

Both of these products are great and very useful for anyone looking to double-check their writing. I will lay out the prices of these products later in this post.

Whitesmoke writing software: Whitesmoke can be easily downloaded through any web browser, and it’s simple to use as well.

Top features

I won’t go over every feature of the tool, but I will discuss some of the best ones to utilize the most.

Grammar checker

The checker can be very helpful and simple to use. If you do not consider yourself a writing expert, the tool is a great catcher for mistakes you might make. So it can save you from making grammatical mistakes.

Some of the following areas it reviews include:

  • Fragments
  • Run-on sentences
  • Missing words
  • Comma splices
  • Incorrect punctuation
Whitesmoke writing software: One of the top features that Whitesmoke has is their style checker, which can help with flow and how writing sounds.

Style checker

If you want to write concisely, the style checker will help make it flow well and sound good. For example, when you’re reading a document out loud to yourself, it helps to see if something does not sound right.

With their style checker, it helps reduce two common errors writers make:

  1. Monotony: When sentences are always at the same length. When that happens, the writing can be boring to readers.
  1. Switching tenses: When switching from the past to present tense, or from past to future tense, it does not sound consistent. If the tenses are switched up, that can confuse readers sometimes.

The style checker is a very important feature of Whitesmoke. When you want to make your writing flow smoothly, checking for style can be very helpful.

Translator

The translator comes with a dictionary and thesaurus guide. It can translate up to 55 languages, so it’s helpful if you want to translate it into a well-known language (i.e. Spanish).

With the translator, it provides examples for every translated word. When the example is laid out, it will display how it is properly used in a sentence.

The translator can be used while writing on social media, blogs, general translation services, and for academic research.

Whitesmoke writing software:  Whitesmoke has a translator checker, which has up to 55 languages to translate from.

Can Whitesmoke make you a better writer?

If you’re not the best writer in the world, it’s easy for someone to find writing mistakes you made in a document. Would you rather proofread your writing, or have a basic tool to catch potential mistakes?

Also, it can help you save time by not having someone proofread your work. There’s nothing wrong with that, but they might miss some mistakes while reviewing it.

So using a tool that can easily catch mistakes (while providing suggestions) can help a lot. There’s no wrong way with how your writing is checked, but a writing tool can very well come in handy.

Who is Whitesmoke designed for?

Anyone can use Whitesmoke for writing. However, I think the tool is best designed for the following people:

  • People who have English as their second language, or ESL students
  • Law firms (for writing legal contracts)
  • Students (for writing academic papers- especially when it comes to plagiarism, using the plagiarism checker can help a lot)

Can Whitesmoke help you write faster?

As with other writing tools, I found Whitesmoke to be similar in their functions. For example, it provides a lot of suggestions while you write (or if you choose to copy and paste or upload a writing document). 

As I’ve said before, I found it slowed me down when I looked over the suggestions it made for me. When I gave this tool a try, I had similar struggles and found it frustrating at times.

The suggestions laid out were great; however, I found it to be a little too much at times. If you’re someone who does not mind seeing those, you’ll find it helpful and likely will appreciate what’s being offered. If you’re a more advanced writer, you’ll like what you see.

Pricing

In the past, Whitesmoke used to have a free version and offer free trials for their products. Unfortunately, they no longer have those options.

Whitesmoke offers three types of plans for their products. You can purchase one of them at either a yearly rate or you can save more money by signing up for a 3-year plan. The 3-year plans end up turning out to be cheaper when you look them over.

Here’s the breakdown of the yearly plans:

Whitesmoke WebWhitesmoke PremiumWhitesmoke Business
$10/month ($120/year)

-Online writing solution for any operating system- Windows or Mac

-Basic features include: Grammar Checker, Plagiarism Checker, and Translator
$13.33/month ($159.96/year)

-Premium (Desktop version that operates on Windows and Mac)

-Comes with full integrations, such as Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, and Word,)
$22.99/month($275.88/year)

-Business (Full integrations for Windows and Mac)

Prices Accurate As of June 2022

Also, the breakdown of the 3-year plans:

Whitesmoke WebWhitesmoke PremiumWhitesmoke Business
$6.94/month ($83.28/year)$11.11/month ($133.32/year)$17.64 ($211.68/year)
Prices Accurate As of June 2022

Whitesmoke offers discounts on their plans periodically. For more information on the current prices, check out what the discount rates are if you’re interested in saving money.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Provides helpful suggestions for fixing grammatical mistakes
  • Full integrations with browsers and Microsoft Office
  • Simple to use for beginners
  • Style checker, a key feature to improve writing
  • Excellent for ESL students

Cons

  • No free version (or free trials) anymore
  • Can be overwhelming with too many suggestions from the editor
  • The software reported crashing every now and then
  • For the highest plan offered: limited to only three devices
  • Customer support OK- slow response times reported

Is Whitesmoke worth it?

