GradeOrbit vs Learning Loft
A whole-school learning platform against a marking tool.
Information about Learning Loft checked 19 October 2026
In short
Learning Loft’s whole-school licence costs less than GradeOrbit seats for a department of this size, and bundles marking with other apps. GradeOrbit is built for marking, with a free school trial and published accuracy figures.
About Learning Loft
Learning Loft is a UK learning platform for schools, families and tutors. Its school licence includes LoftTick, which reads handwritten work by OCR and marks it against your department’s mark scheme.
What one script costs
One student’s script at four lengths, from a short quiz to a long mock booklet.
| Tool | 2 pages | 6 pages | 24 pages | 40 pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GradeOrbit | Included in the seat | Included in the seat | Included in the seat | Included in the seat |
| Learning Loft | Included in the licence | Included in the licence | Included in the licence | Included in the licence |
GradeOrbit
Individual plans from £5 to £25 a month, for 30 to 180 credits. 1 credit marks one student’s script, whatever its length. Schools pay £10 per teacher a month, billed annually, with unlimited marking and AI detection on every seat.
1 credit per script costs 13.9p–16.7p on a monthly plan used in full, or 20p if you go over your allowance. School seats have no per-script charge.
Learning Loft
Schools from £995 a year + VAT, with unlimited staff and pupils; trusts on custom prices. Teachers can join for £14.99 a month.
Learning Loft states no marking limit on its school licence.
What a department pays
A year for one department of 10 teachers and 200 students, at each tool’s published prices.
| GradeOrbit | £1,200 a year for 10 teacher seats, with unlimited marking and AI detection |
|---|---|
| Learning Loft | £995 a year + VAT (Single School, the whole school) |
Published accuracy
Studies differ in subject, exam board, sample size and who ran them, so read the figures side by side rather than as a ranking.
GradeOrbit
- GCSE Maths (Pearson Edexcel): 96% of marks within 1 mark of the senior examiner, agreement score (QWK) 0.92, across 69 marks.
- GCSE English (Eduqas): 83% of marks within 1 mark of the senior examiner, agreement score (QWK) 0.96, across 98 marks.
Measured 18 October 2026 on exam board exemplar scripts. We ran the study ourselves; the method and limits are on our accuracy page.
Learning Loft
We found no accuracy figures on Learning Loft’s pricing or AI marking pages. It suggests schools upload a class set and compare the results with their own marking.
Side by side
| GradeOrbit | Learning Loft | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Yes: Per script: 1 credit, any length | Yes: Annual school licence, unlimited staff |
| Pages per script | Yes: Up to 50 on individual accounts; no limit for schools | Not found: Not mentioned on its homepage or pricing page |
| Subjects | Yes: Any subject, KS3 to A-level and BTEC | Not found: Not listed; says National Curriculum aligned |
| Handwritten scripts | Yes: Scanned or photographed whole scripts | Yes: OCR from photos or scans |
| Mark schemes | Yes: Ready-made GCSE mark schemes, or your own criteria | Partly: Your department’s mark scheme; no boards named |
| Published accuracy figures | Yes: Against senior examiners, GCSE Maths and GCSE English | No: None found |
| AI detection | Yes: 1 credit a check on individual plans; unlimited for schools | Not found: Not mentioned on its homepage or pricing page |
| MIS sync | Yes: Wonde, on school accounts | Not found: Not mentioned on its homepage or pricing page |
| Student data | Yes: Individual accounts: work not kept, names redacted in your browser. Schools: kept under a DPA | Yes: Says UK-hosted, UK GDPR, DPA on request |
| Free trial | Yes: 10 free credits for teachers; 30-day trial for schools | No: No school trial; 7 days for teachers |
Where Learning Loft is strong
- A low whole-school price with unlimited staff and pupils.
- Bundles marking with learning apps for pupils, families and tutoring.
- Says it is UK-hosted, with a DPA on request.
Where GradeOrbit is different
- GradeOrbit’s school trial is free; Learning Loft says it offers no school trials.
- GradeOrbit publishes how close its marks come to senior examiners.
- GradeOrbit school accounts sync rosters through Wonde and include AI detection.
Which should you choose?
- Learning Loft may suit you if
- You want one low-cost licence covering marking and learning apps across the whole school.
- GradeOrbit may suit you if
- You want a tool built for marking, a free trial first, and published accuracy figures.
Sources
- Learning Loft pricing (checked 19 October 2026)
- Learning Loft AI marking for schools (checked 19 October 2026)
Everything about Learning Loft on this page comes from its own public pages on the date shown, and may have changed since. We have not used Learning Loft’s product. Learning Loft is a trademark of its owner and is named here only to compare. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.
Try it on your own scripts.
Start a 30-day free trial for your school. No card needed.