Translation quote template that lands the manual

What to include in a translation quotation

This translation quote template prices a job the way agencies and freelancers usually do: words multiplied by a rate, proofreading as a second per word line, a fixed fee for the layout check, and rush delivery as an option. The sample is a 12,000 word manual going from English to Arabic. Open it in the free quote maker, enter your word count and language pair, and send it.

A translation quotation needs the language pair, the word count and how it was counted, the rate, the review steps, the delivery date and the file format. Most disagreements in translation come from counting words differently, or from a client assuming proofreading or formatting was included when it was not.

1. Language pair and directionSource and target language, plus the regional variant where it matters, such as Modern Standard Arabic or Brazilian Portuguese.
2. Word count basisSource words or target words, counted from which file. Source counts let you quote before starting, which is why most quotes use them.
3. Rate per wordThe rate for new text, and any reduced rate for repetitions or matches from the client’s translation memory.
4. Review stepsProofreading or editing by a second linguist as its own line, so the client sees what the extra cost buys.
5. Formatting and layoutDesktop publishing, checking right to left layout, or rebuilding tables and images, priced per page or as a fixed fee.
6. Subject matterTechnical, legal, medical or marketing content, since specialist text takes longer and may need a specialist reviewer.
7. Delivery date and rush termsA standard turnaround in working days and an optional rush fee for faster delivery.
8. Minimum feeA floor price for short texts, such as a single certificate, so small jobs still cover your admin time.

Sample translation quotation with example rates

Lingua Bridge quotes Hikmah Publishing for a 12,000 word product manual from English into Arabic. The Translation group holds three lines: the translation at a per word rate, proofreading on the same word count at a lower rate, and a fixed fee layout check for the right to left pages. Rush delivery is an optional extra outside the $1,980 subtotal, and 40% is due before work starts. Rates are examples only.

Edit the Lingua Bridge quote

4 lines are filled in, from translation, english to arabic to rush delivery. Put in your own translation rates, then download the PDF.

Open the translation sample

How to price a translation job

Translators mostly charge per source word, with hourly rates for editing and formatting, per page rates for certified documents, and a minimum fee for short texts. Per word pricing is easy to quote and compare, while hourly fits work where the word count says little about effort, such as transcreation.

1. Per wordWord count times rate. Count the source text so the price is known before you start, and say so on the quote.
2. Per word with match discountsReduced rates for repeated sentences and partial matches found by a translation memory tool. Show the bands and rates so the client can follow the arithmetic.
3. HourlyEditing, proofreading an existing translation, desktop publishing, and transcreation of slogans or marketing copy.
4. Per page or per documentCertificates, transcripts and other standard documents at a fixed fee each, including any certification statement.

State a minimum fee and a rush surcharge in your terms. If you subcontract a language pair to another linguist and add a margin, the markup calculator shows what you keep.

Worked example: a handbook with translation memory matches

A company sends a 9,400 word employee handbook from French into English. The analysis from your translation memory tool splits the words into bands. All rates are examples.

1. New words6,000 words at $0.14: 6,000 x 0.14 = $840.
2. Partial matches at half rate2,000 words of 75 to 99% matches at $0.07: 2,000 x 0.07 = $140.
3. Repetitions at a quarter rate1,400 repeated words at $0.035: 1,400 x 0.035 = $49.
4. Translation subtotal$840 + $140 + $49 = $1,029 for all 9,400 words.
5. ProofreadingA second linguist reviews every word at $0.03: 9,400 x 0.03 = $282, for a total of $1,311 before tax.

Match discounts are a business choice, not a rule. Some translators give none on short jobs, and some still charge full rate for repetitions that need checking in context.

Inclusions and exclusions on a translation quote

Translation quote mistakes to avoid

• Quoting from a client’s rough word estimate instead of counting the actual files.
• Not saying whether the count is source or target, which matters when the target language runs longer.
• Hiding proofreading inside the rate, so the client cannot see it and asks you to drop it to cut the price.
• Ignoring text in images, PDFs and diagrams that word count tools cannot read.
• Accepting a tight deadline at the standard rate with no rush fee in the terms.
• Leaving out the dialect or regional variant, then delivering the wrong one.