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As a trained proofreader, I can tell you about the best free proofreading courses on the market. We’ll explore a few low-cost options too. I’ll let you know which ones give you a certificate of completion for finishing the class or passing the final assessment.
We’ll also see who would benefit from these classes and who may want to avoid them.
Om Proofreading Picks for the Best Free Classes
Here are my top two choices for the best free proofreading courses.
| Pick | Reason |
|---|---|
| Best Overall: Proofread Like a Pro | it’s a highly rated course on a popular platform, and it’s available with a free trial |
| Best for Convenience: An Introduction to Proofreading | you don’t have to sign up for a free trial, and class has earned CPD certification |
Proofread Like a Pro is number one on my list for the following reasons:
- The class is included with Udemy’s free trial and is a bestseller on the platform.
- The teacher won Udemy’s 2019 Award for Student Success.
- The instructor has a wealth of relevant experience and expertise.
- It has one of the highest ratings for a proofreading course on Udemy.
- It’s reasonably priced if purchased alone (without a subscription).
Let’s look at the best options for free and low-cost proofreading courses.
Best Free Proofreading Courses + Low-Cost Options
| Course | Included in Free Trial? | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Proofread Like a Pro (Udemy) | Yes | 4.5 |
| An Introduction to Proofreading (Alison) | Free (No Trial Needed) | High |
| Writing Editing Masterclass (Skillshare) | Yes | High |
| Editing and Proofreading Masterclass (Skillshare) | Yes | High |
| How to Find & Correct Writing Errors (Udemy) | No | 4.6 |
| Writing Proofreading Course (Udemy) | No | 4.3 |
Please note that prices, ratings, and other details are subject to change. I’ve included links to all the classes so you can see the most up-to-date information.
The Price for These Proofreading Classes
Whether a course can be free on Udemy or Skillshare depends on whether the class is available with a free trial. Only new subscribers are eligible for a free trial on either platform.
Top-Notch Tip: You can often find Udemy and Skillshare’s classes for a significant discount.
Alison’s proofreading class is free for everyone who signs up (no membership required).
Here’s a quick look at the cost of subscribing to these platforms.
Subscription Plans for Udemy, Alison, and Skillshare
| Course Provider | Monthly Cost | Yearly Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Udemy | it depends* | it depends* |
| Alison | €7.99 (about $9.00) | €79.00 (about $88.00) |
| Skillshare | N/A | it depends** |
Note: Udemy subscriptions are not currently available to students everywhere; however, they’re working to make their subscriptions available to more learners in the future (source).
A subscription to one of these platforms gives you access to thousands of courses taught by working professionals and industry experts so you can learn new skills for a reasonable price.
Access to the classes ends when you terminate your subscription.
Do You Earn a Certificate of Completion?
Let’s see which providers offer certificates with their respective courses.
| Course Provider | Certificate Awarded? |
|---|---|
| Udemy | Yes |
| Alison | Available for Purchase |
| Skillshare | No |
Before we dive into the details of each class, let’s see who these courses are best suited to, how I decided which ones to include in this list, and how I organized the list.
What to Know about Free Proofreading Courses
Before we begin, please know that free and low-cost classes aren’t suitable for providing adequate training for aspiring proofreaders.
Although you can become a proofreader in a fraction of the time required to get a college degree, you still need adequate training and practice.
Competition exists in every sector, and the proofreading industry is no exception.
It’s illogical to think that a free or inexpensive course lasting a matter of hours could be comprehensive enough to prepare you to earn the rates that professional proofreaders get paid.
If you have any doubts about this, I encourage you to ask successful proofreaders for their opinions.
But if you want to become a professional proofreader, don’t worry. I can still help you. 😊
The FAQ at the end of this article contains all the information you need to take your next step.
Who Should Take a Free (or Low-Cost) Proofreading Class?
