Proofread Anywhere reviews in 2024: Is it worth it?

Proofread Anywhere is a leading online course that gives a detailed overview of grammar, spelling and style for various audiences — as well as marketing, acquiring clients and building a thriving freelance proofreading business that can pay $20 to $50 per hour, working from home.

Based on our research, Proofread Anywhere is a quality course because:

4.6/5 stars on Trustpilot
Dozens of positive customer reviews
Has helped 15,000+ customers since 2014 founding
Focuses not just on how to proofread, but how to find clients and build a profitable proofreading business
Vibrant closed Facebook group for Plus members
Certificate of completion

Keep reading to learn more.

What is Proofread Anywhere?
Proofread Anywhere cost
My Proofread Anywhere experience
Proofread Anywhere reviews
Pros and cons of Proofread Anywhere
Proofread Anywhere course details
Is Proofread Anywhere worth it?

What is Proofread Anywhere?

Proofread Anywhere is an online training course that teaches people how to become an at-home proofreader.

It was started by proofreader Caitlin Pyle as a way to help more people break through self-doubt by equipping them with skills they can use to generate their own income from anywhere. The company claims to have had more than 15,000 paying customers since it started in 2014.

Proofread Anywhere was acquired by Wilmington, Delaware-based Onfolio Holdings in October 2022 for $4.5 million.

The course's General Proofreading: Theory and Practice course is a detailed program where you’ll learn everything you need to know about proofreading general texts — books, blogs, advertising material, magazines, academic journals and more.

Lessons cover grammar, style, and spelling, as well as how to find clients, market your services and grow a profitable proofreading business.

The General Proofreading course includes 80 lessons in 8 modules, including 10 grammar and punctuation worksheets and 40 practice essays so you can test and practice your skills — as well as Transcript Proofreading for free.

Each course comes with access to a closed community or mastermind of Proofread Anywhere students and alumni.

The course is available at two levels: Ignite and Ignite Plus:

Ignite $397 (with $100 discount)	Ignite Plus $497 (with $100 discount)
One-time payment	Everything included in Ignite
Lifetime access to 80+ lessons	Hand-graded exam
Free access to Transcript Proofreading	Certificate of completion
Membership in a Facebook group of Proofread Anywhere members and alumni	Listing in the Self-Publishing School Preferred Outsourcer Rolodex of professionals recommended to those publishing their own books
	Access to marketing mastermind specifically for Proofread Anywhere Plus members with verified skills

With Ignite Plus, you also get a certificate of completion if you pass an exam, which you can display on your website/LinkedIn profile to show prospective clients that your skills are verified and at a high standard.

Proofread Anywhere cost

Proofread Anywhere has two plans:

Ignite – $397 (after $100 discount)

One-time payment
One course
Lifetime access to 80+ lessons
Free access to Transcript Proofreading
Membership in a Facebook group of Proofread Anywhere members and alumni

Ignite Plus – $497 (after $100 discount)

Everything included in Ignite
Hand-graded exam
Certificate of completion
Listing in the Self-Publishing School Preferred Outsourcer Rolodex of professionals recommended to those publishing their own books
Membership in a Facebook group specifically for PA proofreaders
Access to marketing mastermind specifically for Proofread Anywhere Plus members with verified skills

My Proofread Anywhere review

As someone who performs proofreading and copyediting tasks on a daily basis as part of my job, I was intrigued by Proofread Anywhere’s General Proofreading: Theory & Practice course, partially as a refresher for basic grammar and style skills, but mainly for the modules on building a business as a freelance proofreader.

My career so far has been mostly as a staff writer/editor, and I have very little experience and knowledge of building a client base and marketing myself as a freelancer.

My son is now 6 years old and so much easier to travel with, so I’ve been looking for opportunities to pick up some side work and start building a family vacation fund.

The first thing I noticed — and really appreciated — about the way the 14 Proofread Anywhere modules were set up, is that each module was broken down into easily digestible segments.

I found it extremely convenient to be able to work on a few lessons here and there in my down time and still have the flexibility to walk away and spend time with my kiddo, without feeling like I was interrupting the flow of a long course or webinar.

The courses were simple and thoughtful, and on days when I could sit uninterrupted — like when my son was at school or on an adventure with his dad — I had no problem tearing through an entire module or two in one sitting.

Going into this course with professional proofreading experience, I expected the first five modules on general proofreading, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and common errors to be a piece of cake.

However, this course focuses mostly on the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), which I admit I don't know as well, having focused on Associated Press Style for most of my journalism career.

As for the building a business portion of the course, I was pleasantly surprised to find not just a general overview on where to start as a freelancer, but more specific information and resources on a host of topics, including:

Building a website
Writing a proposal
Setting rates (along with real-world examples of what working proofreaders charge for various services)
How to handle taxes as an independent contractor

I’ve almost always worked as a salaried staff member, and any freelance work I’ve done has been commissioned by companies with their own set rates, so this was all incredibly helpful for me.

