Translation costs

The translation rates for completing a job are influenced by a number of factors: length of the text, language combination, type of translation, delivery deadline, file format, subject area and add-on services.

Length of the text
The more extensive the amount of text, the higher the translation rates. This rule of thumb generally applies to all translation projects because the more text there is to translate, the more work there is for our translators to undertake. Tip: If you need translations on a regular basis, it is worth using a translation memory, which will also save you money with longer texts.

Language combination
The combination of source and target language is a crucial factor in the price. This is mainly due to the availability of specialist translators. For example, worldwide there are more translators for Italian than there are for Swahili and so they also incur differing costs. And because here at tolingo we only work with native speakers who generally live in the country of the target language, the location of our translators can also be another factor. For example, living costs in Scandinavian countries are often higher than in other European countries, which is why the translation rates for languages such as Norwegian or Danish are also higher.

Type of translation
A machine translation is cheaper than a human translation because the machine processes large text volumes significantly quicker than our specialist translators. Even so, it doesn’t mean that a machine translation is of poorer quality. For some types of text, such as technical documentation, using the machine can be even better than the specialist translation produced by a human. For other source texts it pays to get a (cost-intensive) human translation by our professional translators and often – in terms of value for money – the combination of both types of translation is the best solution.

Delivery deadline
In the case of a standard translation job, we already produce your translation quickly; it is only possible to get it done faster by choosing our Express and Super-Express options – and that costs a little more, of course. We prioritise your job and process it as quickly as possible. The major plus? Within just a short amount of time, you’ll be receiving the translated texts in your mailbox.

File format
The file format impacts how quickly we can analyse and process a source text. This analysis and preparation is all part and parcel of the service we provide and something we do for every translation project. It generally takes less time to review an open Word document, which just contains the text you need translating, than it does a PDF file containing pictures or graphics. As a general rule of thumb, the less time we have to spend on analysing and preparing the source text, the less you have to pay (and therefore the quicker you get your translation).

Subject area
For a medical translation, you need different subject knowledge than you do for a technical or legal translation. With all content, it comes down to precise wording and an exact translation. That is why we only use specialist translators for such jobs, who have years of experience in translating subject-specific texts and have proven their expertise in the relevant subject area. Of course, this specialist subject knowledge does cost a bit more but ultimately it pays off.

Add-on services
They don’t count towards the translation as such, but add-on services also increase the translation rates. The price changes depending on the type of add-on service. At tolingo, you can choose between proofreading and editing, einer layout adjustment und einem translation memory.