Pricing Guide

How Translation Pricing Works

Translation pricing can seem confusing with different companies using different models. This guide explains exactly how professional translation is priced, what factors affect cost, and how to ensure you're getting fair value.

Quick Answer

Most translation is priced per word (£0.07-£0.18 depending on service and language). Certificates have a fixed fee (£35). Urgency, specialisation, and language rarity affect the final price.

Two Pricing Models

Understanding how your project will be priced

Per-Word Pricing

Text Documents

Used for documents with extractable text: Word files, PDFs, websites, and multi-page documents. Price is calculated based on the source word count.

Starting from

From £0.07/word

Price scales with document length
Fair and transparent
Word count verified before quote
Discounts for repetitive content
Minimum order applies
Used by most LSPs worldwide

Best for:

Contracts, reports, manuals, websites, marketing materials, and any text-heavy documents.

Fixed Fee

Certificates & Short Documents

Used for single-page certificates and standard documents where per-word pricing would be impractical or unfair.

Starting from

£35/document

One price regardless of content
Includes certification
Quick turnaround possible
No word counting needed
Predictable cost
Ideal for personal documents

Best for:

Birth certificates, marriage certificates, diplomas, driving licences, and similar single-page documents.

When to Choose Each Option

Business Documents (500+ words)

Contracts, reports, manuals, policies, and other substantial text documents.

Per-Word Pricing Applies

Single Certificates

Birth, marriage, death, divorce certificates, diplomas, and similar official documents.

Fixed Fee (£35)

Multiple Certificates

Several certificates or personal documents submitted together.

Fixed Fee Per Document

Website Translation

Web pages, product descriptions, and online content.

Per-Word Pricing

Urgent Projects

Same-day or next-day turnaround requirements.

Urgency Surcharge (up to 2x)

Specialist Content

Legal, medical, technical, or financial documents requiring expert translators.

Specialist Rate (+25%)

Key Things to Know

Source Word Count

Pricing is based on the source document word count, not the translation. This is industry standard.

Language Affects Price

Common languages (Spanish, French) cost less than rare languages (Tibetan, Pashto) due to translator availability.

Urgency Costs More

Same-day service costs up to 2x standard rates. Plan ahead for best prices.

Repetition Discounts

Documents with repetitive content (manuals, catalogues) qualify for discounts up to 30%.

VAT Applies

All prices are subject to 20% VAT for UK customers. VAT-registered businesses can reclaim.

No Hidden Fees

Your quote includes everything: translation, certification, and digital delivery.

Understanding Per-Word Rates

Per-word pricing is the global standard for translation services. It ensures you only pay for what you need and allows accurate comparison between providers.

Our rates are tiered by language complexity:

Tier 1 (£0.07-0.10/word): French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish
Tier 2 (£0.09-0.12/word): Russian, Turkish, Arabic, Greek, Scandinavian languages
Tier 3 (£0.12-0.15/word): Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Hindi
Tier 4 (£0.14-0.18/word): Rare languages like Pashto, Dari, Tigrinya, Amharic

What Affects Your Final Price

Several factors influence the final cost:

Service type: AI-assisted (Standard) vs human-only (Premium)
Subject matter: General content vs specialist (legal, medical, technical)
Urgency: Standard delivery vs express or same-day
Language pair: Common vs rare language combinations
Language direction: Non-English pairs (e.g., French to Arabic) cost 20% more

Getting an Accurate Quote

For the most accurate quote:

Upload your actual documents - Our system extracts the exact word count
Select the right service type - Standard for most content, Premium for legal/medical
Be realistic about deadlines - Rush fees add up quickly
Mention specialist requirements - Legal, medical, or technical content needs expert translators

Our instant quote system shows you the exact price before you commit - no surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this topic

Per-word pricing ensures fairness and transparency. A 100-word letter costs less than a 10,000-word manual. This industry-standard approach lets you compare quotes accurately and pay only for what you need.

Our minimum order is £15-45 depending on service type and language tier. This covers the fixed costs of project setup, quality checks, and certification regardless of document length.

No. Your quote includes translation, certification, and digital delivery. Physical postage is optional and priced separately. VAT (20%) is shown clearly. What you see is what you pay.

Standard delivery (2-3 days): no surcharge. Fast (24hr): +50%. Express (12hr): +75%. Same-day (6hr): +100%. These reflect the premium for prioritising your project and working outside normal hours.

Yes. Large projects and ongoing work qualify for discounted rates. We also apply automatic repetition discounts when documents contain repeated content (common in technical manuals and catalogues).

Rare language translators are harder to find, often require specialist recruitment, and command higher rates. This reflects genuine market conditions rather than arbitrary pricing.

Have more questions? Get in touch with our team