Copyleaks vs Turnitin
Copyleaks is the better detector for checking someone else's essay: anyone can buy it, and its reports can be shared. False alarms on human writing in run RUN-2026-11-A: Copyleaks Test in progress, Turnitin Test in progress.
Tested: In progress since 9 November 2026. Page updated: .
Short answer
Verdict: Copyleaks. Anyone can buy it, and its reports can be shared.
Run RUN-2026-11-A started on 9 November 2026 and is in progress: GPTZero and Originality.ai are scored on the first 120 samples, and every other tool shows a test in progress tag until its readings are in.
Turnitin is already licensed by many schools and sits inside their learning platform. Treat any flag from either tool as a question, not an answer.
See them side by sideBoth readings on one essayDownload the raw files
Side by side
The same fields for both tools, from the same run.
| Field | Edge | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Access | Web, LMS integrations and API | Through a school licence and its learning platform | Copyleaks |
| Price | $16.99 a monthChecked on | Sold to institutions onlyChecked on | Even |
| False alarms on human writing | Test in progress | Test in progress | Test in progress |
| Detection on AI text | Test in progress | Test in progress | Test in progress |
| Report detail | Phrase highlights | Instructor report | Copyleaks |
Which is more accurate?
Accuracy here means both halves: AI text caught, and human writing left alone.
Copyleaks states its accuracy as over 99%, with a false positive rate of .03%. Turnitin states a false positive rate under 1% for documents with over 20% likely AI content. In the independent test by Perkins and colleagues (2024), Copyleaks flagged 5 of 10 human control samples, a reminder that vendor figures describe vendor test sets.
One student essay, the two tools scored so far
Sample H-002 · student essay, written without AI · run RUN-2026-11-A · Copyleaks and Turnitin readings are added when the run scores both
GZGPTZero
OAOriginality.aiWhile the idea of having a fully-autonomous is very real, scientists are still very far from it. Research is being conducted every day to improve the efficeincy and safefty of these new semi-autonomous vehicles. In my opinion, driverless cars are inevitable and I would not doubt that I will end up seeing one in my lifetime. But as of right now, cars can't do as much as scientists are hoping for in the future. With that being said, I will there will be a more positive outcome of driverless cars than negative.
Ch. 10% AICh. 22% AIMany skeptics say dirverless cars will never be possible. But, what they don't realize is that we are closer than we ever have been before regardless of how much research is still necessary to succesfully make a fully autonomous car. Google's concept car has been able to drive over half a million miles without a crash. Their car still requires a driver, but it is only for more advanced tasks such as traffic issues or roadwork. Other companies have also attempted to create a driverless concept car and the concepts have showed potential. They are far from driverless but they are going in the right direction. BMW announced that their car could handle driving speeds of up 25 mph but still require the focus of a human being behind the wheel.
Ch. 10% AICh. 22% AIWhile I am very supportive of driverless cars, I think there will always be flaws, no matter the size. I think there will always be malfunctions but that does not mean that those can be fixed either. The research that has been put into these vehicles have been very strenuous and have proven that there will never not be flaws in creating an autonomous car. They still may crash but the probability of a fatal crash in a driverless is much lower than the probability of a fatal crash due to human error. Humans get distracted thus creating more chances for an accident to occur. With driverless cars, there is no chance of human error or the car getting distracted because driving is what it was built for.
Ch. 10% AICh. 22% AIThere are not many current laws or regulations on autonomous cars, so even if Google or BMW were to finish research and create a flawless and driverless car, they wouldn't be able to manufacture them on a commercial level. This is because there wouldn't be any laws covering liability in the case of an accident, if an accident were to somehow occur. It is undetermined who would be at fault for the accident according to the state. I think the company should be more at fault, considering they are advertising these cars as "driverless".
Ch. 10% AICh. 22% AIWith my opinion on driverless cars being said, I still think they are a good idea and will benefit society in the long run and keep more people safe. There are bumps in the road regarding laws and the time it will take to get to where big name companies want to be. But, if we are all patient and let scientists conduct quality research, I see a bright future for fully autonomous cars.
Ch. 10% AICh. 23% AIScroll the chart sideways to read every paragraph.
| Subset | Copyleaks | Turnitin |
|---|---|---|
| Student essays (60) | Test in progress | Test in progress |
| Non-native English essays (20) | Test in progress | Test in progress |
| Professional prose (20) | Test in progress | Test in progress |
| Raw AI text | Test in progress | Test in progress |
| Human-edited AI text (20) | Test in progress | Test in progress |
Access and price
What you can do without paying, what paying adds, and when we checked.
CLCopyleaks
- Free plan
- Limited free credits
- Free word limit
- 25,000 characters a scan
- Paid plan
- $16.99 a month
- Words per scan, paid
- 100 credits a month, 250 words each
- Batch upload
- Paid plans
- School plans
- Yes, through sales
Checked on
TITurnitin
- Free plan
- No
- Free word limit
- None for individuals
- Paid plan
- Sold to institutions only
- Words per scan, paid
- Set by the institution's licence
- Batch upload
- Through the learning platform
- School plans
- Institutions only
Checked on
Reports
A score you cannot inspect is hard to act on. What matters is whether the report shows which sentences drove the number, so you can read them yourself.
GPTZero scores each paragraph and highlights sentences. ZeroGPT gives one percentage for the whole text with highlights, which makes a single formal paragraph harder to spot.
| Report shows | Copyleaks | Turnitin |
|---|---|---|
| Report style | Phrase highlights | Instructor report |
| Who can sign up | Anyone | Through a school licence |
Which should you use?
The same two tools, a different answer for each reader.
Schools with a Turnitin licence
TITurnitinKeep it, and read the report, not only the number.
Schools without one
CLCopyleaksThe nearest institution-style tool anyone can buy.
Departments sharing results
CLCopyleaksReports staff can keep and pass on.
Individuals
CLCopyleaksTurnitin is not sold to individuals.
Three alternatives
If neither fits, these are the next detectors to try, from the same run.
No detector score should be the only evidence in a misconduct case.
Questions
Is Copyleaks better than Turnitin?
For people without a Turnitin licence, Copyleaks is the closer option you can buy. Both tools' readings in run RUN-2026-11-A are in progress.
Can I try Copyleaks free?
Yes. Copyleaks lists a free scan of up to 25,000 characters with limited free credits, checked on 8 November 2026.
Who can buy Turnitin?
Institutions. Turnitin states it is sold at the institutional level only.
Related reading
GPTZero vs Turnitin: Accuracy, Access and ReportsVerdict for each type of user.
Best AI Checker Like Turnitin for Students and StaffFor people without a Turnitin licence.
Turnitin Alternatives for AI Detection (2026)For people and schools without a licence.
AI Detector Comparisons: Head-to-Head ResultsTwo detectors, the same samples. Each comparison sets both readings over one.