Legal
Last updated on February 19, 2026.
When I was young, I wanted to sign up for an eBay account and a PayPal account so I could sell a few things. My dad let me use his name, but he said that if I wanted to click the "I have read the Terms & Conditions" checkbox honestly, I would need to actually read the Terms & Conditions for both sites in their entirety. Perhaps that's partially to blame for my love of proofreading.
I will not require you to attest to having read these Terms and Conditions, but I will tell you that they are here for your benefit. And if you're already here, reading this, you might be the kind of person who will enjoy what follows.
By using this website as a user (hereinafter "You", "Your"), You agree to the following Terms and Conditions of use. Please read them carefully before using this website.
Use of this website is at Your own risk. We host this site on a reputable platform and take reasonable efforts to maintain and host the site. However, We make no explicit representations or warranties as to the safety of Your individual use of the website. The Terms and Conditions of Use contained on this page are subject to change at any time.
Proofread.co provides professional proofreading and light copyediting services for a wide range of document types, including but not limited to government proposals, technical standards, business publications, grant applications, and corporate correspondence. Our services include correction of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, syntax, consistency, and clarity, as well as light copyediting for readability and flow. All services are provided at an all-inclusive hourly rate with no add-ons or tiered feature packages.
Our services do not include substantive rewriting, fact-checking, legal or technical accuracy review, or verification of data, statistics, or citations contained within Your documents. We make no representation that documents reviewed by Us are free from factual error, legally compliant, or suitable for any regulatory or submission requirement. Our services do not constitute legal advice, and no document returned by Us should be relied upon as legally reviewed or compliant with any applicable law or regulation.
While We make every effort to work with documents across all industries and formats, We reserve the right to decline any project at Our sole discretion.
We understand that documents submitted to Us for review may contain sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information. We treat all client documents and their contents as confidential and will not disclose, share, reproduce, or repurpose Your materials for any purpose outside of fulfilling the agreed-upon services or as required by law.
Client documents are received via email or a secure submission form and stored on password-protected devices using secure cloud storage. Client documents are accessible only to authorized personnel of Company and are not shared with subcontractors, third-party editors, or any other outside party unless You explicitly request such sharing (for example, to facilitate coordination with another service provider).
Where required, We are willing to execute a separate non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with You prior to the commencement of services. In the absence of a separately executed agreement, these Terms and Conditions shall serve as Our binding commitment to the confidential treatment of Your materials. Our confidentiality obligations do not apply to information that is or becomes publicly available through no fault of Ours, or that We are required to disclose by applicable law or court order.
Documents may be submitted to Us via Our upload portal or by email. We accept documents in the following formats: PDF, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Docs, and Apple Pages. Submission of a document in a format not listed above does not guarantee Our ability to process it. We will notify You promptly if We are unable to accommodate Your file.
We offer three service tiers based on turnaround time. Rush service guarantees same-day delivery. Expedited service guarantees delivery within twenty-four (24) hours. Standard service targets delivery within forty-eight (48) to seventy-two (72) hours and is provided as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Turnaround time begins upon Our confirmation of receipt of Your document and applicable project details. We are not responsible for delays caused by late submission, late estimate approval, incomplete instructions, or failure to provide requested materials.
Documents submitted to Us are used solely for the purpose of providing the proofreading services You have requested. We do not use client documents or any portion thereof for any secondary purpose, including but not limited to marketing, portfolio display, staff training, or model training. We do not extract, reproduce, or repurpose client document content in any form without Your explicit written consent.
Upon completion of services, Your documents are retained in a private, cloud-based storage environment accessible only to Company. We retain client files for a period of twelve (12) months following project completion, after which files may be deleted at Our discretion.
You may request deletion of Your files at any time by contacting Us at josiah@proofread.co. We will make reasonable efforts to honor deletion requests in a timely manner; however, deletion is not guaranteed to be immediate upon request. We do not sell, share, or transfer Your files to third parties except as required by law.
