What’s the fastest way to draft a blog post without staring at a blank page?

AI writing assistants. They’re like having a co-writer who never sleeps, never complains, and works for free. But not all AI writers are created equal.

Some excel at long-form content. Others nail social media captions or email drafts. A few even help you brainstorm ideas or repurpose old posts. So which ones should you try today?

Try this now: Open your favorite AI tool, paste a rough outline, and let it generate a first draft. See which one feels the most natural. You’ll know in minutes.

Pro tip: Keep that draft in a PDF and use PDFKro’s AI PDF Editor to polish it further. You can highlight awkward sentences, ask the AI to rewrite them, and export a clean version—all in one place.

What to look for in a free AI writing assistant

  • Quality output: Does the AI write like a human, or does it sound robotic?
  • Customization: Can you tweak tone, style, or length?
  • No credit card needed: True free tools shouldn’t lock you behind a paywall.
  • Export options: Can you save your work as a PDF, Word doc, or plain text?

💡 A Quick Check: Test any AI tool with a tricky prompt like, “Write a 500-word blog post about why email marketing still works in 2024.” If it nails it, it’s worth keeping.

Which free AI writing tools actually save time?

We tested the most popular options and narrowed it down to the seven that consistently delivered. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Jasper (Free Trial, then freemium)

Best for: Long-form content like blog posts, guides, and scripts.

Jasper’s claim to fame is its ability to mimic your brand voice. Start with a free trial, then use its freemium plan for limited credits. It shines when you need high-quality drafts fast.

What stood out: The “Boss Mode” lets you control output length and style. It’s not fully free forever, but the trial is generous enough to test drive.

💡 Try this: Feed Jasper your top-performing blog post and ask it to write a new one in the same style. Compare the two side by side.

2. Copy.ai (Free Plan Available)

Best for: Social media, ads, and short-form copy.

Copy.ai is a powerhouse for snappy headlines, Instagram captions, and ad variations. Its free plan gives you 2,000 words a month—enough for a few posts.

What stood out: The templates are gold. Need a LinkedIn post about remote work? Copy.ai generates three versions in seconds.

💡 Try this: Pick a trending hashtag, like #SEO2024, and use Copy.ai to create 5 tweet ideas around it. Schedule them in your tool of choice.

3. Writesonic (Free Trial, then freemium)

Best for: SEO-optimized blog posts and product descriptions.

Writesonic’s AI blog writer is surprisingly good at structuring posts with headings, subheadings, and bullet points. It even suggests internal links.

What stood out: The “Sonic Editor” feels like Google Docs, so you can edit in real time. The free plan includes 10,000 words monthly.

💡 Try this: Write a 1,000-word post on “best free AI tools for marketers.” Let Writesonic draft it, then use its built-in SEO checker to optimize keywords.

4. Rytr (Free Plan Available)

Best for: Email sequences, product descriptions, and quick drafts.

Rytr’s free plan gives you 10,000 characters monthly—enough for a few emails or short posts. It’s lightweight but effective.

What stood out: The tone options are handy. Need a formal email? Choose “professional.” Casual blog post? Go for “conversational.”

💡 Try this: Draft a cold email to a potential guest blogger. Use Rytr’s “Email” template and tweak the tone until it feels personal.

5. Anyword (Free Trial)

Best for: Data-driven marketers who want performance insights.

Anyword doesn’t just write—it predicts how well your content will perform. It’s great for ads, landing pages, and emails.

What stood out: The “Predictive Performance Score” tells you if your copy will convert. It’s eye-opening.

💡 Try this: Write two versions of a Facebook ad headline. Run them through Anyword’s predictor and see which one scores higher.

6. Hemingway Editor (Free Web Version)

Best for: Polishing clunky drafts and simplifying complex sentences.

Hemingway isn’t an AI writer—it’s an AI editor. Paste your draft, and it highlights hard-to-read sentences, passive voice, and adverbs.

What stood out: It’s the fastest way to tighten up a draft. The free web version is all you need.

💡 Try this: Run your latest blog post through Hemingway. Aim for a readability score of 7 or lower.

