Translation Cost: What Determines the Price and Why It Varies
When companies or private clients request translation services, one of the first questions they ask is why different agencies offer different prices. Translation costs are not fixed and depend on multiple factors that influence complexity, delivery time and the level of responsibility involved.
KLS Translation Agency operates in accordance with the ISO 17100 international standard and maintains a transparent pricing model. Below are the key components that determine the cost of translation.
- Type of translation
- written translation (standard documents, technical texts, legal materials)
- interpreting (simultaneous or consecutive)
- website and software localization
- editing and proofreading
- machine translation post-editing (MTPE)
- Subject matter and complexity
- technical instructions
- legal agreements
- financial documents
- medical reports
- marketing and creative texts
The subject matter affects preparation time, the level of expertise required and the amount of terminology work needed.
- Text volume
- Pricing is usually calculated per word or per page (1800 characters without spaces).
- Large volumes may influence the cost.
- Discounts may apply to extensive materials.
- Tight deadlines for large volumes may require several translators working in parallel.
- Turnaround time
- expanding the team
- working outside regular business hours
- accelerated editing
- Glossary and terminology work
- glossary preparation
- terminology alignment
- style consistency checks
- Desktop publishing (DTP)
- tables
- graphs
- scanned materials
- PDF files requiring layout adjustments
- Certification
- notarisation
- agency stamp and signature
- legalisation or apostille
- Language pair
- common language pairs have standard rates
- Scandinavian and Asian languages have higher rates
- rare languages require individual pricing
- Translator’s experience and qualifications
- specialised expertise
- significant professional experience
- relevant certifications
Why prices differ across translation agencies
- Different levels of quality assurance.
- The presence or absence of editing and proofreading.
- Differences in QA and verification workflows.
- Use of CAT tools versus fully manual work.
- Different approaches to terminology management.
- The presence of a dedicated project manager.
- Lower-priced offers often exclude editing, final review and responsibility for the end result.
How KLS forms its pricing
- translation work
- editing - always included
- project management
- glossary and terminology work
- quality control
- usage of licensed software
- full confidentiality and data protection
- reliable delivery timelines
- support after project completion
Conclusion
Translation cost is influenced by many factors. The key is not to choose the cheapest option but to choose a reliable partner who guarantees quality, accuracy and stability. Contact us - we will prepare an individual quote based on your materials.