Copy Editing vs Proofreading: What's the Difference?

Written and edited by Kelsey Spence – February 15, 2026

If you’re a freelancer and you find yourself stuck between proofreading and copy editing a book or other written content, it can be tricky to determine whether you should charge copy editing or proofreading rates, which can differ drastically. Many people struggle to determine the difference between the two.

The goal of this article is to help inquiring minds struggle no longer! After you finish reading, you should know the difference between copy editing and proofreading.

Copy Editing

When determining whether copy editing vs proofreading is required, the first thing to note is that copy editing comes before proofreading in the editorial process.

Copy editing happens during the stage where a written piece is still in the process of being shaped and typically after a developmental edit. It usually includes making direct changes to, in most cases, a Word document, oftentimes using Microsoft Word’s Tracked Changes feature.

Copy editing involves a heavy review of spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure. In other words, copy editors mainly tackle technical issues. They also keep their eyes peeled for inconsistencies, such as the color of a character’s hair changing later in a book or a changing formatting style.

Lastly, many copy editors are also tasked with fact-checking written works, making sure the date given for an event is accurate, or verifying the spelling of a historical figure's name. (To see a breakdown of all the other types of editors, check out my other article.)

Proofreading

The most telling characteristic of proofreading is that it almost always takes place within the final stage of production. Oftentimes, it is done by making comments or proofreading marks in a PDF file. Thus, most proofreaders do not directly make changes to the writing at this editorial stage.

At the time of proofreading, a piece should have already been pored through various times by the editorial staff. Therefore, proofreaders typically only need to find formatting issues or minor errors that were missed by the copy editor, which is why rates for proofreading are lower than copy editing rates.

Copy Editing vs Proofreading: So, Which Is It?

If you are still struggling to understand what sets copy editing and proofreading apart from each other, you could always think about asking the writer of the content what kind of edits have already been done to their piece, if any.

If you are the first editorial eyes to touch the written work, it might be best to charge for copy editing. If you are the last, perhaps charging for proofreading would make more sense. For writers, feel free to reach out and inquire about which service is right for you.