Plagiarism is one of the most severe academic offenses. It can lead to a strike or even more significant punishments, such as expulsion. The last thing we want is to accidentally fall into this trap by not being careful with our papers. To ensure the academic safety of your essays, you need to check them for plagiarism. So, let’s find the best online plagiarism checkers!
🏅 Top 10 Plagiarism Checkers
In this section, we will analyze 10 of the best online plagiarism checkers of 2024. We have used specific criteria to compare and rank them. There are five ways to evaluate the quality of a checker:
- What is the size of the database?
- Does it include both online and offline sources?
- Does it support multiple languages?
- Can you download the plagiarism report?
- Does it offer any suggestions for improvement?
Afterward come data protection and price. If the tool shares or stores your documents, then it is at a disadvantage. The availability of free options is equally essential. The comparison table below summarizes everything.
For a more detailed analysis of the tool, keep reading!
Viper
Viper compares papers against more than 10 billion sources. Once you upload or drag and drop your document (the tool accepts a wide range of file types), it starts scanning. Afterward, it provides a comprehensive report with highlights, sources, and percentages. Viper also allows you to check for self-plagiarism by comparing your work against all of your past uploads.
You can scan 10,000 words every week for free. Unfortunately, after that, there is a premium version with a credit-based system. One credit is approximately 5000 words and costs $3.95. The more words you have, the more credits you will have to purchase. The advantage is that there are no complicated subscriptions. You only need to pay for what you use. By the way, if you buy the premium version, your work will stay confidential.
Though it requires registration, you can do it quickly via Gmail. Viper is accessible on all of your devices, including your iPad and phone. The software allows you to import and export files, and even a multilingual plagiarism check is possible. You can freely share and download your report. On top of that, it offers suggestions for improvement.
Key Features
- Multilingual support
- Suggestions for improvement
- Multiple scans at once
- Downloadable report
- Fast scanning
- Multiple file types supported
Chegg
Using the Chegg plagiarism checker is not too complicated: open the website and paste your paper or upload it from a computer or Google Drive. Once you do, you get a detailed plagiarism report with highlights and suggestions.
The website checks documents against billions of sources in American, British, Canadian, and Australian English. Their database is gigantic. They even include all of the papers that others have uploaded to Chegg over the years. Tool’s report includes a plagiarism percentage and also highlights everything for you to see. The information is available online or can be exported to .TXT.
Chegg also provides you with an in-depth grammar check, plus it has the option to import your files from several places. You get many suggestions for improvement. The review it provides is very detailed.
Though there is a 3-day free trial, you have to provide card details to use the platform. After three days, you have to purchase a subscription which costs $9.95/month.
It is essential to note that Chegg’s system is very similar to Turnitin. It is what most schools and universities use. So, Chegg might be the best option for you if you are willing to pay and need a quick grammar check.
Key Features
- Detailed review
- Suggestions for improvement
- Grammar check
- Expert proofreading
Plagiarism Checker X
Plagiarism Checker X is a Windows app that would help you get rid of plagiarism. The software has both free and paid versions. The free version allows you to check texts of up to 120 words. If your document is longer than that, you will need to purchase the premium version. The good thing is that it’s only a one-time purchase, and you can use it forever.
The tool only inspects your document against public sources on the internet but with high accuracy. You get a highlighted view of your document with source links and match percentage. The best thing about this app is that it checks documents in bulk, which will save you a ton of time.
You can import and export your files anytime. Additionally, it offers multilanguage support for up to 7 languages. There is even an option for a comparative plagiarism review, not to mention suggestions for improvement. If you are interested, there is a Plagiarism Checker X blog with a lot of practical information. The tool values data protection. Hence, it never stores any content that you upload.
Key Features
- Bulk-content scanning
- Multilanguage support
- AI-powered algorithm for plagiarism check
- Highlighted report view
- Suggestions for improvement
Unicheck
Unicheck got fourth place in our rank. It searches for plagiarism among 91 billion + sources, including internal institution libraries and databases. Once the scanning is finished, the tool brings up all the issues in your paper: similarities, citations, and references.
