If you’ve landed on this page, chances are you were looking for ShortlyAI — the AI writing assistant that many content creators swore by. Maybe you bookmarked it, saw it recommended in a blog post, or clicked a link that brought you here.
Here’s the short answer: ShortlyAI no longer exists as a standalone product. It was acquired by Jasper in mid-2021, and the product was gradually absorbed into Jasper’s platform. The ShortlyAI.com domain now hosts an entirely different service — a waitlist for a multi-model AI chat tool with no connection to the original writing assistant.
This review explains what ShortlyAI was, what happened to it, and — most importantly — which AI writing tools in 2026 are genuinely worth your time as replacements.
What Was ShortlyAI?
ShortlyAI launched around 2020 as a minimalist AI writing tool built on OpenAI’s GPT-3 technology. Unlike most AI writing tools that packed their interfaces with templates, dashboards, and features, ShortlyAI took the opposite approach: a clean, distraction-free editor where you wrote alongside the AI.
The core concept was “human-AI co-writing.” You’d start a sentence or paragraph, hit a keyboard shortcut, and the AI would continue the text based on your context. No complex prompts, no template libraries — just you and the AI, writing together.
What ShortlyAI Did Well
- Clean, distraction-free interface — ShortlyAI’s biggest selling point was its Hemingway-like editor. No clutter. Just words.
- Inline generation — You could trigger AI text mid-paragraph with a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+J). This felt natural for writers used to working inside documents.
- Long-form writing focus — While competitors pushed short-form copy and ad generation, ShortlyAI was explicitly designed for blog posts, essays, stories, and long-form content.
- Simple, honest pricing — ShortlyAI offered two flat-rate plans at $79/month (monthly) or $65/month (billed annually), with no word count limits or credit systems. You paid a flat rate and wrote as much as you wanted.
- Minimal learning curve — Non-technical writers could be productive within minutes. There were no templates to learn or “frameworks” to understand.
Who Used It
ShortlyAI attracted bloggers, novelists, copywriters, and content marketers who found most AI writing tools too cluttered or too focused on short-form output. It had a passionate, niche user base that valued the clean writing experience above all else.
At its peak, ShortlyAI was considered one of the top two or three AI writing tools available — alongside what was then called Jarvis.ai (now Jasper).
What Happened to ShortlyAI? The Jasper Acquisition
In June 2021, Jasper (then known as Jarvis.ai) announced it had acquired ShortlyAI. The acquisition made strategic sense: Jasper was the enterprise-focused, feature-heavy AI writing platform; ShortlyAI was the minimalist, writer-first alternative. Combining the two meant Jasper could appeal to a broader audience.
The stated goal was to integrate ShortlyAI’s technology and user experience into Jasper’s platform. Jasper’s “Focused Editor” mode — a distraction-free writing interface — is the most visible legacy of the ShortlyAI acquisition.
Timeline: From Launch to Shutdown
- 2020: ShortlyAI launches as a standalone GPT-3 writing tool
- June 2021: Jasper (then Jarvis.ai) acquires ShortlyAI
- Late 2021–2022: ShortlyAI continues operating independently, but development slows
- 2022–2023: ShortlyAI’s features are gradually absorbed into Jasper’s platform
- 2024–2025: ShortlyAI.com stops functioning as an AI writing tool
- 2026: ShortlyAI.com is now a waitlist landing page for a completely unrelated multi-model AI chat service
Current Status: ShortlyAI is Gone
As of early 2026, shortlyai.com is not the original product. The domain now hosts a new service entirely — a “100 AI models, all in one” chat platform with no affiliation to the original ShortlyAI writing tool. The pricing page at shortlyai.com/pricing returns a 404 error. No subscriptions are available. The original product is dead.
If you find links across the web pointing to ShortlyAI (and there are many — it was heavily reviewed and recommended throughout 2020–2022), those links lead nowhere useful. This article exists to be the resource those broken links should have pointed to.
The 7 Best ShortlyAI Alternatives in 2026
Choosing the right ShortlyAI alternative depends on what you valued about it. Were you drawn to the clean editor? The long-form focus? The flat-rate pricing? The AI writing quality? Below, we’ve researched and compiled the best options based on publicly available pricing and feature information as of February 2026.
1. Jasper AI — The Direct Heir to ShortlyAI
Read our full Jasper AI review
Jasper is the most direct ShortlyAI successor because it literally acquired the product. Jasper’s focused writing mode preserves much of what made ShortlyAI special — inline AI continuation, a clean writing environment — while adding a significantly larger feature set around it.
Jasper has evolved considerably since 2021. It’s now positioned as an enterprise content marketing platform, not just a writing assistant. You get access to 50+ templates, brand voice training, SEO integration, campaign management, and image generation alongside the focused writing experience.
