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If you’re looking for the best book editing and proofreading services available, I’ve got you covered! I’ve researched a multitude of companies to bring you the best of the best. Additionally, I’ve emailed most of the businesses in this article to get information that isn’t available on their websites.
Let’s learn more about these companies so you can choose the book editing service that best meets your needs.
Om Proofreading Picks for Book Proofreading and Editing
Here are my choices for the best businesses to whip your book into shape!
| Pick | Reason |
|---|---|
| Most Popular: BookBaby | They specialize in book proofreading and editing, and they have about twice as many Trustpilot reviews as any other company in this article. |
| Most Highly Rated: Proofed | They have a 4.8 (excellent) rating on Trustpilot. |
Let’s see the companies in order of highest to lowest Trustpilot rating.
The Best Businesses to Make Your Book Better
| Company | Trustpilot Rating |
|---|---|
| 1. Proofed | 4.8 (2,886)* |
| 2. Wordvice | 4.8 (292) |
| 3. WordSharp Editing and Proofreading | 4.8 (56) |
| 4. Edit911 | 4.8 (45) |
| 5. Editage | 4.7 (202) |
| 6. ProofreadingPal | 4.6 (2,199) |
| 7. PaperTrue | 4.6 (528) |
| 8. BookBaby | 4.5 (5,254) |
If you have any doubts about the difference between editing and proofreading, I address this in the first question of this article’s FAQ.
To be included in this listicle, a business had to meet the following criteria:
- specialize in or be able to work on books
- have an excellent rating on Trustpilot—a customer review website
- offer reasonable turnaround times
Best Book Editing and Proofreading Services
Now let’s look at the details of each company, including how much they charge per 10,000 words.
1) Proofed
Proofed provides proofreading and editing for a wide array of writing. They take on the complete range of fiction and nonfiction books and e-books, including the following:
- Novels
- Poetry
- Short stories
Based Where: United States (with branches in the UK, US, and Australia)
Trustpilot Rating: 4.8 (excellent) out of 2,886 reviews
Free Sample Edit: Yes, (up to 500 words) for their proofreading service. To get the sample edit, use the code 500FREE when you upload your first document.
About the Editors: They hire qualified editors who have undergone extensive training.
Notes about How It Works: The ordering process is straightforward.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 1
Services Offered: Proofreading and Editing
Proofreading: They check for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, word choice, consistency, and clarity.
Editing: Includes everything in the proofreading service, plus checking for overall structure, flow, tone, concision, and style. They also give feedback on content and writing style.
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
- Service level (proofreading or editing)
Price for Proofreading or Editing a 10,000-Word Document
| TAT | Proofreading | Editing |
|---|---|---|
| 2 days | $300 | $450 |
Get a price quote from Proofed.
2) Wordvice
Wordvice provides a combined editing and proofreading service for a wide range of texts. They handle all kinds of fiction, nonfiction, and e-books, including the following:
- Autobiographies
- Biographies
- Novels
Based Where: They have operations in the United States, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea.
Trustpilot Rating: 4.8 (excellent) out of 292 reviews
Free Sample Edit: Yes, (up to 500 words) for potential institutional and VIP clients, or individuals submitting lengthy documents
About the Editors: Their editors are native English speakers with extensive editing experience and advanced degrees (master’s and PhDs).
Notes about How It Works: The ordering process is straightforward. You can receive 50% off your order if you’re a first-time Wordvice client.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 1
Services Offered: Combined Proofreading and Editing
Combined Proofreading and Editing: They check for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, formatting, word choice, clarity, concision, logic, tone, and flow.
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
Price for Proofreading and Editing a 10,000-Word Document
| TAT | Price |
|---|---|
| 9 hours | $930 |
| 13 hours | $790 |
| 24 hours | $540 |
| 2 days | $460 |
| 3 days | $430 |
| 7 days | $400 |
Get a price quote from Wordvice.
3) WordSharp Editing and Proofreading
WordSharp offers combined proofreading and editing for a broad range of texts. They work on the full range of fiction and nonfiction books and e-books, including the following:
- Biographies
- Novels
- Short stories
Based Where: United States
Trustpilot Rating: 4.8 (excellent) out of 56 reviews
Free Sample Edit: Yes
About the Editors: They’re native English speakers with at least five years of editing experience.
A Note about How It Works: WordSharp provides the current turnaround time on their home page.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 1
Services Offered: Combined Proofreading and Editing
Combined Proofreading and Editing: The editors check for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and word choice. Additionally, they enhance clarity, consistency, concision, and coherence.
They also improve the book’s content, organization, tone, style, and flow.
For fiction, they improve pacing, dialogue, and character development. And, if asked, they’ll provide a brief document with suggestions for improvement.
