How much do translation services cost?
How much do translation services cost?
$0.08 – $0.40 cost per word
$20 – $100+ cost per page
Cost of translation services
The average cost of translation services is $0.08 to $0.40 per word. Translation rates for certified and legal documents range from $20 to $100+ per page. Translation prices vary significantly based on the language pairs, length, complexity, and turnaround time. Translations involving popular languages cost less than those with rare language pairs and limited translator availability.
| Fee structure | Average cost | Common usages |
|---|---|---|
| Per word | $0.08 – $0.40 | Standard document types |
| Per page | $20 – $100+ | Legal and certified documents, posters, brochures |
| Per hour | $15 – $75+ | Marketing campaigns, website localization, in-person translation service |
| Per recorded minute | $5 – $20+ | Transcriptions, voice-overs |
Translation cost per word
Most professional translators charge per word of the source document. This pricing model provides predictable costs and easy comparison between providers. Rates range from $0.08 to $0.40 per word on average, depending on the document size, type, and the linguistic pair.
Standard translation rates can be as low as $0.05 to $0.15 per word for general content. Specialized content costs significantly more, with many legal, medical, and technical translations costing $0.20 to $0.60+ per word. These higher rates reflect the expertise required to handle complex terminology accurately.
Translation cost per page
Page-based pricing for translation service averages $20 to $100+ per page, depending on language pair, subject matter, and file type. This model works best for documents where word counting is challenging or impractical, such as visually formatted documents like certificates, brochures, or posters.
Legal and certified documents often use page-based pricing. Certified translation costs range from $30 to $75+ per page, depending on the document type and language pair. Legal translations often cost $50 to $125+ per page due to their specialized nature.
Translation price per hour
Hourly rates for translation services vary greatly. Basic translation costs $20 to $30 per hour, while experts in healthcare or law charge $75 to $150 or more. This model works when word count alone doesn't reflect the effort required. Marketing campaigns, website localization, and creative projects requiring cultural adaptation use this approach.
Some audio and video translation services also use hourly billing. "Per audio minute" is another common pricing model for transcription service rates that involve translation, with prices averaging $5 to $20 per recorded minute.
What factors affect translation rates?
Multiple factors influence translation costs beyond basic word count. The following elements can significantly impact your final translation cost:
Turnaround time: Rush jobs often cost 25% to 50% extra for urgent delivery.
Document length: Some translation companies offer discounted rates for large or bulk projects, potentially reducing per-word costs by
10% to 20%.
Complexity & specialization: Simple content like emails or basic personal documents cost less to translate since they don't require specialized terminology or industry knowledge. Legal, medical, technical, and engineering document translations often cost 50% to 100% more than general content.
Format & layout: Plain text documents are the cheapest to translate since translators can work efficiently without formatting concerns. Complex layouts with embedded images, tables, charts, or special formatting require additional time. PDF files often need conversion before translation, adding extra steps to the process.
Back translation: Some projects require reverse translation to verify accuracy, effectively doubling translation costs but ensuring maximum precision.
Language combination
Supply and demand dynamics significantly affect the cost of translation services. Common language combinations like English to Spanish cost less than rare pairs like Finnish to Vietnamese due to translator availability.
| High demand (lower rates) | Low demand (higher rates) |
|---|---|
| English ↔ Spanish | English ↔ Arabic |
| English ↔ French | English ↔ Japanese |
| English ↔ German | English ↔ Finnish |
| English ↔ Portuguese | English ↔ Hungarian |
| English ↔ Italian | Rare Indigenous languages |
Certified translation cost
Certified translation costs $30 to $75 per page on average. The cost for some certified legal document translations may reach $125+ per page, depending on the complexity and expertise required. Certified translation requires special handling and official documentation.
They include a signed statement from the translator attesting to accuracy and completeness, ensuring legal validity and acceptance by authorities like USCIS. Common documents requiring certification include birth certificates, marriage licenses, academic transcripts, and legal contracts.
Quality requirements
Most professional translation services include translation, editing, and proofreading (TEP). Higher quality standards require more review stages, which translates to higher costs.