These classes are best suited to the following:
- folks wanting to improve their proofreading skills for job-related purposes
- students wishing to boost their proofreading proficiency to earn better grades
- people who are unsure whether being a proofreader is a good fit for them
- proofreaders wanting to brush up on their skills or get additional training
- those who’d like to volunteer as proofreaders
Now, let’s look at the standards a course had to meet to be included in this article.
Criteria for the Courses
I came up with specific criteria for evaluating the courses I researched. To make the list, classes needed to meet the following requirements:
- a high rating (4.0 or above for Udemy courses)
- ratings from a minimum of 300 students
- at least one hour of video content
How I Organized the List
Since you’d likely prefer a free course over a low-cost one, I’ve included the courses available with a free trial first.
For the reasons I mentioned, the Udemy class is number one. Next comes the Alison class since you don’t need to sign up for a free trial.
Then come the Skillshare classes, which are available with a free trial. Finally, the list concludes with two low-cost options offered by Udemy that aren’t part of their free trial.
Details of the Best Free Proofreading Courses
1) Proofread Like a Pro
Provider: Udemy
Course Level: All levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced)
Who It’s For: Aspiring proofreaders, writers, and professionals
Requirements:
- a strong understanding of grammar, syntax, punctuation, and spelling
- access to a printer
Cost: Free with a 7-day trial
- $79.99 for nonmembers
- please see your Subscriptions page for further info about fees
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Certificate: Yes
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes (48 lectures)
Time to Access Course: As long as you’re subscribed OR lifetime access (if you purchase the course without a subscription)
Materials: 23 downloads, 21 articles
Main Topics:
- finding and correcting punctuation and grammar errors
- proofreading symbols
- finding proofreading jobs
- what to look for when proofreading a text
- tactics for identifying mistakes
Course Creator: Dr. Clare Lynch / Dr. Lynch has a PhD in English Literature. She’s an expert writer with decades of experience.
Sign up for Proofread Like a Pro.
2) An Introduction to Proofreading
Provider: Alison
Course Level: All levels
Who It’s For: Writers, office assistants, paralegals, and anyone in charge of producing error-free texts
Requirements: A printer
Cost: Free
Rating: High
Certificate: Available for purchase after you pass the class with an 80% or above on the final assessment
Duration: 1.5 hours (7 topics) / 3–4 hours to complete
Time to Access Course: Lifetime
Materials: 5 downloads, 3 practice tests
Main Topics:
- how to spot and fix mistakes
- proofreading hacks
- advanced proofreading methods
- common pitfalls for proofreaders
- special proofreading situations
Course Creator: Marcia Yudkin / Marcia is an author, marketing mentor, and writing coach who has been an editor for a small press.
Since the Alison platform isn’t as well known, I’ve included some additional info below.
Pros of the Alison Proofreading Course:
- fantastic instructor (she knows her stuff!)
- excellent course overall (lots of great takeaways)
- practice tests are helpful, and corrections are accurate
- class has earned CPD certification
Cons of the Alison Proofreading Course:
- tech support lacking* (took more than 24 hours to respond during the week)
- must pay if you don’t want ads between videos
- outdated user interface (can’t play videos at a higher speed)
- needed to email customer support to get certificate
* The first video lesson stopped loading at one point, but fast-forwarding a few seconds fixed the glitch. It may have been a problem on my end, but no one was available to help me at the time (hence the listing as a con).
How to Receive a Certificate of Completion from the Alison Proofreading Course
To ensure that readers who want to take this class receive the certificate they’re promised, I went through the process of passing the class and purchasing the certificate. 😊
Some of Alison’s courses offer a free certificate of completion but not the proofreading class.
Although I had to email the support team to get my certificate (it wasn’t automatic), I got it within a day of writing them. The certificate costs $39, but sometimes you can get it for less if Alison is running a sale.
And here’s the certificate I received, in case you’re curious about what it looks like.
Sign up for An Introduction to Proofreading.
