How Word Usage Works: Monthly Words and Rollover
Updated
Each check uses one word from your allowance for every word checked, per tool: a plagiarism check on 1,000 words uses 1,000 words, and plagiarism plus AI detection on the same text uses 2,000. Words come from your monthly allowance first, then from your word balance. On Student, Personal and Team plans, unused monthly words roll over to the next billing period; Free plan words reset each month.
Monthly allowances
- Free — 3,000 words a month.
- Student — 60,000 words a month.
- Personal — 200,000 words a month.
- Team — 200,000 words per seat a month, in one pool shared by the team. Team admins can set usage limits for individual members.
- Enterprise — custom.
Prices and everything else each plan includes are on the pricing page.
How a check is counted
- One word per word, per tool. Plagiarism and AI detection are counted separately. The Scan options panel marks both Uses word quota.
- Excluded text is free. Quoted text and reference lists you choose to leave out aren’t checked or counted — see Leave out quotes and your reference list.
- A rescan is a new check. Running a report again uses words again.
- Failed checks are refunded. If a check can’t finish, the words it used are returned automatically.
- Words are counted by spaces, so numbers, headings and citations in the checked text all count.
The longest single check
Besides the monthly total, each plan caps the length of one check: 3,000 words on Free, 10,000 on Student and 25,000 on Personal and Team. Every check also needs at least 50 words. Longer documents can be checked in parts. See Word limits for guest limits.
Monthly words first, then your word balance
A check uses your monthly allowance first. When that runs out, it continues from your word balance — words rolled over from earlier months and any top-up words you’ve bought. Top-up words don’t expire monthly; they last until used. If neither has enough words for the checks you picked, the app says Insufficient words: turn one check off, top up or upgrade.
Rollover
- Student, Personal and Team: when your plan renews, unused monthly words are carried over into your word balance for the next billing period (up to a limit).
- Enterprise: a three-month rollover window.
- Free: words reset each month, with no rollover.
Check how many words you have left
- In the web app, look at Words this month at the bottom of the left sidebar — it shows words used out of your allowance, with an Upgrade plan link.
- For the full picture, open Subscription in the sidebar. It shows Words this month and your Word balance.
- In the Chrome™ extension and the Google Docs™ add-on, your words left appear before you start a check.