Pros
Easy online interface for picking up editing jobs. Clear salary listings. Decent salaries for work. IMMEDIATE payment for completed jobs through Paypal. I have only been working with Hello Essay as a freelance editor for a couple months now, but have taken as many editing opportunities as possible and have made a good amount of side money . The jobs have varied from ESL essays that need much substantive editing to more polished pieces that only require proofing and some basic suggestions for improvement. But most jobs pay at least a competitive rate when I break it down by hours spent. The couple times I've had to contact staff with an issue, they have responded promptly and effectively. But for the most part, I have had no contact with staff beyond the initial hiring process and editing tests. So far, Hello Essay has given me a superior experience as an editor. I only wish I could find more freelance editing positions that operate this way!
Cons
Very few cons, and I accept them gladly given the pros! (1) Short time limit (6H) for completing work. Once picked up from the queue, you have only six hours to complete a job or you risk losing it. Even the largest projects do not take anywhere near six hours, but if you have a busy few hours ahead, you can't pick up work to save for a few hours later. (2) Work queue is spotty -- some days there are several editing opportunities, and other times a couple days go by with none. And the ones that do pop up tend to be picked up quickly, so you have to act fast when you get a notification in order to be the first to pick up the job. Thus, Hello Essay offers great work for freelancers looking to make some extra money here and there, but not enough to sustain even solid part/time work.