diff --git a/src/Plots.jl b/src/Plots.jl
index d320df7c..2e504051 100644
--- a/src/Plots.jl
+++ b/src/Plots.jl
@@ -215,8 +215,8 @@ xflip!(flip::Bool = true; kw...)                          = plot!(; xflip = flip
 yflip!(flip::Bool = true; kw...)                          = plot!(; yflip = flip, kw...)
 xaxis!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; xaxis = args, kw...)
 yaxis!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; yaxis = args, kw...)
-xgrid!(grid::Bool = true; kw...)                          = plot!(; xgrid = grid, kw...)
-ygrid!(grid::Bool = true; kw...)                          = plot!(; ygrid = grid, kw...)
+xgrid!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; xgrid = args, kw...)
+ygrid!(args...; kw...)                                    = plot!(; ygrid = args, kw...)
 
 let PlotOrSubplot = Union{Plot, Subplot}
     title!(plt::PlotOrSubplot, s::AbstractString; kw...)                  = plot!(plt; title = s, kw...)
diff --git a/src/arg_desc.jl b/src/arg_desc.jl
index 571400a7..ee1e99d8 100644
--- a/src/arg_desc.jl
+++ b/src/arg_desc.jl
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :background_color_inside  => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:background_color_subplot`).  Background color inside the plot area (under the grid).",
 :foreground_color_subplot => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color`).  Base foreground color of the subplot.",
 :foreground_color_legend  => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`).  Foreground color of the legend.",
-:foreground_color_grid    => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of grid lines.",
 :foreground_color_title   => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of subplot title.",
 :color_palette            => "Vector of colors (cycle through) or color gradient (generate list from gradient) or `:auto` (generate a color list using `Colors.distiguishable_colors` and custom seed colors chosen to contrast with the background).  The color palette is a color list from which series colors are automatically chosen.",
 :legend                   => "Bool (show the legend?) or Symbol (legend position).  Symbol values: `:none`, `:best`, `:right`, `:left`, `:top`, `:bottom`, `:inside`, `:legend`, `:topright`, `:topleft`, `:bottomleft`, `:bottomright` (note: only some may be supported in each backend)",
@@ -110,6 +109,9 @@ const _arg_desc = KW(
 :foreground_color_text    => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of tick labels.",
 :foreground_color_guide   => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of axis guides (axis labels).",
 :mirror                   => "Bool.  Switch the side of the tick labels (right or top).",
-:grid                     => "Bool. Show the grid lines?",
-
+:grid                     => "Bool, Symbol, String or `nothing`. Show the grid lines? `:x`, `:y`, `:z`, `:xy`, ..., `:all`, `:none`, `:off`",
+:foreground_color_grid    => "Color Type or `:match` (matches `:foreground_color_subplot`). Color of grid lines.",
+:gridalpha                => "Number in [0,1]. The alpha/opacity override for the grid lines.",
+:gridstyle                => "Symbol. Style of the grid lines. Choose from $(_allStyles)",
+:gridlinewidth            => "Number. Width of the grid lines (in pixels)",
 )
diff --git a/src/args.jl b/src/args.jl
index 0012bc7e..01cafb51 100644
--- a/src/args.jl
+++ b/src/args.jl
@@ -163,6 +163,24 @@ const _scaleAliases = Dict{Symbol,Symbol}(
     :log  => :log10,
 )
 
+const _allGridSyms = [:x, :y, :z,
+                    :xy, :xz, :yx, :yz, :zx, :zy,
+                    :xyz, :xzy, :yxz, :yzx, :zxy, :zyx,
+                    :all, :both, :on,
+                    :none, :off,]
+const _allGridArgs = [_allGridSyms; string.(_allGridSyms); nothing; false; true]
+hasgrid(arg::Void, letter) = false
+hasgrid(arg::Bool, letter) = arg
+function hasgrid(arg::Symbol, letter)
+    if arg in _allGridSyms
+        arg in (:all, :both, :on) || contains(string(arg), string(letter))
+    else
+        warn("Unknown grid argument $arg; $letter\grid was set to `true` instead")
+        true
+    end
+end
+hasgrid(arg::AbstractString, letter) = hasgrid(Symbol(arg), letter)
+
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 const _series_defaults = KW(
@@ -285,6 +303,9 @@ const _axis_defaults = KW(
     :mirror => false,
     :grid                     => true,
     :foreground_color_grid    => :match,            # grid color
+    :gridalpha                => 0.3,
+    :gridstyle                => :dot,
+    :gridlinewidth                => 1,
 )
 
 const _suppress_warnings = Set{Symbol}([
@@ -414,6 +435,7 @@ add_aliases(:linealpha, :la, :lalpha, :lα, :lineopacity, :lopacity)
 add_aliases(:markeralpha, :ma, :malpha, :mα, :markeropacity, :mopacity)
 add_aliases(:markerstrokealpha, :msa, :msalpha, :msα, :markerstrokeopacity, :msopacity)
 add_aliases(:fillalpha, :fa, :falpha, :fα, :fillopacity, :fopacity)
+add_aliases(:gridalpha, :ga, :galpha, :gα, :gridopacity, :gopacity)
 