Our proofreading services are performed primarily through manual, human review. In some engagements, We may use artificial intelligence tools as a supplemental step following a complete human proofread. AI tools are never used as a substitute for human review, and any AI-assisted analysis is reviewed and validated by Us before delivery.
If You do not wish for Your document to be processed by any AI tool, You may opt out at any time by notifying Us at josiah@proofread.co. You may make this request before submitting Your document or at any point during Our working relationship, and We will honor it for all current and future engagements unless You instruct Us otherwise. When You opt out, Your document will be reviewed exclusively by human proofreading.
Services are billed at an hourly rate. Invoices are issued at the end of each calendar month and are due within thirty (30) days of the invoice date (net-30). Payment is processed through Wave, and We accept all payment methods supported by Wave at the time of invoicing. For projects exceeding 25,000 words, a deposit of 50 percent is required prior to commencement of work. We reserve the right to pause or withhold delivery of completed work in the event of non-payment or a disputed invoice.
If You are not satisfied with the quality of Our work upon delivery, We will re-proofread Your document at no additional charge, provided You submit Your request within thirty (30) days of the original delivery date. This guarantee applies to quality of service and does not constitute an admission of error or liability beyond re-performance of the service.
If We fail to meet an agreed-upon Rush or Expedited deadline, Your project will be provided at no charge. This deadline guarantee applies only to Rush and Expedited service tiers and does not apply to Standard service, for which turnaround times are estimates. All hourly work performed on a project prior to a missed deadline remains subject to this guarantee and will be waived accordingly.
We do not offer refunds on completed work outside of the circumstances described above.
You are responsible for submitting the correct, final version of Your document prior to commencement of services. If You submit an incorrect version or request that We re-proofread a revised or replacement document, all additional work will be billed at Our standard hourly rate. We are not responsible for errors arising from changes made to a document after it has been returned to You.
If Your document is governed by a specific style guide (such as Chicago, APA, MLA, or a proprietary organizational standard), You are encouraged to provide that guide at the time of submission. While provision of a style guide is not required, We cannot guarantee adherence to a particular style standard in its absence, and We will apply professional judgment in accordance with generally accepted conventions.
You are also responsible for providing sufficient context, project details, and submission instructions at the time of upload or inquiry. Delays in providing requested information may affect turnaround times, and We shall not be held liable for resulting delays.
You must be of legal age of majority in Your place of residence to be able to form legally binding contracts under applicable law to use Our website. Anyone who does not meet these criteria is unauthorized, unlicensed, and in violation of these Terms and Conditions. By using this site, You represent and warrant that You can form a legally binding contract under applicable law and are of legal age of majority where You reside, and that You agree to abide by all of the terms and conditions of these Terms and Conditions.
All text, photographs, graphics, designs, and other materials on this site are subject to the copyrights and other intellectual property rights of proofread.co and are protected by United States Copyright Laws (U.S.C. Title 17). Website materials may not be copied for any reason, including Your personal use, commercial use, or distribution, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior express written permission of Company. We may prosecute You to the fullest extent permissible should We choose to do so, including asking for financial penalties (damages) and/or an injunction forcing You to stop using Our intellectual property immediately.
We are committed to making Our website and services accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. We strive to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and to follow best practices for web accessibility.
Our goal is to provide a positive, accessible experience for all visitors by working toward conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). We continuously review Our website and update features to improve accessibility.
If You encounter any accessibility barriers or have difficulty using any part of Our website, please contact Us at josiah@proofread.co. We welcome Your feedback and will make reasonable efforts to address any issues promptly.
Any communications made through Our blog, blog comments, newsletter sign-up, or other related pages, or directly to Our phone or mailing or email addresses, are not held privileged or confidential and are subject to viewing and distribution by third-parties. We own any and all communications displayed on Our website, servers, comments, emails, or other media as allowed by United States law and will not give credit or pay royalties for unsolicited user-generated content such as blog comments or emails. For more information on when and how We store and use Your communications or any data provided by You in those communications, please refer to Our Privacy Policy.
