GPTZero vs Originality.ai (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, GPTZero and Originality.ai share a 2.4 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which features you need.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
GPTZero
AI-writing detector with plagiarism, writing replay and an API
Originality.ai
AI-content and plagiarism checker with a Chrome extension and API
Which one is for you
Pick GPTZero if
- Fits if you grade or review writing and want to check it for AI
- Works for teachers whose classes run on Canvas or Google Classroom
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you check a lot: the free plan stops at 10,000 words a month
- Skip it if you want one clear price, because paid prices vary by region and by test
- Pricey if you want a team: two-seat minimum, and the API is priced separately
- Watch out: the vendor's own wording suggests a detector is a guide, not proof
Pick Originality.ai if
- Fits if you check many articles and want bulk scans
- Works for content teams that need scan history and extra seats
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, and the page gives two different allowances
- Watch out: Pro credits expire at the end of each month
- Pricey if you want the API, listed on Enterprise at $136.58 a month
- Watch out: extra seats cost extra on both paid plans, and pay-as-you-go credits expire after two years
How we grade them
| 2.4GPAGPTZeroFair | 2.4GPAOriginality.aiFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo single US dollar list price could be read, and prices vary by region. Left in the middle of the category. | C$12.95 a month billed annually ($14.95 monthly) for Pro, at the category's dearer-quarter mark. Extra seats cost $8.62 a month. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free plan up to 10,000 words a month, which a regular user will hit. | CA free plan with limited use, but the pricing page states two different allowances. |
| Features | BAI detection, writing replay, plagiarism, grammar feedback, a hallucination checker and an API. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. | BAI detection, plagiarism, fact checks, bulk scans and file upload. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. You make an account and connect it to Docs or a class system. | CNo store rating on record. Credits, scan types and team seats to work out. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and a Chrome extension, with Google Docs, Canvas, Google Classroom, Gmail and an API. | BWeb with Chrome and Firefox extensions and Google Docs, Moodle, Google Classroom, ChatGPT and Claude integrations. API is Enterprise only. |
| Best for | checking whether text looks AI-written | AI and plagiarism checks on lots of text |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: GPTZero and Originality.ai. How we grade
Where they differ
- Originality.ai also covers reports.
At a glance
| GPTZero | Originality.ai | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Not published | $12.95 per month, billed annually ($14.95 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Free plan covering up to 10,000 words per month, according to the vendor's pricing FAQ. | Free plan for limited use with no subscription; the page gives 10K words as 100 one-time credits in one place and 60 credits (3 scans a day) renewing daily in another. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | GPTZero | Originality.ai |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | originality.ai |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
GPTZero
- Paid individual plan prices vary by region and by test; no single US dollar list price could be read.
- The free plan stops at 10,000 words a month.
- The team plan has a two-seat minimum and gives 500,000 words per member each month.
- The API is priced separately from the individual and team plans.
Originality.ai
- Credits are metered: 1 credit equals 100 words, and Pro credits expire at the end of each month.
- Pay-as-you-go credits are bought once and expire two years after purchase; their price was not read.
- The Free plan's allowance appears twice on the pricing page with different figures.
- API access is listed only on Enterprise, and extra team seats cost extra on both paid plans.
Key features
GPTZero
- AI detection
- Classifies text from models such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Llama; an Advanced Scan shows how different sentences score.
- Writing replay in Google Docs
- The Chrome extension records a replay of a document being written, including copy and pastes and unusual typing patterns.
- Plagiarism checker
- Checks whether content was copied from outside sources without attribution.
- Writing feedback and grammar check
- Gives feedback on clarity, tone and wordiness beyond a basic grammar check.
- Hallucination detector
- A separate checker aimed at hallucinated content in AI-written text, listed beside the AI detector.
- Classroom and API integrations
- Connects to Canvas and Google Classroom, and offers an API with code samples in 17 languages.
Originality.ai
- AI detection
- Scans text for AI-generated content and says it is trained on text altered by paraphrasing tools such as Quillbot.
- Plagiarism checker
- Checks text for plagiarism in the same scan as AI detection; scan reports can be shared online and downloaded as PDF on Pro.
- Quality and fact checks
- Adds readability, grammar, content quality, guideline and fact and hallucination checks to scans.
- Chrome and Firefox extensions
- Runs scans in Google Docs and shows a writing replay meant to help prove how a text was written.
- Bulk scans and file upload
- Pro adds bulk scanning and uploads of docx, doc and PDF files, plus scanning from a URL.
- API and integrations
- An API on Enterprise, plus a Moodle plugin, Google Classroom support and connections to ChatGPT and Claude.
Plans
GPTZero
Pricing could not be confirmed. See gptzero.me.
Originality.ai
Free$0
Limited use of all scan types; 1 credit equals 100 words. The pricing page states two different allowances.
Pro$12.95
per month, billed annually ($14.95 billed monthly)
200K words (2,000 credits) a month, 30-day scan history, bulk scan, team management and extensions; extra seats $8.62 a month.
Enterprise$136.58
per month, billed annually ($179 billed monthly)
1.5M words (15,000 credits) a month, 1-year scan history, API access and priority support; extra seats $19.04 a month.
Ways to pay less
GPTZero
No public discounts listed.
Originality.ai
- Annual discount
Save up to 23% with annual billing
Pro costs $12.95 a month billed yearly against $14.95 monthly, and Enterprise $136.58 against $179.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, GPTZero or Originality.ai?
As of Nov 13, 2026, GPTZero has no price we could confirm, and Originality.ai starts at $12.95 per month, billed annually ($14.95 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, GPTZero or Originality.ai?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both GPTZero and Originality.ai have a free plan.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.