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If you’re looking to earn some extra cash online, proofreading online can be an incredibly lucrative way for you to do so. Today, proofreading has become an exceedingly sought-after service for writers from all walks of life. So if you are considering trying your hand at proofreading online, scroll down to learn all about the job.
What does the job entail?
Whether you’re a journalist, blogger, student, or author, it is essential your writing showcases perfect grammar and contains no misspelled words. This is where online proofreaders come in. Unlike editors, proofreaders do not need to restructure sentences or paragraphs, they simply work on your writing’s spelling and grammar.
While some writers choose to proofread and edit their own work, many prefer to show it to a second pair of eyes in order to ensure their writing is immaculate and does not contain any typos and errors. As an online proofreader, you can work on a number of different types of written content such as social media posts, newsletters, press releases, student essays, blog posts, and self-published novels.
What is a Proofreader?
Copy Editor, Proofreader, Translator, and a bunch of other terms have been thrown around in the past few years to describe what an editor does. And yet, not many people really know what they are.
A copy editor is someone who checks over text before it goes to print or to be published online. They check grammar, spelling, punctuation, and other errors that would not normally be caught by readers. If there are mistakes in the copy (like if a word is misspelled or there is an error in grammar), the copy editor will fix them.
The formatting of the text is not up to the copy editor. This is left up to the typesetter, who has a different job than the copy editor. The typesetter works with what is called a “mashup”, which is a combination of font, size, and style. A translator is someone who translates documents into another language. For example, if a Spanish-speaking business has an English-speaking client who wants to have a document translated into Spanish, the translator will do that.
Copyediting and proofreading are two different things. Copyediting is where the copy editor checks the content of a document to make sure it is accurate and readable. Proofreading is checking over the content of a document for grammatical errors. The average proofreader checks 20-30 pages a day.
How much money can a proofreader make?
Online proofreaders can get paid per word, per page, per project, or per hour for the work they put in. Since proofreading isn’t very time-consuming, the pay tends to be lesser than online writing and editing jobs. Your pay also depends on your past experience and your level of expertise.
Beginner proofreaders earn between $15 – $20 per hour and can progress to make around $30 per hour. Salary.com estimated online proofreaders make an average of $53,000 a year. Like with any type of career, salary increases with experience and expertise. It’s possible to earn over $100k per year as a senior level proofreader.
Freelance proofreading can be a lucrative career. It’s important to find clients who are willing to pay for proofreading services, since most proofreaders work for free in order to build up their reputation. The hourly rate of a freelance proofreader can vary depending on the project. For example, if a freelance proofreader is hired to check a novel, they will get paid per word, per page, or per hour. A proofreader’s salary can also be affected by their location. For example, if a proofreader is in New York, they will make more money than if they are in Washington D.C. That is why the average salary for a proofreader differs depending on the location.
Pros of working as an online proofreader
1. You make your own hours: Unlike traditional 9-to-5 jobs, you can choose to work at any time of the day you prefer, and also take as much or as little work as you want.
2. Work from home: Since this is an online job, you can work from the comfort of your own home.
3. Low start-up cost: Unlike other businesses, proofreading requires a relatively low start-up cost. You just need a computer and a good internet connection to get started.
4. You are your own boss: You are not constantly supervised and micromanaged by your boss, and can hence choose your own pace with your work.
Cons of working as an online proofreader
1. Deadlines can be hard: Even though you make your own hours, some projects can come with tighter deadlines and urge you to work at a pace faster than you are comfortable with.
2. It is easy to get distracted: When you’re working online, there are many distractions (such as scrolling through social media) that you will need to avoid. If you don’t do well without supervision, online jobs might not be for you.
3. Some jobs may require further education: If you’re looking to bag higher-paid proofreading jobs online, you may need to complete further/ higher education.
How to get started as an online proofreader?
If you’re looking to start a career in online proofreading, there is a wide variety of platforms to choose from. We’ve compiled a list of the 8 best websites for online proofreaders below. You may find success by simply signing up for one, but it is often recommended to start by joining a few in order to be able to access more opportunities. Once you find enough work on a single platform, you can concentrate your efforts on the given website and enjoy a healthy stream of high-paying jobs. The more you work, the more reviews and testimonials you will receive, allowing you to apply for better paid proofreading jobs in the future.
1. Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the best platforms for freelancers working in any field online. You can post offers (called ‘gigs’ on Fiverr) for your proofreading services, and get started quickly as a beginner. Once you have a few good reviews on your profile, you can increase the price of your offers and start to rake in more cash.
Beginner gigs tend to start at $5 on Fiverr. However, you make a lot more money by adding additional services to your offer for extra cash. For example, you can charge an additional $5 for one day delivery or for unlimited revisions.
2. Upwork
Upwork is another great freelancing website for online proofreading work. The website updates its list of available jobs every minute, giving proofreaders ample opportunity to apply for a variety of jobs. Upwork also helps your find the most relevant jobs for your skillset. Make sure to add enough portfolio examples to your profile to bag the best paid jobs.
3. Freelancer
Similar to Upwork, Freelancer is a great freelancing job board for proofreaders, allowing you to bid on a number of projects that are updated by the minute. You can find a variety of short-term or long-term projects as a proofreader on this freelancing marketplace.
4. Lionbridge
If you’re looking for a more permanent online proofreading job, Lionbridge might be the right platform for you. Unlike freelance job boards, you may require some experience as a proofreader to get started on Lionbridge, or else have to take a simple skill test to prove your expertise.
