Factward vs Meedan Check

Factward checks text, URLs, and PDFs by identifying factual claims and comparing them with web sources. Its AI model filters out opinions, predictions, and subjective statements, then retrieves up to five independent sources for each claim. Reports classify claims as Supported, Conflicting Sources, Refuted, or Insufficient Evidence, and include confidence, reasoning, linked sources, and a Trust Score. The service tracks when claims may have become stale and prompts users to check them again. A bookmarklet can send article text for review, and the Pro API can be used in a CMS or publishing pipeline. A beta Chrome extension highlights claims alongside verdicts and evidence, including when checking selected text from its context menu. Factward says submissions are used to produce results and are not sold or shared with third parties, though jobs and reports are stored in its database. Niche, paywalled, or very recent claims may lack evidence, and nuanced claims can be misinterpreted. The free plan allows two verifications per day; Pro costs $9 a month.

Meedan Check is free, open-source software for organizations running fact-checking and media annotation work. It is aimed at independent media, civil society, and human rights groups handling information needs during elections, protests, and public-health emergencies. Partners can operate tiplines that receive community submissions through WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, LINE, and Viber, then collaborate with trusted groups. The workspace supports text, URLs, images, video, and audio, with assisted fact-checking, claim detection, citation links, a browser extension, and API access. Multilingual AI tools help identify trends and organize media. Listed connections include WhatsApp Business API, Zendesk Sunshine Conversations, Slack, and Zapier. In 2025, Check supported 34 languages and dialects, served 143,631 unique users, and powered 58 tiplines. Data is hosted in Ireland, encrypted in transit and at rest, and access is limited. Organizations control their data, which is shared only with explicit consent. Check is available through web, API, and extension interfaces.