How to Read Translation Pricing (Page/Character)

Several variables determine pricing: the unit of counting, whether the source or the target text is taken as the basis, the language pair, the technical density of the document and the delivery time. A comparison made without knowing how each of these works is usually misleading. The aim is not to find the cheapest, but to be able to choose the most suitable within the same scope.

Understanding a translation quotation means first seeing how it was built. Two different prices for the same document are usually the result of two different calculation methods; one may have been worked out per character and the other per page. Reading a price purely as a figure is therefore misleading. The right approach is to see the unit, the basis of counting and the scope behind the quotation, and then to compare the two on the same footing.

Page, character or word?

Translation volume can be measured in different units, each with its own logic. A character-based calculation counts the characters in the text and a word-based calculation counts the words; in a page-based calculation, a “page” is defined as a set block of characters or words. The table below summarises the common units and the points to watch.

The commonest misconception here is that the word “page” means the same thing to everyone. How much text a physical page holds depends on the font size, the margins and any tables; with a page-based quotation, therefore, you should always ask how a “page” has been defined.

Is the source or the target counted?

In any translation the length of the source text and the length of the target text generally differ, because languages express the same information in different numbers of words. If the price is calculated on the source text, the amount is known before the work starts. If it is calculated on the target text, the final amount emerges only once the translation is finished. Neither is “correct” in itself; what matters is that the quotation states clearly which one applies.

If predictability of budget matters to you, a calculation on the source text has the advantage, since you know the amount before work begins. With a calculation on the target, the final amount may vary depending on how far the language being translated into lengthens the text. Knowing this difference is a precondition for comparing two quotations fairly.

Reading a quotation step by step

1. Find the unit of counting. Establish whether the price is per character, per word, per page or per document.
2. Ask whether it is the source or the target. This tells you whether the amount is fixed in advance or only afterwards.
3. Check the scope. Are the second check, corrections and the number of copies delivered included in the price?
4. Separate out the additional items. The notary fee is subject to the official tariff and is separate from the translation price; the apostille is a separate item too.
5. Tie the delivery time to the price. Urgent delivery is generally a different arrangement; settle that at the outset.

Why are notarisation and the apostille separate items?

The notary fee is subject to an official tariff and does not vary between notaries’ offices; that amount is not included in the agency’s translation price. In the same way, the apostille is an item charged by the authority concerned. The answer to “which agency is cheaper?” is therefore to be sought only in the translation item. What has to be compared is the scope and level of service on the translation side.

Once that distinction is understood, it also becomes clear why a quotation that looks low is low: perhaps it does not include the second check, perhaps it supplies a single copy, perhaps it calculates the notarial item separately. Putting two prices side by side when their scope is not the same is comparing apples with pears.

Common mistakes

• Comparing different units. Setting a page price directly against a character price is misleading.
• Taking the notary fee for the translation price. They are two separate items, set by different parties.
• Not asking about scope. A price that looks low may not include the second check or the copies.
• Leaving the timescale until later. If an urgent requirement is not stated at the outset, expectations about delivery will not hold.

Points that come up often

Is there a discount for repeated text? If a document contains a high proportion of repetition, that may be reflected in the volume calculation. It depends on the structure of the document, though, and it is something to discuss at the outset.

Why are technical documents priced differently? Documents dense with terminology, which call for research and consistency, take more work. The difference in price comes not from the number of pages but from that intensity of effort.

Is there an advantage in having the same document translated into two languages? Translating from a common source into two target languages means two separate jobs; part of the preparation and terminology work, however, can be shared. In cases like this, discussing the terms at the outset makes a realistic plan possible.

Are extra copies or reprints charged separately? Since translation and certification are separate items, extra copies that require notarisation in particular may give rise to a separate transaction. Working out how many copies you will need at the outset avoids an item appearing later.

The effect of the language pair and technical density

Two documents of the same length may be priced differently, because volume is not the only thing that sets the price. The language pair is one factor: in widely used languages there are many translators working, whereas in less commonly worked languages supply is limited and the terms may differ. The second factor is the technical density of the document. A legal or medical text dense with terminology, calling for research and consistency, takes more work than an everyday text of the same word count.

When you compare two quotations, then, you need to look not only at the unit price but at the nature of the work. A low unit price may not include steps such as terminology research and a second check. A real comparison is meaningful only when it is made for the same language pair and the same scope; putting different conditions side by side gives a misleading result.

Checklist

• Which unit is the price calculated on (character, word, page or document)?
• Is the source text or the target text being counted?
• Are the second check and corrections included in the price?
• Are the notarial and apostille items shown separately?
• Have the delivery time and any urgent requirement been settled?

We can work out the volume and scope of your document and give you a comparable, itemised quotation. You can send us your file through the quote form, look at the current price structure on the pricing page, and see the scope of our services on the translation services page.

The information here is general in nature; current requirements should be verified before you apply. For the conditions that apply, check the institution’s current list of documents.