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Posted on7 July 2023

How do I work out the price for my translation?

“How much does translation cost?” is one of the most frequent questions we receive as a translation agency. When looking for translation services, the price is of course one of the most important considerations! Different translators and translation agencies tend to have different pricing systems. For example, some may calculate translation cost per page, while others per word. How do we calculate translation costs at Atlas Translations? Read on to find out!

How are document translation services priced?

We calculate our rates according to the number of words in the source text and the subject matter. This means you know exactly how much your translation will cost before any work begins. All rates quoted are per 1000 source words – so if your document is 1002 words, that’s exactly what you pay for!

Our rates vary according to the language involved, with less common languages incurring a higher rate.

If you’d like to get a quick estimate of the cost for your translation, we invite you to use our convenient price calculator. All you need is the language pair and the word count!

Rates may also vary according to subject area. If your document is highly specialised – medical, technical or legal – it may cost more to translate it, as it will require a translator with expertise in the subject matter.

Please also be aware that, in rare cases, we may have to apply an urgency fee if you have a very tight deadline.

Do you have a minimum charge?

Yes we do. Most translators charge a fixed fee for translation of shorter documents. Our minimum charge applies to documents of around one page, depending on word count.

Are there any extras? It is very rare that we would charge you more than our listed prices. If the text contains a lot of handwriting that is hard to read, this may incur an additional charge.

Additional services

It’s worth noting that the final price of your translation will depend on whether you require any additional services. If you need the translation to be certified, notarised or apostilled, it will naturally incur additional costs. Depending on the materials you’re looking to translate, you may also require additional services, such as proofreading or typesetting. Each service has its own rates, so get in touch if you’d like to discuss these language services.

How much does a certified translation cost?

The price of our Certified Translation Package starts from £79 + VAT for short documents. In case you have to translate a few documents or one longer document, the price will be calculated based on the word count, and the cost of certification added on top.

Do I need proofreading as well?

It depends on the end use of your translation. If it won’t be published, possibly not. If your translation is going into the public domain, it should be independently proofread, as you would expect with any documentation you produce that isn’t translated.

When it comes to proofreading a translation, this is the task of comparing the translation with the original text, in order to ensure that there are no mistakes, misunderstandings, or ambiguities. Our proofreaders also consider the style and vocabulary of the translation, and make constructive suggestions to improve the syntax and clarity of the text.

Find out more about our proofreading stage and whether you need it or not.

How much does proofreading cost?

Proofreading is charged at an hourly rate, according to the language and subject involved. Assuming the text has been written or translated by a suitably qualified professional, we recommend that you allow one hour of proofreading per 1000 source words.

Our price lists can be used as a general guide; each project is considered individually and we ALWAYS confirm all costs in writing.

Give us a call on 01727 812 725 if you want to talk this through, or contact us using the LiveChat option on the right hand side here during UK office hours. You can also e-mail us at team@atlas-translations.co.uk.


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