How much do translation services cost?

The costs of a professional translation service can vary greatly, depending on the type of text, the languages involved, the specialist field and size of the project.

The parameter we believe is the fairest to quantify a translation is the rate per word. This does not mean paying for every single word, but the word count however gives you a true measure of the effort required to translate that text. Special projects or services can instead be calculated based on time.

Depending on the text and the service required, a fee is charged, which is also affected by other factors: repetitive texts, the archive of texts already translated for a client, urgency… this is why we always formulate targeted quotations.

Navigating your way around very different quotations can be a real headache. It is important to remember that in the translation world, as in many other fields, a low cost is always associated with lower quality work.

In order to compare several quotations for a translation service, it is useful to consider the following factors:

• Is the professional an individual or an organization? An agency or firm, as one can easily imagine, operates at higher rates because it involves more people in the process and offers a more wide-ranging service of revision, adjustment and project management.
• Does the organization (or professional) have valid references? Do they have any quality certifications? Does it describe its experience, method and working tools? Does it explain the type of service offered? Does it provide information on the standard of quality offered? Often large agencies offering bargain prices rely on machine translation engines without any human translator ever getting to see the text, yet this is not specified beforehand. Clarity is important.
• In a major corporate project, such as a catalogue, a web or e-commerce site, significant sums are invested in photographs, videos, design or printing. All this effort risks being for nothing if the client opts for a low cost translation of inadequate quality, which will lead to the entire project being perceived as substandard.
• Might there be implications in terms of contract arising from texts translated without due care, besides consequences for the company’s image?
• Within the delivery time agreed, consider that there will be one or more professionals dedicated to the project. From this perspective, it will be easier to evaluate the cost quoted for the translation.