Pricing (as of February 2026)
- Creator: $39/month billed annually or $49/month billed monthly — 1 user seat, unlimited words
- Pro: $59/month billed annually or $69/month billed monthly — up to 5 seats, multi-brand support
- Business: Custom pricing — unlimited seats, API access, dedicated support
Pros
- Directly inherits ShortlyAI’s long-form writing DNA
- Largest template library of any major AI writing tool
- Built-in Surfer SEO integration for content optimization
- Strong brand voice features for teams
- Active development with frequent feature releases
Cons
- Significantly more complex interface than ShortlyAI — the minimalism is gone
- Priced higher than many alternatives at the entry level
- Learning curve for new users navigating the full feature set
- Output quality varies depending on template and use case
Best for: Former ShortlyAI users who want the most direct upgrade path and don’t mind learning a more feature-rich platform.
2. Copy.ai — The Template Powerhouse
Copy.ai started as a short-form copy generator but has transformed into a full GTM (go-to-market) AI platform. For individual writers and small teams, Copy.ai’s free tier is surprisingly capable, and its paid plans offer serious automation for marketing workflows.
Copy.ai’s recent pivot toward enterprise workflows means it’s perhaps less pure-writer-focused than ShortlyAI was, but the underlying writing quality is strong and its Chat interface (similar to ChatGPT) is intuitive for anyone familiar with conversational AI tools.
Pricing (as of February 2026)
- Free: Available — limited workflows and outputs
- Growth: $1,000/month billed annually — 75 seats, 20K workflow credits/month
- Expansion: $2,000/month billed annually — 150 seats, 45K workflow credits/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Note: Copy.ai has pivoted heavily toward enterprise. Individual/starter plans may be available — check copy.ai/prices for current options as they update frequently.
Pros
- Free tier available with no credit card required
- Strong brand voice and tone customization
- Good at short-form marketing copy: ads, emails, product descriptions
- Access to multiple AI models including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Gemini
- Workflow automation for repetitive content tasks
Cons
- Pricing has shifted heavily toward enterprise — less accessible for solo writers
- Less focused on long-form blog content than ShortlyAI was
- Interface can feel busy compared to ShortlyAI’s minimalism
Best for: Marketing teams running content workflows; individual writers on a budget who want to start free.
3. Writesonic — The SEO-Forward Content Machine
Read our full Writesonic review
Writesonic has reinvented itself significantly over the past two years. What started as a template-based AI writer is now positioned as a full “AI SEO and AI Search Visibility” platform — tracking how your content appears across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI search tools, not just Google.
For bloggers and SEO-focused content marketers, Writesonic is one of the more compelling options. It produces genuinely long articles with real-time data integration, handles keyword optimization natively, and is one of the few tools addressing the new world of AI-powered search visibility.
Pricing (as of February 2026)
- Free: Available — limited credits
- Lite: $49/month billed annually — solopreneurs and freelancers, SEO + content tools
- Standard: Higher pricing with expanded features and content volume
- Professional: Includes AI Search Visibility (GEO) tracking — how your brand appears in AI responses
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
- Best-in-class for long-form SEO content with real-time web data
- AI Search Visibility (GEO) tracking is unique and forward-thinking for 2026
- Free tier available to test before committing
- One-click article generation with factual citations
- Strong integrations with Surfer SEO and other tools
Cons
- Interface has grown complex — not the distraction-free experience ShortlyAI offered
- Best features are locked behind higher-tier plans
- Output sometimes requires heavier editing than competing tools
- Pricing has increased substantially as features have expanded
Best for: SEO-focused bloggers and content marketers who want data-driven long-form content with cutting-edge AI search tracking.
4. Byword — The Closest to ShortlyAI’s Spirit
If what you loved about ShortlyAI was its simplicity and focus on long-form content generation, Byword is the closest modern equivalent. Byword is built specifically for generating long, SEO-optimized blog articles at scale — no templates, no complex workflows, no feature overload.
The premise is simple: enter a title, choose your settings, generate a full-length article. Byword integrates directly with WordPress, Webflow, and other CMS platforms for one-click publishing. It’s not a creative co-writing tool like ShortlyAI — it’s more automated — but for professional bloggers who want fast, clean long-form output, it’s remarkably efficient.
Pricing (as of February 2026)
- Basic: Approximately $99/month — 25 articles per month
- Standard: Approximately $299/month — 100 articles per month
- Scale: Approximately $999/month — 500 articles per month
Note: Byword’s pricing is article-volume-based. Verify current rates at byword.ai as plans have evolved.
