What Software Do Proofreaders Use?

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As part of my training to become a professional proofreader, I learned about the basic software proofreaders use. I also did additional research and found software that makes proofreading easier and improves my job performance.

The majority of proofreaders do most of their work using Track Changes in Microsoft Word. Some proofreaders also use the Suggesting feature in Google Docs or PDF markup tools in Adobe PDF editor. A proofreader may also choose to employ Grammarly, PerfectIt, or both.

Let’s examine these software options to discover what they do and how much they cost. I’ll also discuss some of the pros and cons of these software products.

What Software Do Proofreaders Use? (A Brief Look)

Basic Software for Proofreaders

A few basic software products are available for proofreaders. To make proofreading possible, you’ll have to use at least one of the following:

• Microsoft Word
• Google Docs
• Adobe PDF (or iAnnotate)

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is hands down the most popular software used by proofreaders. MS Word is a word processing software that has been around for over thirty-five years. Proofreaders make use of a feature in Word called Track Changes.

Track Changes allows you to proofread a document sent to you by a client.

As a freelance proofreader, almost all the documents clients have sent me have been Word documents.

Google Docs

However, now and then, I have a client who wants me to work with a Google Doc. A Google Doc is simply a document created in Google Docs, another word processing software that provides a feature for proofreading—the Suggesting feature.

The Suggesting feature in Google Docs is similar to Track Changes in Word.

Both Track Changes and the Suggesting feature are easy to learn and use. 

Adobe PDF

Finally, Adobe PDF offers a way to proofread a portable document format. The two versions of Adobe PDF editor are Adobe Acrobat Standard DC and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. 

This software is employed primarily by proofreaders working at publishing companies. I rarely have a client who sends me a PDF file to proofread.

A much cheaper alternative for proofreading a PDF is an app developed by Apple called iAnnotate.

Two Useful Software Additions for Proofreaders

Two other software solutions are worth mentioning:

• Grammarly
• PerfectIt

Although not mandatory, many proofreaders use one or both of these tools while proofing a document. I run both on every text I proofread or copyedit for a client.

Grammarly

In numerous reviews comparing software products for proofreaders, Grammarly came out as the number one choice.

The free version of Grammarly checks for critical spelling and grammar errors. It also helps with concision and has a feature that detects a document’s tone. 

Grammarly beat out Ginger (or Gingerly, as I just typed and quickly deleted, lol) in every review I read. These two software products are often compared since they have similar functionality.

PerfectIt

PerfectIt is a tool that can’t be compared to the usual names in proofreading software. The reason it’s without comparison is that PerfectIt focuses on consistency. Unlike other proofreading tools, PerfectIt will scan a text for consistency in the following:

• spelling
• capitalization
• hyphens and dashes
• numbers
• abbreviations
• punctuation found in tables and lists

PerfectIt also has a few other überhelpful features that we’ll talk about toward the end of this article.

Microsoft Word Is Wonderful

MS Word is the software of choice when proofing a document. As a proofreader who has worked on Fiverr, I noticed many proofreaders and copy editors who preferred having their clients send them Word documents.

I understand their preference since Word is also my go-to word processor. Track Changes in Word is easy to learn and use.

Luckily, since most clients also prefer working in Word, it’s by far the most commonly used software for proofreading.

Track Changes allows proofreaders to do the following:

• add or delete elements in a text
• change the formatting
• make comments in the margins of the document

The client can easily view these suggested changes (insertions, deletions, formatting changes, and comments). Red is the default color to display these proposed changes (edits).

Since I do almost all of my work in Microsoft Word, I want to share the colors I use for the suggested changes to make the edited copy more visually appealing and straightforward for my clients.

I leave red as the default color to indicate the deletions I make. I show insertions in green, formatting changes in blue, and comments in black (black can’t be changed) with a yellow rectangle around them and yellow highlighting in the text to show which word, phrase, or sentence I’m referring to.

The client can then review each suggested change and decide whether to accept or reject it with a single click.

Note: If you’d like to learn how to change the default colors in Track Changes, please see the video I’ve embedded below, and start it at minute 3:36.

I’ve only encountered one downside to using Word. Occasionally, clients aren’t aware of how to accept or reject changes and delete comments.

