Chegg Plagiarism Checker: What Is It and Is It Worth Using for Academic Writing?

Plagiarism means copying someone else’s work, whether intentionally or unintentionally without giving them credit. In universities and colleges, plagiarism can lead to severe consequences like getting a lower grade, failing an assignment, or even being expelled in extreme cases.

Chegg Plagiarism Checker is one of the most well-known plagiarism detection tools available today. Chegg is a popular educational platform among students, offering various services like textbook solutions, expert Q&A, and writing assistance.

Their plagiarism checker claims to scan assignments thoroughly and provide a detailed similarity report. It also offers grammar suggestions and citation assistance, making it a useful tool for students who want to improve their writing.

But the big question is Is Chegg Plagiarism Checker worth using? How accurate is it? And is it better than other free alternatives? In this article, we’ll deeply dive into Chegg’s plagiarism checker, exploring its features, pricing, pros and cons, and whether it’s the right tool for you. Let’s get started!

What is Chegg Plagiarism Checker?

Chegg Plagiarism Checker is an online tool designed to help students, researchers, and writers check their content for plagiarism before submitting it. It is part of the Chegg Writing subscription, which also includes grammar checking, citation help, and writing assistance.

Since many universities and colleges take plagiarism very seriously, students often use tools like Chegg to ensure their work is 100% original and doesn’t match any existing content on the internet.

If you’ve ever submitted an assignment and later realized that some parts were unintentionally copied from an article or a research paper, you know how stressful it can be. This is where Chegg Plagiarism Checker can help.

It scans your document, compares it with billions of web pages, books, and research papers, and highlights any sections that may be flagged as plagiarism. It also provides suggestions to rephrase or add citations where necessary, making it a useful tool for students who want to avoid accidental plagiarism.

How Does Chegg Plagiarism Checker Work?

The process of checking for plagiarism on Chegg is quite simple. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how it works:

1. Upload Your Document

• You can either copy-paste your content directly into the Chegg plagiarism checker or upload a document file (like .doc, .docx, or .pdf).
• The tool supports most text formats, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues.

2. Scanning and Checking

• Once you submit your text, Chegg starts scanning it against billions of online sources, books, research papers, and academic journals.
• This process may take a few seconds to a minute, depending on the length of your document.

3. Plagiarism Report and Results

• After scanning, Chegg provides a detailed plagiarism report that includes:
  • Similarity Score: A percentage that shows how much of your content matches existing sources.
  • Highlighted Sections: The tool highlights text that may be plagiarized and provides links to the sources.
  • Suggestions for Citations: If some text is detected as plagiarized, Chegg suggests ways to properly cite the source to avoid issues.

4. Fix and Improve Your Content

• If the tool detects plagiarism, you can edit your content by rephrasing or adding proper citations.
• Chegg also offers grammar and writing improvement suggestions, which can help make your writing more professional.

Comparison: Chegg vs Other Plagiarism Checkers

There are several plagiarism detection tools available, so how does Chegg compare to others like Turnitin, Grammarly, and Copyscape? Let’s take a look:

Chegg vs Turnitin

• Turnitin is the gold standard in plagiarism detection, mainly used by universities and professors. It has access to a vast academic database, so if you are submitting an assignment to your college, Turnitin is far more reliable than Chegg.
• Chegg, however, is easier to use and gives quick results for personal plagiarism checking before submission.

Chegg vs Grammarly

• Grammarly’s plagiarism checker is good for web-based sources but does not compare with research papers and books as effectively as Chegg.
• Grammarly is better for grammar correction and writing style improvement, while Chegg is more focused on plagiarism and citation help.

Chegg vs Copyscape

• Copyscape is mainly used for detecting content duplication on websites and is popular among bloggers and SEO professionals.
• Chegg is better suited for students who need to check academic work, whereas Copyscape is ideal for website content creators.

Features of Chegg Plagiarism Checker

Chegg Plagiarism Checker is more than just a simple copy-paste plagiarism detection tool. It offers a combination of plagiarism scanning, grammar correction, citation assistance, and writing improvement, making it a useful tool for students, researchers, and content writers.

If you’re someone who frequently writes assignments, research papers, or blog posts, then Chegg can help you refine your content while ensuring it’s 100% original and free from errors.

