How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Cambridge Proofreading is the value pick, with 48-hour pricing from $26.90 per 1,000 words on its own site.
- Wordvice, Editage and Enago are the journal-submission specialists, with subject-matched editors and publication support.
- Scribbr suits students best thanks to its thesis tools, citation help and plagiarism checker alongside editing.
- Prices vary mostly by turnaround and depth: proofreading costs far less than substantive editing with two editors.
- Every service here edits work you wrote yourself. None of them writes your paper for you, and journal rules require you to say so.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Scribbr | Students and thesis writers | See website | No |
 Cambridge Proofreading | Value and fast turnaround | $26.90 per 1,000 words (48 hours) | No |
 PaperTrue | Budget academic editing with fast delivery | See website | No |
 Wordvice | ESL researchers and journal submissions | $0.044 per word (7-day standard) | No |
 Editage | Publication support with subject experts | From $0.06 per word | No |
 Enago | High-impact journal preparation | From $252 per manuscript | No |
 Proofed | Business-grade managed editing | See website | No |
 Scribendi | Long track record with sample edits | See website | No |
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The best academic proofreading services
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Scribbr is the student-facing service on this list. Its editors handle essays, theses and dissertations every day, and the surrounding product, citation tools, a plagiarism checker and a large free knowledge base, helps students fix the document and learn from the edits. Support runs around the clock, which matters when a deadline falls on a Sunday night.
Pricing works by word count, deadline and service level, with a setup fee added to each order, so short documents cost proportionally more. Standard editing includes one revision, which is enough for most student work but less generous than services with longer re-edit windows. If you are a student rather than a publishing researcher, Scribbr's academic focus and learning resources make it the natural first stop.
What we like- Built for students with thesis and dissertation expertise
- Citation editing and plagiarism checker alongside proofreading
- Large free knowledge base for academic writing
Watch out for- No public per-word price on the homepage, so you need a quote
- Setup fee applies to orders
- One revision only on standard editing
Starting price$26.90 per 1,000 words (48 hours)
Free planNo
Cambridge Proofreading wins on price and clarity. Its homepage publishes a comparison table showing $26.90 per 1,000 words for 48-hour delivery and $28.90 for 24 hours, undercutting several named rivals, and a calculator gives an instant quote for your word count and deadline. Editors work in Word Track Changes, support PDF and Overleaf formats, and longer documents include an editor's summary report with feedback.
The Cambridge Quality Guarantee promises a re-edit or a partial or full refund if you can cite fair reasons for dissatisfaction, which is stronger protection than most rivals offer. You cannot choose your editor, and the service menu is narrower than the publication-support giants. For a thesis chapter or journal draft on a budget, though, the value is hard to argue with.
What we like- Lowest headline prices in this list
- Flat-rate calculator with instant quotes
- Quality guarantee with re-edit or refund
- Files deleted after 15 days
Watch out for- No editor choice
- Smaller service menu than Editage or Enago
- Two-editor service costs extra
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
PaperTrue has edited academic work since 2014 and built its reputation on straightforward pricing and reliable delivery. Orders return both a tracked version showing every change and a clean version ready to submit, which saves reformatting time. Customers report quick responses from support and editors who explain their choices, a small detail that matters when you disagree with an edit.
Pricing is quote-based through the site, so you will need to enter your document details to see a figure. The service covers dissertations, theses, research papers, essays and journal articles, plus author editing and self-publishing help for book writers. For researchers who want solid editing without premium pricing, PaperTrue sits in the sensible middle of this list.
What we like- Competitive pricing with no hidden fees
- Tracked and clean versions delivered
- Fast turnaround including overnight options
Watch out for- No public per-word price on the homepage
- Editor choice is limited
- Plagiarism check is an add-on rather than standard
Starting price$0.044 per word (7-day standard)
Free planNo
Wordvice is the most transparent service here on price. Its pricing page lists standard editing from $0.044 per word for a 7-day turnaround, rising with faster delivery, and premium editing at higher rates with unlimited re-edits for up to a year on academic work. Editors are native English speakers with master's or doctoral degrees, matched to your subject across 215 fields, and the company reports more than 480 million words edited.
That transparency helps budgeting, and the express options down to 9 hours cover genuine emergencies. Wordvice is particularly strong for researchers writing in English as a second language, with editors experienced in smoothing translated phrasing without changing meaning. Premium editing is a real step up in price, so match the tier to the stakes of the submission.
What we like- Vendor-published pricing from $0.044 per word for standard editing
- 2,000 plus editors with advanced degrees across 215 fields
- Express turnaround as fast as 9 hours
Watch out for- Premium editing costs far more than standard
- Volume discounts only start at 10,000 words
- No free tier
Starting priceFrom $0.06 per word
Free planNo
Editage is the publication specialist. Its editors are mostly master's, MD or PhD holders matched through a ten-point system to your subject, and most plans put two experts on each manuscript for language and accuracy checks. Plans run from Digital Editing through Advanced and Premium to Scientific Editing, with pricing from $0.06 per word, and many plans include unlimited free re-editing for 12 months after delivery.
That re-edit window is genuinely valuable during peer review, when journals ask for revisions months after the first edit. Editage also covers translation, journal selection and formatting as add-ons, making it a one-stop shop for researchers targeting indexed journals. The price ladder needs care: compare plans on the same word count and turnaround before judging value.