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
Price for Proofreading and Editing a 10,000-Word Document
| TAT | Price |
|---|---|
| Displayed on Home Page | $130 |
Get a price quote from WordSharp.
4) Edit911
Edit911 provides copyediting and editing for a wide variety of documents. They handle an assortment of fiction, nonfiction, and e-books.
Based Where: United States
Trustpilot Rating: 4.8 (excellent) out of 45 reviews
Free Sample Edit: They provide a sample edit for documents of 60,000 words or more. Please see their FAQ (scroll halfway down the page) to learn more about this.
About the Editors: All of their book editors are PhDs and published authors.
Notes about How It Works: Turnaround times depend on your book’s word count and Edit911’s schedule. However, they won’t edit your document unless they can return it to you before your deadline.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 1
Services Offered: Copyediting and Editing
Copyediting (Premium Service): They check grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, word choice, sentence structure, flow, and clarity.
Editing (Premium Plus Service): Includes everything their copyediting service offers. They’ll also improve your book’s organization, language, tone, and style.
For fiction, they provide a critique of plot development and characterization.
And for nonfiction, they identify any points or arguments that lack development or support.
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
- Service level (copyediting or editing)
Price for Copyediting or Editing a 10,000-Word Document
| Service Level | Price |
|---|---|
| Premium (copyediting) | $260 |
| Premium Plus (editing) | $300 |
Get a price quote from Edit911.
5) Editage
Editage offers proofreading and editing for all kinds of documents. They handle the full scope of fiction and nonfiction books and e-books, including the following:
- Academic books of all subjects
- Novels
- Short stories
Based Where: They have offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, China, South Korea, Japan, India, and Taiwan.
Trustpilot Rating: 4.7 (excellent) out of 202 reviews
Free Sample Edit: Yes (up to 1,700 words)
About the Editors: Their editors are experts with experience editing manuscripts of various genres.
Notes about How It Works: You choose either the standard or consultative editing plan, fill in a bit of info, and upload your document. They send you a customized price quote within one business hour.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 1
Services Offered: Proofreading and Editing
Proofreading (Standard Plan): They check grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, word choice, and sentence structure.
Editing (Consultative Plan): Everything included in their proofreading service, plus checking for character development, plot, and pacing for fiction.
For nonfiction, they improve core concepts to enhance engagement.
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
- Editing plan
Price: For the standard plan, the base price is $0.017 per word (tax not included) for documents up to 10,000 words.
For the consultative plan, the base price is $0.025 per word (tax not included) for up to 10,000 words.
For both services, you’ll need to pay a higher rate if you have a tight turnaround time.
Editage provides customized quotes for documents over 10,000 words.
Price for Proofreading or Editing a 10,000-Word Document
| Plan | Price |
|---|---|
| Standard (proofreading) | $170 |
| Consultative (editing) | $250 |
Get a price quote from Editage.
6) ProofreadingPal
ProofreadingPal offers proofreading for all kinds of documents. They provide combined proofreading and copyediting for the complete range of fiction and nonfiction books and e-books, including the following:
- Children’s books
- How-to books
- Memoirs
- Novels
- Short stories
- Training manuals
Based Where: United States
Trustpilot Rating: 4.6 (excellent) out of 2,199 reviews
Free Sample Edit: Yes (up to 400 words)
About the Editors: They only hire competent copy editors and proofreaders. Many of them have a master’s degree or a PhD.
Notes about How It Works: For manuscripts over 15,000 words, you can call their office for a custom quote.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 1 or 2 (you choose)
Services Offered: Combined Proofreading and Copyediting
Combined Proofreading and Copyediting: They check for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, style, clarity, and consistency. They also provide recommendations to improve various elements of your writing (e.g., genre conventions, point of view).
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
- Number of proofreaders
Price for Proofreading and Copyediting a 10,000-Word Document
| TAT | 1 Proofreader | 2 Proofreaders |
|---|---|---|
| 10 hours | $310 | $490 |
| 24 hours | $280 | $440 |
| 36 hours | $240 | $380 |
| 2 days | $210 | $340 |
| 3 days | $190 | $300 |
| 5 days | $180 | $290 |
| 7 days | $180 | $280 |
Get a price quote from ProofreadingPal.
7) PaperTrue
PaperTrue offers combined proofreading and copyediting for all types of texts, including fiction, nonfiction, and e-books.
Based Where: They have locations in the United States, India, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
Trustpilot Rating: 4.6 (excellent) out of 528 reviews (PaperTrue is listed as TrulySet on Trustpilot.)
Free Sample Edit: Yes (up to 300 words)
About the Editors: Their expert editors are native English speakers who have years of experience in book editing and proofreading.