We maintain a right to republish any submission in whole or in part as reasonably necessary in the course of Our business. You agree not to submit any content or communications that could be illegal or serve an unlawful purpose, including, but not limited to, communications that are potentially libelous or maliciously false, obscene, abusive, negligent, or otherwise harmful or inappropriate.
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Our website and company for any direct or indirect loss or conduct incurred as a result of Your use of Our website and any related communications, including as a result of any consequences incurred from technological failures such as a payment processor error(s) or system failure(s).
While We may reference certain results, outcomes, or situations on this website, You understand and acknowledge that We make no guarantee as to the accuracy of third-party statements contained herein or the likelihood of success for You as a result of these statements or any other statements anywhere on this website. If You have medical, legal, or financial questions, You should consult a medical professional, lawyer, or CPA and/or CFP respectively. We expressly disclaim any and all responsibility for any actions or omissions You choose to make as a result of using this website, related materials, products, courses, or the materials contained herein.
While Company may offer discounts or offers at various times, these discounts or offers may be terminated or amended at any time without explanation or warning. Sales, discounts, and offers will not be retroactively applied to past purchases.
This website is updated on a regular basis, and while We try to make accurate statements in a timely and effective manner, We cannot guarantee that all materials and related media contained herein are entirely accurate, complete, or up to date. You expressly acknowledge and understand that any information or knowledge You gain as a result of using this website is used at Your own risk. If You should see any errors or omissions and would like to let Us know, please email Us at josiah@proofread.co.
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Company's total liability to You for any claim arising out of or relating to Our services, these Terms and Conditions, or Your use of this website, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, shall not exceed the total fees paid by You for the specific project giving rise to the claim.
In no event shall Company be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, including but not limited to lost profits, lost contracts, lost business opportunities, or reputational harm, even if Company has been advised of the possibility of such damages. You acknowledge that the services provided are professional in nature and subject to human judgment, and that no proofreading or editing service can guarantee the complete absence of error in any document.
If at any time Company feels You have violated these Terms and Conditions, Company shall immediately terminate Your use of Our website and any related communications as We deem appropriate. It is within Company's sole discretion to allow any user's access of Our website, and We may revoke this access at any time without notice, and, if necessary, block Your IP address from further visits to Our site(s).
The information contained herein constitutes the entire agreement between site users and Our company relating to the use of this website.
If any part of these Terms and Conditions of Use is deemed unlawful and/or unenforceable, all other provisions contained herein will remain in full force and effect. Any failure by Company to enforce a provision of these Terms and Conditions of Use shall not constitute a waiver of any other portion or provision of these Terms and Conditions of Use.
Headings and titles are provided in these Terms and Conditions of Use for convenience only and will not be construed as part of the legal terms.
These Terms and Conditions of Use and Our Privacy Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of South Carolina including all matters of construction, validity, performance, and enforcement, and without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws. You agree that any dispute or lawsuit arising out of, or concerning, this Agreement that is not first resolved by arbitration shall be resolved exclusively in a federal or state court of competent jurisdiction located in Greenville County, South Carolina. You and Company assume responsibility for their own collection costs and legal fees incurred should enforcement of these conditions become necessary.
Before initiating any arbitration proceedings, Company and You agree to first attempt to resolve any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions of Use, including the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, through good faith mediation. Mediation will be conducted in Greenville, South Carolina, with a mutually agreed-upon mediator.
If the matter is not resolved through mediation within thirty (30) days of the initial request for mediation (or a longer period if agreed to by the parties), then the dispute shall be decided by arbitration in accordance with the procedural rules of the American Arbitration Association. Company and You agree to be bound by the decision of the arbitrator(s). The arbitration proceeding shall take place in Greenville, South Carolina. The cost and expenses of the arbitrators shall be shared equally by the parties. Each party shall be responsible for its own costs and expenses in presenting the dispute for arbitration.
If You require any more information or have any questions about these Terms and Conditions of Use or Our Privacy Policy, please feel free to contact Us by email at josiah@proofread.co.
View Our Privacy Policy here.