Nowadays, freelance proofreaders are in enormous demand, especially those who can work remotely for online companies.
If you’re excellent at catching and editing grammatical mistakes and other language inconsistencies, a freelance proofreading job from home may be the perfect fit for you.
Not only can you proofread from anywhere and earn some extra cash, but freelance proofreading is a fabulous option for pursuing a rewarding online career and making a steady income from home.
In many cases, online proofreaders can set their own working hours and work at their own pace. There are also many more benefits that you can enjoy with this career.
Does this sound like a wise choice for you?
If so, you might be wondering where you can find legitimate freelance proofreading jobs online.
Luckily, there are a plethora of places to find online proofreading jobs, either to earn some side money or even a regular monthly income. You can search for work in various online marketplaces or with specific trusted proofreading companies which hire remote freelancers.
We’ve selected several websites to help you land a legitimate freelance proofreading job of your dreams. Time to start earning and living your life the way you’ve always wanted it.
1. EditFast
At EditFast, a platform which connects clients with online proofreaders, a freelance proofreader can earn extra cash by proofreading:
- business documents
- contracts
- financial reports
- technical manuals
- web documents
- novels
- personal letters
- advertising copy
- product packaging and manuals
- (text)books
- educational material, scholarly journal articles, graduate papers, essays and other types of writing.
Proofreaders bid on projects and EditFast pays 60% of the project price to their proofreader via PayPal. So, the amount you earn depends on each project. Also, keep in mind that EditFast cannot guarantee that it’ll be able to offer you consistent work.
Besides a stable Internet connection, their proofreaders are expected to have:
- thorough knowledge of the English language
- past proofreading experience and
- specialized knowledge in a specific field (e.g. technical, mechanical, medical, science or literature).
To apply for a freelance proofreading job at EditFast, you must:
- submit your resume with the Resume Builder
- pass several editing tests
- create your own page through the EditFast Web Page Builder, and submit a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
If you’re eligible, they’ll start notifying you about potential jobs. For more detailed guidelines and requirements, follow the link above.
2. Kibin
Kibin is an online company which offers freelance proofreading jobs from home to experienced freelancers from around the globe.
Their on-demand services are available 24/7 with a fast turnaround time for all types of student writing (e.g. research papers, essays, dissertations). This is what their team of 120 remote proofreaders and copyeditors, together with five in-house workers, focus on.
Kibin proofreaders get paid per word, but also get bonuses for customer satisfaction and meeting deadlines. On average, their contractors typically earn $15 to $25 per hour, although some proofreaders consistently earn up to $30 an hour.
They not only value your expertize but a cultural fit too.
It’s true that the availability of proofreading positions at Kibin may vary. For instance, there are no such vacancies at the moment, but they do encourage their applicants to check back later or view their other open positions.
They also have a fantastic online library of example essays (to help students brainstorm ideas) as well as other tools and documents that can be helpful for working through challenging points.
3. Writer’s Relief
Proofreaders at Writer’s Relief proofread and edit books, poems, documents and other types of writing for the company’s clients.
You can find out more about the company by watching their short video below.
Writer’s Relief claim to be highly selective in their choice of proofreading job applicants, with only 2% of candidates being accepted.
The main reason for this low number is that besides having a sound knowledge of the language, good mental rigor and an ability to concentrate, their proofreaders must have a good “chemistry” with the client. In other words, their writing matches the client’s needs.
Thus they offer proofreading employment only to the best of the best. If you’d like to work for them you can contact them to inquire about remote positions.
4. Wordfirm or ManagedEditing
This online company occasionally offers freelance proofreading and copyediting work to highly skilled remote and independent contractors from all time zones.
A university degree and a minimum of 5 years of professional experience are their basic requirements. They allow you to pick the categories you’d like to proofread or edit content in, but first, you must pass their rigorous testing.
Also, you must be an expert in the leading editorial style manuals:
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association
- The Chicago Manual of Style
- The Associated Press Stylebook
- AMA Manual of Style, and others.
You can apply for a job by filling out their detailed online Independent Contractor Application.
5. Guru
To find a job as a freelance proofreader at Guru, you can be from anywhere in the world but you need to sign up for a free Freelancer account first.
Once you create your profile, i.e. an account, you can search their online marketplace to find proofreading jobs that suit you best. Just include your keyword(s) to filter the job search and when you find a job, simply submit your quote.
Next, you’d make an agreement with the employer concerning all the job details, whether you’ll be paid by task, hour, milestones, or if you’ll be requiring recurring payments.
6. Cactus
Cactus Global is an Indian company that offers highly specialized medical, scientific and academic proofreading and editing work on a regular basis. You can choose to work from home or from their office, and whether you’ll be employed full-time or as a freelancer.
Want to know the best part?
No prior experience in English editing and proofreading is required. A love of the language and an ability to express yourself in a grammatically correct way will see you on your way.
In addition to having impeccably written English and a good eye for detail, you’ll need a reliable Internet connection and familiarity with MS Office.
These are the minimum requirements to work for this freelancer-friendly organization, which is currently ranked among the Top 20 Companies with Remote Jobs.
Here are the impressions of some of their employees about work schedule flexibility and earning potential:
If you find a position that fits your skills and needs from their current home-based and freelance job openings, send in your resume so you can start a career at Cactus. You might also need to pass some tests before you get your first job.
7. First Editing
First Editing only hires full-time seasoned experts for year-round work in proofreading, copyediting and rewriting—of all types of documents and writing (fiction, non-fiction or academic). They claim to be able to edit and proofread anything that their clients write.
If you are a highly educated native English speaker who wants to become a part of their team, here are the steps to take:
- fill in and submit this extensive job application form
- submit your comprehensive resume
- include a detailed cover letter outlining your educational background, professional experience, and availability, as well as
- two or three samples of your previous work demonstrating your language expertize and familiarity with the MS Word Track Changes feature
You can email your job application to hireme@firstediting.com. But before you hit the “Send” button, make sure you’ve checked all their further requirements and restrictions for proofreading and editing jobs.
In a nutshell
After reading this you’ve hopefully figured out that a freelance proofreading job is a fantastic opportunity for a viable home-based career, not just a handy way to earn some extra cash on the side.
If you have an eagle eye, solid English language knowledge and loooove correcting grammar, freelance proofreading might be your calling.
Fortunately for you, you now know where to start pursuing this flourishing online career.
Good luck!
