30 Online Proofreading Jobs For Beginners In 2023

Do you want a job where you can work from home? There are so many online jobs available now, with one of them being proofreading.

If you have an eagle eye for spelling mistakes and an appreciation for good grammar, then proofreading online could be the perfect job for you.

In this article, we are going to look at what proofreading is and the various places where you can find jobs for proofreading.

What Is Proofreading?

You may be wondering what proofreading actually is, as it’s not really an everyday job that people you know may have.

Proofreading is where you will be tasked with checking over documents to ensure that there are no spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors.

How Much Do Proofreaders Make?

The amount that you can make as a proofreader can vary quite a bit, but the average salary is around $45,000. When you look at hourly rate statistics, proofreaders earn around $12-$30 per hour.

How To Become A Proofreader?

If you have decided that proofreading is for you, then it’s time to look at how you can make that happen!

What skills or degrees are required to be an online proofreader?

You don’t need a degree to work as a proofreader, although it can be advantageous to have one when applying for roles (as it always is with job hunting!).

The main skills that you will need as a proofreader are a good eye for spotting mistakes, a good understanding of grammar and punctuation, and an eye for detail.

Where can I get proofreading training at home?

There are many proofreading courses and training that you can do at home, but one of our favorites is a course called Proofread Anywhere.

How Do I Find Online Proofreading Jobs?

Luckily, there are lots of places where you can find online proofreading jobs. Let’s take a look at some:

30 Proofreading Jobs Online For Beginners

1. Fiverr

Fiverr is one of the best places to head to when you are just starting your work online journey.

It’s called Fiverr as the lowest fee that you can charge there is $5, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only price you can offer!

You can look at what other sellers are charging for their proofreading services on Fiverr to get an idea of what to charge for proofreading.

2. Upwork

Upwork is one of the most popular sites out there for freelancers as there is so much work available on there for decent fees.

It works like a marketplace where you can browse different types of available jobs, but you will need to add a profile to get work there.

3. Flexjobs

FlexJobs is another online marketplace where you can browse for job opportunities. It’s not just small companies that are looking for applicants there – they also cater to companies such as Apple, Xerox, and Dell, to name a few!

You can search for proofreading jobs there, and don’t forget that if you want to work from home, you won’t need to filter by location.

4. Freelancer

Freelancer.com is another one of the most popular job sites out there to get freelance work, including proofreading.

It is similar to Upwork in the way that it’s used – you will need to fill out a decent profile to get work on Freelancer.

5. Wordvice

There are lots of proofreading jobs available at Wordvice, which offer professional proofreading and editing services.

You can find which roles are available by looking at the Jobs section on the website; although they say that they are always looking for freelance editors and translators, they do ask that for these roles you have extensive experience and a relevant degree.

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6. Start Your Own Proofreading Business

Have you thought about starting your own proofreading business? Nothing is stopping you!

The great thing about doing this is choosing your own hours, clients, and workload. It is also a great way to build up your experience.

Make sure that you set your business up properly, including all of the legal sides of things. You will then want to create a website and social media to promote your business on.

7. Writer’s Relief

Writer’s Relief is a website set up to help writers make submissions to literary agents and editors. 

You can work as a proofreader for the site to help creative writers put together their perfect submission – you just need to fill out an application form, but please note that they only accept people in the United States.

8. CACTUS Communications

CACTUS Communications offers the usual full-time and contractual jobs, but they also provide an opportunity to work from home with freelance roles.

You will have to look at their jobs board to see if there are any current proofreading job openings for you.

They use a workflow management system so that you can see the overall picture of your work and how it fits in with the client.

9. Amazon Proofreading Jobs

Did you know that you can get a job as a proofreader on Amazon? They may call it a different name, such as ‘Content Quality Associate’ – but they’re on there!

You can search on the Amazon job section of the website by job type, location, contract hours, and more. It’s worth checking what kind of experience and qualifications they require, as they do want quite a lot!

10. ProofreadingServices.com

ProofreadingServices.com, offer both full-time and part-time remote proofreading jobs, and they say that you can apply from any country.

The pay is between $19 – $46 per hour depending on what the turnaround time is – you can get paid to edit papers when the jobs are more urgent.

To apply, you will need to complete a 20-minute test with a short writing sample involved and some grammatical questions.

