In this post we give some pointers to look out for when it comes to choosing a reputable UK proofreading service.
What are the best places to check proofreading service reviews?
The main site to look for reviews is Trustpilot. Google My Business is also useful; you can find it in Google Maps.
Can proofreading companies fake reviews on their own websites?
Yes, companies can control and edit reviews on their own websites, so these testimonials may be biased or fabricated compared to independent review platforms.
These reviews intend to mimic genuine review sites like Trustpilot and Sitejabber. However, as these reviews are on the website they can be manipulated or entirely made up by the company.
Are negative reviews a good sign of a legitimate proofreading service?
Genuine reviews often include minor grammar or spelling errors, especially from non-native speakers, reflecting authentic customer experiences rather than polished marketing text.
As 90% of our customers are foreign, non-native speakers of English you can expect their reviews to have grammar, spelling and punctuation mistakes in them. This is a sign that they are genuine. After all, proofreading companies work primarily with people who struggle with English writing, so why would they have reviews written in flawless English?
Are negative reviews a good sign of a legitimate proofreading service?
Yes, a few negative reviews indicate authenticity, as no long-standing service avoids all criticism and fake reviews are usually overwhelmingly positive.
Another trick that some dubious proofreading companies do is to only have 4 and 5 star reviews. If a company is genuine they are likely to have a handful of negative reviews. Why? Because if the reviews are fake they would not pay for bad reviews and would opt instead for 4 or 5 star ones. Also, if they are established and have been in business for long enough then negative reviews are unavoidable. These are from people who have not understood what the service entails or because a technical glitch caused a document to be returned late. These things do happen!
How can you tell if a proofreading service uses human editors?
Review editing samples to ensure meaningful human corrections, as automated tools like Grammarly cannot match the depth and accuracy of professional editors.
Check the company’s editing samples to verify you are getting what you pay for. The last thing you want is a simple Grammarly-like check of your document. Grammarly is great, but it can’t replace a human editor.
We are London Proofreaders, and we are a UK proofreading agency that has checked over 7,000 documents for 2,700 clients in 77 countries around the world.
