Turnitin AI Detection Review:
based on real mystery shopping

A*Help Score: 66/100
🔥 published December 15, 2023 - updated February 21, 2024

Quick Overview

Turnitin is a well-known plagiarism checker that is utilized by universities worldwide. Beyond that, it has a powerful AI content detector. AcademicHelp decided to test this service and see if it can effectively find AI-generated text in written papers. Our final verdict is that Turnitin can offer accurate detection to students and educators.

The Good
  • Accurate
  • Reputable with educational institutions
The Bad
  • Does not offer individual license to users
  • No free trial period
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Turnitin AI Detector - key data based on real mystery shopping
A photograph of TurnItIn's homepage
Turnitin.com (click to see a large image)

Turnitin’s Detection Accuracy — 42/50 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Turnitin excels in detecting pure AI-generated text, scoring a perfect 10/10 in tests involving 100% AI-authored content. This demonstrates its capability to identify writings from advanced AI models. Similarly, it impresses with a 10/10 score in recognizing purely human-written texts, affirming its precision in distinguishing human authorship. However, the tool faces significant challenges in dealing with paraphrased text, where it scored only 1/10. This suggests that while Turnitin is highly effective in clear-cut scenarios, its algorithms may need refinement to handle more nuanced mixed compositions of AI and human writing.

Detection results at TurnItIn
Detection results at Turnitin (click to see a large image)

AI Detection Results: 21/30

Human-writtenAI-generatedParaphrased
Score10/1010/101/10
Detection feedback0% generated by AI100% generated by AI0% generated by AI

Turnitin’s Value for Money — 10/25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Turnitin positions itself more as an institutional solution rather than an individual-use tool. It doesn’t offer a free version or free trial and is priced at $3 per student per year for educational institutions. There are no individual license purchases available, which we find as an inconvenience. The lack of additional tools, browser extension, or MS Word integration slightly diminishes its value proposition. However, for institutions seeking a reliable AI detection tool that’s integrated into a broader academic integrity system, Turnitin could still represent a worthwhile investment.

5/5
Tech detection
0/5
Available tools
3/8
Input sources
2/7
Pricing

Turnitin’s Overall Experience — 14/25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Turnitin offers a smooth and user-friendly experience on its website, boasting an aesthetically pleasing interface that’s easy to navigate. The process is quick and supports multi-language detection, with features like printable reports and clear results adding to the convenience. Registration is mandatory and doesn’t offer third-party sign-in options, which might be a minor inconvenience for some users. However, it lacks a broader support system, offering only a message-leaving option and missing out on instant chat, phone support, social media channels, and a comprehensive FAQ or guide section.

4/10
Registration
8/8
Website experience
2/7
Support

FAQ

Turnitin Reviews

We tested Turnitin on all possible aspects. First and foremost, we paid attention to the most vital factor which is plagiarism detection quality. However, the A*Help experts did not turn a blind eye to other small details, such as value for money and overall experience. While Turnitin is a plagiarism detector with a name, we still went online to get acquainted with reviews and feedback from users. Found information is gathered in our Negativity rank.

Is Turnitin a Scam?

No, Turnitin is not a scam. AcademicHelp has used this service to check 5 different essays and we received detailed results as well as pdf reports on each written piece. Hence, we can assure that this tool does not do anything deceptive towards its users.

Is Turnitin Legit?

Having tried and tested the tool, we claim that Turnitin is a legitimate service. It can assist students and educators during studying and guard the authenticity of their work. Overall, this anti-plagiarism tool can be beneficial in the academic field.

Is Turnitin Safe?

When working with Turnitin, AcademicHelp did not notice any fishy or fraudulent activities. All students are given access to the tool by their college or university and all the individual information is secure.

Is Turnitin Trustworthy?

Turnitin can wear a badge of a pioneer in the plagiarism detection industry. Launched back in 1997, it has been a trusted Internet-based similarity detection service in many universities and colleges.

Is Turnitin a Good Service?

Yes, AcademicHelp is positive to say that Turnitin is a moderate service that provides relatively satisfactory AI-detection quality and is easy to use and navigate by learners. All in all, the A*Help experts naked Turnitin at 66/100 points.

Turnitin’s Specs

> TECH DETECTION
GPT-3.5
GPT-4
ChatGPT
Bard
Human
Human + AI
Trusted in education
> TOOLS
API integrationn/a
Browser extension (Chrome)
MS Word
Addit. on-board tools
> DETECTION OPTIONS 
files (pdf, word)
simple text (copy-paste)
URL
Code files
Batch files upload
> PRICING PLANS & LIMITS
Free
Free trial
Discountsn/a
Limitsn/a
Loyalty
> REGISTRATION
Required
Third-party sign in options
Needs phone number
Personal account
> WEBSITE EXPERIENCE
Aesthetic Interface
Easy-to-use
Quick process
Multi-language detection
Printable report
Clear results
> SUPPORT
Leave a message
Instant chatn/a
Phone
Social media channels
Blog
FAQ and guides

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