A great thing about Unicheck is that you can upload several documents from your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, and One Drive. It will check all of them simultaneously. The process is quick as it takes only 4 seconds per page. Also, it has a Google add-on, which makes your plagiarism check even quicker, as the process happens while you write. In the report, you get a plagiarism percentage and highlighted view of all of the similarities found in your document. In the end, there is a button in the top right corner that allows you to download the report.
Unicheck has a user-friendly interface and values your privacy. Hence, anything you upload will never stay in any plagiarism database.
Unicheck plagiarism tool has free checks, limited to 200 words, and paid features. The payment is on a page basis. You can purchase a minimum of twenty of them, and once you use all of the allotted ones, you need to buy more. Overall, Unicheck is an incredible option if you need a quick plagiarism check, especially for long-term use. If you write many papers daily, checking all of them at once will be very helpful.
Key Features
- Downloadable report
- Uploads in bulk
- Google add-on
- Free checks
PlagiarismAnalyzer
Plagiarism Analyzer implements a reliable plagiarism check due to its access to various sources: millions of web pages, academic journals, and even closed databases. Its algorithm is AI-based and detects any intentional or unintentional plagiarism. The tool recognizes both similar and paraphrased text.
Once you submit your document, it takes a short time to process it. Then, the website gives you an in-depth analysis of your paper. You get a match percentage and the source links for any detected similarities. The app provides a comprehensive plagiarism report with highlighted passages and source links along with suggestions for improvement. You can share the result with your peers if you are collaborating on your paper or download it. Good news: Plagiarism Analyzer does not store any of your content.
There is a vast number of additional features. For example, there are many options for importing documents. You can type, browse your computer, and even drag and drop. Moreover, there is a Plagiarism Analyzer blog. You can learn everything you need to know about avoiding plagiarism. It covers various other topics as well.
The only downside is that it does not offer any multilanguage support. However, this won’t be an inconvenience for you if all you need is English. In other words, it is the perfect tool!
Key Features
- Data protection
- AI-powered algorithm
- Access to collaboration
- Detailed report
Scribbr
The following tool on our list is Scribbr. The result you get from Scribbr is very credible as the database is enormous. It has 91 billion live and archived web pages and millions of publications. The reason for this is that Scribbr has a partnership with Turnitin.
To check your paper, you should either upload or drag and drop your document. Afterward, you need to choose which price works best for your paper and go ahead with your purchase. Once you make the purchase, the website gives you a very detailed report of your document. It includes highlights of the plagiarized content and suggestions on how to improve it.
Scribbr also has several additional features. You also have the option of a multilanguage plagiarism check. If you need to download the report, you can. By the way, the website does not store your document in any database. This means you will not have a problem with the TurnitIn database.
Scribbr does not offer any free trial and is a bit pricey compared to other plagiarism checkers. Hence, it might not be the best option for most students. Nevertheless, it is vital to note that Scribbr’s price is justified if you consider everything it offers.
Key Features
- Multilanguage plagiarism check
- Detailed downloadable report
- Checks among internal university libraries
QueText
Working with QueText is easy and quick. It brings up a field where you need to type or paste your text. Unfortunately, it does not offer an option for importing a document. Afterward, you need to click Check for Plagiarism, and there’s your report. It is thoroughly highlighted and provides a list of links from where you might have plagiarized, which is very helpful for any further improvement.
One of the many advantages of QueText is its wide variety of sources. It offers everything from academic textbooks to news sources. Additionally, QueText never stores your files to ensure that your future plagiarism checks with the given text do not fail. Though it lacks some features, it is entirely free, which means it is worth a try. Keep in mind that it will ask you to create an account after using the plagiarism tool once.
Unfortunately, there is no multilanguage support, which is not a big deal if you only need English. Also, you cannot download the report, which is not a problem if you only need a quick plagiarism check.
To sum up, QueText is a fantastic option for you if you want to check whether or not your paper has similarities with others and prevent any accidental plagiarism.
Key Features
- Highlighted report
- No file storage
- User-friendly interface
- Free
Grammarly
Grammarly is, without a doubt, one of the best tools for grammar check but let’s see how it deals with plagiarism!
User-friendliness and the excellent interface are Grammarly’s advantages. You can save a lot of time as Grammarly performs the plagiarism check simultaneously with the grammar one. It has a database of over 8 billion sources which include webpages and no offline resources.