 # series attributes
 add_aliases(:seriestype, :st, :t, :typ, :linetype, :lt)
@@ -469,6 +491,8 @@ add_aliases(:series_annotations, :series_ann, :seriesann, :series_anns, :seriesa
 add_aliases(:html_output_format, :format, :fmt, :html_format)
 add_aliases(:orientation, :direction, :dir)
 add_aliases(:inset_subplots, :inset, :floating)
+add_aliases(:gridlinewidth, :gridwidth, :grid_linewidth, :grid_width, :gridlw, :grid_lw)
+add_aliases(:gridstyle, :grid_style, :gridlinestyle, :grid_linestyle, :grid_ls, :gridls)
 
 
 # add all pluralized forms to the _keyAliases dict
@@ -645,6 +669,36 @@ function processFillArg(d::KW, arg)
     return
 end
 
+
+function processGridArg!(d::KW, arg, letter)
+    if arg in _allGridArgs
+        d[Symbol(letter, :grid)] = hasgrid(arg, letter)
+
+    elseif allStyles(arg)
+        d[Symbol(letter, :gridstyle)] = arg
+
+    elseif typeof(arg) <: Stroke
+        arg.width == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :gridlinewidth)] = arg.width)
+        arg.color == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :foreground_color_grid)] = arg.color in (:auto, :match) ? :match : plot_color(arg.color))
+        arg.alpha == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :gridalpha)] = arg.alpha)
+        arg.style == nothing || (d[Symbol(letter, :gridstyle)] = arg.style)
+
+    # linealpha
+    elseif allAlphas(arg)
+        d[Symbol(letter, :gridalpha)] = arg
+
+    # linewidth
+    elseif allReals(arg)
+        d[Symbol(letter, :gridlinewidth)] = arg
+
+    # color
+elseif !handleColors!(d, arg, Symbol(letter, :foreground_color_grid))
+        warn("Skipped grid arg $arg.")
+
+    end
+end
+
+
 _replace_markershape(shape::Symbol) = get(_markerAliases, shape, shape)
 _replace_markershape(shapes::AVec) = map(_replace_markershape, shapes)
 _replace_markershape(shape) = shape
@@ -688,6 +742,22 @@ function preprocessArgs!(d::KW)
         end
     end
 
+    # handle grid args common to all axes
+    args = pop!(d, :grid, ())
+    for arg in wraptuple(args)
+        for letter in (:x, :y, :z)
+            processGridArg!(d, arg, letter)
+        end
+    end
+    # handle individual axes grid args
+    for letter in (:x, :y, :z)
+        gridsym = Symbol(letter, :grid)
+        args = pop!(d, gridsym, ())
+        for arg in wraptuple(args)
+            processGridArg!(d, arg, letter)
+        end
+    end
+
     # handle line args
     for arg in wraptuple(pop!(d, :line, ()))
         processLineArg(d, arg)
diff --git a/src/axes.jl b/src/axes.jl
index cafee577..734f2154 100644
--- a/src/axes.jl
+++ b/src/axes.jl
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ function axis_drawing_info(sp::Subplot)
         for xtick in xticks[1]
             push!(xspine_segs, (xtick, ymin), (xtick, t1)) # bottom tick
             # push!(xspine_segs, (xtick, ymax), (xtick, t2)) # top tick
-            !(xaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false)) && push!(xgrid_segs,  (xtick, t1),   (xtick, t2)) # vertical grid
+            xaxis[:grid] && push!(xgrid_segs,  (xtick, t1),   (xtick, t2)) # vertical grid
         end
     end
 
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ function axis_drawing_info(sp::Subplot)
         for ytick in yticks[1]
             push!(yspine_segs, (xmin, ytick), (t1, ytick)) # left tick
             # push!(yspine_segs, (xmax, ytick), (t2, ytick)) # right tick
-            !(yaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false)) && push!(ygrid_segs,  (t1, ytick),   (t2, ytick)) # horizontal grid
+            yaxis[:grid] && push!(ygrid_segs,  (t1, ytick),   (t2, ytick)) # horizontal grid
         end
     end
 
