16 Legitimate Proofreading Jobs Online That Pay Up to $45/Hr (2023)

Tired of finding legitimate proofreading jobs online that pay well?

Here’s good news for you! You’re in the right place.

Proofreading is one of the best home-based jobs that I have come across and it’s a pretty good option for people who have a strong command of English.

Though you can easily become a professional proofreader by taking proofreading courses online, some are happy doing it as a side hustle.

If you’re one of them looking at it as a means to earn extra money, joining the listed companies will be a great start for you.

But before we jump onto it, let’s understand what the Proofreaders do.

What Does a Proofreader Do?

A proofreader’s job is to detect & fix typos, grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes in a document written by someone else.

For example, if someone has written a blog post that may contain a lot of errors, then they can forward it to a proofreader to get it fixed.

What All Documents Can a Proofreader Proofread?

• Articles/Blog Post
• Novels
• Children’s book
• Magazines
• Ads
• Podcast page
• Legal documents
• Court reports
• Resumes
• Essays & much more

Difference Between Editor & Proofreader?

I have seen many folks assuming that the jobs of both editors and proofreaders are the same.

Well, surprise, surprise! It isn’t.

Even though they may have a similar kind of job, it is not what it is. Both of them work in two different stages of the revision process for any written document.

If I talk about editing, it is a process done after finishing your first draft. Here, normally you reread your document to see if it is well-organized, paragraphs have a smooth transition, and whether the structure of the written content is good or not.

Once done, you then proofread it to check for any typos, spelling & grammatical errors.

How Much Money Does a Proofreader Make?

Making money as a proofreader varies with experience. If you are a beginner, you will make around $8 to $10 per hour. However, if you are an experienced Proofreader, you can make around $15 to $30 per hour. 

You’ll be surprised to know that some even make $50, but for that, you must have good experience working with reputable clients.

According to salary.com, an average Proofreader in the US makes around $50,474 as of December 01, 2018, but the range typically falls between $44,292 and $57,640.

Do You Need Any Qualifications To Be a Proofreader?

A person seeking a proofreading job must have the following qualities:

• First, you must have a good knowledge of the English language including proper use of grammar, punctuation, correct spelling, and standard proofreading marks.
• Second, you must be a vivid reader. If you already love to read a lot whether it is novels, articles, newspapers, etc., then you will be able to complete proofreading tasks much faster.
• Third, if you’ve got a habit of detecting grammatical & spelling mistakes while reading, it’s a good sign.
• Lastly, if you have an English or Journalism degree, you are the most eligible person to become a Proofreader.

Do You Really Need An English Degree To Apply For Proofreading Jobs Online?

Having an English or Journalism degree is going to add more value to your profile but, it isn’t a necessity to get into the proofreading field. If you know how to proofread documents by following the standard guidelines, you are good to go.

However, most online companies may ask for a degree or experience, but some will hire you as a beginner. It just depends on the company with whom you will work.

What Tools Do You Need For Proofreading?

Generally, Proofreading doesn’t require any special tools but adding them can fasten up your work. Here are two main tools I recommend enough to get the job done. 

• Google Docs: It provides excellent features to edit documents on the go allowing you to add comments & markup procedures. With the autosave feature, you don’t have to worry about saving documents repeatedly which helps you to concentrate more on your work. Moreover, you can also use them in offline mode.
• Grammarly: Grammarly is an add-on installed in the browser that detects all grammatical errors & spellings in real-time. Just paste your text into Grammarly’s editor and within a few seconds, you can fix all the highlighted errors with a single click.

Besides this, you can also refer to these books to learn more about Proofreading.

• McGraw-Hill’s Proofreading Handbook
• Copyediting, and Proofreading For Dummies 
• Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors (Writing With Excellence Book 8)

Is There Any Workshop You Can Attend For Free?

Proofreading is an easy job when you are working for an online company. But when you decide to start your own Proofreading business, you need guidance from experts. With that in mind, you are lucky because Caitlin Pyle is there to help you. 

She provides a free proofreading workshop from her main course “PROOFREAD ANYWHERE“ which is full of values. If you’re someone who thinks whether proofreading is your cup of tea? Her free 76-minute workshop is just for you.

To give you some ideas, here are some topics that she discusses.

• 5 signs proofreading will be a perfect fit for you.
• How can proofreading give you freedom & financial security?
• Easy ways to attract clients & much more.

Related Post: Which course is best – Knowadays or Proofread Anywhere

16 Legitimate Online Proofreading Jobs

1. ProofreadingPal

Proofreadingpal is a website that offers both editing & proofreading jobs. They work on a two-proofreader model where each document is proofread & edited by two of their professional proofreaders.

If you want to work with them, ensure you are eligible for one of the following requirements.

• You must be a graduate/postgraduate in an authorized United States university with a minimum GPA of 3.5.
• Must have a graduate degree with a minimum experience of 5 years in professional proofreading & editing.

You can check out more requirements from here.

If you’re fit for the job, you can surely fill up their questionnaire form and submit it. Once done, you will get a reply within 5-10 business days regarding the next selection procedure which includes a comprehensive & timed examination.

The expected salary is around $500–$3000 per month.

2. ProofreadingServices

ProofreadingServices has a team of professional editors and proofreaders having worked with over 5000 clients in 90+ countries.

They are ready to hire candidates for both full-time & part-time jobs once they pass their 20-minute preliminary test.