Let’s explore its key features in detail:

1. Plagiarism Detection

One of the biggest concerns for students and academic writers is unintentional plagiarism. No one wants to be accused of copying content, especially when they have spent hours working on an assignment. Chegg’s plagiarism checker helps identify any part of your text that matches other sources, ensuring your work remains original.

How does it work?

• The tool scans your document against billions of web pages, books, research papers, and academic journals.
• If your content has similarities with existing online material, Chegg highlights the matched text and provides a link to the original source.
• Unlike free plagiarism tools that only compare against web content, Chegg also checks against academic papers and published research, which makes it much more reliable.

For students, this feature is a lifesaver because many universities use Turnitin, which has a massive academic database. If you submit plagiarized content, even accidentally, it could lead to serious consequences like lower grades or academic penalties. Chegg allows you to check your content beforehand, fix any copied sections, and properly cite sources before final submission.

2. Grammar and Writing Suggestions

Good writing isn’t just about being plagiarism-free; it also needs to be clear, grammatically correct and well-structured. This is where Chegg’s grammar and writing assistant comes in.

What does it check?

• Grammar mistakes – It catches errors like incorrect verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation mistakes.
• Spelling corrections – If you’ve misspelled a word, Chegg will highlight it and suggest the correct spelling.
• Sentence clarity – Sometimes, a sentence may not be grammatically incorrect, but it might be too confusing or lengthy. Chegg suggests ways to simplify and improve readability.
• Word choice and style improvements – If you’re overusing certain words or if there’s a better way to phrase something, Chegg gives smart suggestions.

This feature is especially useful for non-native English speakers who might struggle with grammar rules. Even if you’re confident in English, small errors can slip through, and Chegg acts as a second pair of eyes to refine your writing.

3. Citation Assistance

Many students unknowingly commit accidental plagiarism because they don’t properly cite their sources. Even if you paraphrase content, you still need to give credit to the original author. Chegg makes this process easier by helping you generate citations automatically.

How does it help?

• If Chegg detects text that might need a citation, it provides a suggested source and citation format.
• It supports multiple citation styles like APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard, so you don’t have to worry about formatting errors.
• You can copy and paste the citation directly into your bibliography, saving you time and effort.

For students writing research papers, thesis reports, or academic essays, this feature is extremely helpful. Many universities have strict rules about citations, and incorrect formatting can result in marks being deducted. Instead of manually searching for citation formats, Chegg does the work for you.

4. Similarity Score

One of the most useful features of Chegg’s plagiarism checker is the Similarity Score, which provides a percentage-based plagiarism report. This score tells you how much of your content matches existing sources.

How does the Similarity Score work?

• After scanning your document, Chegg gives you a plagiarism percentage.
• A high similarity score (above 30-40%) means a significant portion of your content is copied or too similar to other sources.
• A low similarity score (below 10-15%) is considered safe and indicates that most of your content is original.
• The tool highlights exact sentences or phrases that contribute to the similarity score, allowing you to rephrase or cite sources properly.

Why is the Similarity Score important?

• Many universities require students to keep plagiarism below a certain percentage (usually under 15-20%).
• If your score is high, you get a chance to rewrite, cite, or modify your content before submission, avoiding penalties.
• It helps bloggers and content writers ensure their work is unique and SEO-friendly before publishing online.

Pros and Cons of Chegg Plagiarism Checker

Like any online tool, Chegg Plagiarism Checker has its strengths and weaknesses. It’s useful, especially for students and writers who need an easy way to check for plagiarism, correct grammar mistakes, and format citations. However, some limitations might make you reconsider before subscribing.

Let’s go through both the positives and drawbacks in detail so that you can decide whether Chegg is the right plagiarism checker for you.

Pros of Chegg Plagiarism Checker

1. Easy to use with a simple interface

One of the best things about Chegg’s plagiarism checker is that it’s very user-friendly. Unlike some complicated academic tools, you don’t need any technical knowledge to use it.

• The process is straightforward: Upload your document → Click to scan → Get results.
• The interface is clean and clutter-free, so even if you’re using it for the first time, you won’t feel lost.
• Results are highlighted clearly, showing which sentences need improvement or citation.

For students who are already stressed with assignments and deadlines, this simplicity is a huge advantage. You don’t have to spend extra time figuring out how to use the tool, just upload and check!

