Vale is an open-source command-line linter that checks prose against style-guide rules. It runs offline as a single binary without an account, server, or model. Supported formats include Markdown, AsciiDoc, reStructuredText, MDX, MyST, Quarto, Typst, HTML, XML, DITA, Org, and QDoc; it can also extract and check comments in 19 programming languages. Vale Views can target content such as OpenAPI, Jupyter notebooks, transcripts, docstrings, JSON, YAML, and TOML. Users can create YAML rules and select the rules and styles that apply to files. Ready-made styles include Google, Microsoft, Red Hat, readability, and Harper grammar. Integrations span editors such as VS Code, Cursor, Neovim, Sublime Text, Zed, Emacs, JetBrains IDEs, and Obsidian. Vale can run in GitHub Actions, as a pre-commit hook, or through its language server, which offers autocomplete, diagnostics, hover popups, and quick fixes. In CI, only error-level alerts return a non-zero exit code; warnings and suggestions pass. Vale is free and MIT-licensed; paid plans start at $19/user/mo.
Who it is for
Vale suits writers and documentation teams who want style-guide checks in editors or alongside code. It also fits teams that want to run prose checks in GitHub Actions or pre-commit workflows.
What is good
- Runs offline without an account or server.
- Supports numerous markup and document formats.
- Custom rules can be written in YAML.
- Offers editor integrations and a language server.
- Can run in GitHub Actions and pre-commit hooks.
What to know first
- Warnings and suggestions pass in CI.
- Paid plans start at $19/user/mo.
Verdict
Vale offers configurable prose checks across many formats, editors, and code workflows. Note that only error-level alerts make CI return a non-zero exit code.
Vale plans and pricing
All plansCompared on writing style checkers
- Free plan
- Yes
- Paid from
- $19/user/mo
- Custom style guide
- Yes
- Terminology management
- Yes
- Brand voice rules
- Yes
- Editor support
- VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Neovim, Sublime Text, Zed, Emacs, JetBrains IDEs, Obsidian, Oxygen XML, Qt Creator, Vim ALE
- Rule action
- block
- Team workflow
- Yes
