Since 1997, Scribendi has offered fast, affordable and professional proofreading/editing services.  This includes ESL services, academic editing and book critiques, to name a few.  The great thing about this company is that they are often in need of proofreaders/editors who want to join their team and work from home.

I have mentioned this company briefly in my massive non-phone work from home jobs guide, but I never dove in deep and reviewed the company in detail.  I’ll do that today.

If you’re interested in a remote proofreading/editing job or maybe you’re curious about the remote work-from-home job opportunities out there, Scribendi may be something to consider.

In today’s review, I talk about the pay, how it works as well as if it’s worth your time.  As in all of my reviews, I remain non-biased, only recommending what I feel is worth your time.

So, with that being said, let’s jump and see if Scribendi is worth your time.

Requirements

The company is almost always hiring freelance editors/proofreaders, however, like the many gigs I have talked about, the company does have some requirements if you’re interested in the position.  This includes…

• a university 4-year degree
• at least three years experience in editing/writing
• native-level English proficiency
• excellent reading comprehension
• can meet deadlines
• able to proofread/edit 1,000-1,500 words per hour

The company does accept applicants from around the world, not just the United States, as long as you’re able to accept payments in U.S. dollars to your account.

In the United States, applicants from California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Dakota, Washington DC, West Virginia, or Wyoming cannot apply, according to the official application page.  Digging deep into the issue, it appears they ban these states since they force you to sign a three-year non-compete agreement, which seems to be quite unfair to freelancers.  These states do not allow such activities.

The requirements are quite strict in comparison to the many editing/writing gigs I have talked about, which means 99% of  us won’t qualify, however, if you feel you do meet the qualifications, then let me show you how it works.

Applying

To apply, the company will want you to fill out a simple questionnaire, which will include your personal details, such as your name, etc.  Aside from this, you will also need to answer some simple questions to ensure you meet the requirements.  Reflecting on those requirements mentioned prior, they want to confirm that you meet every requirement, such as being able to edit 1,000+ words per hour, etc.

Aside from the simple application, the company does ask you to send in a cover letter and resume just like applying for a traditional job.  Make sure this is up to date as they do ask that you detail the experience you have in the editing world.

The entire application can be found here and it takes about 10 minutes to apply.  This, of course, doesn’t include the time to edit your resume/cover letter if it needs updating.  This could take another hour or so to complete the entire process.

Once submitted, it could take days, maybe weeks or months before you hear back.   If you meet the requirements and you’re what the company is looking for, you can expect a response, but it could take some time.

If considered, you will need to go through an online test, which can take hours, to learn how the company/platform works.

How it Works

All work sent to you as an editor will be anonymous to the client.  Simply put, this means the client will never know who’s editing their work, which can be looked at as either a good or bad thing.  Clients don’t like that they can’t make a connection whereas freelancers love that they remain anonymous.

Being a freelancer, you’re able to review and reject any job sent your way.  From reviews, however, it does seem that you should accept jobs on occasions to stay active.  Since you’re an independent contractor, you have complete control of your work schedule, allowing you to work whenever you please.

Since every job is different, deadlines will vary, as will the job scope.  Everything you need to know, however, will be given to you before you accept a job.  From reviews, deadlines are often tight and expectations can be unrealistic.  This is one big reason they have poor reviews online.

After your work is submitted, it will then be sent to quality control, in which they will either send the work back to you for additional editing or they will simply approve it.  All work is rated and attributed to your profile, which can affect how you receive work in the future.

How Much Does Scribendi Pay?

How much you get paid will greatly depend on the jobs you accept, your skill level and how fast you work.  The workload can matter as well since there will be times no work will come your way.  This seems to be a problem as of late because it does look like the company has hired more editors than they know what to do with.

In my research, the hourly rate is all over the place, from as little as a few dollars an hour to more than $35+.

The more than 25+ salaries found on Glassdoor, for example, note that you should expect to average $13 to $17 per hour, which seems to be below average for an editor pay.  However, for most remote jobs such as these, it’s hard to find a gig that averages more than $20 per hour.

Aside from the hourly pay, you can also earn “karma,” which can add a small boost, usually no more than a dollar or so, to assignments that no one is taking.  It’s not much, but I did want to mention this.

In the end, plan on averaging about $13 per hour if you’re able to pick up a job and start working on it.

The Reviews Online

There were more than 90 reviewers on Glassdoor with the average review being a mediocre 3.4/5.  36% approved of the CEO and many complained of the lack of work, stressful environment and lack of benefits.  Positive reviewers did note that it was a fantastic experience for people who love proofreading and want the flexibility to work from home.  Glassdoor was the only third-party review website where I could find legitimate reviews from previous freelancers.

Final Thoughts

7/10Scribendi is a 100% legitimate company and it’s one that can provide you with some flexible editing work.  As long as you meet the strict requirements and you don’t live in an excluded state, it doesn’t seem like a bad opportunity.  The pay isn’t the greatest, but if you’re looking for some side cash, maybe to make $100 to $200 a week at most, then it’s one to consider.  I wouldn’t quit my day job, however, as the lack of benefits, work and pay fluctuations can be too risky, at least to me.   Picture it as an editing job to gain access to jobs you probably couldn’t find.  I hope that makes sense.

Another thing to consider is the three-year non-compete agreement.  If you do sign up, be sure to read this NDA over as it could screw you over as a freelancer in the future, as you may not be able to work with another editing company in the next three years.  It may be wise to get an attorney, even though it could cost you.  This alone may not be worth it.

In the end, do your due diligence.  I think there’s some potential, as long as you’re loyal to the company for the next few years, however, don’t expect to rake in the cash.  If you’re happy with that, then follow the application link to start the process.  You never know if you’re considered unless you apply.

That’s going to do it for now.

As always, if you want to comment on Scribendi, whether it’s a question or your experience, you’re more than welcome to do so in the comments below.