Quality levels and typical uses:
Draft quality: Internal documents, getting the gist
Standard quality: Business correspondence, basic web content
Premium quality: Marketing materials, published content
Certified translation: Legal documents, official purposes
Website and software localization
Website translation costs slightly more than document translation due to multimedia content and additional services like SEO and UX/UI localization. Localization involves adapting user interfaces, help files, and error messages. This process requires technical expertise and cultural adaptation beyond standard translation services.
Translation vs. transcreation
Transcreation costs 30%+ more than standard translation due to its creative and cultural adaptation requirements. While translation focuses on linguistic accuracy, transcreation involves recreating content to resonate with the target audience's cultural context and emotions.
The higher price of transcreation reflects the additional skills required:
Deep cultural understanding and research
Creative adaptation while maintaining brand voice
Multiple drafts and brainstorming sessions
Market-specific adaptation beyond literal translation
While more expensive, transcreation provides unique value for brands seeking authentic connection with international audiences.
Machine vs. human translation service
Machine translation post-editing (MTPE) costs $0.02 to $0.15 per word, significantly less than human translation. MTPE involves initial translation by a computer program followed by review and revision by at least one professional translator to ensure accuracy and readability.
This type of translation works well for large projects that need fast turnaround times.
| Service type | Average cost | Best for / details |
|---|---|---|
| Machine translation post-editing (MTPE) | $0.02 – $0.15 per word |
|
| Human translation | $0.06 – $0.50 per word |
|
Machine translation providers like Google Cloud Translation and Microsoft's Azure AI Translator often price services per million characters, starting around $10 to $20 per million characters. However, human review remains essential for business-critical content.
Freelance vs. agency translation service
Both freelance translators and translation agencies have advantages and drawbacks. Your choice depends on project requirements, budget, and risk tolerance. Freelancers often offer competitive rates and direct communication but may lack backup coverage for emergencies. Agencies provide comprehensive services and reliability but tend to charge higher rates.
Project-based pricing
Large, complex translation projects sometimes receive flat-rate quotes. This approach works well for ongoing relationships or multi-deliverable projects where clients clearly define the scope up front. Changes mid-project can lead to additional charges, so clear communication is essential.
Translation service FAQs
What is a certified translation?
A certified translation is one officially verified by a qualified translator. These translations include official certification letters, often required for immigration, legal, and academic purposes.
What is computer-assisted translation?
Computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools help human translators work more efficiently by using translation memories and terminology databases. These tools maintain consistency across large projects and reduce costs for repetitive content. CAT tools are not the same as machine translation programs.
Getting accurate translation service quotes
Getting precise quotes requires providing detailed project information and asking the right questions. Follow these guidelines to help you choose the best translation service for your needs and budget:
Request detailed quotes from multiple providers.
Provide as much information as possible on your initial requests to ensure accurate pricing. Essential details include:
Source and target languages
Document type and subject matter
Word count or page count
File format and complexity
Desired delivery date
Quality requirements
Certification needs
Budget constraints
Ask about volume discounts for ongoing projects.
Clarify what's included in quoted prices.
Verify translator credentials for specialized content. Check the American Translators Association's online directory for certified translators.
Be cautious of unrealistically low prices as they often signal inexperienced translators or those using machine translation.
Ask for samples, references, and clear terms. Most professional translators are happy to demonstrate their capabilities and discuss their process.
Questions to ask potential translators
Quality, reliability, and communication matter as much as cost, especially for important projects. Before committing to a translation service, ask these essential questions to ensure you receive accurate pricing and quality service:
What's included in your per-word rate (translation, editing, proofreading)?
Do you offer discounts for repetitive content or large volumes?
What's your turnaround time for [your word count] words?
Are rush fees required for my timeline?
What qualifications do your translators have in my industry?
Do you provide certified translations if needed?
How do you handle revisions or corrections?
Can you provide references or samples of similar work?
What file formats can you work with?
Are there additional charges for formatting or desktop publishing?
Do you use computer-assisted translation tools to reduce costs?
What's your payment schedule and accepted methods?
Using our proprietary cost database, in-depth research, and collaboration with industry experts, we deliver accurate, up-to-date pricing and insights you can trust, every time.