Online proofreading jobs provide one of the best opportunities to make a full-time income working part-time hours from home or anywhere.
You may be surprised to hear that. But, consider this.
In 2021, there’s absolutely no shortage of written content to proofread. There are more e-books, blog posts, restaurant menus, and other print content being created than at any point in history. All of this new content needs proofreaders.
And, thanks to high-speed internet, home-based proofreading jobs that are both flexible and pay a living wage are now available!
So, how do you know if proofreading from home is the right fit for you?
Well, if you cringe at other people’s grammar mistakes on social media, or you find yourself losing immersion when you see grammar errors in a book, this could be an excellent career choice for you.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read the terms of use for more info.
Table of Contents
What is proofreading?
Proofreading is checking the final copy of written material for grammar, punctuation, spelling, tense, and readability. Therefore, a 
proofreader’s job is to make sure documents and other written materials are completely error-free.
The difference between a proofreader and an editor: Sometimes “editor” and “proofreading” are used interchangeably by companies. Though the skillsets and job duties are similar, there is a key difference.
Editors focus on the style and consistency of the writing prose.
Proofreaders focus more on the grammar and mechanics of the content to make sure it’s ready for publishing.
How to get hired fast as an online proofreader
So, now you’re ready to make money proofreading from home. You’re in luck because I’m going to show you exactly what you need to do to get an online proofreading job fast.
First thing’s first. You need to get some training under your belt.
Don’t worry.
Getting yourself trained up doesn’t take long at all.
Let me tell you about the go-to expert in the proofreading space, Caitlin Pyle. In one year, she earned $43,000 proofreading from home part-time. She ended up getting so good at it she decided to help others earn a part-time and even full-time income just through online proofreading alone.
Caitlin is a complete lifesaver for anyone new to online proofreading as a career. For a limited time, she is offering a free online workshop that will explain the ins and outs of proofreading and how it can be a great career choice for you.
Click here to watch her free workshop on proofreading from home.
I also want to recommend a little hack you can do to give yourself an edge in proofreading.
Start using Grammarly.
Grammarly is a free grammar checker that uses artificial intelligence to automatically look for spelling and grammatical mistakes. Adding it to your favorite web browser or word processor only takes seconds and is super simple. Click here to download Grammarly for free.
Using Grammarly will give you a nice advantage and help you to stand out as a proofreader.
The best job board to find legit proofreading jobs
FlexJobs is the hub of legitimate work-from-home jobs.
If you’re willing to pay the price of a large pizza, Flexjobs is an excellent place to find legit online proofreader jobs fast. They screen to make sure they are legitimate, so you don’t have to worry about job scams online.
There are jobs for all experience levels as well. So if you’re a beginner fresh out of the training I mentioned in the previous section, or a seasoned proofreader or editor, you will find plenty of online job opportunities on Flexjobs.
There are hundreds of legitimate home-based proofreading jobs that are posted on Flexjobs as of this writing.
And, get this.
Unlike other websites that hire from time-to-time, FlexJobs has legit, up-to-date job listings that are hiring right now. In other words, FlexJobs makes your job hunt so much easier.
Click here to sign up for FlexJobs and find good-paying proofreading jobs.
Best Entry-level proofreading jobs online
Don’t have proofreading experience?
No problem.
If you are just starting out as a proofreader, these are companies that are hiring beginners right now.
All of these jobs are flexible and can be done on your own schedule. You will see that some of the jobs are labeled as editing. Sometimes, editing jobs and proofreading jobs are used interchangeably, and they require a similar skill set.
Proofreadingservices. Proofreading Jobs on here pay between $19 -$46 an hour for full-time and part-time proofreading work. You will need to take a 20-minute assessment test before applying. Apply here.
Domainite. This is an online marketing company that regularly hires editors and proofreaders. Acceptance as an editor or proofreader depends firstly on proofreading the blurb given on the application page. Apply here.
Jobsforeditors. Online proofreaders and editors can find reliable freelance work on Jobsforeditors. Your pay on Jobsforeditors will depend on the project. Simple proofreading projects can pay between $5-$7 an hour whereas more complex proofreading projects can pay up to $15 per hour. Apply here.