2. Offers grammar and citation help

Unlike basic plagiarism checkers that only highlight copied text, Chegg also helps you with grammar and citation. This makes it an all-in-one writing tool that improves your content while checking for originality.

Grammar and Writing Assistance

• Catches spelling mistakes, punctuation errors, and awkward sentence structures.
• Suggests better word choices and alternative phrasing to make your writing clearer.
• Ensures your content is not just plagiarism-free, but also well-written and professional.

Automatic Citation Generator

• Chegg helps you create proper citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago formats.
• If your content has unintended plagiarism, it suggests citations to fix the issue.
• Saves time by automating the referencing process, which is especially useful for research papers.

This feature is great for students who struggle with grammar or citation formatting, making Chegg more than just a plagiarism checker.

3. Access to a large database for plagiarism detection

One major problem with free plagiarism checkers is that they only compare against publicly available web content. However, universities use Turnitin, which scans research papers, academic journals, and books that aren’t accessible by free tools.

How Chegg Stands Out:

• It checks against billions of online sources, including books and research papers.
• It has access to academic articles that many free tools don’t include.
• The results are much more reliable than basic plagiarism checkers.

This means that Chegg gives you a better chance of catching hidden plagiarism before your professor or employer does!

Cons of Chegg Plagiarism Checker

1. Not free – requires a Chegg Writing subscription

While Chegg does offer a powerful plagiarism checker, it isn’t free. You need to subscribe to Chegg Writing, which costs around ₹800-₹1200 per month.

Why this is a drawback?

• Many students can’t afford to pay for plagiarism detection regularly.
• There are free alternatives like Grammarly and Quetext, though they may not be as thorough.
• If you just need a one-time check, paying a monthly fee doesn’t seem worth it.

If you’re someone who only needs a plagiarism check occasionally, you might want to look for free or one-time payment alternatives instead of a monthly subscription.

2. Less accurate compared to Turnitin (used by universities)

Even though Chegg has a large database, it still isn’t as powerful as Turnitin, which is the plagiarism checker most universities use.

How is Turnitin better?

• Turnitin has a bigger academic database, scanning millions of student-submitted assignments from universities worldwide.
• Some professors don’t trust Chegg results and insist on Turnitin reports instead.
• Turnitin can detect paraphrased plagiarism better, while Chegg sometimes fails to recognize reworded content.

So, if your university or employer strictly uses Turnitin, relying on Chegg may not be enough to guarantee your work is plagiarism-free.

3. Privacy concerns: Does Chegg store or reuse submitted content?

One of the biggest doubts people have about Chegg is whether it stores your uploaded documents.

• Some users worry that Chegg might keep their essays in its database.
• Others fear that their assignments might later show up as plagiarized when checked by Turnitin or other tools.
• There’s no clear confirmation from Chegg about how long they keep your documents.

Why is this a problem?

If your university also checks past assignments for plagiarism, there’s a chance that a paper you submitted to Chegg could be flagged as plagiarized in the future.

Many students and writers prefer using tools that don’t store their content, like Grammarly or Quetext, just to be on the safer side.

Is Chegg Plagiarism Checker Accurate?

When it comes to plagiarism detection, accuracy is everything. Imagine submitting an important assignment or research paper thinking it’s 100% original, only to later find out that it missed some copied content or, worse, falsely flagged your own words as plagiarism.

So, how reliable is Chegg’s Plagiarism Checker? Can it truly catch all instances of copied or paraphrased content? And how does it compare with Turnitin and Grammarly, two of the most commonly used plagiarism detection tools?

Let’s break it down in detail.

How Accurate is Chegg Compared to Turnitin and Grammarly?

1. Chegg vs. Turnitin: Which One is Better?

Turnitin is the gold standard in plagiarism detection, widely used by colleges and universities across the world. If you’ve ever submitted an assignment through your college’s LMS (Learning Management System), chances are it was checked by Turnitin.

Here’s how Chegg stacks up against Turnitin:

Verdict: If your college uses Turnitin, you should not rely entirely on Chegg for plagiarism checking. Turnitin has a much larger academic database and is much better at detecting paraphrased content.

2. Chegg vs. Grammarly: Which One Should You Use?

Grammarly is mainly known for grammar correction, but its premium version also includes plagiarism detection. How does it compare with Chegg?