However, this problem is easily solved by sending the client a YouTube video demonstrating how to work with Track Changes from their end. 

A free version of Microsoft Word is accessible online, but it has limited functionality. You’ll need the paid version of Word if you work as a proofreader. You can click here to see the current prices.

If you’re unsure how to use Track Changes in Word, the video below will teach you.

Going with Google Docs

The big difference between Google Docs and Microsoft Word is that a Google Doc is stored online in a place called Google Drive. You can work on a Google Doc as long as you have access to the internet. A Word document, however, is stored on your computer (if you’ve purchased the software).

As I mentioned, the Suggesting feature in Google Docs functions like Track Changes in Microsoft Word; you can make insertions, deletions, formatting changes, and comments. It’s also easy to learn and use.

One pro of Google Docs is that clients can easily accept and reject changes and delete comments.

The process is seamless. They simply click a check mark to accept changes and click an X to reject changes or delete comments after reading them.

Another advantage is that working with the Suggesting feature is free! Yippee for free, right?

If you’re a proofreader who knows how to work with Google Docs, you can work for the handful of clients who use this software.

The only downside of Google Docs is that it isn’t compatible with PerfectIt. You by no means have to utilize PerfectIt if you’re a professional proofreader, but I’ve found that it saves me time and makes my job a lot easier.

When I get a Google Doc, I copy and paste it into a Word document and run PerfectIt. I then return to the Google Doc and manually enter the edits I’ve accepted from PerfectIt. It takes some time, but it’s not too much of a hassle if you’re working with a relatively short document.

If you’d like to learn how to use the Suggesting feature in Google Docs, please watch the brief video below.

Adjusting to Adobe PDF

The last of the basic software for proofreaders is Adobe PDF. Adobe PDF editor comes in two versions:

1. Adobe Acrobat Standard DC
2. Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

The PDF markup tools used in both versions are similar to the tools utilized in Word and Google Docs. However, the learning curve is a bit steeper.

Many publishing companies have their proofreaders work with PDF markup tools.

If you plan to work at a publishing house, it’s a good idea to inquire about the software they use.

As a freelancer, I seldom come across clients with a PDF for me to proofread. If they do, I kindly refer them to a trustworthy colleague since I don’t work with PDFs.

These are the reasons I don’t work with PDFs:

1. If you use a free or cheap version of a PDF editor, you can run into formatting problems with documents.
2. You can also run into formatting problems if you attempt to convert a PDF to a Word document to proofread it.
3. If you buy a version of Adobe PDF editor listed above, it’s reliable but expensive. Feel free to click here to see the most up-to-date prices. (It should be about $13–$20 per month.)
4. PDF markup tools are more difficult to use than Track Changes and the Suggesting feature.

Note: If you’re not sure whether Adobe PDF editor is for you, they offer a seven-day free trial for Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. If you decide you’re not a fan, make sure to cancel the free trial before the seven-day period ends to avoid being charged for the month.

However, if you want to proofread PDFs, you have one other reliable option—an app developed by Apple called iAnnotate. It’s not intuitive to use, but it’s a much cheaper alternative to Adobe PDF editor. The last time I checked, it was a one-time purchase of $9.99 for the latest version—iAnnotate 4.

Please keep in mind that iAnnotate is only available for iPads and iPhones and must be purchased in the App Store.

Grammarly Is a Game Changer

When proofreading, I first run spell-check and PerfectIt to eliminate spelling errors and inconsistencies. Then, I proofread the document as I’ve been trained to do. Last, I run Grammarly as a final check.

Although Grammarly is far from perfect, it occasionally catches an error I’ve overlooked.

Om Proofreading has a post about Grammarly’s level of accuracy if you’d like to learn more.

Although Grammarly is far from perfect, it’s an invaluable tool for proofreaders who strive to make a document as error-free as possible.

You’re probably more familiar with Grammarly than with Ginger—a similar software. That’s because people have recognized Grammarly as the superior of the two.

For proofreading, Grammarly also comes out on top against ProWritingAid and Hemingway Editor.

ProWritingAid and Hemingway Editor are geared more toward identifying stylistic issues than assisting proofreaders with catching errors.

