Last Updated on September 29, 2026 by Nicole Halper
Copyediting fixes a draft’s grammar, clarity, consistency, and style-guide errors, while the wording can still change. Proofreading is the last check for typos, broken links, and formatting mistakes after the piece is laid out. Most marketing content needs both: a copyedit before design and a proofread before it publishes.
I’ve copyedited travel copy for Travelzoo for five years, and the examples below use AP style.
What does a copyeditor fix in marketing content?
A copyedit works on sentences while the wording can still change. For example, on a blog post, ad, or white paper, a copyeditor fixes:
- Grammar, punctuation, and syntax
- Sentences a reader has to read twice
- Terms used two ways in one piece, such as “email” in one paragraph and “e-mail” in the next
- Numbers, dates, titles, and capitalization, to AP style or your in-house style guide
- Tone that shifts between sections written by different people
- Names, dates, and statistics worth checking (light fact-checking)
What does a proofreader check?
A proofread happens after the copy is approved and placed in its final layout: the web page, the PDF, or the email template. A proofreader checks:
- Typos that survived editing or appeared during layout
- Broken or wrong links
- Headings, captions, and bullets that don’t match each other
- Spacing, line breaks, and missing words introduced in the design tool
A proofreader doesn’t rewrite sentences. If the proofread turns up a paragraph that reads badly, the piece needed a copyedit first.
Copyediting vs. proofreading at a glance
| Copyediting | Proofreading | |
|---|---|---|
| When | After the draft is written, before design or layout | After layout, before publishing |
| What it fixes | Grammar, clarity, consistency, style guide, light fact-checking | Typos, links, formatting, layout errors |
| Changes the wording? | Yes | Only to fix an error |
| EFA business/marketing rate (2024) | 3–5¢ per word or $50–$60 an hour | 2–4¢ per word or $45–$57.50 an hour |
| Proofed & Proven rate | $0.035–$0.045 per word or $55 an hour | $0.03–$0.04 per word or $45 an hour |
Which one does your piece need?
Answer these four questions about the piece:
- Is anyone still changing the wording? It needs a copyedit.
- Did more than one person write it? Copyedit it, so the voice and terms match.
- Has it been copyedited, approved, and laid out? Proofread it.
- Is it going somewhere you can’t fix after it goes out, such as a printed brochure or an email campaign? Proofread it, even if you copyedited it.
Most blog posts and white papers need both.
Seven AP style errors a copyedit catches
- Numbers: spell out one through nine and use numerals for 10 and up. Ages and percentages always take numerals.
- Percentages: use the % sign with a numeral: 5%, not five percent.
- Dates: abbreviate Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec. with a specific date, and spell out March, April, May, June, and July.
- Times: write a.m. and p.m. in lowercase with periods, and use noon or midnight instead of 12 p.m. or 12 a.m.
- Titles: capitalize a formal title before a name (Chief Executive Officer Jane Smith) and lowercase it after (Jane Smith, chief executive officer).
- Serial comma: leave it out of a simple series (red, white and blue).
- States: spell out state names in body text (Tulsa, Oklahoma).
What do copyediting and proofreading cost in 2026?
The Editorial Freelancers Association surveys its members and publishes their rates at the-efa.org/rates. Its 2024 rate chart puts business and marketing copyediting at 3–5¢ per word or $50–$60 an hour, and proofreading at 2–4¢ per word or $45–$57.50 an hour.
My rates are $55 an hour or $0.035–$0.045 per word for copyediting, and $45 an hour or $0.03–$0.04 per word for proofreading. For teams that publish every week, my marketing copyediting plans cover a copyedit and a final proofread on every piece for $2,200 or $3,200 a month, with tracked changes back in two business days. All my rates and timelines are on the Services page.
When you only need a proofread
If your team already has an editor, or the piece went through a copyedit and only the layout changed, buy a proofread. It costs less, and a second copyedit on approved copy reopens decisions your team already made.
Frequently asked questions
Is copyediting the same as proofreading?
No. Copyediting improves a draft’s wording, clarity, and consistency before layout. Proofreading checks the finished, laid-out piece for typos, broken links, and formatting errors. A copyedit changes sentences, and a proofread only fixes mistakes.
Which comes first, copyediting or proofreading?
Copyediting. A copyedit can change sentence length and wording, which changes the layout, so proofreading comes after design as the last check before the piece is published.
How much does copyediting cost?
The Editorial Freelancers Association’s 2024 rate chart puts business and marketing copyediting at 3–5¢ per word or $50–$60 an hour. I charge $0.035–$0.045 per word or $55 an hour.
Can I get both from one editor?
Yes. My marketing copyediting plans include a copyedit and a final proofread on every piece, and you can start with four pieces for $450.
Try it on four of your pieces
Email four pieces to editing@proofedandproven.com, and I’ll return a copyedit and proofread in AP style, with tracked changes, within two business days. The trial costs $450.
