How Much Does a Professional Translation Cost?

Possibilities are you will want to get a translation rate quote from at least three different translation agencies. So, when those quotes appear in your inbox, what are the things that influence the change in pricing? The main one is language pair, but the translator’s knowledge, subject matter, and format of the document can all change translation price.

On a basic level document translation rates usually are worked out on a price-per-word basis, and most translators and translation agencies work to industry-standard rates.

The translation rates are accepted at the beginning of a project. Depending on the client’s requirements, the same rates can demand across several different projects. Should the range of a project change, we will work with you to match new translation rates that are more appropriate for the new project. When you request a free, no-obligation quote, Universal Translation Services will provide you with a detailed pricing quote broken down by document and language pair.

Word Count

Several translation companies implement word counts to approximate the price of an assigned translation project. Per-word pricing manages to be fair for both the providers and client, though, it is essential that you ask whether the company costs for source language word count or target language word count. Some language service providers will give you a very less per word price, but it provides translation only and no extra proofreading or editing. On the other side, some service providers will give you one per word price for translation, proofreading, and editing. Knowing what your price includes is critical when analyzing quotes so you can be sure you are getting affordable translation services.

Translation Rates per Word: Driving Factors

1. Rates vary depending on language combination: The rule of supply-and-demand applies here, and the rate per word for obscure language pair will be higher than language pair with a significant association of expert translators. The cost of living in the target nation will also affect the translation rate per word.

2. Rates vary depending on total volume: Some agencies apply discounts for large volumes and continuous translation projects. If you have a big translation project, you may get a substantial volume discount from your service provider. Though, you should take into the record that not all freelance translators allow this type of discount.

3. Rates vary depending on the subject matter: Translation of general stuff that needs no or little expertise is at the low point of the price scale. Rates per word get higher as the subject matter becomes more complicated.

4. Rates vary depending on file format: Today we have loads of different file formats. Most of us use MS Word, Excel or PowerPoint for daily requirements. Though, there are several other file formats used in various industries. For instance, engineers apply AutoCAD software to make drawings; designers use Photoshop, CorelDraw, and other tools to improve their theories.

These software tools save documents in various file formats; so you should select a translator who is familiar with that software and can work with a specific format. In some instances, this may cause extra charges.

Another case, when the additional charges can be applied, includes PDF files. In this case, translation service providers have to process and make documents for translation or offer DTP service after translation.

5. Rates vary depending on service level: Some companies offer translation services performed by non-professional translators; people who understand the languages but are doing the work to improve their income. This is a standard exercise of some of the online translation companies. This sort of service is at a low cost. UTS only hire and work with certified, expert translators. At the highest end of the, service level ranking are translations that are analyzed by a second translator to assure high quality.

How Do You Know If You’re Giving a Reasonable Cost for Translation?

It is sometimes difficult to tell if the cost you’ve been quoted is reasonable for the service you’re getting. There are some things to think about to make sure you’re making a reasonable cost.

Firstly, be sure to check the quoted rate against the industry-standard rates. This will provide you a hint as to whether your quote is excellent and reasonable.

Secondly, think about the document you want to get translated: Is it a highly-technical document prepared with niche jargon that only a professional would understand? Is it an informative marketing pamphlet that needs artistic artwork translation and localization for a particular market? Or perhaps it’s a high-volume document prepared with antic language and literary devices.

If the reaction is yes to the above, then the translation rate may be higher as you’ll require a professional translator to handle the project.

Equivalently, when you have an uncomplicated low word-count document, such as a brief email, the translation should be comparatively simple. As such, the cost should be retained to a minimum too.

If you imagined that quality and affordability do not go together, you are wrong. At UTS you can avail yourself of an affordable translation service. We will help you with qualitative and genuine translation services at the most affordable rates. You will be able to reach out to your expected audience without upsetting your budget for the translation services. When you look for affordable language translation service, along with the quality of service, the translation rates matter. The translation rates are set according to the domains and projects.

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Author Bio: Anita Huisman is the chief content Manager at Universal Translation Services. An expert in the field of Translation Software and Translation Project Workflow she offers translation advisory service, which is available 24/7 and includes translation services in all languages.