diff --git a/src/backends/glvisualize.jl b/src/backends/glvisualize.jl
index 118db197..60c1730a 100644
--- a/src/backends/glvisualize.jl
+++ b/src/backends/glvisualize.jl
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ const _glvisualize_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
     :window_title,
     :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip, :rotation,
     :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :colorbar,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridstyle, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :colorbar,
     :marker_z,
     :line_z,
     :levels,
@@ -682,12 +683,12 @@ function gl_draw_axes_2d(sp::Plots.Subplot{Plots.GLVisualizeBackend}, model, are
     xgc = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(xaxis[:foreground_color_grid]))
     ygc = Colors.color(Plots.gl_color(yaxis[:foreground_color_grid]))
     axis_vis = []
-    if !(xaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
-        grid = draw_grid_lines(sp, xgrid_segs, 1f0, :dot, model, RGBA(xgc, 0.3f0))
+    if xaxis[:grid]
+        grid = draw_grid_lines(sp, xgrid_segs, xaxis[:gridlinewidth], xaxis[:gridstyle], model, RGBA(xgc, xaxis[:gridalpha]))
         push!(axis_vis, grid)
     end
-    if !(yaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
-        grid = draw_grid_lines(sp, ygrid_segs, 1f0, :dot, model, RGBA(ygc, 0.3f0))
+    if yaxis[:grid]
+        grid = draw_grid_lines(sp, ygrid_segs, yaxis[:gridlinewidth], yaxis[:gridstyle], model, RGBA(ygc, yaxis[:gridalpha]))
         push!(axis_vis, grid)
     end
 
diff --git a/src/backends/gr.jl b/src/backends/gr.jl
index a0a9171d..061dee7f 100644
--- a/src/backends/gr.jl
+++ b/src/backends/gr.jl
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ const _gr_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
     :title, :window_title,
     :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip,
     :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridstyle, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
     :marker_z, :levels,
     :ribbon, :quiver,
     :orientation,
@@ -691,15 +692,9 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
         ticksize = 0.01 * (viewport_plotarea[2] - viewport_plotarea[1])
 
         # GR.setlinetype(GR.LINETYPE_DOTTED)
-        if !(xaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
-            GR.grid3d(xtick, 0, 0, xmin, ymax, zmin, 2, 0, 0)
-        end
-        if !(yaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
-            GR.grid3d(0, ytick, 0, xmin, ymax, zmin, 0, 2, 0)
-        end
-        if !(zaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
-            GR.grid3d(0, 0, ztick, xmin, ymax, zmin, 0, 0, 2)
-        end
+        xaxis[:grid] && GR.grid3d(xtick, 0, 0, xmin, ymax, zmin, 2, 0, 0)
+        yaxis[:grid] && GR.grid3d(0, ytick, 0, xmin, ymax, zmin, 0, 2, 0)
+        zaxis[:grid] && GR.grid3d(0, 0, ztick, xmin, ymax, zmin, 0, 0, 2)
         GR.axes3d(xtick, 0, ztick, xmin, ymin, zmin, 2, 0, 2, -ticksize)
         GR.axes3d(0, ytick, 0, xmax, ymin, zmin, 0, 2, 0, ticksize)
 
@@ -718,16 +713,16 @@ function gr_display(sp::Subplot{GRBackend}, w, h, viewport_canvas)
         # @show xticks yticks #spine_segs grid_segs
 
         # draw the grid lines
-        if !(xaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
+        if xaxis[:grid]
             # gr_set_linecolor(sp[:foreground_color_grid])
             # GR.grid(xtick, ytick, 0, 0, majorx, majory)
-            gr_set_line(1, :dot, xaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
-            GR.settransparency(0.5)
+            gr_set_line(xaxis[:gridlinewidth], xaxis[:gridstyle], xaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
+            GR.settransparency(xaxis[:gridalpha])
             gr_polyline(coords(xgrid_segs)...)
         end
-        if !(yaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
-            gr_set_line(1, :dot, yaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
-            GR.settransparency(0.5)
+        if yaxis[:grid]
+            gr_set_line(yaxis[:gridlinewidth], yaxis[:gridstyle], yaxis[:foreground_color_grid])
+            GR.settransparency(yaxis[:gridalpha])
             gr_polyline(coords(ygrid_segs)...)
         end
         GR.settransparency(1.0)
diff --git a/src/backends/inspectdr.jl b/src/backends/inspectdr.jl
index 1feda4ba..a8224634 100644
--- a/src/backends/inspectdr.jl
+++ b/src/backends/inspectdr.jl
@@ -339,8 +339,8 @@ function _inspectdr_setupsubplot(sp::Subplot{InspectDRBackend})
     const strip = plot.strips[1] #Only 1 strip supported with Plots.jl
 
     xaxis = sp[:xaxis]; yaxis = sp[:yaxis]
-    xgrid_show = !(xaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
-    ygrid_show = !(yaxis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
+    xgrid_show = xaxis[:grid]
+    ygrid_show = yaxis[:grid]
 
     strip.grid = InspectDR.GridRect(
     	vmajor=xgrid_show, # vminor=xgrid_show,
diff --git a/src/backends/pgfplots.jl b/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
index cbbd645b..30169147 100644
--- a/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pgfplots.jl
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ function pgf_axis(sp::Subplot, letter)
     end
 