ProofreadingPal. They are hiring proofreaders who have a college degree from a United States university or are at least enrolled in one with a 3.5 GPA. Earnings range between $500 and $3000 per month. Apply here.
Gramlee. They are a company that is regularly hiring online editors and proofreaders. If you are entry-level, the pay may not be that good, but if you have experience, the pay is solid. Click here to see if Gramlee is hiring.
Best high-paying proofreading jobs online
In addition to a college degree, these online proofreading jobs are going to require experience as a proofreader, editor, transcriber, or other related fields.
Scribendi. Earn between $15-$20 for freelance proofreading. Major requirements include a bachelor’s degree, 5 years experience in proofreading, editing or a related field, and the ability to proofread 1000-1500 words per hour. Apply here.
ProofreadingNow. Since 1999, this company prides itself on providing high-quality proofreading and editing for businesses. To get hired, you will need to pass their employment tests and have about 5-years of experience related to proofreading. They do pay well, however! Click here to see if ProofreadingNow.
Scribbr. This company helps students improve their academic papers. Pay is between $25-$30 per hour. Click here to start the hiring process for Scribbr’s editing team.
PureContent. They are currently hiring on a project-to-project basis. Pay depends on the depth of the individual editing or proofreading project. Contact jobs@purecontent.com or apply here.
CactusGlobal. If you are well-versed in the medical field, CactusGlobal is hiring specialist proofreaders and editors for manuscripts. You can make between $1200 to $4000 per month depending on your availability. Apply here. Read more about their other work-from-home jobs here.
BabbleType. This company primarily hires online transcriptionists; however, they do hire proofreaders on occasion. A bachelor’s degree and several years of proofreading experience are required. They pay up to $15 an hour. Apply here.
PolishedPaper. Most of the remote proofreading jobs offered here will be academic-based. Pay depends on the complexity of the project, turnaround time, and the number of words. You will need to pass their 35-question editor test to be considered for a position. Apply here.
Book Editing Associates. They are in regular need of proofreaders with at least 5 years’ experience with traditional or self-published books. To be considered, you will need to send your resume and pass a short copy editing and proofreading exam. Click here to apply.
Best Freelance Proofreading Jobs from Home
Upwork As a freelance proofreader, Upwork is a great platform to offer your services. Go here to get an idea of the kind of proofreading services other people offer. Post your services here.
Reedsy. On Reedsy, you get paid to proofread or edit self-published books. Reedsy takes a 10% commission off anything your earnings. According to their data, the average proofreader on Reedsy makes $600 for every 60,000 words proofread at a rate of $0.01 per word. Apply here.
Fiverr. This is another popular platform to offer your proofreading or related services. Freelance gigs or services on Fiverr start at $5. Once you get good reviews and a nice portfolio, you can easily start charging more. Apply here.
Peopleperhour. This is a platform where you can find a good amount of entry-level proofreading jobs. I don’t recommend trying to make a living here, but instead to get a job and build your resume. Apply here.
Any questions or feedback? Feel free to comment below.
If this post has helped you get a job or make money, I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below!
This was a super helpful article, thank you! Given the topic of this article, I do gave to mention a missing ‘know’ at the beginning when asking “how do you (know) if proofreading is right for you?” This is why I know it’s right for me! Lol- I do actually enjoy reading and trying to spot any errors. Again, thank you. I can’t wait to start my journey :)
And your reply had a typo in it as well: you wrote …” I do gave to mention”…,
should be “have to mention”. Sorry, can’t help myself!
Thank you for the information. I was thinking of extra income and these are great opportunities to try.
Hi! Any company that hires people in other countries, who do not have a SSN and have a really good, advanced level in English? Or is this only for people who have a SSN?
Thank you so much dear Greg for sharing this valuable information and guidance for beginners like me. Kudos to you. And may God bless you abundantly with success in all your endeavours.
Hey, I was thinking of doing work from home jobs but didn’t get the idea that what exactly I should do for it. After that, I read your amazing blog and as I can catch grammar mistakes easily I decided to start a Proofreader job from home. Thank you for the helpful article.