The biggest surprise of the Proofread Anywhere experience for me, however, was the section on AI and proofreading. I admit that I have been very resistant to the idea of artificial intelligence and what it could mean for creative writers, editors, and basically anyone who works in crafting copy.

The module explains why AI in its current state would not be able to replace a human proofreader (or writer or editor, for that matter), but instead dives into how AI can be used as a tool to complement one’s skills and save a bit of time and effort on the outset.

I will admit that this section did convince me to open my mind a bit to the idea of adding AI to my toolkit, or at least exploring AI options.

I can’t say that Proofread Anywhere is without its flaws, but my complaints are mostly nitpicks in comparison to the positives of my experience.

For one, I found a few typos and grammar errors within the written transcripts of the lessons. On any other professional website, these could be forgiven (with a bit of an eye roll from a grammar nerd like me), but on a course where people are spending their hard-earned money to hear expert tips on avoiding these mistakes, it’s not a great look.

In the first nine modules, each lesson provided a short video unit that consisted of a voiceover of the lesson and highlights from that audio in graphic text on the screen, as well as a full transcript of the lesson.

Everyone has a different style of learning and absorbing information, so I thought this was a great way to cover the information for people who are more engaged by audio/visual learning or for those who prefer to read at their own pace, without the distraction of sound — or even those who like to read along while listening.

However, four of the 14 modules (mods 10, 11, 13, and 14) do not, for whatever reason, provide the audio/visual component — only the body copy in text form. I found it to be inconsistent and a little off-putting, especially once I was in the flow of tearing through the audio versions of the lessons.

I think the Proofread Anywhere course overall is a great investment for anyone who is looking to make some side money or start a full-on business as a freelance proofreader. I am looking forward to using the tools and resources I gained from Proofread Anywhere to build a proofreading side hustle and take my son on some global adventures.

How long does Proofread Anywhere take?

If you dedicated several hours per week on the course, Proofread Anywhere would take a minimum of one month — though many students report taking three months to complete it.

You get lifetime access to the course and Facebook group — as well as marketing mastermind for the Ignite Plus membership — so you can stay on top of your skills, marketing tactics and support indefinitely.

Is Proofread Anywhere legit?

Yes, Proofread Anywhere is a legit proofreading course and not a scam. With dozens of 5-star reviews on Trustpilot and an average 4.6/5 stars, we feel confident recommending Proofread Anywhere.

The course is designed to help you learn strong proofreading skills and actually build and grow a proofreading business from the ground up.

The Proofread Anywhere General Proofreading course isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. If you put the work into learning how to proofread properly, proactively market your business, and commit to providing an excellent proofreading service, you will be successful as a proofreader.

Proofread Anywhere is the real deal, and it’s a great option for anyone who wants to work from home as a proofreader.

We created this guide to learn more about proofreading in general, or you can take Proofread Anywhere's free workshop deigned to help you understand the career and whether it is a fit for you.

Proofread Anywhere course reviews

Proofread Anywhere has 4.6/5 stars on Trustpilot but does not have a Better Business Bureau profile.

Positive reviews of Proofread Anywhere

Most Proofread Anywhere reviews are overwhelmingly positive:

Negative reviews of Proofread Anywhere

While most reviews of Proofread Anywhere are positive, there are a few negative ones that cite issues with other members of Proofread Anywhere’s Facebook community — all from a few years ago:

Pros of Proofread Anywhere

Legit course with thousands of satisfied customers
Self-paced course you can complete online in your own time, with lifetime access
Teaches how to create a website, do your taxes, and bill your clients
Includes lessons on how to get clients and market yourself, based on the premise that clients will come to you once you’ve started your business
Ignite Plus includes Facebook community to offer support and advice from fellow proofreaders
Course is continually updated
Low cost relative to potential income

Cons of Proofread Anywhere

Based on some negative reviews, things can get heated in the Facebook group
Reviewers say quizzes and practice tests can be difficult (but ultimately helped them learn)
Course can be difficult to navigate for less tech savvy individuals (based on online testimonials)
Spelling errors throughout the course, which doesn't look good for a course about proofreading
If you need deadlines to hold yourself accountable, the self-paced nature of the course might tempt you to procrastinate
Some users said they wish the course focused even more on launching a business and less on the fundamentals of proofreading (the users admitted to being experienced editors)
Not free

Here’s what’s included in General Proofreading: Theory and Practice course:

Module 1: Introduction to General Proofreading

This overview will cover who needs a proofreader, the skills you need to be successful, and the differences between proofreading and editing/copyediting.