tells text analysis widget
vs Grammarly vs Crystal Knows
Three tools. One question: which actually helps you understand what someone means — not just how they wrote it? Feature-by-feature comparison for coaches, mediators, and consultants using WordPress. Compare first, then install from WordPress.org or read the install guide below.
tells wp plugin — use when
- You want to read client intake responses for hidden signals, hesitation, and intent
- You need a WordPress-embedded analysis panel clients interact with on your site
- You want ghost-risk, soft-yes/no, and boundary signals surfaced automatically
- You need no analytics trackers or third-party SDKs added to your site
- You want a free plugin with optional paid embed license for volume + privacy
grammarly business — use when
- You want to improve your own writing: grammar, clarity, readability
- You need real-time tone suggestions as you draft messages or posts
- You want a writing style guide enforced across a team
- Your use case is editorial quality, not signal-reading
crystal knows — use when
- You want a DISC personality prediction from a LinkedIn profile
- You need tips on how to adapt your tone when messaging someone new
- Your prospecting workflow runs entirely inside Chrome
- You need profile-level generalisation, not message-by-message signal reads
feature comparison
| feature | tells wp plugin | grammarly business | crystal knows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reads message intent / hidden signals | ✓ core function | – no | partial (profile-level) |
| Detects hesitation & ghost-risk signals | ✓ yes | – no | – no |
| Soft-yes / soft-no / boundary pattern read | ✓ yes | – no | – no |
| WordPress plugin (wp.org approved) | ✓ free, v1.0.1 | browser extension only | Chrome extension only |
| Embeds on your site for client intake | ✓ yes | – no | – no |
| Grammar / style correction | – not the purpose | ✓ core function | – no |
| Personality type prediction (DISC) | – no | – no | ✓ yes |
| Requires external account / profile | ✓ no | yes — Grammarly account | yes — LinkedIn profile needed |
| No third-party trackers on your site | ✓ yes | adds browser extension | adds browser extension |
| Free tier available | ✓ free plugin + demo API | free tier (limited) | free tier (limited) |
| Works for client intake / practitioner use | ✓ designed for this | not designed for this | partial (pre-call prep) |
tells text analysis widget — free on wordpress.org
Approved 2026-05-16. Install in 60 seconds from the WP admin plugin directory, or read the install path guide before you commit.
frequently asked questions
What does the tells text analysis widget do in WordPress?
The tells text analysis widget embeds a signal-reading panel on any WordPress page or post. It analyses short messages, intake responses, or contact-form text for communication signals: hesitation markers, boundary patterns, avoidance topics, soft-yes/soft-no framing, and ghost-risk signals. It is designed for practitioners — coaches, therapists, consultants — who want to understand what a client or prospect actually means, not just what they wrote.
How is tells different from Grammarly for WordPress?
Grammarly analyses writing quality — grammar, clarity, tone in text you are writing. tells text analysis widget does the opposite: it analyses text written by someone else (a client, prospect, or message sender) to surface communication signals the writer may not have stated explicitly. Grammarly helps you write better. tells helps you understand what someone else really means.
How is tells different from Crystal Knows?
Crystal Knows predicts DISC personality type from a LinkedIn profile and suggests how to adapt your communication style. tells does not predict personality type. It reads the signals in a specific message: is this person hesitating? Are they likely to follow through? Is there avoidance or boundary-signalling in the text? Crystal Knows is a Chrome extension; tells text analysis widget is a WordPress plugin you embed on your own site.
Is the tells text analysis widget free?
Yes — the plugin is free and listed at wordpress.org/plugins/tells-text-analysis-widget. The free tier uses tells' public demo API. A paid embed license is available for practitioners who need private client-data handling and higher analysis volume. The plugin requires WordPress 6.0+ and PHP 7.4+.
Who should use the tells text analysis widget?
The plugin is designed for practitioners who read a lot of short messages and intake responses: relationship coaches, communication coaches, therapists, executive coaches, HR consultants, and facilitators. Instead of manually reading intake responses and guessing at hidden signals, the tells widget surfaces hesitation markers, boundary patterns, and intent signals automatically alongside the submitted text.
What WordPress version does tells require?
tells text analysis widget requires WordPress 6.0 or higher and PHP 7.4 or higher. It has been tested up to WordPress 6.9. The plugin has no external database dependencies and adds no tracking or analytics SDKs to your site.