Translation Rates

The rates charged for translations are agreed on at the beginning of a specified project. Depending on the client’s needs, the same rates can apply across many different projects. Should the scope of a project change, we will work with you to agree on new pricing rates that are more appropriate for the new project or scope.

When you request a free, no-obligation quote, we will provide you with a detailed pricing quote broken down by document and language pair.

Translation price per source word

The primary factor in determining pricing is the number of source words in the document. The source language is the document’s original language, and the target language is the language into which the document will be translated.

As a common industry standard, when translating from English into a Romance language such as French, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese, the target word count will normally be about 20% higher than the source word count. Since we charge for source words in these languages, you receive an accurate cost estimate at the beginning of each project.

Translation fees per source word

Translation projects can sometimes be priced as a flat fee, price per page or hourly rate. However, price per word is usually more reliable and predictable because every document is different, word count per page can vary, and translators work at different speeds.

For transparency and budgeting, a source-word methodology helps ensure fair and accurate pricing.

Translation rate per complexity of the source

Translation pricing also depends on the complexity of each document. A general business letter with non-technical terms will usually be priced lower than a technical patent, medical text, complex legal contract, pharmaceutical document or software manual.

Translation prices per language combination

Language combinations are another factor in calculating the price of a translation project. Western European languages tend to be less costly, while Asian languages can be more expensive due to character complexity and the limited number of highly qualified linguistic resources.

Translation regular rates

Delivery time also affects pricing. Careful planning and enough time to allocate the right resources allow us to deliver high-volume projects at competitive rates.

For normal turnaround times based on total word count, please fill out the form at the top of this page: Get an instant quote.

Translation rush rates

A project that needs to be delivered in a shorter timeframe may carry a rush surcharge. Even in urgent cases, we will help you structure a delivery schedule that protects quality and minimizes rush costs.

If needed, we can deliver projects on a rolling basis, with the most important documents delivered first.

Editing and proofreading prices

Editing and proofreading can be priced separately in specific cases. If a translation was completed by another company or person, we can provide editing and proofreading at a lower rate than a full translation.

Our normal per-word pricing for a fully translated text includes translation, editing and proofreading (TEP) by separate qualified linguists.

Desktop publishing fees

Desktop publishing projects are handled differently and are usually based on the number of target pages. This is an efficient way to provide a clear and predictable estimate.

Website localization price

Website localization projects that require coding can be priced by target pages. When many pages are generated automatically from a database, development work may be more accurately priced on an hourly basis.

Software localization price

Software localization and content management system projects can be charged on an hourly basis or quoted as a fixed price for the entire project, depending on scope and technical requirements.

Translation rates with competitive pricing

Our high-quality translations and competitive rates are the result of working with qualified professional translators and managing each project carefully from start to finish.

At Language Buró, we strive to use a clear and fair pricing methodology. For translation services, we usually recommend a price-per-word approach because it is transparent, predictable and easy to compare.

We stand by the translations performed by our translators. If you are not completely satisfied with one of our translations, we will work with you and your team until it meets your expectations.