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Every author inevitably proofreads their documents. Be it academic or non-academic, proofreading is an essential step in the publishing process. While there are several professional proofreading services available, you can also find free online proofreading tools. Here’s a list of top proofreading options (paid and free) for you to consider in 2026.
Paid Proofreading services
American Journal Experts (AJE)
Free Proofreading services
Top 9 Paid Proofreading Services for Authors
Editage
Known for their presence in the research landscape for over 22 years, Editage offers high-quality academic proofreading services. With a keen eye for detail, Editage’s proofreaders check for incorrect use of tenses, misplaced words, awkward word choice, incorrect terminology, inconsistent use of UK English or US English, and mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
In addition to a pool of 3,000+ native English proofreaders and editors, Editage’s proofreading service offers features like
- thorough checks for grammar, punctuation, spelling, and structural consistency
- eliminating embarrassing typos and syntax errors from the document
- a two-level expert proofreading by native English subject matter specialists
- swift turnaround times (24-hour delivery). They also offer express delivery within 8 hours if needed
Pricing: Starts from $0.043 per word
Paperpal
This is not a service but a tool that serves as a writing assistant. Paperpal is available on MS Word and Web, and can even be added as a Chrome extension or Google Docs add-in. As you prepare your research manuscript, you can use Paperpal for proofreading your writing for
- plagiarism,
- submission checks,
- technical accuracy checks,
- language and grammar error corrections, and
- AI writing detection
The best part about Paperpal is that it comes with both FREE and paid plans. So, you can first try using the tool for writing, editing, and proofreading your work before deciding to choose its paid plans.
Pricing: Customized and discounted pricing options available
Cambridge Proofreading
Cambridge Proofreading has built a trusted reputation for over 13 years and they are known for both academic and general proofreading services. Their editors and proofreaders carry expertise in various subject areas to give you a document that’s refined for tone, diction, accuracy, flow, and clarity.
What users value the most is the Editor’s Summary Report, containing personalized feedback and advice by proofreaders for longer documents which benefits authors and educates them with valuable suggestions to improve their writing in future assignments.
Pricing: $28.90 for 1,000 words with 24-hour delivery
Scribbr
Scribbr is a student-friendly service that helps you become a better writer. They undertake proofreading and editing of various document types, including theses, PhD dissertations, essays, journal articles, term papers, business documents, research proposals, etc. Their proofreading services focus on
- grammar and spelling errors,
- inconsistencies in dialect,
- overuse of passive voice, and
- subjective or inflated language.
Pricing: $76 for 1,000 words with same day delivery
ProofreadingPal
If you are working on an extremely tight deadline, ProofreadingPal would be the right option to choose. With rapid turnaround times, as low as 30 to 60 min, they give you a polished, precise, and professional document typically proofread by two professional proofreaders.
If you are constrained by time and budget, you may choose the number of proofreaders and customize your service per your needs. Their proofreading services encompass
- Business proofreading
- Resume proofreading
- Academic proofreading
- Essay proofreading
- Student proofreading
- Book and manuscript proofreading
Pricing: $0.03 per word with two proofreaders and a turnaround time of 5 to 7 days
Wordvice
Wordvice combines editing and proofreading services to give authors a comprehensive evaluation of their academic documents. Primarily favored by graduate students and academic researchers, Wordvice’s editors and proofreaders correct grammar and punctuation mistakes, improve clarity, tone, and flow of your document, and offer feedback for improvements.
Keep in mind that they do not provide an individual proofreading-only service. However, they do have an online tool called Wordvice AI that’s popularly used by students.
Pricing: $0.044 per word
Enago
Enago’s English proofreading service is perfect for native English authors who are confident of the structure and clarity in their writing. In addition to basic grammar and consistency checks, Enago lets you choose add-on services like plagiarism check. This proofreading service is best suited for
- Authors who need a clean-up of their document with respect to grammar and consistency
- English-speaking researchers confident of their word choice and sentence structure
- Manuscripts that have been conditionally accepted for journal submission and only need final checks
Pricing: Customized pricing model based on required deadline and document length
American Journal Experts (AJE)
AJE offers premium academic proofreading of research manuscripts, theses, dissertations, and other documents with fast turnaround times of 24 hours. Like Wordvice, AJE’s proofreading and editing services are combined and offered in packages like Standard Editing, Premium Editing, VIP Editing, and Scientific Editing. Their seasoned proofreaders and editors are native English speakers with advanced degrees from top universities.
Pricing: Starts at a base price of $38 and varies as per word count
Scribendi
Scribendi’s proofreading services are not limited to academic writing and cover versatile areas like business writing and creative writing. Their editing and proofreading solutions are tailored to
- Academics preparing journal papers, theses, and dissertations
- Authors writing novels, book manuscripts, and plays
- Students submitting essays, assignments, projects, and term papers
What clients and users appreciate the most is the effective enhancements made to their documents and the feedback provided by native English experts.
Pricing: Base price is $18 and turnaround times are as low as 4 hours
Free Proofreading Options
The above-listed professional proofreading services are useful for ESL authors. But if you’re a native English speaker and all you need is a quick review of your writing to make it error-free, you could consider the following free proofreading options available online.
1. Paperpal
The FREE plan under Paperpal lets you
- check your writing for language and consistency with set monthly limits
- use features like paraphrasing, word count reduction, sentence trimming, and fluency improvement with daily limits
- get one free plagiarism check report with the similarity score highlighted
2. Grammarly
- Real time scanning of your writing
- Get instant feedback on punctuation, grammar, spelling, word choice mistakes, and more
- Potential problems in your writing are highlighted and context-based suggestions are provided to help improve your content
3. QuillBot
- Upload your .docx file to receive a detailed report on the errors in your writing
- Each error is numbered and classified into specific categories like grammar, punctuation, and spelling
- Review each suggestion based on the scores assigned, accept or reject the suggested changes, and download the proofread version
4. Scribbr
Scribbr’s online proofreading tool is meant for students, businesses, and authors looking to submit error-free writing.
- Paste the text to be proofread onto their online tool or upload a document (.docx)
- Errors are underlined and you can hover over them to see how the mistakes can be addressed
- Fix all errors with a single click and get a professional-looking document
The tool can be used to proofread writing in various languages like German, English, French, and Spanish.
5. PaperRater
PaperRater is appreciated for its instant automated scoring of documents based on the type of paper and author’s education level.
- Highly user-friendly platform
- Analyzes the syntax and structure of your text
- AI models provide users with free plagiarism check and proofreading
6. Wordvice AI
This AI proofreader is best suited for short assignments and creative content pieces that require quick accuracy checks. You can paste up to 500 words on their text editor and choose between two modes of proofreading:
- Light: eliminates grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors
- Standard: improves vocabulary in addition to the “light” mode checks
You can also choose the document type and proofread in multiple languages including English, Japanese, Arabic, Korean, German, and Portuguese, among others.
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