11. Lionbridge

Lionbridge is an awesome site if you are looking for a job where you work from home online. They have so many different types of jobs available, including proofreading.

The average pay at Lionbridge for a proofreader is between $24 – $27 per hour. They are particularly looking for people who speak multiple languages.

12. SmartBrief

SmartBrief is a digital media publisher of business news through websites, events, and magazines.

You can search on the site for relevant roles and fill out an application form, attaching your resume and cover letter.

13. LinkedIn

Some people think of LinkedIn as a site where you just list out all of the jobs you’ve ever had, but it’s a great place to find new jobs.

It can also be a great place to be head-hunted by recruiters – so sometimes you could just put your job info on and wait to see what happens!

14. Polished Paper

At Polished Paper you can get a role as an editor – they say they are looking for exceptional editors!

To apply, register for a user account and upload your resume. You will then have to complete a 35-question test (they allow you to use outside resources to help you with this).

15. Reedsy

Reedsy is a site where writers can get the support they need with a book they are writing. They offer help from editors, designers, publicists, marketers, ghostwriters, and web designers.

To apply for jobs on Reedsy, you first need to create a profile and list out your skills, your portfolio, and any previous experience that you have. This application will need to be accepted before it is shown on the site.

Reedsy is a bit different from other sites in that the clients can only request quotes from 5 freelancers at a time.

They say that for a 60,000-word book, the average that a proofreader charges on the site is $700.

16. ProofreadingPal

At ProofreadingPal, they have a system where two separate proofreaders proofread everything. The proofreading includes grammar, spelling, punctuation, verb tense, and capitalization.

ProofreadingPal says that their proofreaders typically earn on average between $500 – $3000 each month.

To apply for a job here, you will have to be/have one of the following:

• Graduate or postgraduate in a US college or University with a minimum GPA of 3.5
• Have a graduate degree with a minimum of 5 years of professional proofreading experience

17. OneSpace Freelancers

On this site, they say that if you don’t see an open position for a job you are after, you can submit an application, and they will contact you if one comes up.

It’s a straightforward application to work for OneSpace Freelancers, but they say you may have to complete an assessment if your application is chosen.

18. Craigslist

To find proofreading jobs on Craigslist, you can look in the section of the site called the “Writing and Editing” section.

You can filter by location or even select to work from home. The job posts on their work like the usual job sites.

19. Clickworker

Clickworker is another popular proofreading site. Perfect for the entry-level proofreader.

The basic requirements of Clickworker are having an excellent command of your native language, enjoying making corrections, and working to the job instructions.

Jump on their website to sign up for Clickworker and take the required tests necessary.

However, before becoming a proofreader, you must get experience as a texter – you will need to qualify as an author and then do some text creation jobs – all before you take the proofreader assessment test.

20. EditFast

EditFast is entirely upfront on their site by saying that when you sign up to their site, it does not mean that you are guaranteed work – it just means that you are eligible to receive work, and clients can see your page.

To get started on EditFast, you will have to register and then complete the following steps:

• Resume Builder
• Editing Tests
• Non-disclosure agreement
• Web Page Builder

The next step is waiting to see if EditFast approves your submitted information. If they do, you will receive a notification that your web page and profile have been activated.

It’s worth noting that if you work through EditFast, they take 40% of the final project price.

21. MediaBistro

MediaBistro is a popular job board for media and content professionals. The great thing about MediaBistro is that as well as being able to search the job board, they also provide online courses where you can learn new skills and develop your career further.

You can select “Proofreading Jobs” to filter by just those on the job board. 

22. Domainite

Domainite is good when you are just starting out – however it’s not very well paid, but there should be a lot of jobs available on there for you to get your experience in. Then once you’ve gained experience, move to a better paying company.

23. Scribbr

To sign up to Scribbr, you will need to complete the following steps:

• Complete their language quiz
• If you pass the language quiz, you will need to complete a motivation statement and upload your resume for them to review
• Complete a language editing assessment
• Complete two training orders before you are allowed to take on a real order for a customer

24. Writing Jobz

I just want to start this by saying that we really love the look of this website! They say that they provide opportunities for both beginner and advanced writers for many different jobs, including proofreading.

There are new jobs added to the site daily. To apply, you need to fill in your information, background, and areas of interest. Once you have completed your application, you will need to undertake a language test.

25. Scribe Media

Scribe Media is the place you want to go if you are looking for help with professional publishing for your book.