Detecting exact plagiarism is quick and easy for Grammarly. However, that is all it does. It doesn’t deal well with paraphrasing or any other form of it. Neither will you get a detailed report in a free version. Sharing or downloading the results is impossible too. On the upside, it keeps your papers private.
The Grammarly subscription itself offers much more than just one tool. On top of that, if you buy a subscription, the number of plagiarism and grammar checks will be unlimited.
Key Features
- Grammar check
- Highlighted document view
- Import/export
- Data protection
SmallSEOTools
SmallSEOTools got a ninth place in our rank. It does not have any specific algorithm for plagiarism detection: it searches on your entire paper, sentence by sentence. If it finds a similar one, then it considers yours plagiarized. Hence, it might not be the most reliable checker since it can’t deal with paraphrased text.
The tool does not highlight the document but tells you which sentences are not unique. When you click on a specific one, it brings up the URL of the source. On top of that, you can exclude URLs or mention specific ones that you want it to check.
On the upside, you can easily share and download your report. The tool values your privacy. It shares neither your personal information nor your document. Most importantly, unlike most of the others, it is entirely free. Keep in mind that there is a word limit of 1000 words.
Key Features
- Mobile app
- File import/export option
- Downloadable report
- Free
ProWritingAid
Based on our comparison test, ProWritingAid scores 3 out of 5. The tool has a vast database with billions of online and offline sources, including periodicals and web pages.
The ProWritingAid plagiarism report includes data, ideas, and questions taken from other sources. Hence, it is very detailed and reliable. The tool lets you know where you could have used paraphrasing or add quotations to make it better. Additionally, it shows you the similarity percentage. You can look through the highlighted text to find their sources.
Also, you can easily import and export your files, and multilingual checks are not possible. Nevertheless, it is essential to note that ProWritingAid never stores any of your documents.
There are two main disadvantages to this tool which are interconnected. Firstly, it only offers a premium version. If you buy plagiarism checks separately, you will need to pay around $10 for ten reports. There is also the option to include it in your general ProWritingAid subscription. For this, you would need to buy the Plus version and get 60 checks.
The second disadvantage is that you need to create an account to use the tool. It is inevitable as you need to pay. Overall, ProWritingAid is a fantastic tool for you if your need for plagiarism checks is consistent.
Key Features
- Suggestions for improvement
- Highlighted report view
- Grammar check
- Massive sources database
Let’s finalize the results!
✨ Best Plagiarism Software
To make this even easier for you, we have separated two plagiarism checkers. You can choose the one that is more convenient for you!
🆓 Best Free Plagiarism Checker
According to our analysis, QueText is undoubtedly the best free plagiarism software. Here is why:
- Informative feedback. It highlights everything for you. You even get corresponding colors for different degrees of plagiarized text. QueText allows you to view each text in snippets. On top of that, there is a total plagiarism score.
- Rich sources database. QueText has a wide variety of sources, including web pages, online textbooks, and academic papers. It means no plagiarized content has the chance to escape the horizon of QueText.
- Useful blog. There is a blog with many topics that help students. The themes range from grammar to writing academic papers and strategies for the Common App.
Hence, it offers much more than just a plagiarism checker. Are you looking for the best free checker for English texts? QueText is the way to go.
💰 Best Paid Plagiarism Software
The best paid plagiarism software, in our opinion, is Scribbr. These features make it stand out compared to any other tool:
- Partnership with Turnitin. It is what most educational institutions use to check academic papers for plagiarism. Hence, in this case, Scribbr is very reliable. The similarity percentage that Scribbr provides is very likely to be the same that your school or university will.
- Enormous sources database. Scribbr’s sources include more than 91 billion web pages and millions of publications. That is one more point to this tool in terms of credibility. There is no chance that it will miss any of your accidentally or purposefully plagiarized content.
- Confidentiality. Scribbr does not store any of your content in its databases. Therefore, the possibility of accidental self-plagiarism on Scribbr is non-existent.
- Detailed report. Scribbr gives you perfectly highlighted information with suggestions for improvement. You can also download that report in case you need it.
- Additional features. You can use it to generate citations and even get proofreading and editing services.
If you are willing to pay for plagiarism software, Scribbr has got you covered with everything.
