[DIRECT ANSWER] Is iThenticate the same as Turnitin?

The short answer is sort of. The longer answer is the devil lies in the details. Keep reading to know more about it.

Why iThenticate and Turnitin are Sister Products

As we all know, Turnitin and iThenticate are both owned by Turnitin LLC (formerly iParadigms) under Advance Publications. They even use the same core text-matching engine and databases, which include internet content and an extensive repository of published sources. However, is it the same as Turnitin? The short answer is YES and NO.

iThenticate is meant for advanced research usage

Unlike Turnitin, iThenticate is mostly geared toward researchers, graduate students, and academic publishers. You can use it to check manuscripts, theses, dissertations, and even grant proposals against scholarly databases like CrossRef and ProQuest. It’s not meant to be used in a classroom setting.

You will not find class/assignment setup, teacher dashboards, or integration with your course’s LMS (like Moodle or Blackboard).

Also Read: How accurate is ZeroGPT compared to Turnitin?

Turnitin is for everyday coursework

Turnitin is primarily used by instructors to check student submissions for potential plagiarism. It easily integrates with LMS platforms such as Canvas, Blackboard, or Moodle. Also, your papers get stored in a global student-paper repository for future cross-checking. That’s how Turnitin is built—it is not optional in most courses, and you do not need to pay for it separately; your institution covers it.

Data Retention Differences

iThenticate:

• Documents remain private to you (or your institution if they have a license).
• It does not go into any student-paper repository unless you choose to share it.
• You can revise a document up to 5 times under the same credit.

Turnitin:

• Submissions get stored forever in a global repository for cross-comparison.
• If you’re in the UK, you can request removal of your paper after exams.
• Turnitin provides similarity reports, teacher feedback tools, and other commentary.

Also Read: Is Turnitin AI Detector Similar to Turnitin?

Similarity Reports and Stats

Both Turnitin and iThenticate give you a similarity or originality score. This is basically the percentage of your text that matches other sources. You should always treat these scores as advisory.

Turnitin’s AI Detector vs. iThenticate’s AI Detection

Ever since 2023, Turnitin has an AI detector that flags AI-generated text. By 2025, they claim it detects GPT-5 style content, but it is not foolproof. Possibly 15% of AI text isn’t caught, and many big universities have disabled it because of false positives and fairness issues. In our test also, Turnitin's overall accuracy was around 82.5%.

Meanwhile, iThenticate introduced AI detection in iThenticate 2.0 around 2024–25. However, that is only accessible to institutional (campus-licensed) plans. If you buy iThenticate as an individual, you don’t get the AI detection feature at all.

Turnitin (Global) vs. Turnitin UK

It’s basically the same system. The main difference is that Turnitin UK is run through JISC, with servers located in Europe to comply with UK/EU data-protection laws. If you’re in the UK, your data is handled under those regulations. You can also ask them to remove your paper from their database once your exams are over.

Pricing Plans: individuals, institutions, and more

If you’re a student, you generally use Turnitin through your school at no extra cost. Individuals can’t directly buy Turnitin for personal use. Some third-party services sell single reports for around US$ 15–US$ 30.

iThenticate personal purchase plans:

• Single-document plan (up to 25 000 words): US$ 125
• Multi-doc plan (3 uploads or one large doc up to 75 000 words): US$ 300

With these plans, you get up to 5 revisions and 12-month validity. But you do not get iThenticate’s AI detection on personal credits.

Student Access and Why iThenticate is Usually Not for Undergrads

Many universities provide iThenticate to grad students and faculty. If you’re an undergrad, it’s typically discouraged to use iThenticate for your essays because the tool is positioned for advanced research and can be costly.

Pros & Cons from a Student’s Point of View

Turnitin Pros

• Intuitive LMS integration, no extra cost for students.
• “Draft submission” feature to learn proper citation.
• Massive database: student papers, internet pages, and scholarly sources.
• Includes an AI detection tool (though not perfect).

Turnitin Cons

• Text-matching only; close paraphrasing can escape detection.
• AI detector misses around 15% of AI text.
• No personal accounts—must go through a course.
• Privacy concerns if you don’t want indefinite storage.

iThenticate Pros

• Targets scholarly sources (CrossRef, ProQuest).
• Keeps your documents private, not in a giant repository.
• Self-service scanning with multiple checks per doc.
• Designed for research integrity, not classroom policing.

iThenticate Cons

• Rarely accessible to undergrads unless provided by your school.
• Expensive for individuals (US$ 125–US$ 300).
• Personal plans exclude AI detection.
• No built-in grading or feedback tools.

So, is iThenticate the same as Turnitin?

Yes, they share the same text-matching core, but the devil lies in the details. iThenticate is for advanced research checks, while Turnitin handles student assignments. Both show a similarity percentage, but Turnitin stores your paper in a massive repository and iThenticate does not.

One Single Opinion

From a student’s perspective, Turnitin is ideal for standard coursework since your institution likely provides it. For higher-level research, iThenticate may help—usually via your campus library or research office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is iThenticate’s AI detection better than Turnitin’s?
No. AI detection in iThenticate is only on institutional plans. Personal plans don’t include it.

Q2. Is Turnitin’s AI detector reliable?
It claims a low miss rate but still misses about 15% of AI text and has false positives.

Q3. Can iThenticate store my paper and share it with others?
No. iThenticate keeps your uploads private unless you choose to share them.

Q4. Is there a difference between Turnitin Global and Turnitin UK?
Only in data storage and processing locations to comply with UK/EU laws.

Q5. Is either tool foolproof?
No. Treat similarity and AI scores as advisory—good research habits and proper citation are key.

The Bottom Line

iThenticate and Turnitin may share the same “guts,” but they’re built for different audiences. Turnitin excels in the classroom; iThenticate is the lone wolf for research. Neither is flawless, so don’t treat their scores as the final word. Good scholarship and proper crediting of sources remain your best safeguard.