Scribbr is a website that claims you can earn by editing documents. So, if you are an editor/proofreader looking for a side hustle, you might be thinking about signing up for it.
However, before you hit the sign-up button, I suggest you read this Scribbr review because it will give you the lowdown on what Scribbr offers. Then, you can properly identify if it is a great way to earn extra cash or not.
So, let’s dive in.
What is Scribbr, and what does it offer?
Scribbr is a legit professional editing company specializing in helping students and researchers achieve their academic goals. They do this by providing editing and proofreading services. So, to earn from it, you must become one of their editors.
Now, to find out if it is a great way to earn extra cash, you must first understand how it works. The only way to do that is to take a look at the earning opportunity it offers so you will have a clear idea of how much time you need to invest in it and how well you can earn from it.
So, here’s how to earn from Scribbr.
The earning opportunity – Assignments
Once you become a Scribbr editor, you’ll be asked to set your availability. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be assigned editing projects according to your schedule preference.
The assignment will tell you how much you can earn to complete it, the deadline, as well as all the necessary information you need (e.g. format style).
Now, it’s up to you if you decide to accept the assignment or not, which is a good thing because you don’t have to work if you don’t want to. They won’t hold it against you if you decline the assignment. Just make sure to provide a valid reason.
When there is a new order for you, they will send you an email, an SMS, and a notification via your Scribbr account on their website. You must decide in a timely fashion if you want to accept the assignment or not.
If you accept the assignment, the document you have to edit will be sent to you. These documents will usually be dissertations, research papers, and theses. You will use Microsoft Word when editing these documents, so make sure you have it installed on your computer.
The payment rate will be on a per-word basis, and I will explain how their payment system works in the next section. What’s good about working as an editor for Scribbr is that you’ll receive assignments on a semi-regular basis.
Recommended: Check Out the Best Online Proofreading Jobs
How do you get paid?
Every time you complete an assignment, you will earn a certain amount, and it will be credited to your Scribbr account. However, it’s not exactly clear how they will pay you. Based on my experience, sites like this usually use a convenient payment method like PayPal or direct bank transfer.
What’s clear, though, is that they will pay you every two weeks. This means you don’t have to earn a specific amount to receive your earnings. As long as you’ve earned something within that time, you’ll receive your earnings because Scribbr will process it automatically.
Overall, I would say Scribbr's payment method is relatively straightforward. If you are interested in more sites that use a convenient payment method, I recommend you check out the top sites that pay via direct bank transfer.
How much money can you make?
The amount you can earn will depend on how many assignments you can complete before payday. As mentioned earlier, you’ll receive assignments regularly, so there’s no lack of opportunity to earn, in my opinion.
As for the amount you can earn, the usual rate you can expect will be approximately €20 to €30 per hour, which is quite a competitive rate, in my opinion. Just keep in mind that the per-word rate for each order is determined by the turnaround time and the type of editing service you must provide.
So, you can’t expect to earn that much amount all the time. That being said, I would still say that its earning potential is quite decent and well within the market rate for freelance editors and proofreaders.
Can you use it on mobile?
Due to the nature of the work that needs to be done, you’ll really need to use a computer if you want to earn from Scribbr. However, you can still access the editor’s dashboard using your phone since it is optimized for mobile use.
In fact, Scribbr recommends it since they will send you a notification via SMS, email, and through the editor dashboard when assignments are available. When that happens, you can log in to the dashboard using your mobile device to see if you should accept it.
The dashboard is also intuitive, so you will easily get used to navigating it. That’s why I would say the overall user experience it provides is relatively pleasant.
Who can join Scribbr?
Earning from Scribbr is relatively easy. What’s hard is actually getting accepted as one of their editors. You see, the application process to become a Scribbr editor is quite long.
It involves three phases. As shown in the photo above, the first phase is the test quiz. For this, you’ll be asked to answer a quiz about grammar and editing style. It will take roughly 30 minutes to finish, and only 2% of applicants pass this quiz, so it’s quite challenging.
If you pass this phase, you’ll be asked to edit a test document. This is the part where you get to showcase your editing skills. Editing the test document can take up to two hours to finish, so make sure you have enough time when you work on it.
If Scribbr likes your work, you’ll be invited to participate in the Scribbr Academy, which is a training course for editors. This is the final phase of the application, and the duration will depend on your experience as an editor.
Experienced editors will only take around 4 to 6 hours to finish the course, while editors with less than two years of experience will take up to 16 hours to finish it. If you manage to complete the course, Scribbr will make the final evaluation to see if they will accept you as one of their freelance editors.
They are quite strict about who they accept because they are really very particular about providing quality work to their clients. If you are new to editing, you still have a chance of getting accepted, provided you have exceptional skills as an editor.
Another thing you must know is that they are not always accepting new applications, so if you want to apply and there are no vacancies, you must check back regularly to see if they are hiring again.
As you can see, getting accepted as a Scribbr editor is no easy task, which is why I would say it is not for everyone. You have to be a very skilled editor to even be considered.
The good thing though, is that they accept applicants from all over the world as long as you are a native speaker of a specific language such as English, French, Dutch, or German. You do have to have a bachelor’s degree to apply.
Can you get support?
If you have questions about the site, you can check out the FAQ page. It discusses some of the basic topics you need to know about Scribbr. But if you have editing questions, you must contact the support team to resolve them.
Fortunately, they do provide a few ways for you to contact support. You can email them directly at info@scribbr.com, or you can chat with their live support. You can also just call their hotline number if you want to speak to a representative immediately.
You will also have access to a lot of resources to help you with your editing assignments. Plus, they do offer mentorships if you want to improve your editing skills.
Overall, I would say the site does provide good support to its editors since they do provide ways to help you be a successful Scribbr editor.
Final Verdict
Scribbr is a legit site that will let you earn by editing documents. It has a couple of good features, but it also has certain limitations you must consider.
To help you decide, I have summarized its pros and cons so you can get a clear overview of what it offers.
Pros:
- Offers good pay
- Available worldwide
Cons:
- The application process is quite long
- Requires a certain level of skill to even be considered
In my opinion, Scribbr is not for everyone because they are very particular about who they accept as one of their freelance editors. The application process is quite long, and you must have a bachelor's degree to even be considered.
You have to be an exceptional editor to work for them. Now, if you are confident about your editing skills, then I suggest you give it a try because if you get accepted, you’ll earn a decent amount since they pay well.
But if you are new to editing/proofreading, I suggest you check out the best online proofreading jobs instead. You can find sites that will be suitable for you in this list.
Now, if you don’t want to rely on a website to get opportunities to earn by editing or proofreading, the best thing you can do is to create your own online business so you are not dependent on getting hired by others. If that is what you are interested in, I suggest you check out this guide on how to build your own online business.
It will teach you how to set up your online business so you can get editing or proofreading leads even when you sleep.
If you have any comments, questions, or experiences with Scribbr, I would love to hear from you in a comment below.