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Head-to-head · Code Duplication Detection Tools

PMD vs Fallow

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score PMD #2 in Code Duplication Detection Tools 8.5/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit PMD
Fallow #4 in Code Duplication Detection Tools 6.9/10 Free plan · 30-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Fallow

PMD leads on 0 checks, Fallow on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePMD · 8.5/10
  • Free planboth
  • Free trialonly Fallow
  • Most featuresFallow · 3 of 4

PMD scores higher on our rubric for code duplication detection tools: 8.5 against 6.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #4.

PMD is the better fit for teams wanting static analysis with CPD. Fallow is the better fit for small teams enforcing duplication gates in CI.

  • PMD fits best

    Teams wanting static analysis with CPD

  • Fallow fits best

    Small teams enforcing duplication gates in CI

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature PMD 8.5/10 Visit ↗ Fallow 6.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.5 6.9
Ranking #2 in Code Duplication Detection Tools #4 in Code Duplication Detection Tools
Best for Teams wanting static analysis with CPD Small teams enforcing duplication gates in CI
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan $20/seat/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — 30 days
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop Cloud, Self-hosted, Browser extension
Platforms Windows, Linux, macOS Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Docs Email, Community, Docs
Integrations 10 integrations 4 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features PMD 1/4 · Fallow 3/4
Near-duplicate detection Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Duplication gates Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Trend visualisation Not checked yet Not checked yet
Open-source option ✓ ✓
Specs
Supported languages Not checked yet 2
CI/PR reporting Not checked yet Pull_request
Our review
Pros
  • Supports 16 languages with more than 400 built-in rules
  • Includes CPD for detecting copied and pasted code
  • Integrates with build tools, CI workflows, and IDEs
  • Free MIT scan runs in the terminal, CI, VS Code, and coding agents
  • Baseline and changed-since analysis can focus CI checks on new duplication
  • Multiple detection modes, near-miss analysis, and CI output formats
Cons
  • Deployment is self-hosted or desktop rather than a hosted service
  • Support channels are centered on documentation
  • Does not include AI features
  • Analysis is limited to TypeScript and JavaScript projects
  • Near-miss detection is limited to function-scoped clones with small structural edits
  • Production function-call data requires the separate paid Runtime service
Our verdict

PMD is an open-source static code analyzer for teams that want to identify programming flaws, enforce coding standards, and detect duplicated code. It primarily targets Java and Apex while supporting 16 PMD languages overall. Its CPD…

Read the review →

Fallow is a codebase analysis tool for TypeScript and JavaScript projects, suited to developers and teams who want duplication checks in their everyday workflow or CI. Its free MIT scan detects duplicated code alongside dead code,…

Read the review →
  1. PMDCode Duplication Detection Tools 8.5Free plan
  2. FallowCode Duplication Detection Tools 6.9Free plan · 30-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • PMD — where it wins

    • Supports 16 languages with more than 400 built-in rules
    • Includes CPD for detecting copied and pasted code
    • Integrates with build tools, CI workflows, and IDEs

    Where it doesn't

    • Deployment is self-hosted or desktop rather than a hosted service
    • Support channels are centered on documentation
    • Does not include AI features

  • Fallow — where it wins

    • Free MIT scan runs in the terminal, CI, VS Code, and coding agents
    • Baseline and changed-since analysis can focus CI checks on new duplication
    • Multiple detection modes, near-miss analysis, and CI output formats

    Where it doesn't

    • Analysis is limited to TypeScript and JavaScript projects
    • Near-miss detection is limited to function-scoped clones with small structural edits
    • Production function-call data requires the separate paid Runtime service
  • PMD8.5/10 · Free plan

    PMD combines configurable static analysis with CPD copy-paste detection across development workflows.

    Visit PMDFull verdict →
  • Fallow6.9/10 · Free plan · 30-day trial

    A free TypeScript and JavaScript duplication scanner with CI gates and optional paid runtime insights.

    Visit FallowFull verdict →

More comparisons

All code duplication detection tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update