     # grid on or off
-    if !(axis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
+    if axis[:grid]
         push!(style, "$(letter)majorgrids = true")
     end
 
diff --git a/src/backends/plotly.jl b/src/backends/plotly.jl
index cc0aed9c..9e0537ce 100644
--- a/src/backends/plotly.jl
+++ b/src/backends/plotly.jl
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const _plotly_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
     :annotations,
     :background_color_legend, :background_color_inside, :background_color_outside,
     :foreground_color_legend, :foreground_color_guide,
-    # :foreground_color_grid, :foreground_color_axis,
+    :foreground_color_grid, :foreground_color_axis,
     :foreground_color_text, :foreground_color_border,
     :foreground_color_title,
     :label,
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ const _plotly_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
     :window_title,
     :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip, :rotation,
     :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :colorbar, :colorbar_title,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :colorbar, :colorbar_title,
     :marker_z, :fill_z, :levels,
     :ribbon, :quiver,
     :orientation,
@@ -213,7 +214,9 @@ function plotly_axis(axis::Axis, sp::Subplot)
     letter = axis[:letter]
     ax = KW(
         :title      => axis[:guide],
-        :showgrid   => !(axis[:grid] in (nothing, false)),
+        :showgrid   => axis[:grid],
+        :gridcolor  => rgba_string(plot_color(axis[:foreground_color_grid], axis[:gridalpha])),
+        :gridwidth  => axis[:gridlinewidth],
         :zeroline   => false,
         :ticks      => "inside",
     )
@@ -229,8 +232,8 @@ function plotly_axis(axis::Axis, sp::Subplot)
         ax[:titlefont] = plotly_font(axis[:guidefont], axis[:foreground_color_guide])
         ax[:type] = plotly_scale(axis[:scale])
         ax[:tickfont] = plotly_font(axis[:tickfont], axis[:foreground_color_text])
-        ax[:tickcolor] = rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_border])
-        ax[:linecolor] = rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_border])
+        ax[:tickcolor] = rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_axis])
+        ax[:linecolor] = rgba_string(axis[:foreground_color_axis])
 
         # lims
         lims = axis[:lims]
diff --git a/src/backends/pyplot.jl b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
index 4100ccbf..4b185e6e 100644
--- a/src/backends/pyplot.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ const _pyplot_attr = merge_with_base_supported([
     :window_title,
     :guide, :lims, :ticks, :scale, :flip, :rotation,
     :tickfont, :guidefont, :legendfont,
-    :grid, :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
+    :grid, :gridalpha, :gridstyle, :gridlinewidth,
+    :legend, :legendtitle, :colorbar,
     :marker_z, :line_z, :fill_z,
     :levels,
     :ribbon, :quiver, :arrow,
@@ -1064,9 +1065,13 @@ function _before_layout_calcs(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend})
                 lab[:set_family](axis[:tickfont].family)
                 lab[:set_rotation](axis[:rotation])
             end
-            if !(axis[:grid] in (nothing, false))
+            if axis[:grid]
                 fgcolor = py_color(axis[:foreground_color_grid])
-                pyaxis[:grid](true, color = fgcolor, linestyle = ":")
+                pyaxis[:grid](true,
+                    color = fgcolor,
+                    linestyle = py_linestyle(:line, axis[:gridstyle]),
+                    linewidth = axis[:gridlinewidth],
+                    alpha = axis[:gridalpha])
                 ax[:set_axisbelow](true)
             end
             py_set_axis_colors(ax, axis)
diff --git a/src/examples.jl b/src/examples.jl
index a9b86960..640dde92 100644
--- a/src/examples.jl
+++ b/src/examples.jl
@@ -329,6 +329,18 @@ PlotExample("Spy",
     end)]
 ),
 
+PlotExample("Magic grid argument",
+    "The grid lines can be modified individually for each axis with the magic grid argument",
+    [:(begin
+    x = rand(10)
+    p1 = plot(x, title = "Default looks")
+    p2 = plot(x, grid = (:y, :olivedrab, :solid, 0.5), title = "Modified y grid")
+    p3 = plot(deepcopy(p2), title = "Add x grid")
+    xgrid!(p3, :on, :cadetblue, 2, :dashdot)
+    plot(p1, p2, p3, layout = (1, 3), label = "", fillrange = 0, fillalpha = 0.3)
+    end)]
+),
+
 ]
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------