Artificial Intelligence

Does Turnitin Detect QuillBot? The Truth Was Tested in 2025

04/04/2025
by Zoran Trimmel
Does Turnitin Detect QuillBot? The Truth Was Tested in 2024
Heads up! The article includes affiliate links. If you click and purchase, we may receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Check our Affiliate Disclaimer.

Let’s be real: Quillbot can feel like a student’s best friend. It helps make your writing sound smarter and saves a ton of time.

But there’s that constant worry in the back of your mind. Will using this clever tool get you flagged? That big question, “Does Turnitin detect Quillbot?” is probably why you’re here.

Instead of a simple “yes” or “no,” we’ll show you what really happens, when it’s safe, and when you might be taking a risk.

Does Turnitin Detect QuillBot?

Yes, Turnitin can detect content from QuillBot by identifying the patterns of AI-generated text. Since QuillBot uses artificial intelligence to paraphrase, its output contains the digital “fingerprints” that Turnitin’s detector is built to find.

This isn’t just a technical claim; it’s confirmed by users on Reddit who report that their paraphrased text was flagged for both plagiarism and AI content. Here’s one example:

“I am a professor who uses “Turnitin” to detect plagiarism and AI-generated text. It is very accurate and does detect QuillBot as AI-generated.”

A widely cited test showed that even after using QuillBot to paraphrase content from GPT-4, Turnitin still detected it as 100% AI-written.

A test to see if Turnitin detect QuillBot

Turnitin Detects QuillBot As AI Writing 1: A Simple Test

Turnitin Detect QuillBot As AI Writing

Turnitin Detects QuillBot As AI Writing 2—Source: Killer Papers Writing & Tutoring

These public tests offer great insight, but we also wanted to run our own transparent experiment for you.

Since a direct Turnitin license is restricted to academic institutions, we’ll use the best AI detector, Originality AI, to demonstrate the test.

Here’s what happened when we put it to the test.

Originality AI can detect QuillBot’s AI-generated content

Originality AI can detect QuillBot’s AI-generated content

You may be interested in:

Originality AI vs Turnitin: Which Detects AI Content Better?

Does Turnitin Detect Grammarly As AI? The Final Answer [Update 2025]

If You Paraphrase Your Own Work, will QuillBot be detected as AI?

The short answer: it’s highly unlikely.

The key isn’t if you use an AI tool, but what you use it on. If you’re refining your own original writing, Turnitin generally won’t flag it. For example, a documented test showed that a professor’s paper, paraphrased with QuillBot, still resulted in a 0% AI score.

Can Turnitin Flag QuillBot as AI Writing?

QuillBot cannot be detected by Turnitin – Source: Youtube Ecologicaltime

To use QuillBot safely, a great tip is to keep the synonym slider on a low setting to make fewer changes, and most importantly, manually review and approve its suggestions rather than blindly accepting them. This ensures your original voice is preserved.

Set QuillBot’s synonym slider to low for fewer changes

Set QuillBot’s synonym slider to low for fewer changes

You may be interested in: Can Copyleaks detect Quillbot? Facts You Should Know!

Does Turnitin Flag Quillbot-Rephrased Content as Plagiarized?

Can QuillBot be plagiarized by Turnitin?

Source: Youtube Ecologicaltime

Yes, Turnitin directly flags rephrased text from QuillBot by identifying its high similarity to an original source.

Even if you see a test online where QuillBot gets a low similarity score, relying on it is a huge risk. Using a tool this way is still considered serious academic cheating.

Here’s the key thing to understand:

First, the score isn’t everything. Your professor knows your writing style. If a paper suddenly sounds completely different from your usual work, they will notice, no matter what the score says.

Second, Turnitin’s technology is always getting smarter. A trick that seems to work today might get your paper flagged tomorrow. Because the system is constantly updated, it’s just not a safe or reliable strategy to depend on.

You may be interested in: How to Reduce Similarity Score On Turnitin? 7 Tips To Reduce

Why does Turnitin show up QuillBot as AI?

Think of Turnitin as having two different “scanners” working at once.