Pros
- Extremely fast — full long-form articles generated in minutes
- Direct WordPress integration for automated publishing
- Clean, no-nonsense approach that echoes ShortlyAI’s philosophy
- Good at producing factual, well-structured blog content
- Scales easily for high-volume content operations
Cons
- Less creative flexibility than ShortlyAI — it’s a production tool, not a writing partner
- Articles require editing for voice, accuracy, and depth
- Per-article pricing can get expensive at high volumes
- Not ideal for creative writing or narrative-driven content
Best for: Bloggers and SEO operators who want fast long-form article generation without learning a complex platform.
5. Rytr — The Budget-Friendly Writing Assistant
Rytr has maintained its position as one of the most affordable AI writing tools available. With a generous free tier and paid plans well under $30/month, it’s the go-to option for freelance writers, students, and solo content creators who need AI assistance without enterprise price tags.
Rytr won’t replicate ShortlyAI’s seamless in-editor experience, but it covers a wide range of writing formats — blog posts, emails, social media, product descriptions — and produces solid output for the price. Over 8 million users have trusted it, and the interface is clean enough that it doesn’t overwhelm new users.
Pricing (as of February 2026)
- Free: ~10,000 characters per month — genuinely useful for light use
- Saver: ~$9/month billed annually — ~100,000 characters/month
- Unlimited: ~$29/month — unlimited generation, all features
Note: Rytr updates plans frequently — verify current pricing at rytr.me.
Pros
- Best value of any major AI writing tool — free tier is genuinely useful
- Trusted by 8+ million users with a strong reputation
- Covers 40+ use cases and 30+ languages
- Simple, fast interface without feature overload
- Good for short to medium-length content tasks
Cons
- Output quality doesn’t match premium tools like Jasper
- Long-form articles require more manual assembly and editing
- No real-time web data or advanced SEO integration in base plans
- Less suitable for professional content marketers at scale
Best for: Budget-conscious writers, freelancers, and students who need AI writing help without spending more than $10–30/month.
6. Grammarly — The Writing Polish Layer
Read our full Grammarly review
Grammarly is a different kind of ShortlyAI alternative. It doesn’t generate long-form content from scratch — instead, it helps you write better by catching errors, improving clarity, adjusting tone, and offering AI-powered rewrite suggestions. If ShortlyAI helped you write more, Grammarly helps you write better.
Grammarly’s AI features have expanded significantly. The Pro tier now includes full-sentence rewrites, tone adjustments, 2,000 AI-generated text prompts per month, and plagiarism and AI detection. For writers who prefer writing manually but want an intelligent AI layer refining their work, Grammarly is hard to beat at $12/month.
Pricing (as of February 2026)
- Free: $0/month — basic grammar, spelling, and 100 AI prompts
- Pro: $12/month — full sentence rewrites, tone adjustment, plagiarism detection, 2,000 AI prompts, fluency in English
- Enterprise: Custom pricing — BYOK encryption, data loss prevention, custom roles and permissions
Pros
- Free tier is genuinely useful for everyday writing corrections
- Pro tier is excellent value at $12/month
- Works everywhere — browser extension, desktop app, Google Docs, Microsoft Word
- Trusted by 40+ million users and 50,000+ organizations
- AI rewrite suggestions feel natural rather than mechanical
Cons
- Not a content generation tool — won’t write articles for you from scratch
- AI text generation (prompts) is limited compared to dedicated writing tools
- Can over-edit and homogenize your natural writing voice
- Plagiarism detection reports can occasionally be inconsistent
Best for: Writers who generate content themselves and want AI assistance for editing, refining, and improving drafts. Works best alongside a generation tool rather than as a standalone ShortlyAI replacement.
7. QuillBot — The Paraphrasing and Rewriting Specialist
QuillBot made its name as the best AI paraphrasing tool, and that reputation has held. Beyond paraphrasing, it now offers grammar checking, a summarizer, plagiarism detection, an AI detector, an AI humanizer, and translation — essentially a complete writing enhancement toolkit.
Where QuillBot shines for former ShortlyAI users is in the post-writing phase. After you’ve generated a draft with Jasper, Writesonic, or any other tool, QuillBot can paraphrase sections to avoid repetition, adjust tone, and humanize AI-generated text to make it sound more natural. It’s become an essential step in many professional AI content workflows.
Pricing (as of February 2026)
- Free: $0/month — paraphrase up to 125 words, 2 modes, basic grammar, limited AI detector access
- Premium: $8.33/month billed annually — unlimited paraphrasing, all modes, advanced grammar, unlimited AI detection, plagiarism checker
- Team Plan: Custom pricing — centralized billing, usage metrics, user management, data control
Pros
- Best paraphrasing and rewriting tool available
- Premium plan is outstanding value at $8.33/month
- Free tier allows meaningful use without a subscription
- AI Humanizer helps AI-generated content read more naturally
- Comprehensive toolkit: grammar, plagiarism, AI detection, summarizer, translator
Cons
- Not a content generation tool — won’t write original articles from scratch
- Best used as part of a larger workflow, not as a standalone replacement
- Paraphrasing complex technical content can occasionally lose nuance
Best for: Writers who want to improve, rephrase, and humanize existing content. An essential add-on to any AI writing workflow, not a standalone ShortlyAI replacement.