Notes about How It Works: The ordering process is straightforward.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 2
Services Offered: Combined Proofreading and Copyediting
Combined Proofreading and Copyediting: The editors check for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, formatting, word choice, and sentence structure. They also enhance clarity, consistency, concision, and coherence. Finally, they improve the book’s content, organization, tone, style, and point of view.
For fiction, they make recommendations to further develop the plot, characters, and setting.
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
Note: The chart below is for their “Premium” service, which does not use AI editing.
Price for Proofreading and Copyediting a 10,000-Word Document
| TAT | Price |
|---|---|
| 2 days | $350 |
| 3 days | $270 |
| 7 days | $249 |
| 10 days | $228 |
Get a price quote from PaperTrue.
8) BookBaby
BookBaby works with authors who want to publish, print, and sell their books, including e-books. They work with all types of fiction and nonfiction books and e-books, including the following:
- Biographies
- Children’s books
- Comic books
- Cookbooks
- Religious/spiritual books
- Textbooks
Based Where: United States
Trustpilot Rating: 4.5 (excellent) out of 5,254 reviews
Free Sample Edit: Yes. They’ll line edit or copyedit (you choose) up to 1,250 words of your manuscript.
About the Editors: They hire experienced and qualified editors, many of whom have worked with best-selling authors.
Notes about How It Works: The turnaround time for your document depends on the word count; however, the estimated delivery time for a manuscript is six to ten business days.
Number of Editors Assigned to Document: 1
Services Offered: Proofreading, Copyediting, and Line Editing
Proofreading: They check grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
Copyediting: Basic proofreading plus checking for word choice, sentence structure, clarity, concision, and consistency. For fiction, they check for consistency in the plot, characters, and setting.
I penned a post about how proofreading and copyediting differ if you’d like a more detailed explanation.
Line editing: Basic proofreading plus improving the content, organization, flow, tone, style, voice, language usage, consistency, and concision. They’ll also provide suggestions to improve your book. For fiction, they’ll enhance character development, plot, and pacing.
Factors that Influence Price:
- Word count
- Turnaround time
- Service level (proofreading, copyediting, or line editing)
Price for Proofreading, Copyediting, or Line Editing a 10,000-Word Document
| Service Level | TAT | Price* |
|---|---|---|
| Proofreading | 6–8 days | $150 |
| Copyediting | 7–9 days | $250 |
| Line Editing | 8–10 days | $400 |
Get a price quote from BookBaby.
Now let’s look at some common questions related to book proofreading and editing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an editor and a proofreader?
When we think about editors, we usually have developmental editors in mind. These individuals improve a book’s content and organization. For fiction books, developmental editors refine the pacing and enhance the book’s plot and character development.
Proofreaders eliminate punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and spelling mistakes that remain after previous editing stages.
Here’s a look at the roles of various editors and the proofreader. In book publishing, the editing process begins with developmental editing and ends with proofreading.
| Type of Professional | What They Do |
|---|---|
| Developmental Editor | Adds/subtracts/reorganizes entire sections of text to improve the overall content and structure |
| Line Editor | Refines the language to improve flow, clarity, and consistency in style and tone |
| Copy Editor | Makes writing correct, comprehensive, consistent, clear, and concise; fixes mistakes with sentence structure |
| Proofreader | Corrects errors with grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and basic formatting issues; checks for repeated, omitted, and misused words |
What is the going rate for editing a book?
According to a survey given to Editorial Freelancers Association members in 2023, developmental editors charge $.03–$.073 per word. The price varies based on the book’s genre.
So it would cost $1,800–$4,380 for a developmental edit of a 60,000-word book. However, it will likely cost more if you have a tight turnaround time or a book requiring more extensive work than is typical.
To get an estimate for developmental editing from an online proofreading and editing company, I suggest carefully reading the editing service description since it varies from one business to the next.
Then, use the company’s price calculator to plug in factors like word count, turnaround time, and genre (if applicable). That way, you’ll receive an accurate and customized price quote.
What is the average rate for proofreading services?
The average rate for proofreading services is about 3–6 cents per word if you hire a proofreading service. This translates to $300–$600 per 10,000 words.
If you hired a freelance proofreader, it would cost roughly 1–3 cents per word. That comes to $100–$300 per 10,000 words.
It’s important to note that a fast turnaround time, a highly technical text, or a document riddled with mistakes will result in a higher fee.
I hope this article has helped you decide which book editing and proofreading company makes the most sense for you.
Best wishes to you!
“There’s a quiet comfort in knowing I have not yet crossed paths with all of the people who will bring magic into my life.”
– S.M. Klees
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