Best AI DetectorsEvery reading on the record
Subject

The best AI detectors in 2026

Tested
In progress since 9 November 2026
Updated
November 9, 2026

Our overall pick is GPTZero: in our run so far it flagged 0 of 100 real human texts as AI and caught 20 of 20 raw AI essays.

Tested: In progress since 9 November 2026. Page updated: .

Short answer

For most people checking essays, GPTZero is the pick: anyone can sign up, its report shows which sentences drove a score, and in run RUN-2026-11-A it flagged 0 of 100 human texts as AI while catching 20 of 20 raw AI essays.

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.

If your school already licenses Turnitin, use it and read the full report before you act on it. For a free check of a single draft, start with the free plan of the pick. Every score here is a reason to look closer, never proof on its own.

See the pick tableHow we rankedDownload the raw files

A stack of printed human essays beside a chart strip with red circles marking false alarms
The human essay set, printed for the read-through behind every false alarm we count.

The pick table

Every detector, the same samples, the same fields. Sorted by overall score from run RUN-2026-11-A.

False alarms count human essays scored as AI, out of the whole human set. Detection counts AI texts caught, out of the whole AI set.
PlaceToolOverall scoreFalse alarms on human writingReadingDetection on AI textFree planBest forMain limitation
1GPTZeroOverall pickScore pending0 of 10020 of 20YesTeachers marking essaysShort texts score unreliably
2PangramOverall pickTest in progressTest in progressTest in progress20 checks a dayA second reading you can defendFree plan caps daily checks
3Originality.aiOverall pickScore pending0 of 10020 of 20Trial creditsEditors checking batchesNo permanent free plan
4CopyleaksOverall pickTest in progressTest in progressTest in progressLimited free creditsDepartments choosing one toolReports are hard to read
5TurnitinOverall pickTest in progressTest in progressTest in progressNoSchools with a licenceOnly through your institution
Ch. 1 · Overall pickGPTZero
0 of 100 human texts flaggedFalse alarms 0 of 100
Ch. 2Pangram
test in progressFalse alarms Test in progress
Ch. 3Originality.ai
0 of 100 human texts flaggedFalse alarms 0 of 100
Detector reading across the human essay set, drawn from run RUN-2026-11-AFalse alarm: human writing scored as AI

Which AI detector is best for your job?

Four readers, four picks. Each line links the page that tests for that job.

  1. If you are a teacher

    Choose GPTZero if you mark a stack of essays and need to see which sentences drove a flag.

    Best AI detector for teachers

  2. If you are a student

    Choose QuillBot if you want a free check of your own draft before it goes in.

    Best AI detector for students

  3. If you choose for a department

    Choose Copyleaks if your school needs one tool with reports staff can share.

    Best AI checker like Turnitin

  4. If you edit for clients

    Choose Pangram if a client sent a screenshot and you need a second reading you can defend.

    Most accurate AI detector

How did we rank these detectors?

We ran every detector on the same set of real human essays and AI texts, at the setting the method describes, and recorded each score.

False alarms on human writing carry the most weight, because a wrong flag lands on a real person. Detection on raw AI text comes next, then detection on AI text a person has edited, then access and price.

Every number on this page comes from run RUN-2026-11-A. The CSV for that run is on the test runs page.

Read how we test
Human samples100
AI samples80
Detectors8
Fixed weights. Together they make the overall score.
FactorWeightWhat it measures
False alarms on human writing40%Human samples scored as AI
Detection on raw AI text30%Unedited AI samples scored as AI
Detection on human-edited AI text15%AI samples a person revised, scored as AI
Access and price15%Free plan, limits, who can sign up

Every detector, the same fields

Verdict, score, who it suits, what it gets wrong, and the price on the day we checked.

Ch. 1

GPTZero

Overall pick
Verdict
The pick for marking essays. Open the sentence view before you act on any flag.
Score
Score pending
Sub-scores
False alarms 0 of 100. Raw AI 20 of 20. Edited AI: test in progress.
Best for
Teachers marking essays
Main limitation
Short texts score unreliably
Price and plan limit
CA$25.99 a month (Premium, monthly), 300,000 words. Checked on .
Ch. 2

Pangram

Verdict
The careful second reading. Use it when a flag will be argued over.
Score
Test in progress
Sub-scores
Test in progress: readings land when the run reaches this tool.
Best for
A second reading you can defend
Main limitation
Free plan caps daily checks
Price and plan limit
$20 a month, 300,000 words. Checked on .
Ch. 3

Originality.ai

Verdict
Built for editors and batches, priced for regular use.
Score
Score pending
Sub-scores
False alarms 0 of 100. Raw AI 20 of 20. Edited AI: test in progress.
Best for
Editors checking batches
Main limitation
No permanent free plan
Price and plan limit
$14.95 a month, 200,000 words. Checked on .
Ch. 4

Copyleaks

Verdict
One tool a department can share, with reports staff can keep.
Score
Test in progress
Sub-scores
Test in progress: readings land when the run reaches this tool.
Best for
Departments choosing one tool
Main limitation
Reports are hard to read
Price and plan limit
$16.99 a month, 100 credits. Checked on .
Ch. 5

Turnitin

Verdict
Use it if your school has it, and read the full report, not the headline number.
Score
Test in progress
Sub-scores
Test in progress: readings land when the run reaches this tool.
Best for
Schools with a licence
Main limitation
Only through your institution
Price and plan limit
Sold to institutions only. Checked on .

Picks by job

Eight jobs, each tested on the samples that matter for it. See all picks

Head to head

Two tools you already know, one essay set, both readings side by side. See all comparisons

Alternatives:Turnitin alternatives for AI detectionGPTZero alternatives

Why do rankings disagree?

  1. Different essays

    A detector that does well on one sample set can do badly on another. Lists rarely say which writing they used, so their winners cannot be checked.

  2. Different lines for a flag

    One list counts a score above half as AI, another counts only near certain scores. Move the line and the ranking moves with it.

  3. Different dates

    Detectors change their models without notice. A ranking without a run date may describe a tool that no longer behaves that way.

  4. False alarms left out

    Many lists report how much AI text a tool catches and say nothing about how often it flags a real person. We count both, out loud, with the base.

Ask any list three things: which essays, which date, and how many human writers it flagged.

No detector score should be the only evidence in a misconduct case.

Questions

What is the best AI detector?

Our overall pick is GPTZero: anyone can sign up, its report shows which sentences drove a score, and in run RUN-2026-11-A so far it flagged 0 of 100 human texts as AI and caught 20 of 20 raw AI essays. The run is in progress; the overall score, which weighs false alarms on real human writing heaviest, lands when every tool is scored.

Which AI detector is the most accurate?

Accuracy alone is sorted on the most accurate AI detector page, which ranks tools only on false alarms on human writing and AI text caught, with sample counts beside every number.

Is there a good free AI detector?

Yes. Several tools on this list have a free plan large enough for one essay at a time. The best free AI detector page compares the free plans and their limits, checked on a stated date.

Can an AI detector prove a student used AI?

No. A detector gives a probability, not proof. Weber-Wulff and colleagues (2023) found all 14 tools they tested below 80% accuracy, and Liang and colleagues (2023) found essays by non-native English writers flagged far more often. No detector score should be the only evidence in a misconduct case.

How do you test AI detectors?

Every detector reads the same 180 samples: 100 written by people, 20 of those by non-native English writers, and 80 produced by AI, 20 of them edited by a person. How we test has the full protocol.

Why do other lists rank AI detectors differently?

They use different essays, different lines for what counts as a flag, and different dates, and many leave false alarms out. We publish all four, so you can check our picks against the raw files on the test runs page.

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