You can find jobs in a number of different countries and languages on Lionbridge, and begin to make some full-time earnings from the comfort of your own home.
5. Gramlee
Gramlee is ideal for any freelancer who has a knack for grammar and is looking for frequent proofreading work. In order to get started, you need to fill up the employee application form and wait to hear back from the website.
Once you’re accepted, you can find numerous assignments but you have to be available to work for at least a few hours a day, as Gramlee requires quick turnaround times for assignments.
6. CACTUS Communications
CACTUS communications is a great platform for freelancers looking for more specialized proofreading work. A lot of their jobs require writers with a medical background, and in order to acquire these, you may need to have specific degrees sought after by the website.
Writers either need to have a Bachelor’s degree or proven prior experience in the realm of healthcare, surgery, medicine, social science, or life science. As an online proofreader on Cactus communications, you can rake in $2000 to $4000 a month.
7. Proofreadingservice.com
Proofreadingservice.com is a great platform for freelancers looking for both part-time and full-time work online. You can make $19 to $46 on the website as the hourly wage depending on your level of expertise and the jobs you get. In order to get started on the website, all proofreaders need to take a 20-minute screening test to prove their abilities.
Full-time jobs on Proofreadingservice.com include proofreading, editing, translation, and transcription. You can apply for these jobs through the website and then the site will let you know if you are qualified for the job. If you are not qualified, you can try again later. You can also look for freelance work on the website.
Many proofreaders make more money working part-time or part-year than full-time or full-year. It’s important to be patient and follow up with companies to make sure they see your profile. Companies who use Proofreadingservice.com tend to see the most applicants, so it’s best to submit your profile in a timely manner and be patient while waiting for a response.
8. Wordvice
Wordvice is another great platform for experienced proofreaders as the website does ask if you’ve completed, or are enrolled in a graduate degree. In order to apply, freelancers need to submit their resume and even take an editing test to prove their skills. Once accepted via email, you can get started and work on a number of part-time proofreading opportunities for clients all around the world.
9. Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA)
Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) is a website where people can post their freelance proofreading jobs. They are one of the largest sites for finding freelance proofreaders. You can find job listings from freelancers all over the world. Editing services include proofreading, editing, and copyediting.
Some entry-level proofreaders can start working on a proofreading job for various reasons. They might want to earn some extra money, or they might be looking for a career change. Some proofreaders work part-time and earn enough money to live on.
If you are looking for an entry-level proofreading job, you can try posting your own freelance proofreading job on EFA. It’s not a bad idea to post a few different jobs so that you can choose the one that fits your personality and years of experience.
There are some great freelance proofreading jobs that you can find on EFA. For example, job openings are listed for writers, editors, and translators. There are also job openings for proofreaders. These proofreading jobs pay well, but you need to be able to do a good job. If you’re new to proofreading, make sure that you follow the instructions given in the job description.
Online proofreading can be a good career choice if you have experience with proofreading and writing. You might also want to try freelance proofreading before you decide to start working for someone else as a full-time employee. Freelance proofreaders can work from home and do freelance proofreading part-time or full-time.
10. LinkedIn
Another great platform for proofreaders is LinkedIn. All you need to do is sign up for an account, add your information, and wait for a job request. Once you get a job request, you will be required to take a short test before starting the job. This test will usually ask you to find mistakes in English-language text and then correct them.
If you have experience with translating documents into other languages, it’s possible that your potential employers will contact you directly instead of going through the website. If they do contact you directly, be sure to give them your work history and let them know that you are currently working on getting more work through the platform.
On LinkedIn, professional proofreaders can post their own profile, answer questions, and look for jobs. You can also check out other proofreaders on the platform to see what their work is like. In addition, there are proofreading courses on LinkedIn. This is a great way to improve your skills and meet other proofreaders.
The pay scale for proofreaders on LinkedIn varies greatly. This is because each proofreader has a different set of skills and experience. It’s also possible that you can make as much as $3,000 a month if you are able to find the right clients.
In addition, proofreaders can also work for freelance clients on the platform. This means that you will have the opportunity to work on various projects for different clients at once. You can even set up your own profile on LinkedIn to advertise your services and make money in this way.
Conclusion
Working as an online proofreader is one of the best side hustles to get started with. The pay is a lot stronger than a lot of other online jobs out there, plus it has the potential to lead to a 6-figure career. You can work from home, set your own hours, and choose how much you want to work.
Proofreading rates vary greatly depending on the kind of work you do. If you’re looking to make money proofreading online, then it’s important to understand how much different types of work pay. If you want to become a professional proofreader, then you’ll need to invest in the right training and certifications. Some proofreaders also work with clients to create their own proofreading courses.
If you want to make money proofreading online, it’s important to start out small and build up your skills. Once you’ve mastered the basics, then you can start taking on more complicated jobs. Keep in mind that you will need to keep up with your English-language skills and stay on top of the latest technology trends. If you’re not already an expert at grammar, punctuation, and spelling, then you should invest in a few online courses before starting out as a proofreader.
The question “how much do proofreaders make?” is not only about the amount of money you make. You also need to consider the kind of work you do, the type of clients you work with, and the other side hustles you can add to your income.
Once you gain more experience, you’ll have the ability to set higher rates and take on private clients. Until you reach that level, the best places to get started with online proofreading work is by using one of the websites we listed above. Good luck!