The first is an AI detector that spots the unique “signature” of AI writing. Since QuillBot is an AI itself, it leaves behind these digital signs. The second scanner looks for plagiarism by comparing your paper to its huge database to see if your text is too similar to an existing source, even after you’ve changed the words.

This all comes down to a core idea about originality, which Andre Oentoro, CEO and Founder of Breadnbeyond, explains well:

“As Turnitin and QuillBot continue to advance, they emphasize the significance of preserving authenticity in content creation. While Turnitin and similar tools serve as valuable guides, their best use lies in complementing, not replacing, the genuine effort and originality integral to crafting compelling content.”

You may be interested in: How to Bypass Turnitin AI Detection: 7 Professional Tips

How Can You Avoid AI Detection & Plagiarism Using Ethical Strategies?

Paraphrasing tools like QuillBot may lead to plagiarism or the creation of AI-generated text. To avoid this serious academic infraction, it is important to learn ethical ways of improving your writing:

  • Deep Comprehension: Understand the topic well by researching the sources carefully.
  • Cite all sources correctly: Always find proper credit to your sources. Using an AI academic writing assistant like Paperpal can help you format citations perfectly according to any style guide.
  • Paraphrasing the right way: Paraphrasing involves more than just replacing words or sentences from a source. It is about enhancing your own work and writing skills.
  • Fact-check and edit: Don’t automatically trust facts provided by an AI. These tools can confidently “hallucinate” or make up information, so it’s crucial to verify every claim. To help with this, Originality AI now includes a fact-checker to confirm the accuracy of your statements against reliable sources.
  • Don’t rely on AI tools: Don’t blindly follow QuillBot. Remember, it’s just a tool. Keep it fresh and honest by adding your own voice and opinions.

Using any AI-powered writing tool to cheat on schoolwork can get you in a lot of trouble, such as failing grades, academic fines, ethical issues, and even legal problems. If Turnitin still identifies your paper as AI-generated text, you can refer to our tips to prove you didn’t use AI.

You may be interested in:

How to Fact-check AI Content Effectively in 2025?

How To Find Sources for A Research Paper AI References (2025 Guide)

Academic Integrity and Ethical Use of Quillbot

In today’s academic world, AI tools like Grammarly and Quillbot are powerful writing partners. Therefore, academic integrity is no longer about simply avoiding these tools; it’s about learning to master them.

The key is using their power to enhance your own ideas, allowing you to produce work that is both expertly polished and, most importantly, authentically yours.

Final Thought

So, after all this, what’s the final answer to the question: Does Turnitin detect QuillBot?

The answer is yes, but the real story is in how you use it. The evidence shows that using QuillBot to rewrite AI-generated content or disguise plagiarism is a quick way to get flagged. However, using it thoughtfully to refine your own original writing is a much safer bet. Ultimately, your goal shouldn’t be to beat the system but to use these tools ethically to become a better writer.

What are your experiences with these tools? Leave a comment below and join the conversation!

FAQs


1. Does QuillBot get flagged by Turnitin?

Yes, Turnitin can flag content from QuillBot in two ways: its AI detector can identify the text as AI-generated, and its plagiarism checker can find similarities to the original source, even after paraphrasing.

2. Can you get caught plagiarizing using QuillBot?

Absolutely. If you use QuillBot to rewrite someone else’s work and present it as your own without proper citation, that is the definition of plagiarism. A professor can often detect this through Turnitin’s similarity report or by noticing a change in your writing style, leading to serious academic consequences.

3. Will Turnitin detect ChatGPT if I paraphrase?

Yes. This is a primary function of modern AI detectors. Turnitin is designed to detect AI-written content even after it has been run through a paraphrasing tool like QuillBot. The underlying AI patterns often remain detectable.

4. Do universities know if you use QuillBot?

Yes, in practice, they can. Universities don’t monitor your computer directly, but they rely on software like Turnitin. Your instructor gets a report that highlights if your text matches AI writing patterns or is too similar to other sources, which makes QuillBot usage detectable.

Rating
5/5
Zoran Trimmel
Zoran Trimmel
Zoran Trimmel is an AI specialist who simplifies complex technical concepts. He evaluates emerging AI platforms for our technology website and produces insightful articles on AI and tech tools, thanks to his attention to detail and effective communication skills.
Help you
with any question!