Honest comparison
ShaamAI vs GPTZero
A fair side-by-side look at two popular AI detectors — pricing, privacy policy, accuracy claims, and feature coverage. Updated April 2026.
Side-by-side
| ShaamAI Detector | GPTZero | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 5 checks / month (500 words each) | Limited daily checks, word-capped |
| Entry paid tier price | $0.99 / month (Pro) | ~$8 / month (Essential)* |
| Upper paid tier price | $9.99 / month (Ultra, 1,000 checks) | ~$15+ / month (Premium)* |
| Max words per check (paid) | 5,000 words | ~50,000 characters |
| Sentence-level AI highlighting | Yes, every tier | Yes |
| Text retention | Not saved — discarded after request | May be retained per privacy policy* |
| Uses your text for training | No | Varies by plan* |
| Paragraph-level scoring | Yes (Ultra) | Yes |
| Writing-style comparison | Yes (Ultra) | Via separate product |
| Batch analysis / ZIP upload | Yes (Pro & Ultra) | Yes |
| LMS integrations | No | Yes (Canvas, others) |
| Public API | Yes, from $29/mo | Yes |
| File formats supported | .docx, .pdf, .txt | .docx, .pdf, .txt |
| Model | Fine-tuned DeBERTa transformer | Proprietary neural classifier |
* GPTZero pricing and privacy policy are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of April 2026. Verify current details at gptzero.me before making a buying decision.
Which should you choose?
Choose ShaamAI if…
- • Privacy matters — you don’t want student or client text sitting in a third-party database
- • You’re cost-sensitive — $0.99/mo or $9.99/mo beats the typical $8–$15+/mo
- • You want sentence-level evidence for every check, on every tier
- • You want style-comparison against a known reference (Ultra)
- • You don’t need LMS integration
Choose GPTZero if…
- • You need direct Canvas / LMS integration (GPTZero Origin)
- • You value a longer market track record and broader brand recognition
- • Your institution has already standardized on GPTZero workflows
- • You need per-check character limits higher than 5,000 words
Price per check, compared
For a teacher reviewing a full class roster each month, the price per check is the metric that matters. Here is what the math looks like on typical usage.
ShaamAI Ultra
$9.99/mo
1,000 checks / month
≈ $0.01 per check
GPTZero Premium*
~$15/mo
~150k words / month
Translates to higher cost per essay at typical sizes
Comparison FAQ
Is ShaamAI actually cheaper than GPTZero?
Yes, substantially. ShaamAI Pro is $0.99/month for 100 checks and ShaamAI Ultra is $9.99/month for 1,000 checks. GPTZero’s Essential plan is approximately $8/month (verify current pricing at gptzero.me). For most individual teachers and students, ShaamAI Ultra delivers more monthly quota than GPTZero’s comparable paid tier at a lower price.
Which detector is more accurate?
Both use transformer-based classifiers, and accuracy varies by text type (essays, social posts, code comments, etc.). Neither tool is 100% accurate, and benchmarks published by third parties have traded leadership back and forth over time. The honest answer: for any consequential decision (academic integrity, editorial review), a single score from either tool should not be the final word. Use sentence-level detail, student comparison, and direct conversation alongside any detector score.
Does GPTZero store my text?
GPTZero’s privacy policy allows for data retention and, in some cases, use of submissions for model improvement — details vary by plan and change over time; check their current policy. ShaamAI does not save your text to any database, does not use it for training, and does not share it with third parties. Only anonymous metadata (word count, score, confidence) is retained.
Can I switch from GPTZero to ShaamAI easily?
Yes — ShaamAI is a standalone web tool, so there is no installation or migration. Paste the same essay you would paste into GPTZero and you’ll get a score, a confidence rating, and sentence-level highlighting. Cancel GPTZero whenever you are ready; neither tool locks you in.
Does ShaamAI have LMS integrations like GPTZero Origin?
Not currently. If you need deep Canvas / Schoology / Google Classroom integration, GPTZero (or institutional tools like Turnitin) may fit better. ShaamAI focuses on giving individual teachers and students a fast, private, sentence-level-accurate standalone detector at a fair price.
Can I use ShaamAI programmatically like the GPTZero API?
Yes. ShaamAI offers API plans starting at $29/month for 50 checks and going up to $299/month for 1,000 included checks plus overage. See our API pricing for details.
See the difference for yourself
Paste the same essay you’d run through GPTZero. Free tier — 5 checks per month, no credit card.
Try ShaamAI free