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Updated February 2026

PrepareBuddy vs Gradescope

A fair comparison for universities and assessment teams evaluating AI grading platforms. We cover what each does well — and where the other has the edge.

Quick Verdict

Choose Gradescope if…

  • Your primary need is classroom assignment/homework grading
  • You need deep Canvas or Blackboard LMS integration
  • You're already in the Turnitin ecosystem
  • You want rubric-based grading with student regrade requests

Choose PrepareBuddy if…

  • You need AI question generation and adaptive testing
  • You want white-label deployment under your own brand
  • You need language testing with voice AI and emotion detection
  • You want one platform for assessment, test prep, and proctoring
  • You need multi-format questions (MCQ, match pairs, fill-blank)

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Side-by-side breakdown of capabilities

Feature PrepareBuddy Gradescope
AI Auto-Grading ✓ Multi-model consensus ✓ AI-assisted grouping
Question Generation ✓ AI-generated (4 types) ✗ Manual only
Adaptive Testing (IRT) ✓ Full IRT engine ✗ Not available
White-Label / Custom Branding ✓ Full white-label ✗ Gradescope branding
LMS Integration ● LTI 1.1/1.3 ✓ Deep Canvas/Blackboard
Handwriting OCR ✓ Supported ✓ Supported
Proctoring ✓ 8-type proctoring suite ✗ Not built-in
Language Testing ✓ 11 languages, CEFR A1-C2 ✗ Not available
Voice AI / Speaking ✓ 48-emotion detection ✗ Not available
Standardized Test Prep ✓ IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, 8+ more ✗ Not a test prep tool
Psychometric Assessments ✓ Career + personality ✗ Not available
Rubric-Based Manual Grading ✓ Supported ✓ Core strength
Regrade Requests ✗ Not built-in ✓ Student-initiated
Pricing Flexible per-student; 1st month free Institutional license via Turnitin

When Gradescope Is the Better Choice

We believe in honest comparisons. Here's where Gradescope has the advantage.

Deep LMS Integration

Gradescope's native Canvas and Blackboard integration syncs grades, rosters, and assignments more tightly than LTI alone.

Student Regrade Requests

Built-in regrade request workflow lets students flag grading issues directly — a mature classroom feature we don't yet offer.

TA Workflow

Gradescope has polished workflows for distributing grading across teaching assistants with workload balancing.

Turnitin Ecosystem

If your university already uses Turnitin for plagiarism detection, Gradescope integrates seamlessly within that ecosystem.

When PrepareBuddy Is the Better Choice

Capabilities that go beyond classroom grading

AI Question Generation

Generate unlimited exam content across 4 question formats with AI — no manual question writing required.

Full White-Label

Deploy under your university's brand with custom domain, logo, colors, and emails. Students never see PrepareBuddy.

Adaptive Testing Engine

IRT-based adaptive difficulty adjustment that tailors each exam to the student's ability level in real time.

Voice AI & Language Testing

11-language proficiency testing with voice AI speaking practice, 48-emotion detection, and CEFR A1-C2 scoring.

8-Type Proctoring

Built-in proctoring suite with webcam monitoring, tab-switch detection, copy-paste blocking, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

PrepareBuddy and Gradescope overlap on AI grading but serve different primary markets. Gradescope focuses on classroom assignment grading with deep LMS integration. PrepareBuddy focuses on full-spectrum assessment — standardized tests, adaptive exams, language testing, and white-label deployment. Both can grade submissions with AI, but the surrounding features differ significantly.
PrepareBuddy supports LTI integration (LTI 1.1 and 1.3) for Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle, and other LMS platforms. Gradescope's LMS integration is deeper — it syncs grades, rosters, and assignments natively. PrepareBuddy's LTI covers SSO and grade passback but is not as tightly coupled to individual LMS workflows.
Yes. PrepareBuddy supports handwriting OCR for scanned submissions. Gradescope also handles scanned handwritten work well. Both platforms use AI to read and evaluate handwritten responses.
Gradescope pricing is per-institution via Turnitin. PrepareBuddy is flexible — per-student or per-organization, with the first month free. For pure assignment grading, Gradescope's pricing may be simpler. For broader needs (test prep + language testing + assessment), PrepareBuddy consolidates multiple tools into one.
Yes. Some universities use Gradescope for day-to-day assignment grading and PrepareBuddy for standardized test preparation, adaptive assessments, and language proficiency testing. The platforms serve complementary purposes.

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