7. Sudowrite (Free Trial)

Best for: Fiction writers, storytellers, and creative projects.

Sudowrite is like a creative partner. It helps brainstorm ideas, expand scenes, and even suggest twists. The free trial gives you 3,000 words to play with.

What stood out: It’s not just for blogs—it’s great for scripts, novels, or any creative writing.

💡 Try this: Start a short story with the prompt, “A hacker discovers a secret government file.” Let Sudowrite expand the first scene.

Which AI tool wins for bloggers?

If you’re a blogger, Writesonic or Jasper will save you the most time. Both generate long-form drafts with minimal editing. Copy.ai is a close second for social media and emails.

For editing, Hemingway is a must. It’s the only free tool that actively improves your writing.

Use PDFKro’s AI PDF Editor to streamline your workflow. Upload your draft, ask the AI to refine it, and export a polished PDF ready for publishing.

How do you avoid the “AI-sounding” trap?

AI tools often produce generic, repetitive prose. Here’s how to fix it:

  1. Add a human touch: Rewrite the AI’s intro with a personal anecdote or opinion.
  2. Mix up sentence structure: Vary lengths to keep it natural.
  3. Use contractions: “Don’t” instead of “Do not” makes it sound more human.
  4. Inject your voice: If you’re sarcastic, add a dry comment. If you’re serious, keep it straightforward.

💡 A Quick Check: Read your AI draft aloud. If it sounds like a robot, tweak it until it feels like you.

What’s the best way to organize AI-generated content?

You’ll end up with a mess of drafts, notes, and PDFs. Here’s how to keep it clean:

  • Save drafts as PDFs: Use PDFKro’s PDF to Word tool to convert AI drafts into editable files.
  • Merge related posts: Got three blog posts on the same topic? Use PDFKro’s Merge PDF tool to combine them into one master doc.
  • Chat with your content: Paste a PDF into PDFKro’s AI PDF Chatbot to ask questions like, “What’s the main argument here?” or “Summarize this section.”

Pro tip: Label your PDFs clearly. Instead of “Draft1.pdf,” use “Blog_SEO_Tips_V2.pdf.” It’ll save you hours of hunting later.

Can AI writing tools replace human writers?

Not yet. AI is a co-writer, not a replacement. It excels at drafting, brainstorming, and editing, but it lacks originality, nuance, and deep expertise.

Think of it like a calculator. It does the math faster, but you still need to interpret the results. AI writing tools are the same—they handle the heavy lifting, but you bring the magic.

PDFKro bridges the gap. Use its AI PDF Editor to refine AI-generated drafts, or chat with your PDFs using PDF Chatbot to extract key insights. It’s the perfect third wheel for your content creation process.

Which free AI tool should you try first?

Start with Hemingway if you need to edit existing drafts. It’s the fastest way to improve readability.

If you need a full draft, try Writesonic or Jasper. Both offer free trials and are designed for bloggers.

For social media or emails, Copy.ai is your best bet. It’s lightweight and packed with templates.

💡 Try this now: Pick one tool from the list, set a timer for 10 minutes, and draft a blog post outline. See how much you can generate in that time. You’ll be hooked.

Bonus: Upload your outline to PDFKro, convert it to a PDF, and use the AI PDF Chatbot to expand it into a full post. It’s like having an editor and a writer in one.

Ready to supercharge your content workflow?

AI writing tools are game-changers, but they’re only as good as your workflow. Here’s how to make the most of them:

  1. Draft with AI: Use your chosen tool to generate a first draft.
  2. Edit with Hemingway: Run it through Hemingway to tighten up the prose.
  3. Organize with PDFKro: Convert the draft to a PDF, merge related files, and chat with the AI to refine key points.
  4. Publish with confidence: Your content is now polished, structured, and ready to go.

No more staring at blank pages. No more writer’s block. Just high-quality content, faster.

Your turn: Pick one AI tool from this list and draft something today. Then, use PDFKro to edit, organize, and refine it. Try PDFKro now—it’s free, and it’ll change how you handle documents forever.