How to get the best translation rates in the US
If you need to have something translated you will be probably looking into how to get the best translation rates in the US. One great way to know what you are looking for is to carry out a short survey online to find out how much the average cost of translation is before contacting independent translators or translation companies.
Find the lowest translation rates in the US
When you ask for charges from translation agencies or independent translators, the answer you will get could vary based on location. US and Europe translators will charge you based on the word count while CIS and Russia charges will be based on the number of pages.
Every project is unique
Several translation agencies in the US won’t post prices, declaring that every project is unique. Though, it’s important to know which particular pricing method they use. The most popular pricing method in the US is per word, but you may also be priced per page, per hour or a flat fee. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to ask for a specific breakdown of what you’re paying for. With per word cost, don’t forget to ask whether words are calculated at the source or after translation as texts can contract or expand during the process.
With different services using different translation rates in the US and no universal standard price, it can be challenging to collect all the information you need to make the right decision. In the interests of clarity, find out the hidden things that come into play when using different translation services. By knowing what will change the price of your translation, probably, you’ll be able to make a good choice and improve the profit margins on your investment.
How are translation costs calculated?
There are different ways to calculate the cost for translation by translation companies. This depends on the location, contractor or company. For example, CIS countries and Russia translators prefer to give you prices based on the number of pages. The page could be estimated to contain 1,800, 1,600 or 1,000 characters including spaces. Majority of the time, the 1,800 character count is applied. You will however get calculation based on the number of words if the price is coming from US and European translation companies. In this scenario, about 250 words are estimated to be on a page for documents in English. For you to know the translation rates in the US, you must be aware of the number of words in your document.
Translation costs calculation
To find out the word count in your document, say in Microsoft Word, you should get to the statistics of the document. As you type, Microsoft word is able to automatically note how many words there are in the document and shows them in the bar under the work-space for the document, known as the status bar.
If the information is not available, you should right-click on the bar and select Word Count.
Selection word count
As opposed to counting every word in the document, you can count those in a particular selection. The word count of the selection is displayed on the status bar, if you select the text you intend to count. You should have something similar to 300/1,200 on the status bar implying you have a total of 1,200 words on the document but only selected 300.
Another way to calculate the amount of words in your document is to use our tool which will calculate the number of words but will also give you the translation cost. The tool is free to use and works with a variety of formats with .doc and .pdf being the most common ones.
How much does it cost to translate 1000 words?
The translation of 1000 words will cost you $0.10 per word if you hire a good agency. You can spot a good agency by doing your research online and checking the reviews left by their previous customers. If you need the certified translation of 1000 words, then the cost will be $0.12 per word.
How much should a translation charge per hour?
The per hour rate of translators these days is between $35 to $60. The more qualified a translator is, the higher their charges will be. The rate will also depend on the type of translation you require. But if you hire a good agency then you will be charged fairly and you will always get your projects delivered on time.
What is the best free translator?
The best free translator these days is Google Translate. It not only comes with an image translator but also an offline mode so you can use it even when you don’t have access to the internet. A lot of people rely on it when they are traveling to other countries. It also comes with voice support.
How much does translation cost?
The cost of translation depends on various factors. The word count of the document and the type of translation you require can affect the cost of the project. But a good agency does not charge more than $0.10 per word for a standard translation. They also won’t charge you extra for an urgent service.
Some notes about the translation rates in the US
Translation companies charge differently based on the source text quality, how soon you want the job, how complex the subject matter is, size as well as the language you want to translate to.
Here are some information for you:
- The document type influences the rate as government documents, educational materials, biotech documentc and general texts all have different pricing. The word count on the document to be translated or the number of pages also comes into play.
- The combination of language also affects the pricing as an Arabic to English translation is generally more costly than a Chinese to English translation, if you are in China or most other countries. The price might however change when you are in an Arabic speaking company as Arabic to English translation will be cheaper there.
- How quickly you want your job to be done also determines how much you will pay. The faster you want the job, the more you will be paying. In some cases 2 or 3 translators might be deployed on your job alone if a translator will not be able to meet the turnaround time you require. You might therefore have to pay up to 50 percent more.
- You might have to pay extra for editing and proofreading services.
- If one of the languages is rare, the translation rates in the US will be more expensive.
- The most popular method for pricing is based on every word as you might have to pay between $0.12 and $0.40 or more for every word.
- If you are translating a short or legal document, you will mostly be charged per page or per hour. This method is however scarcely used for lengthy documents.
- You should agree on when to expect your job, pricing and total cost before the translation deal is finalized.
When looking to get the best translation rates in the US always give us a call first. We are available 24/7 and we are able to offer you the lowest prices in the US without compromising quality. We do not have any rush or weekend rates. We have one flat price for any language combination. On top of it, we also do certified translation for US if you need it.