3) Writing Editing Masterclass—Content Editing, Copyediting & Proofreading
Provider: Skillshare
Course Level: All levels
Who It’s For: Aspiring editors, editors, and anyone wanting to improve their writing by self-editing
Requirements: None listed
Cost: Free trial available for some regions; yearly subscription cost varies
Rating: High; met or exceeded the expectations of 91% of students
Certificate: No
Duration: 2 hours, 59 minutes (62 lessons)
Time to Access Course: As long as you’re a Skillshare member
Materials: Not specified, 2 projects
Main Topics:
- how to track changes in MS Word
- how to track changes in Google Docs
- proofreading strategies
- how to fix spelling mistakes
- how to fix punctuation errors
Course Creator: Sivakumar Kannan / Sivakumar is a digital marketing consultant, trainer, and coach.
Sign up for the Writing Editing Masterclass.
4) Editing and Proofreading Masterclass | Dominate Writing, Punctuation & Grammar
Provider: Skillshare
Course Level: Beginner
Who It’s For: Anyone wanting to get better at editing and proofreading texts
Requirements: None listed
Cost: Free trial available for some regions; yearly subscription cost varies
Rating: High; met or exceeded the expectations of 86% of students
Certificate: No
Duration: 3 hours, 48 minutes (64 lessons)
Time to Access Course: As long as you’re a Skillshare member
Materials: Not specified, 2 projects
Main Topics:
- proofreading with MS Word
- proofreading tips
- finding and correcting punctuation and grammar errors
- how to proofread translated documents
- jobs for proofreaders
Course Creator: Nitay L. / Nitay is an English and Hebrew proofreader, translator, and transcriptionist at Upwork.
Sign up for the Editing and Proofreading Masterclass.
5) How to Find & Correct Writing Errors: The Proofreading Guide
Provider: Udemy
Course Level: Beginner
Who It’s For: Anyone wanting to rid their texts of errors and freelance editors wishing to improve their proofreading skills
Requirements: Good grasp of English
Cost: $64.99 for nonmembers
- please see your Subscriptions page for further info about fees
Rating: 4.6
Certificate: Yes
Duration: 1 hour (19 lectures)
Time to Access Course: As long as you’re subscribed OR lifetime access (if you purchase the course without a subscription)
Materials: 3 articles
Main Topics:
- finding and correcting typos and spelling errors
- finding mistakes in images and formatting
- proofreading symbols
- using lists to correct errors with consistency
- proofreading strategies
Course Creator: Dr. Duncan Koerber / Dr. Koerber has a PhD in Communication and Culture and has spent 12 years teaching writing and communications classes to students at Canadian universities.
Sign up for How to Find & Correct Writing Errors.
6) Writing Proofreading Course: Proofread Punctuation & Grammar
Provider: Udemy
Course Level: All levels
Who It’s For: Anyone who wants to get better at proofreading texts
Requirements: You need to know English 😉
Cost: $54.99 for nonmembers
- please see your Subscriptions page for further info about fees
Rating: 4.3
Certificate: Yes
Duration: 2.5 hours (31 lectures)
Time to Access Course: As long as you’re subscribed OR lifetime access (if you purchase the course without a subscription)
Materials: 7 downloads, assignments
Main Topics:
- how to proofread translated documents
- how to identify common mistakes
- basic proofreading methods
- proofreading with MS Word
- how to fix errors with punctuation and syntax
Course Creator: Nitay L. / Nitay is an English and Hebrew proofreader, translator, and transcriptionist at Upwork.
Sign up for the Writing Proofreading Course.
Now that we’ve seen the best options, let’s get an expert opinion about free and inexpensive classes. Then we’ll figure out the answers to some common questions.
An Industry Expert’s Opinion about Free Proofreading Courses
Louise Harnby is a well-known editor, proofreader, writer, podcaster, and speaker who has worked in publishing for 30 years.
