Back in 2011, I wrote this post about how much freelance translators earn. After almost seven years, it’s still the most popular post on this
Read more
Opinion: Why freelancers shouldn’t be charging their clients per hour
One of the most heated debates within the realm of freelancing is whether you should charge hourly or per project (flat fee). While both sides
Read more
Opinion: Why freelancers should charge hourly
“How should I charge my clients?” This is the age-old freelancers debate, and the answers vary – sometimes from client to client. There are many
Read more
USD 0.21 per Word: America’s Translation Rate
The US Government’s General Services Administration (GSA) used to dispose of war surplus goods in 1949; now it is the independent, centralized procurement agency of
Read more
Translation Rates & Prices – How Much Does a Translation Cost?
Whether you are a company or individual, if you need to translate something from one language into another the first thing you want to know
Read more
Should You Specify Your Rate Range on Your TM-Town Profile?
On your TM-Town profile, you have the option to set a rate range (both a per word range and also a per hour range). This
Read more
Lump it and Like it
A recent argument with an agency about the word count for a job handed in weeks previously has driven home just how sordid this practice
Read more
At Last! Low-Cost Fares for Clients (especially publishers) Who Want to Save Money on Translations!
After fielding yet another “proposal” to translate a book for a fee I found offensive, I thought it might be time to start offering a
Read more
Translation Post-Calculation with Excel
When a translator quotes for a job, (s)he should compare the quote to the actual work when it is done. When you look at your
Read more
Something’s rotten in the state of Translandia!
Research and observations on geographical, ethnic-linguistic and geopolitical supply-demand principles dictating pricing of translations. According to the Linguistic Society of America, referring to Ethnologue –
Read more
Chris Durban on translation pricing
Are you unsure about how to price your translation services? Chris Durban shared her valuable insights on this thorny topic in her presentation on ‘Pricing
Read more
Pricing Strategies for Translators and Interpreters
Pricing is a controversial and complex subject, and one that all linguists need to think about very seriously. In order to make a good living
Read more
Is Proz Dead Or Alive?
“Proz is dead.” I bet you’ve heard that one before. This is what people say in 2015. This is what they’ve said in 2010. And
Read more
Goodbye to all that
Breaking up isn’t hard when your “partner” is a cheapskate I received an e-mail last week from a long-standing and once quite important agency client.
Read more
Determining your rates and fees
If you are a freelance translator, putting yourself in a position to do high quality work on an ongoing basis requires that you approach the
Read more
Entre qualité et baisse des dépenses
Article sur l’importance de faire appel à des traducteurs professionnels. Quelques chiffres intéressants sont également indiqués à la fin de l’article (basés sur le “Rapport de
Read more
Proposer des tarifs de traduction différents selon les clients
Quelques remarques de marketing et de droit autour de la question de la fixation de tarifs de traduction différents selon les clients. Les agences de
Read more
This Is Who You Should Blame For Low Translation Rates
My thoughts about translation rates, working for peanuts and learning to embrace your fears and demons. Me. Seriously, blame me. I’m that asshole who is
Read more
When should we apply extra charges to translation projects?
For some, the answer is obvious. For others, it’s not that easy. I personally For some, the answer is obvious. For others, it’s not that
Read more
To break out of the low-rate market, change these three things
Stop me if this sounds familiar: I really needed work, so I decided to take whatever came through the door. I decided that applying to
Read more
How to Set Your Rate as a Freelance Translator
It’s the most common question I hear when talking with translators and interpreters: How much should I charge? The question comes from everywhere in the
Read more
How much does translation cost?
Like many simple questions, this is one with no easy answer. For one thing, it’ll depend whether it’s a complex technical report, a novel, or
Read more
Quotation Exercise – Documentation (one target language)
Quotation prepared by a translation agency for a translation project consisting of one document to be translated into one language. Description Translation agency: based in
Read more
Figuring Out Translation Rates
Figuring out rates can be tough. There is discussion forum after discussion forum where newbies are asking how much they should charge and veteran translators
Read more
What is “the right rate” for your translation services?
After “How do I find some clients?,” I think that the most common question I get from beginning (and for that matter, experienced) translators is
Read more
On minimum rates
When I first started in translation and was about to write my first invoice, I asked a colleague and friend to check if I had
Read more
Tips for setting your translation rates, for professional translators.
One of the first difficulties that a professional translator has to face is deciding their rates. Personally, I started researching what the current market rates
Read more