Gradescope vs Samwell AI (2026): Pricing, Features & Which to Choose

Who comes out ahead

Based only on the facts in our directory. The right pick still depends on the job you need done.

Lower starting price
Not comparable
Not comparable: Gradescope does not list a price
Free plan
Tie
Both have one
Higher rating
Gradescope
4.5 against 3.0
Same job?
Yes
Both are Education tools

Side by side

Compared on	Gradescope	Samwell AI
Our rating	4.5Better	3.0
Starts at	Free	$8/mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Category	Education	Education
Plans	InstitutionCustom quote	From $8/mo
Key features	AI-assisted clustering of similar student answers for faster grading Built for paper-based exams and problem sets specifically Owned by Turnitin, the plagiarism-detection company Free tier for limited use Built for higher-education, high-volume grading needs	Guided paper creation with a structured essay outline builder Verified citation formatting across MLA, APA, and other styles Built-in plagiarism checker (not a remover) Smart paragraph editor for detailed customization Multimedia integration suggesting supporting videos
Pros	Genuinely speeds up grading large volumes of similar responses Connected to Turnitin's established academic-integrity infrastructure Accessible institutional pricing	Plagiarism checker (not a remover) is a genuinely more integrity-conscious design than similar tools Citation management across multiple academic styles saves real formatting time Free plan available to try before committing to a paid tier
Cons	Scoped to grading rather than lesson planning or content creation Best suited to higher education with high-volume grading needs Less relevant for K-12 teachers without large exam-grading workloads	Free plan is limited to roughly 1,000 words AI-assisted essay writing still raises the same academic-integrity questions as any generation tool used without proper attribution Reported pricing varies across sources - confirm current tiers directly on the site
Company	Turnitin, LLC, founded 2014	Samwell AI

Prices come from each vendor's pricing page, last checked 20260826. Check the vendor before you buy.

FAQ

Questions people ask

Is Gradescope better than Samwell AI?

In our reviews Gradescope scores 4.5 and Samwell AI scores 3.0. The better pick depends on the job. Gradescope: AI-assisted grading at scale, owned by the plagiarism-detection company. Samwell AI: Guided paper creation with verified MLA/APA citations and a built-in plagiarism checker - not a remover - for students and academics writing structured essays.

Which is cheaper, Gradescope or Samwell AI?

Gradescope: free. Samwell AI: from $8/mo.

Do Gradescope and Samwell AI have free plans?

Yes, both have a free plan.

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