Turnitin is a similarity detection and academic integrity tool used by schools, colleges, and institutions.
It checks student submissions against large databases of web pages, published articles, and past student papers.
It highlights text matches and gives a “similarity score” to help flag possible plagiarism or unoriginal writing.
It also includes features for feedback, grading, and detecting AI generated or modified content.
How Turnitin works under the hood
You upload a document (or your institution’s LMS does it). Turnitin then compares your text against its archive and the web, word by word and phrase by phrase.
It finds matching passages (exact, paraphrased, or close) and marks them in color. It also estimates how much of your work is “original” vs. similar to other sources.
Newer features try to detect AI content, paraphrase tools, and “bypassers” that try to mask AI text.
Key features & strengths
Similarity & originality check
It generates a similarity index so instructors can see which parts overlap.
AI / bypasser detection
It now can detect AI content even if someone used tools to mask it.
Feedback & grading tools
You can leave inline comments, rubrics, and feedback directly in papers.
Integration & scalability
It works with LMS systems and handles large volumes (whole institution scale).
Secure archive & content database
Every submission is stored permanently to improve future matching.
Institutional control & stats
Admins see usage reports, class stats, and similarity trends.
Pricing & licensing
Turnitin does not offer individual subscriptions. Institutions (schools, colleges, universities) must request quotes via their sales team.
Pricing depends on number of students, features, modules, and volume. Often, the price is calculated per student annually.
In past reports, a rough number was around $2 per student per year (though that can vary heavily).
So you won’t find a fixed public table your institution negotiates a plan.
Pros
- Very large database makes detection strong
- AI / bypasser detection evolves with new cheating tools
- Rich feedback & grading features
- Works at institution scale
- Analytics & usage dashboards for admins
Cons
- Not available for individuals
- Cost can be high for large institutions
- False positives possible (context matters)
- Some concern about privacy / storing student content
- Students can feel mistrusted or penalized unfairly
Monthly visitors & social reach
According to SimilarWeb, Turnitin gets about 9.9 million visits per month. On LinkedIn, Turnitin has ~294,719 followers.
On Instagram, its official account shows ~797 followers (much smaller than LinkedIn). So overall social reach across platforms is likely in the few hundred thousands (LinkedIn dominates).
Why Turnitin matters today
With AI writing tools everywhere, it’s easier for students to generate essays, paraphrase, or mask content. Turnitin is evolving to catch more subtle forms of copying or AI tools.
It helps educators maintain fairness and trust in evaluation. It also guides students to write more original work and teaches citation practices.
Its role is central in modern education to combat academic dishonesty.