To join Scribe Media, you just need to look on their Careers page and see if there are any positions open for proofreaders.

There are fantastic benefits offered at Scribe Media – including health insurance, 401(k) with a 3% company match, tuition and education reimbursement, six weeks of PTO per year with extras, and more!

26. Guru

Guru is another awesome website for freelancers to find jobs. You can search for “proofreading jobs” there and apply for the ones that are the best fit for you.

When you see a job you would like to put yourself forward for, you must send a quote over to the customer.

27. Scribendi

Scribendi says that their team is a hand-picked elite team – so you better be on your A-game if you are going to work for them!

You can apply if you live anywhere in the world, but you need to be able to accept payment in USD.

To apply for roles on Scribendi, you will usually need to send over a resume and cover letter detailing your experience and your salary expectations.

28. Gramlee

If you are looking for a proofreading job, you will want to apply for an editing job at Gramlee.

It’s easy to apply – you need to fill out their application form with your details and answer some job-related questions.

29. ManagedEditing

To work at ManagedEditing, you will have to have a college degree and five years of experience.

You will need to complete their application form on their site – they say that it is very detailed, so you need to make sure you have enough time to sit down and fill it all out.

30. Kirkus Media

You will want to keep checking back in for freelance proofreading positions at Kirkus Media – once you have found a role you want to apply for, send over your resume and any examples of work. 

How To Get Started As A Entry Level Proofreader

Proofreading is a great job to have even when you are a beginner, as you don’t need qualifications to do the role.

If you are just getting started, it is worth looking into what is expected of you as a proofreader – it will, of course, vary from job to job but, some standard things will be expected of you.

Proofreaders tend to use the same kinds of operating systems and style guides, so it’s worth brushing up on these.

There are lots of proofreading courses (both free and paid) that you can take to acquire some proofreading skills and practice.

The best thing to do is to try and do as much proofreading as possible and build your client base up by taking on small jobs to get your eye in.

Pros and Cons of Being a Freelance Proofreader

Let’s look at some pros and cons of being a freelance proofreader:

Pros

• There is a low barrier to entry
• You can do this sort of work from anywhere – home, on your travels, etc
• You don’t need to have any experience to get started
• If this is something that comes naturally to you, the work can be very easy and something that you really enjoy
• The pay can be decent, especially when you get some experience under your belt

Cons

• You may find the work you’re doing boring
• The clients could be difficult to work with
• The pay may not be the best when you are first starting out

FAQs – Proofreading Jobs From Home No Experience

Can you really edit papers for money?

Yes, you really can! Think about it – there are so many pieces of content that are being created every day. There are blog posts, essays, social media content, books, academic papers, and much more! If you were part of a large company producing all of these, wouldn’t you want to double-check that they were all ok?

We often think that our work is error-free, but it’s really hard to spot errors in our own content.

There are plenty of people who are willing to pay good money for you to check over their work, especially if they produce a lot of content or are low on time. That’s actually why it can be a good idea to target large corporations for work.

Are proofreading jobs remote?

There are exceptions to the rule, but most proofreading jobs are remote, which is perfect if you need a position where you can work from your own home or travel.

When you are looking for proofreading jobs online, you can usually filter your search to see if the job offered is a remote one or not.

Is proofreading as a side hustle a good idea?

Proofreading is a good side hustle if it is something that you are interested in and if you don’t have a lot of experience.

When you are first starting out in the world of work or perhaps getting back into it, proofreading could be the best kind of role for you.

As most proofreading roles are remote, they often offer the flexibility to do it part-time or as a proofreading side hustle.

We are big fans of side hustles, as you can use the extra cash that you make to make progress towards your financial goals, such as paying down debt or saving for a family vacation.

Editing work vs. proofreading jobs

Many people think that editing and proofreading jobs are the same, but they aren’t. A proofreader is someone who checks for obvious mistakes such as spelling or grammar.

An editor is someone who goes more in-depth and fixes bigger mistakes – string to make the content the best piece of content it can be. They will be looking more at how a sentence is structured. 

Entry Level Proofreading Jobs Online – Final Thoughts

If you are thinking about getting an entry-level proofreading job, hopefully, this article will have helped you see that there are a lot of sites out there where you can find proofreading jobs.

We love proofreading as a job as it’s accessible to anyone. It can be very enriching when you have helped produce an excellent piece of work.

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