What we like- Editing from $0.06 per word on its own site
- Two-expert review on most plans
- Unlimited free re-editing for 12 months on many plans
Watch out for- Higher-end plans cost substantially more
- Quote depends on plan, word count and add-ons
- Premium tiers can feel complex to compare
Starting priceFrom $252 per manuscript
Free planNo
Enago targets researchers aiming at high-impact journals. Its service tiers run from basic proofreading through Copy Editing with two editors to Substantive Editing with two editors and journal revision support, up to Top Impact Scientific Editing with three editors including a simulated peer review and plagiarism check. Substantive Editing starts at $252 per manuscript for a six-day turnaround, while Top Impact starts at $600.
The company reports more than 2 million authors served across 125 countries, with 3,000 plus editors holding master's or doctoral degrees, and it is recommended by hundreds of journals and universities. Every tier includes a free editing certificate, which some journals request. For a routine thesis chapter, Enago is more service than you need. For a manuscript headed to a top journal, its multi-editor depth is the point.
What we like- Substantive Editing from $252 per manuscript for a 6-day turnaround on its own site
- Two- and three-editor systems
- Free journal formatting and editing certificate
Watch out for- Top-tier scientific editing starts at $600 per manuscript
- Quote-based pricing varies by length
- Premium focus means less value for simple proofreading
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Proofed has shifted its positioning toward managed editing for businesses, with a hand-picked editor team trained on each client's style guide and guaranteed turnaround times. That model suits departments and companies with steady editing volume better than a one-off student order. The vendor claims lower costs than hiring in-house and faster delivery than freelancers, with 24/7 support.
For academic writers, Proofed remains an option for theses and papers, but the academic specialists above offer more subject-matched expertise and student-friendly pricing. Include Proofed on your shortlist if you need ongoing managed editing with service guarantees, especially for professional or business documents alongside academic work.
What we like- Managed service with editors trained on your style guide
- Guaranteed service levels and 24/7 support
- Strong fit for ongoing volume
Watch out for- Homepage now focuses on business clients rather than students
- Pricing is quote-based
- Less academic-specific than the specialists above
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Scribendi is one of the longest-running services in this category, and its published sample edits let you judge quality before paying, which few rivals offer. The service covers academic documents from essays to dissertations, with turnaround options down to hours for shorter documents, and editors can be requested by code for repeat work.
Pricing comes through an instant quote tool rather than a published per-word table, so comparison shopping takes an extra step. Scribendi uses a predictive AI tool to assist its human editors, which speeds work but may concern writers who want purely human editing. For buyers who value a long track record and the chance to inspect real samples first, Scribendi earns its place.
What we like- Long-established service with published sample edits to judge quality
- Academic editing across many document types
- Fast turnaround options
Watch out for- Pricing runs through an instant quote tool rather than a published table
- AI-assisted editing may concern purists
- No free tier
How we chose
We compared vendor homepages, pricing pages and documentation against public comparisons and user reviews on Trustpilot, Google and G2. Every service here had its official homepage opened and confirmed, and each one genuinely handles academic documents rather than general business copy alone. Where the vendor does not publish a price, we recorded "See website" instead of repeating third-party estimates.
What to weigh before you buy
Match the service to the document's stakes. A coursework essay needs reliable proofreading at a fair price, which points to Cambridge Proofreading or PaperTrue. A journal submission needs subject-matched editors and a re-edit window through peer review, which points to Editage, Enago or Wordvice. A thesis sits in between, and Scribbr's student focus fits it well.
Check three things before ordering: whether the price includes your deadline, since express delivery can double the cost; whether re-edits are included and for how long; and whether the service uses AI anywhere in the process, since some journals and universities ask. Order a small document first if you are unsure. A 1,000-word test tells you more about an editor than any review page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between proofreading and editing?
Proofreading corrects grammar, spelling, punctuation and consistency in a finished draft. Editing goes further, improving clarity, flow, structure and word choice. Most services on this list offer both as separate tiers, with editing costing more.
How much does academic proofreading cost?
Typical rates run from about $0.026 to $0.06 per word for standard turnaround, with express delivery costing more. A 5,000-word document therefore costs roughly $130 to $300 at standard speed, depending on the service and depth.
Is using a proofreading service allowed?
Yes, proofreading and editing your own work is standard academic practice and widely accepted by universities and journals. What is not allowed is having someone else write your work, and you should check your institution's rules and disclose editing where a journal asks.
How fast can I get my document back?
Most services offer turnaround from 24 hours to 7 days depending on length, with express options as fast as 9 hours at Wordvice and same-day options elsewhere. Longer documents and higher editing tiers take longer, so confirm the delivery date at checkout.
Should I choose a service that lets me pick my editor?
Editor choice helps if you have an ongoing project or a specialist subject, and Editor World and Wordy offer it. For a one-off document, subject matching by the service usually works well, and most top services match editors to your field automatically.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://www.scribbr.com
- https://www.cambridgeproofreading.com
- https://www.papertrue.com
- https://www.wordvice.com
- https://www.editage.com
- https://www.enago.com
- https://www.proofed.com
- https://www.scribendi.com
- https://www.editorworld.com/article/top-academic-editing-and-proofreading-services
- https://www.editorworld.com/article/how-much-does-proofreading-cost
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.