Rating: 3/5

Five star ratings score: This picture is the rating score for product reviews.

Whitesmoke is a basic writing tool that can be helpful for beginners. Especially if English is a second language, it’ll help those individuals while using the translator.

If you like all of the suggestions it offers for grammar and spelling errors, you’ll appreciate what it provides for improvements. The style checker is probably one of the best features to use, as it helps improve the flow and structure of your writing overall.

My Thoughts

Although, I found it to be no different than with other writing tools. There were no standouts that I found while using it, so it felt like a similar experience.

I don’t like the fact that they no longer have a free version available, or have free trials. Usually, that’s something a lot of products/services would offer to their customers. But as of today, Whitesmoke no longer has that.

One another thing is they’ve been around for twenty years now. As much as they continue to use advanced technology (AI), you think they would be far ahead of the game. They would, therefore, provide a much more superior product compared to their competitors.

Overall, I don’t think it’s worth the time and money to invest. I didn’t get much value out of it, and I would stick to other alternatives.

Final Words

Whitesmoke has been around for a long time, continuing to provide a basic writing tool for its users. Even though it’s not my preferred choice, it may be a great writing tool to help you improve your writing for the better.

If you’re interested in checking out one of their products, it’s worth trying out to see if it’s viable for you. The prices are reasonable, and you may be able to get a plan at a reasonable discount.

As mentioned, Whitesmoke offers periodic discounts for its products. So if you’re interested in getting a plan at a great price, make the most out of it. Check it out today and start improving your writing.

Your Turn: Is Whitesmoke a useful tool?

I would like to get your thoughts about this writing tool. Do you find Whitesmoke to be handy when it comes to improving your writing? 

What do you like the most about the writing tool? Do you think it looks user-friendly? If not, what can be improved to make Whitesmoke a better writing tool?

Feel free to leave your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading your responses, and I’ll gladly respond promptly.

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Eric is the owner and chief editor of notimekillers.com. 

He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. 

Eric is a firm believer in financial and time freedom, as he believes in financial independence and taking ownership of your time. 

“Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” 

In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. 

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4 thoughts on “Whitesmoke Writing Software Review: Accurate Or A Waste?”

  1. I’ve heard about this software before but never had the opportunity to try it. I don’t like that it has no free trial. 

    How will I know if the tool is right for me if I don’t try it first? That’s just not something I’m looking for, but as someone that doesn’t have English as their first language, I can see it being beneficial in a way. 

    Also, the fact that it also incorporates the option to find plagiarism, that’s a nice feature. 

    Reply
    • Hi Stephanie,

      WhiteSmoke has some neat features, such as providing text in other languages. That’s why it’s considered to be one of the best writing tools for English as a second language (ESL) students.

      I agree with you on the fact that there’s no free trial available. For the most part, I do like using a free trial option to see whether I like it or not (prior to making a purchase).

      I do like that it incorporates plagiarism. I think that’s a lot more important now, especially with original writing being more valued. I do like that a lot, as we need to be true and authentic to what we write about in our posts.

      Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts- I greatly appreciate it.

      Reply
  2. Hello Eric! 

    Whitesmoke’s writing software does sound like it could be very useful to students in college and ESL students. However, I definitely do not like that they don’t offer a free trial anymore. 

    That makes me think they probably don’t have as many people signing up as they could have. Which means they ultimately aren’t making as much money as they could! 

    I know that I don’t like committing to something unless I know that I will like it- and know that I will truly benefit from what they are offering. 

    Overall, I enjoyed your article. I’m sure it will help people make the correct decision on what they are looking for!

    Much love,

    Nichole

    Reply
    • Hi Nichole,

      WhiteSmoke can certainly help students and those who have English as their second language. They have some great features to help make your writing sound more concise.

      I understand why you agree with me on not having a free trial available. I do like it when a product or service provides that; unfortunately, WhiteSmoke does not have that anymore.

      Besides that, the writing tool looks functional and can help a lot of people. Some individuals will take advantage of what it can provide for their writing needs.

      Thank you very much for sharing your honest thoughts- they’re greatly appreciated.

      Reply

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