Here’s what she says about free and inexpensive proofreading courses for aspiring proofreaders:
“Any courses that promise miracles for very little to no money and time need to be viewed with caution. Use them to evaluate whether a professional editorial career is right for you. Beyond that, financial investment will be necessary.”
– Louise Harnby
Louise also discusses what someone looks for when they need editorial services. She tells us that people are looking for an enthusiastic professional who cares enough to invest in top-quality training and understands how to correct a document to industry standards.
She says, “If you can’t demonstrate that you’re that person, you won’t be able to compete effectively.”
I agree with Louise.
It would be a shame to invest in an inexpensive course with the idea that it would be your sole source of training. You’d then have to fork over more money after realizing you didn’t receive sufficient preparation to work in the field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which proofreading course is best?
After countless hours of research, I can confidently recommend four online proofreading courses—all of which will prepare you to be a professional proofreader.
- General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ by Proofread Anywhere
- Becoming a Proofreader by Knowadays
- Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One by The Publishing Training Centre
- A series of three courses by The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading
I authored a comprehensive article comparing these proofreading classes. The post contains two helpful tables and explains the details of each course in an organized way so you can draw comparisons.
I also include a “key takeaway” for each course to help you decide which is most appropriate for your needs.
All these courses provide a way for you to receive a proofreading certificate—whether you earn it by passing a proofreading exam or it’s given to you for finishing the class.
How do I learn to proofread?
How you learn to proofread depends on your goals. If you want to become a professional proofreader, a comprehensive course is the best way to get the knowledge and confidence you need. However, a simple class or self-study can suffice if you simply want to improve your proofreading skills.
Are proofreading courses worth it?
A proofreading class is worth it if you’d like to increase your proofreading proficiency. The ability to produce polished writing is essential in many careers and in academic settings.
And if you want to be a professional proofreader, a thorough course will give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence you need to succeed. A class will also help you compete in the industry since your clients will know you’ve received excellent training.
A comprehensive course should provide you with numerous relevant real-world documents to proofread. You’ll get feedback on your performance so you’re aware of areas that need improvement.
I penned a post about why proofreading classes are worth it if you’d like to learn more.
How do I become a certified proofreader?
To become a certified proofreader, you must pass a rigorous proofreading exam offered by Editors Canada. They recommend you have at least five years of experience as a full-time proofreader before taking the test. Currently, no organization in the United States offers this certification.
Om Proofreading has a post about getting certified as a proofreader if you’re curious about this.
Getting a professional certification in proofreading and getting a proofreading certificate are two different processes.
Finally, let’s move on to the research I did to write this article.
How I Determined Which Free Classes Are Best
I found the top courses by researching the websites on Verywell Family’s list of best online learning platforms.
The article containing that list is no longer available; however, here are the seven platforms that made the list:
- Coursera
- Udemy
- Skillshare
- MasterClass
- EdX
- Udacity
- Pluralsight
Courses Taken from the Best Online Learning Platforms
Udemy and Skillshare are the only two platforms on the list that provide proofreading courses. So all the classes recommended in this article (except one) come from these two providers.
Coursera was considered the best overall learning platform, but they don’t offer proofreading courses.
However, if you want to learn about grammar, punctuation, editing, or writing, I encourage you to check out Coursera.
I was impressed with their offerings and was glad to see they provide financial aid to students who need it.
A Course Taken from the First Page of Google Search Results
I also checked the first few pages of Google after searching for “free proofreading courses.” I found a proofreading class provided by Alison on the first page.
Udemy and Skillshare are relatively well-known sites, but many have never heard of Alison.
Therefore, I took the Alison course to see if it deserved a spot in this article.
I liked it and included it as the second course in this listicle.
I hope this post has given you valuable information about the best free proofreading courses (and inexpensive ones too).
Good luck with your proofreading-related goals!
Best wishes to you!
“I don’t want to live in the kind of world where we don’t look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a helping hand. I can’t change the way anybody else thinks, or what they choose to do, but I can do my bit.”
– Charles de Lint
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