Proofreading Services is a website that claims you can find full-time and part-time positions for proofreaders. So, if you are in the market for a job or a side hustle, you might be considering registering as a member.
But before you hit the sign-up button, I urge you to read this Proofreading Services review because it will show you all you need to know. That way, you’ll know how it works and what to expect from it so you can properly figure out if it is the right opportunity for you or not.
So, let’s go ahead and dive in, shall we?
What is Proofreading Services, and what does it offer?
As the name suggests, Proofreading Services is a website that specializes in providing proofreading services to its clients. And yes, it is a legit site since you can really earn if you become one of their proofreaders.
However, that doesn’t automatically mean that it is a good fit for you. To find out if you should sign up, you must first understand how it works. The only way to do that is to check out the earning opportunity it offers. That way, you’ll have a clear picture of how well you can earn and how much time is needed to earn from it.
So, here’s how to earn from Proofreading Services.
The earning opportunity – Proofreading jobs
If you get accepted as one of their proofreaders, you’ll be given access to the member dashboard. This is where you can find everything you need to earn. Most of the time (if not always), Proofreading Services will assign a job for you once you get accepted as one of their proofreaders.
Usually, these are just part-time jobs where you will have to edit/proofread documents like dissertations, essays, manuscripts, theses, and more. Each job will indicate the turnaround time/deadline, so you must make sure you can comply with the deadline before you accept a job.
The longest turnaround time I found while testing the site was 7 days, and the shortest was 3 hours, so you’ll definitely find varying jobs in terms of deadline/turnaround time.
Now, each job will pay you by the hour and the rate will range from $19 to $46 per hour depending on the urgency and turnaround time of the job. Of course, the more urgent the job is, the higher the rate will be.
There are a decent number of jobs available at any given time, and some of them are even from renowned companies or even government agencies. That shows how popular Proofreading Services is. I would even go as far as to say that it is one of the most popular proofreading service sites today because it is being used by renowned schools and companies.
Recommended: Check Out Best Online Proofreading Jobs
How do you get paid?
As explained above, you will earn a certain amount per hour you work on a job. Unfortunately, Proofreading Services doesn’t really have any information regarding how they pay their proofreaders. I was also not able to get to the point where I was able to withdraw my earnings while I was testing the site.
But from what I can gather, Proofreading Services will either pay you via PayPal or via direct bank transfer for every job you complete. Based on my experience, since it offers this service for free to you, that means they will take a cut from your earnings as part of their service fee. I’m not 100% sure about this because Proofreading Services doesn’t talk a lot about how their proofreaders get paid.
But that’s how it usually works with freelance sites that don’t have any subscription/membership fee. They take a cut from your earnings because they also have to make money from you to sustain their business.
Now, if you prefer websites that offer guaranteed convenient payment methods, I recommend you check out the top sites that pay via PayPal instead.
How much money can you make?
Proofreading Services actually pays quite well for a proofreading site. Its rates are quite competitive, so you can earn decent money from its jobs. There are also a decent number of jobs available at any given time, so you can always find an opportunity to earn.
This is why I would say the earning potential of Proofreading Services is quite decent, in my opinion. However, the main difficulty you will encounter with Proofreading Services is during the initial step, which is the application process. Later, I will explain why.
Can you use it on mobile?
Proofreading Services doesn’t have a mobile app you can download and considering the nature of the work that needs to be done to earn, you will have to use a computer to earn from it. So, there’s really no point in using it on a mobile device, in my opinion.
So, to answer the question above, no, you can’t. You must use a laptop or a desktop if you want to earn from it. Sure, you can access the member dashboard through your mobile device, but the only thing you can do is check if there are jobs available.
Who can join Proofreading Services?
What it says on the site is that it is available worldwide. So, you should be able to apply as a proofreader regardless of where you live. But the key thing you need to take note of here is that you have to apply for a proofreader position. So, there’s actually no guarantee you will be accepted as one of its proofreaders.
The application process is a bit long, and it involves taking a test. When you apply, you will actually have to take a test, and you are given 20 minutes to finish it. If you don’t finish it within that time, your application will be rejected.
The test is about how well you know your grammar and the English language. Plus, it will also ask you to write a few sentences about something. After finishing the test, you must submit your application. Then, the site will tell you that you must wait for them to contact you if you passed the test or not.
Unfortunately, Proofreading Services also doesn’t say how long you have to wait to hear back from them. All you’ll get from them is that if you pass the test and they are interested in your services, they will contact you.
Now, here’s the problem. They usually only accept 1 out of 300 applicants. This is a very low acceptance rate, which is why I would say it is very hard to get into this earning platform. They are very strict with whom they accept as proofreaders because they are very particular about the work that will be submitted to their clients.
They also usually prefer experienced proofreaders, so if you are just starting, this might not be the most ideal option for you to earn extra cash.
Can you get support?
If you have questions about the site, you can check out the FAQ page. However, as I’ve mentioned earlier, it doesn’t really talk much about the earning opportunity it offers. Most of the information you will find on the site will be about how clients can benefit from Proofreading Services.
There’s not much information about working as a proofreader for them. So, you’ll have to get in touch with the support team if you have questions about the site. To do so, you can click the Contact Us link found at the bottom of the site.
Overall, while Proofreading Services provides a convenient way for you to contact support, it would have been better if they also provided useful information about working as a proofreader for them. That way, you’ll know exactly what you are getting into. But overall, I would still say it provides decent support to its members since it offers a convenient way for you to contact support.
Final Verdict
Proofreading Services is a legit site that offers an opportunity for you to earn extra cash by working as one of their proofreaders. It has a couple of decent features, but it also has certain drawbacks you must consider.
To help you with your decision, I have summarized its pros and cons so you can get a clear picture of what it offers.
Pros:
- Offers competitive rates
- Available worldwide
Cons:
- Very selective about who they accept
- The site doesn’t provide a lot of information about the earning opportunity
- Long application process
Proofreading Services is a great website to earn extra cash working as a proofreader because it pays well. The only problem is that it’s quite hard to get accepted as a proofreader. They are very strict with whom they will accept because they are very particular about the quality of work they provide to clients.
I understand why that is. That is why I would say it is not a great site to attempt to join if you are new to proofreading. But if you are an experienced proofreader and you are confident with your skills, you will definitely want to try applying for it. It’s a great way to earn extra cash, in my opinion.
Now, if you prefer to build your own online proofreading business, I recommend you check out this guide on how to build your own online business instead. This course will teach you how to build your proofreading business so that you don’t have to rely on other websites to find opportunities to earn.
If you have any comments, questions, or experiences with Proofreading Services, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.