Free tool
Book editing cost calculator
Enter your word count and the edits you need for a low-to-high estimate based on the Editorial Freelancers Association's 2026 rate chart.
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Your estimate
Estimated total: $8,010 to $10,530
| Edit | Estimated cost | Editor time |
|---|---|---|
| Developmental edit | $2,700 to $3,150 | 36 to 65 hours |
| Line edit | $2,430 to $3,150 | 38 to 72 hours |
| Copyedit | $1,800 to $2,430 | 36 to 60 hours |
| Proofread | $1,080 to $1,800 | 24 to 36 hours |
| Total | $8,010 to $10,530 | |
Pages: 360, at 250 words a page.
US dollars, from the EFA's 2026 rate chart (median ranges from a survey of members' 2025 rates), checked October 8, 2026. See the EFA rate chart
Where the rates come from
The estimate uses the Editorial Freelancers Association's 2026 rate chart, built from a survey of more than 1,100 member editors about the rates they charged in 2025. We use its per-word ranges for fiction and nonfiction.
The EFA doesn't set rates, and individual editors charge more or less depending on experience, genre and deadline. Treat the result as a budget range for your first conversations, not a quote.
What each edit type covers
- Manuscript assessment: an editor reads the whole book and writes a report on its biggest strengths and problems, without marking up the manuscript. The cheapest way to get a professional read.
- Developmental edit: big-picture work on structure, plot, character arcs and pacing, with notes in the manuscript and a long editorial letter.
- Line edit: sentence by sentence, for voice, rhythm, clarity and word choice.
- Copyedit: grammar, consistency, usage and continuity details, to a style guide.
- Proofread: the last check for typos and formatting errors, after the book is laid out.
Which edit comes first
Edits run from big to small: an assessment or developmental edit first, then a line edit, then a copyedit, then a proofread after layout. Skipping ahead wastes money, because changes to structure undo the polish below them.
If you're querying agents, you usually need a strong revision rather than a full professional edit, because publishers edit the books they buy. If you're self-publishing, budget for at least a copyedit and a proofread.
How to lower the bill before you hire
- Revise until you can't see what to fix yourself. Editors charge by the word, not by how much is wrong, so a cleaner draft gets deeper notes for the same money.
- Fix structure before sentences. A line edit on chapters you later cut is money spent twice.
- Use beta readers first. Feedback on what confuses or bores readers is free and tells you where to focus.
- Run a manuscript analysis. StoryWith AI flags structure, pacing and continuity issues across the whole book, so an editor's time goes on judgment rather than on problems software can find.
- Ask for a sample edit. Many editors will edit a few pages so you can see their approach before you commit.
Run it on the whole manuscript
These tools read a sample. StoryWith AI reads the whole book: structure, pacing, continuity, and a readiness score with every issue linked to its passage. Start free, then upgrade when you're ready to analyze the whole book.
More free tools
- Manuscript Readiness ScorePaste your opening chapters for a score out of 100 and the issues most likely to stop an agent.
- Story RaterRate a chapter or short story on hook, pacing, clarity, dialogue and character, with your top three fixes.
- Query Letter GraderInstant checks on length, word count, genre, comps and greeting, plus an AI review with line-level fixes.
- Query Letter GeneratorAnswer six questions about your novel and get a first-draft query letter in agent format.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How much does it cost to edit a 90,000-word novel?
Using the EFA's 2026 fiction ranges: a developmental edit costs about $2,700-$3,150, a line edit about $2,430-$3,150, a copyedit about $1,800-$2,430 and a proofread about $1,080-$1,800. All four together come to about $8,010-$10,530.
Why does nonfiction cost more to edit?
The EFA chart's nonfiction rates are higher at every stage. Nonfiction editing also covers the logic of the argument and the consistency of facts and references, which takes longer per page.
Should I pay per word, per page or per hour?
Per word or per project is easiest to budget, because the price is fixed before work starts. Hourly rates are common too: ask for an estimate of the hours and a cap.
Do I need a developmental edit before querying agents?
Not necessarily. Many authors query after revising with beta readers. A developmental edit helps most when you've revised and know something isn't working but can't see what.
How long does an edit take?
It depends on the editor's schedule more than the word count. The EFA chart lists typical pages per hour for each edit, and the calculator turns that into editor hours, but many editors book weeks or months ahead.
Is the calculator free?
Yes, and it runs entirely in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.