Now, let’s learn about the main types of plagiarism!
❗ 4 Types of Plagiarism You Should Know
There are four main types of plagiarism that everyone should know. Otherwise, you won’t know how to avoid them. It is not just about stealing someone else’s ideas or work. There are more nuances to it.
Let’s go through each of them one by one.
- Direct Plagiarism
Direct plagiarism occurs when you directly copy someone’s work without credits. For example, if you decide to quote sections from a journal or a book, be careful. Proper citation, quotation marks, and mentioning the source in the references are mandatory. Otherwise, it seems like you stole content, and you are trying to pass it off as your own.
This type of plagiarism is strictly punishable and is one of the worst academic offenses. No matter how clever you are, you will probably still get caught. It could ruin your GPA or even get you expelled.
- Self-Plagiarism
Self-plagiarism occurs when you use your work in another paper. For instance, you can submit the same document for two different classes or take chunks of one essay and put it in another without proper citation. Even though being able to do it would make your life much easier, you should not.
The only acceptable way to do that is if you have permission from all of the instructors involved. Otherwise, you could be penalized for stealing from yourself. The punishment for self-plagiarism can range depending on the amount of content taken. Always be careful with this and ask for permission first.
- Mosaic Plagiarism
Mosaic plagiarism is similar to the direct one. Except, instead of copying sections, you take bits and pieces from other places. As mentioned before, whenever you write about an idea that is not yours, you need to cite the source. The punishment for mosaic plagiarism might be milder, but you still don’t want to risk it.
Generally, quoting others does not hurt you. It could make it look like you have done thorough research. It might even increase your grade. So, there is nothing wrong with using other people’s work as long as you give them credit.
- Accidental Plagiarism
Accidental plagiarism occurs when students don’t know how to cite correctly. You might forget to quote something or make mistakes in your references. It can also be a result of wrong paraphrasing. Your changed sentences might end up looking very similar if you use the exact words.
Accidental plagiarism is the reason why you should have excellent knowledge of the citation style that your educational institution uses. You might think that it is not punishable as strongly, but that is not true. Instructors take it as seriously as any other type. You should always be careful and double-check your in-text citations, quotations, and references.
These are the most common types of plagiarism. If you keep them in mind and try to avoid them, you will not have any problems, especially if you are good at citing.
Well, it’s time to get deeper into the consequences of plagiarism!
⚠️ What Are the Consequences of Plagiarism?
- Consequences of plagiarism can be:
- Failing an assignment
- Failing a course
- Expulsion from university
- Financial losses
- Fines
- Trial
As mentioned before, plagiarism is taken very seriously in every educational institution. The consequences range from mild to terrible. For example, in some classes, plagiarizing an essay would leave you with a failed assignment. Your grade for the course would reduce drastically. Sometimes you might get a chance to submit a new one. This is the mildest punishment.
Depending on the severity of your plagiarized content, you might fail the entire course. This would lead to financial losses as you would have to retake the course and pay for it twice. A more severe version of that would be expulsion from the university.
It is not just a problem in university. People face this at work and in business. Stealing someone else’s idea can become a reason for you to pay a considerable fine. In the worst-case scenario, you might even go to jail. In other words, you certainly do not want to face punishment for plagiarism.
📊 Conclusion
That’s it! Now you are armed with the best plagiarism checkers. On top of that, you know everything you need about it. Good luck with your paper!
🔗 References
- 6 Consequences of Plagiarism – iThenticate
- Plagiarism investigation and penalties – The University of Melbourne
- What is Plagiarism? – RIT Libraries
- Examples of Plagiarism – Northern Illinois University
- What Is Considered Plagiarism And How to Avoid It – Southern New Hampshire University
- Plagiarism and Student Writing – University of Washington
- Types of Plagiarism – University of Nebraska-Illinois
- Causes of Plagiarism – Kent State University
- Steps to Avoiding Plagiarism – University of Arizona
- Dealing with Plagiarism – WAC Clearinghouse
- Why Students Plagiarize – Middle Georgia State University
- All About Plagiarism – University of Illinois Springfield
- Plagiarism: What is it? – Washington State University
- Using Sources Effectively and Responsibly – Harvard Extension School
- Avoiding Plagiarism – Duke University Libraries