Question: How much would you pay for translation services?

Ernestismyname · Dec 28, 2019

I've been contemplating starting a translation agency and selling services on here, among other places. So, to cut things short, I was wondering how much would be a reasonable ask for translation services? I see many agencies offering services for $0.16 per word, which I think might be a bit too expensive. I personally think that about $0.10 - $0.12 to account for editing and other factors sounds about right. Any thoughts on this would be immensely appreciated.

LinksForPros · Dec 28, 2019

I see agencies agreeing with you "Translated offers an average price of US $0.10 per word. The translation of a standard page costs on average US $25, considering an average of 250 words per page, or 1,500 characters including spaces."

Code:

https://translated.com/translation-rates

HelenRyan · Dec 28, 2019

Oh god, I didn't know its that expensive. I was able to translate and certify some of my documents in Russia for a fraction of that cost. Around $5 per page.
Might consider outsourcing to local translation businesses and profit from the margin

Ernestismyname · Dec 28, 2019

HelenRyan said:
Oh god, I didn't know its that expensive. I was able to translate and certify some of my documents in Russia for a fraction of that cost. Around $5 per page.
Might consider outsourcing to local translation businesses and profit from the margin

The problem with local is that getting professional translators for a variety of different languages is relatively hard. At least from what I've researched.

helmutsander · Dec 28, 2019

One of my clients is an LSP (Language Services Provider). Pricing depends on the language, really. Spanish translations are less expensive than Urdu translations. On the other hand, you can charge an extra fee for certified translations or other language-related services you offer on top.

Regarding hiring locally: You're right. Most LSPs have a network of freelancers that work with them remotely. Instead of outsourcing to local agencies, you can outsource to cheap freelancers online and profit from that margin.

HelenRyan · Dec 28, 2019

The real business question - how to do quality control of a loosely hired cheap freelancers? Mind sharing your expertise on this subject?

onlinemarketer12 · Dec 28, 2019

Depends on a lot of factors like the volume of work , how urgently required.

Ernestismyname · Dec 28, 2019

HelenRyan said:
The real business question - how to do quality control of a loosely hired cheap freelancers? Mind sharing your expertise on this subject?

You should not use "loosely hired cheap freelancers" in the first place. I've been able to create a database of trustworthy professional translators but it wasn't easy. One thing I will say is that having a good editor that can control the work done by the translator is key. Otherwise anyone can claim to be a professional.

GringoMonkey · Dec 28, 2019

I have had dealings with this space and the cost really depends on the translator.

Are they a certified professional or just someone who is a little bit bilingual?

Are they translating technical or legal documents and qualified to do so or not?

So there are actually multi-levels of client requirements where $0.10 is too expensive or too cheap. So your going to need a sliding scale of charges, based on the skill and qualification level of the translator.

helmutsander · Dec 30, 2019

Ernestismyname said:
You should not use "loosely hired cheap freelancers" in the first place. I've been able to create a database of trustworthy professional translators but it wasn't easy. One thing I will say is that having a good editor that can control the work done by the translator is key. Otherwise anyone can claim to be a professional.

Exactly. You basically have two options:
Risk quality and hire people off Fiverr, or reach out to professional freelance translators who are based in countries with a lower cost of living.
I'd recommend the second option. Besides reaching out to translators directly, you can post about the job opening on FB groups for translators, Craigslist, LinkedIn, etc.

Aside from an editor, you'll need a project manager - ideally, someone who can be both an editor and a PM.

HelenRyan · Dec 30, 2019

helmutsander said:
Exactly. You basically have two options:
Risk quality and hire people off Fiverr, or reach out to professional freelance translators who are based in countries with a lower cost of living.
I'd recommend the second option. Besides reaching out to translators directly, you can post about the job opening on FB groups for translators, Craigslist, LinkedIn, etc.

Aside from an editor, you'll need a project manager - ideally, someone who can be both an editor and a PM.

Reaching out to a "claimed" professional freelancer off-fiver does not magically solve the problems. There are more cons in freelancing business than everywhere else.

helmutsander · Dec 30, 2019

HelenRyan said:
Reaching out to a "claimed" professional freelancer off-fiver does not magically solve the problems. There are more cons in freelancing business than everywhere else.

I agree 1000%. It's best to look for freelance translators with credible experience and a portfolio.

Ernestismyname · Dec 31, 2019

HelenRyan said:
Reaching out to a "claimed" professional freelancer off-fiver does not magically solve the problems. There are more cons in freelancing business than everywhere else.

By professional translator I meant certified translators. I might have been a bit unclear. Certifications are relatively easy to verify and holds more water in my opinion.

FlasherBoy · Mar 5, 2020

I'm thinking of getting into the niche myself, I've bought a website and am in the middle of building it. What do you think is a good channel of advertising it? I'm thinking it's mostly going to be businesses that want the service, but the volume is a little low, and it seems that a lot of the competitors rank for search terms that could be misplaced such as: translate german to english, translate hindi to english, and that sort of thing.

Question: How much would you pay for translation services?

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