How to Choose the Right ShortlyAI Alternative
The right replacement depends on what you were actually using ShortlyAI for:
| If you want… | Best option |
|---|---|
| The closest thing to ShortlyAI’s writing experience | Jasper AI (focused editor mode) |
| Long-form blog content, fast and clean | Byword |
| SEO-optimized content with AI search tracking | Writesonic |
| Marketing copy and workflow automation | Copy.ai |
| Budget-friendly writing assistant | Rytr |
| Editing and improving existing drafts | Grammarly |
| Paraphrasing and humanizing AI content | QuillBot |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ShortlyAI still available?
No. ShortlyAI is no longer available as a standalone AI writing product. The original ShortlyAI was acquired by Jasper in June 2021 and was gradually absorbed into Jasper’s platform. The ShortlyAI.com domain now hosts a completely different service — a waitlist for a multi-model AI chat tool — with no connection to the original writing assistant. If you’re looking for what ShortlyAI offered, Jasper is the most direct successor.
What happened to ShortlyAI?
ShortlyAI was acquired by Jasper (then known as Jarvis.ai) in June 2021. At the time, both were considered top AI writing tools powered by OpenAI’s GPT-3. Post-acquisition, ShortlyAI’s technology and user experience were integrated into Jasper’s platform. Jasper’s “Focused Editor” mode is the most direct descendant of what ShortlyAI offered. The standalone ShortlyAI product was phased out over the following years, with the domain eventually repurposed for an unrelated service.
Who acquired ShortlyAI?
Jasper AI (formerly Jarvis.ai) acquired ShortlyAI in June 2021. Jasper is now one of the leading enterprise AI content platforms, used by thousands of marketing teams worldwide. The acquisition was strategic — ShortlyAI complemented Jasper’s feature-heavy approach by bringing a dedicated long-form writing experience that Jasper’s template-heavy interface lacked at the time.
What was ShortlyAI’s pricing?
ShortlyAI offered two simple pricing tiers: $79/month billed monthly, or $65/month billed annually. Both plans included unlimited words with no credit system or usage caps. This flat-rate unlimited model was considered one of ShortlyAI’s major advantages. Today, Jasper (the acquirer) starts at $39/month annually, while Rytr offers plans from $9/month — both representing significant cost improvements for budget-conscious writers.
Is Jasper the same as ShortlyAI?
Not exactly. Jasper acquired ShortlyAI and incorporated its technology, but Jasper is a significantly larger and more complex platform. ShortlyAI was a minimalist writing tool; Jasper is a full-featured enterprise content marketing suite. Jasper’s “Focused Editor” mode preserves some of ShortlyAI’s distraction-free writing experience, but the overall product is far more feature-rich (and complex) than ShortlyAI ever was.
What was the best feature of ShortlyAI?
Most ShortlyAI users point to two things: the clean, distraction-free writing interface and the inline AI generation shortcut (Ctrl+J). Rather than switching between prompts, templates, and generated outputs, ShortlyAI let you stay inside your document and call on the AI when needed. This human-AI co-writing model felt more natural to experienced writers than the template-based approach of competitors. The closest modern equivalents are Jasper’s Focused Editor and Byword’s streamlined generation workflow.
Are there any free ShortlyAI alternatives?
Yes. Several alternatives offer free tiers: Rytr (approximately 10,000 characters/month free), Copy.ai (limited free plan), Writesonic (limited free credits), Grammarly (free grammar and basic AI features with 100 prompts), and QuillBot (free paraphrasing up to 125 words). None perfectly replicate ShortlyAI’s specific writing experience, but they provide meaningful free access to AI writing capabilities before committing to a paid plan.
Bottom Line
ShortlyAI was genuinely ahead of its time. Its minimalist, writer-first approach — no templates, no complexity, just you and the AI building something together — resonated with a specific kind of writer who found other tools overwhelming or gimmicky.
That product is gone. The domain has been repurposed. But the need it served is very much alive in 2026.
Jasper is the most direct successor (it literally bought the product). Byword comes closest to ShortlyAI’s streamlined approach for long-form blog content. Writesonic is the best choice if you’re publishing for SEO and want visibility across AI search platforms. Rytr is the right pick if budget is the primary concern.
Pick the one that matches your actual workflow — and start writing.
