Editing and Proofreading Rates | Freelance Editors and Proofreaders, South Africa

Basic Proofreading

For well-written text that is already fairly polished and only requires a final proofread for punctuation, grammar, spacing issues, typos or inconsistencies.

From R120 / 1000 words (12c / word)

Light Editing

For writing that requires relatively little editing, but could do with some improvement in terms of grammar, syntax, punctuation, consistency and so forth.

From R150 / 1000 words (15c / word)

Substantial / Full Editing

This entails a thorough edit of the document or manuscript, including rewriting where necessary, filling in any gaps and making suggestions in this regard, especially when it comes to book and academic editing, correcting references (e.g., academic papers), and ensuring that the text is error-free.

From R200 / 1000 words (20c / word)

Developmental Editing

This stage focuses on the overall structure and clarity of a manuscript. It looks at flow, pacing, organisation, and whether the ideas or narrative make sense as a whole. Feedback may include rearranging sections, strengthening arguments or story elements, and clarifying the main message.

From R250 / 1000 words (25c / word)

Academic Editing & Proofreading

From R120 / 1000 words (12c / word) for proofreading only
From R180 / 1000 words (18c / word) for light editing & subsequent proofreading
From R240 / 1000 words (24c / word) for substantial editing & subsequent proofreading

For more info on what our academic editing and proofreading services entail, click here.

Important: These rates are general guidelines only and can vary considerably, depending on the nature of the content involved. We are also negotiable to an extent depending on your budget, and offer discounts for repeat work, as well as for NGOs and people whose work we believe in, e.g., first-time authors on a very tight budget. For an accurate quote, please email a Word sample (a few pages and the total word count, or ideally the full paper), and your deadline. We offer discounts for large projects (over 50,000 words) and are open to retainer arrangements.