You can enable Grammarly to work in emails, documents, and even on social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

And Grammarly can be used with MS Word on a Mac.

Grammarly can be customized to catch spelling errors in different styles of English: US, UK, Canadian, or Australian.

A free version and a premium version are available. The free version of Grammarly consists of the following features:

• critical grammar and spelling checks
• concision (eliminates wordiness)
• tone detector (notes how your writing comes across—formal, confident, friendly, etc.)

Grammarly Premium consists of these features:

• everything offered in the free version
• punctuation checks and consistency in punctuation and spelling
• fluency (beneficial for non-native English speakers as it ensures writing sounds natural; it’s especially helpful for identifying proper preposition use)
• readability (makes sentences easier to understand so that the writer’s message comes across effectively)
• enhanced vocabulary (alerts you to overused words and offers more exciting word choices when dull words are used)
• engaging sentences (ensures a variety of sentence structures)
• polished delivery (assures you sound courteous and confident and use an appropriate level of formality; also alerts you if an outdated or disrespectful term is used)
• plagiarism detector (checks originality of work by comparing it against billions of web pages)

I find Grammarly Premium to be particularly helpful when I’m doing copyediting in addition to proofreading. I also use it to check all of my blog posts.

If you’d like a more comprehensive comparison of both versions, check out my article “Grammarly Free vs. Premium (Put to the Test!).” In this article, I put free Grammarly, Grammarly Premium, and Microsoft 365 Editor to the test.

The trick to using Grammarly is knowing that it’s far from perfect.

If you’ve been trained as a proofreader, you’ll have the discernment to accept the accurate suggestions and thank Grammarly for catching any errors you’ve missed.

You’ll also have the knowledge to reject Grammarly’s erroneous suggestions since artificial intelligence is a long way from correctly interpreting context and understanding the nuances of writing.

If you’d like to give the free version of Grammarly a whirl, you can click here (no credit card required).

PerfectIt Pumps Up Your Productivity

Finally, PerfectIt is a one-of-a-kind software that checks for consistency across a document. The only downside to PerfectIt is that it can’t be used with Google Docs.

Checking for consistency throughout a text can be time-consuming, especially with lengthy texts.

PerfectIt increases your productivity by doing this job for you. And enhanced productivity translates to an increase in profitability since time is money.

Like Grammarly, PerfectIt lets you look at each error case-by-case to decide whether to implement the recommended change. If you do, it’s an easy one-click fix.

If you’re using Grammarly or PerfectIt to help you proofread a text for a client, the one-click fixes you make show up like any other edit you’ve made to their document.

So what exactly does PerfectIt point out?

PerfectIt alerts you to inconsistencies with the following:

• abbreviations (11:30 a.m. vs. 11:30 am)
• capitalization (Norway vs. norway)
• hyphens and dashes (1984–2004 vs. 1984-2004)
• spelling (focused vs. focussed; both are correct, but only one should be used throughout the text for consistency)
• numbers (seven vs. 7)
• punctuation in tables, lists, and with bullets (checks for consistent punctuation in every cell of a table and at the end of every line in numbered and bulleted lists)

Also, PerfectIt ensures the following:

• each abbreviation is defined the first time it’s used
• either headline-style or sentence-style capitalization is used consistently in headings
• a document follows a house style when necessary (you’re able to make style sheets that are unique to specific clients)
• outdated or unsuitable language is changed to up-to-date and appropriate terms
• tables and figures are numbered correctly and aren’t missing headings
• quotes and brackets in a text aren’t left open
• correct spelling depending on the dialect of English being used: US, UK, Canadian, or Australian

If you’re on the fence about making a purchase, PerfectIt offers a free 14-day trial with no strings attached. 

For more info, you can check out my article “PerfectIt Review (Pros, Cons, Cost, Uses, and FAQ).”

Finally, I penned a post comparing Grammarly and PerfectIt if you’re unsure which of these tools would make the most sense for you.

I hope this article has familiarized you with the software proofreaders use.

If you’re interested in becoming a professional proofreader and want to find a well-respected training course, please check out this article on Om Proofreading that discusses online proofreading courses. 

Best wishes to you!

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

– Leo Buscaglia