The short answer
A billable word is a word in the primary document content that RevisePilot processes for the service you order. In a structured Word document, we normally count the title, abstract, keywords, headings, main text, captions, acknowledgments, appendices, and substantive notes. We do not normally count author details, boilerplate, protected citation fields, or the reference list. The sole exception is References Formatting: that service revises and bills the submitted reference list.
We publish this policy so you can understand the word count shown before checkout. Your order review displays both the billable file and the billable word count before you pay.
Billable words and non-billable words
Normally billable
- Document title and abstract
- Keywords, highlights, and section headings
- Main body text
- Figure and table captions
- Acknowledgments and appendices
- Substantive footnotes and endnotes
Normally non-billable
- Author names, affiliations, and other author metadata
- Headers, footers, and template boilerplate
- Reference-list entries, except for References Formatting
- Citation-only paragraphs or notes
- Protected automatic citation and cross-reference fields
- Context files that are not the service's primary billable file
“Normally” reflects structured Word documents whose sections can be identified reliably. Pre-Submission Review is the only service that accepts a PDF as its primary billable file; see the PDF rule below.
The reference-list exception
References Formatting is the only RevisePilot service that revises the reference list itself. For that service, the references list is the primary billable file. For every other service, detected reference-list entries are protected and excluded from the billable count in a structured Word document.
How the count works
- You upload the files required for your chosen service.
- RevisePilot identifies the primary billable file for that service.
- For a structured Word document, the system maps editable and protected content and counts whitespace-separated words in editable content.
- The order review shows the billable file, billable words, credits, and price before payment.
How PDFs are counted for Pre-Submission Review
Pre-Submission Review is the only service that accepts a PDF as the primary billable document. Because PDF structure cannot be mapped reliably enough for section-level exclusions, RevisePilot bills the total word count extracted from that PDF. Services that revise or produce an editable manuscript require a Word primary file. Where PDFs are accepted as supporting context—for reviewer-response services or Proposal Assistance—their words are not added to the billable count. The exact billable file and count are shown before checkout.
Examples
- Editing example: a structured Word manuscript contains 6,000 editable words and a 1,200-word reference list. Basic Edit bills approximately 6,000 words, not 7,200.
- Reviewer-response example: the manuscript contains 5,500 editable words and the reviewer-comments file contains 900 words. Response to Reviewers bills the 5,500-word manuscript; the reviewer comments provide context and are not added.
- References example: a submitted bibliography contains 1,200 words. References Formatting bills those 1,200 words because the bibliography is the content being revised.
- PDF review example: a PDF submitted for Pre-Submission Review contains 7,400 extracted words. The review bills 7,400 words because the PDF is the primary document being reviewed. A PDF uploaded only as supporting context is not added to the billable count.
Frequently asked questions
Are references included in the billable word count?
No for all services except References Formatting. That is the only service that revises and bills the submitted reference list.
Are reviewer comments billable?
No. For Response to Reviewers and Revise + Respond, reviewer comments are context files. The manuscript is the primary billable file.
Are proposal supporting documents billable?
No. Proposal Assistance bills the proposal draft. Up to four supporting files may provide context without being added to the billable count.
How are PDFs counted for Pre-Submission Review?
Pre-Submission Review is the only service that accepts a PDF as the primary billable file. RevisePilot uses the PDF's total extracted word count because its structure cannot reliably support section-level exclusions. PDFs accepted only as supporting context are not billable.
Can I see the billable word count before payment?
Yes. The order review displays the billable file, billable words, credits, and price before you continue to payment.
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