GradeOrbit vs Running Paper
A whole-school platform against a per-teacher licence.
Information about Running Paper checked 19 October 2026
In short
Running Paper is a whole-school platform with wide MIS coverage and named customers. GradeOrbit is priced per teacher with a free trial, so one department can start without a whole-school contract.
About Running Paper
Running Paper is a UK AI marking platform for pen-and-paper assessments from KS3 to KS5, sold to whole schools and trusts. It names UK schools and trusts as customers.
What one script costs
One student’s script at four lengths, from a short quiz to a long mock booklet.
Running Paper does not publish enough to work out a price per script.
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.
Running Paper
A 3-month trial for £500, then Core from £3,500 a year for the school; trusts on a custom price.
Running Paper publishes no marking volumes, so a price per script cannot be worked out.
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 |
|---|---|
| Running Paper | From £3,500 a year (Core, for 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.
Running Paper
Running Paper describes its method on an accuracy page (two models, one checking the other, with low-confidence marks flagged) but we found no headline accuracy figure.
Side by side
| GradeOrbit | Running Paper | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Yes: Per script: 1 credit, any length | Yes: Annual school licence |
| 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 | Partly: KS3 to KS5; no subject list |
| Handwritten scripts | Yes: Scanned or photographed whole scripts | Yes: Says it marks scanned pen-and-paper assessments |
| Mark schemes | Yes: Ready-made GCSE mark schemes, or your own criteria | Not found: Not mentioned on its homepage or pricing page |
| Published accuracy figures | Yes: Against senior examiners, GCSE Maths and GCSE English | Partly: Method described, no headline figure |
| 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 | Yes: Says 25+ MIS, including Wonde, SIMS, Arbor and Bromcom |
| Student data | Yes: Individual accounts: work not kept, names redacted in your browser. Schools: kept under a DPA | Not found: Not described; says ICO registered and Cyber Essentials Plus |
| Free trial | Yes: 10 free credits for teachers; 30-day trial for schools | Partly: 3 months for £500 |
Where Running Paper is strong
- Says it integrates with over 25 MIS systems.
- Names UK schools and trusts that use it.
- Trust plans include APIs and a shared assessment library.
Where GradeOrbit is different
- GradeOrbit is priced per teacher, so a single department can buy it.
- GradeOrbit’s school trial is free, with no card needed.
- GradeOrbit publishes how close its marks come to senior examiners.
Which should you choose?
- Running Paper may suit you if
- You want one platform for the whole school or trust, with staff training included and a wide choice of MIS.
- GradeOrbit may suit you if
- You want to start with one department, pay per teacher, and trial it free first.
Sources
- Running Paper homepage (checked 19 October 2026)
- Running Paper pricing (checked 19 October 2026)
- Running Paper accuracy (checked 18 October 2026)
Everything about Running Paper on this page comes from its own public pages on the date shown, and may have changed since. We have not used Running Paper’s product. Running Paper 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.