Being their member, you can get paid around $19-$46 per hour & you can work according to your own schedule.

3. Scribendi

Scribendi is an Internet-based language company known for document revision services in all sectors. It was founded in 1997 and has a network of over 400 professional freelance editors, processing hundreds of orders per day.

Their selection criteria include having a bachelor’s or master’s degree or you should at least have professional experience in proofreading along with a typing speed of 1,000–1,500 words per hour.

They have a current job opening for an In-House editor/proofreader where the candidate has to spend days working on a broad range of documents. 

If you feel, you are the right person for this job, please feel free to apply.

4. EditFast

EditFast has a team of editors, proofreaders, and writers specializing in English document editing related to business & individuals.

They prefer proofreaders having some editing proofreading experience along with a degree from a recognized university.

To apply for the position, you must submit a resume, & complete editing tests to get selected. 

Unlike other companies, EditFast doesn’t guarantee projects once you are hired. Though your profile is open for clients, getting a job is entirely dependent on them.

The company clearly says that it’s a freelance job so you need to have little patience. In case there is no project for you, you are free to search for opportunities elsewhere.

Talking about payment, you will get 60% of the project price that is paid via PayPal.

5. WordVice

WordVice has been active since 2013 and has done proofreading/editing for over 43 million words. It has 6 branches, namely in the United States, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Japan & South Korea.

Their requirement includes a graduate degree and at least 2 years of experience in proofreading & editing.

As of now, there are no proofreading jobs available but you can bookmark this site to check the job availability from time to time.

6. Fiverr

Fiverr is a marketplace where you can sell your skills to potential clients who want to get things done on a budget. Though beginners will have a hard time getting clients here, experienced proofreaders won’t have to struggle much.

So, I will recommend trying this site once you have gained some experience. To give you a small glimpse, here are some proofreader profiles on Fiverr.

• Fiverr Proofreader Profile No.1 – Tinalightly
• Fiverr Proofreader Profile No.2 – Robinoo
• Fiverr Proofreader Profile No.3 – Newzealandgirl

7. Clickworker

Clickworker is looking for proofreaders to check & correct text in the description of cities, hotels, products & software.

They are always seeking people who have an excellent command of English, and enjoy correcting grammatical errors while keeping the job instructions in mind.

Initially, you first need to qualify as an author to handle a few text creation jobs before you can take the assessment test for Proofreading jobs.

Being a Clickworker Proofreader, you will keep receiving better-paying projects as long as you are delivering good work results with 100% accuracy.

8. Indeed

Indeed is a job searching website where you can find proofreading-related jobs posted by clients.

Even though it’s a great site sometimes, you might stumble upon poor quality or scam jobs. That’s why I suggest you do your research before applying.

One thing you can do is – set up a job alert for proofreading jobs that will notify new job posting straight into your inbox. This is a more convenient way to get updated on the latest proofreading jobs.

9. PeoplePerHour

Peopleperhour is a freelance marketplace that connects clients and freelancers in one platform.

Being a freelancer, you can get paid per project or hour by providing proofreading services to clients all around the world.

10. Global English Editing

Global English Editing offers editing & Proofreading services for students, academics, authors, publishers, businesses, and other professionals.

To get into their team, you should have some experience & you must be from the U.S., U.K, and Australia.

Here the proofreading jobs are usually not always available, but you can check it from time to time for any new openings.

11. Sibia Proofreading

Sibia provides proofreading, essay review, and copy editing services to businesses, graduate/college students, authors, researchers, professors, and professionals from around the world.

To apply for the proofreader position, you must have some proofreading experience along with a degree as it will give you more preference over others. (you can also apply as a beginner)

At the time of writing, there is no current opening for proofreaders but you can bookmark this site for future reference.

12. Artisan Talent

Artisan Talent is an American creative staff agency interested in digital, marketing & creative talent. They are often looking for proofreaders and editors having

• good reading comprehension
• English (or other languages) skills
• attention to detail & people skills.

If you think you’re a good match for them, feel free to apply.

13. Academia Research

Academia-Research is an online academic writing and consulting company created in 2004. They provide flexibility and well-paid proofreading jobs for reviewing papers and documents.

As a Proofreader, you will need to proofread academic papers, online articles/blog posts, novels, and CV/application letters.

You are free to work as per your schedule & the earnings are paid twice a month. Additionally, they also provide bonuses to the most hardworking editors.

14. Wordy

Wordy is a UK-based copy-editing & proofreading company created in 2004. It is currently updating so you won’t be able to apply for any proofreading jobs as of now. Nevertheless, you can always check out the site for any vacancy in the future.

15. Upwork

Upwork is another freelance website where you can bid for proofreading jobs posted by clients.

It is just like Fiverr but the only difference is – you need to approach clients instead of them approaching you.

Being a beginner, it will be hard for you to receive projects as the clients like to work with experienced proofreaders. Nevertheless, you can charge less compared to them to increase your chances of getting hired.

16. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is not only a great place to find proofreading jobs, but it is also a great place to connect with clients.

It takes time to find work here, but once you do, you can turn them into repeat customers if you know how to market yourself.

To find proofreading jobs, go to the site and type proofreading jobs, then set the location for searching. This will eventually display the current jobs, and you can apply as desired.

That’s it. If you know of any other legitimate online proofreading jobs that I haven’t mentioned here, please let me know in the comment section.

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