Verdict: Grammarly is better for grammar and writing improvement, but its plagiarism detection is not as strong as Chegg’s. If your main goal is to check for copied content, Chegg is the better choice between the two.

Does Chegg Detect Paraphrased Content?

One of the biggest loopholes in plagiarism detection is paraphrasing. Many students and writers try to reword content to avoid getting caught, but some plagiarism checkers are smart enough to detect this trick.

Unfortunately, Chegg struggles with paraphrased plagiarism.

• If a sentence is directly copied, Chegg will most likely catch it.
• But if the content is reworded cleverly, Chegg often fails to detect it.

If you’re using Chegg, don’t assume your paraphrased content is 100% safe. If your professor or editor uses Turnitin, it might still catch plagiarism that Chegg missed.

Is Chegg Plagiarism Checker Free?

If you’re looking for a free plagiarism checker, you might be disappointed to know that Chegg Plagiarism Checker is not free. Unlike some other plagiarism tools that offer limited free scans, Chegg requires a paid subscription to access its plagiarism detection feature.

Let’s take a closer look at Chegg’s pricing, free alternatives, and whether it’s worth paying for.

hegg Pricing: How Much Does It Cost?

To use Chegg Plagiarism Checker, you need to subscribe to Chegg Writing, which costs around $9.95 per month (roughly ₹800-₹900, depending on currency conversion and taxes). This subscription not only includes plagiarism detection but also:

✔ Grammar and spell check – Helps improve sentence structure.
✔ Citation assistance – Generates proper citations to avoid accidental plagiarism.
✔ Unlimited plagiarism checks – Unlike free tools with scan limits, Chegg allows multiple checks.

However, there is no free version. Even if you just need one quick plagiarism check, you still have to pay for a full month’s subscription.

Are There Free Alternatives to Chegg?

If you don’t want to pay ₹800+ per month, there are some free plagiarism checkers you can try. While they might not be as powerful as Chegg or Turnitin, they can still be useful for basic plagiarism detection.

1. Grammarly Free Plagiarism Checker

• Available in Grammarly Premium (but not in the free version).
• Checks for copied content from online sources, but not as deep as Turnitin or Chegg.
• Great for bloggers and casual writers but not ideal for academic work.

2. Quetext

• The free version allows one scan (with a 500-word limit).
• Uses “DeepSearch” technology to detect similarities.
• Good for students and content writers who need a quick check.

3. Duplichecker

• 100% free (with a 1,000-word limit per scan).
• Scans online content but lacks a large academic database.
• Good for bloggers and freelancers but not ideal for research papers.

Should You Use Chegg Plagiarism Checker?

Who Should Use Chegg?

✔ Students – If you’re working on assignments and want a quick plagiarism check, Chegg can be a good option.
✔ Writers – If you write blog posts or articles, Chegg helps you avoid unintentional plagiarism.
✔ People who need citation help – If you struggle with formatting APA, MLA, or Chicago citations, Chegg can be useful.

Who Should Look for Alternatives?

• Students submitting to universities – Most colleges use Turnitin, which is far more advanced than Chegg.
• People who want a free tool – Since Chegg requires a paid subscription, you might prefer free options like Quetext or Duplichecker.
• Anyone needing advanced plagiarism detection – If you’re doing serious research or academic work, Turnitin or Copyscape is more reliable.

Is Chegg Worth the Money?

If you’re just looking for plagiarism detection, Chegg might not be worth ₹800+ per month. There are free tools that can do a decent job.

However, if you also need:

• Grammar correction
• Citation assistance
• Unlimited plagiarism scans

Then Chegg’s paid plan could be useful, especially for students who write assignments regularly.

Final Verdict: If you’re a student who submits papers frequently, Chegg might be a convenient option. But if you only need one or two plagiarism checks, it’s better to use free alternatives before deciding to pay.

Conclusion

Chegg is a useful tool, but it’s not the most powerful plagiarism checker out there. If you’re a student or writer who needs a quick check for plagiarism, it works well. But if you’re submitting work to a strict academic institution, don’t rely on Chegg alone Turnitin or more advanced tools will give better accuracy.

Would I personally pay for Chegg just for plagiarism checking? Probably not, unless I also needed its grammar and citation tools. If you’re on a budget, you might want to try free alternatives first before spending money.

Hope this detailed breakdown helps!