7 Best Free Proofreading Courses + Low-Cost Options (2024)

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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

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	4.7
An Introduction to Proofreading (Alison)	Free (No Trial Needed)	High
Writing Editing Masterclass (Skillshare)	Yes	High
Editing and Proofreading Masterclass (Skillshare)	Yes	High
Proofreading Power Basics (Udemy)	No	4.4
How to Find & Correct Writing Errors (Udemy)	No	4.3
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

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.

So if you want to become a professional proofreader, don’t worry. I can still help you. 😊

Just go to the FAQ at the end of this article. You’ll get 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 wishing to brush up on their skills or get additional training
• those who’d like to volunteer as proofreaders

How I Determined Which Classes Are Best

I found the top courses by searching the websites on Verywell Family’s list of best online learning platforms.

Here are the seven platforms that made the list:

1. Coursera
2. Udemy
3. Skillshare
4. MasterClass
5. EdX
6. Udacity
7. 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 what they offer and 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.

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.

Criteria for Courses in This Article

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/excellent 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.

The Udemy class is number one for the reasons I mentioned. 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 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 (eligible students only)

• $79.99 for nonmembers
• please see your Subscriptions page for further info about fees

Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 (2,388 ratings)

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.

5) Proofreading Power Basics

Provider: Udemy

Course Level: Intermediate

Who It’s For: Writers, editors, teachers, and other professionals

Requirements:

• completion of the “Grammar Essentials” course
• intermediate grammar and writing skills

Cost: $84.99 for nonmembers

• please see your Subscriptions page for further info about fees

Rating: 4.4 (971 reviews)

Certificate: Yes

Duration: 1.5 hours (33 lectures)

Time to Access Course: As long as you’re subscribed OR lifetime access (if you purchase the course without a subscription)

Materials: 15 downloads, 13 articles, 1 practice test

Main Topics:

• fundamentals of proofreading
• how to correct common mistakes
• using exercises to improve proofreading skills
• how to build confidence
• proofreading strategies

Course Creator: Ashan R. Hampton / Ashan is an assistant professor of English, an editor, and a writer; she recently finished coursework for doctoral candidacy.

Sign up for Proofreading Power Basics.

7) 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 just need to know English 😉

Cost: $54.99 for nonmembers

• please see your Subscriptions page for further info about fees

Rating: 4.3 (624 Reviews)

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 Writing Proofreading Course.

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.

1. General Proofreading: Theory and Practice™ by Proofread Anywhere
2. Becoming a Proofreader by Knowadays
3. Essential Proofreading: Editorial Skills One by The Publishing Training Centre
4. 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 class makes the most sense for your needs.

All these courses provide a way for you to receive a proofreading certificate—whether you earn it 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. But 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. The article also discusses how to get a proofreading certificate, which is what most proofreaders decide to do.

Getting a professional certification in proofreading and getting a proofreading certificate are two different processes.

I hope this article 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