Translation Project Estimate Calculator

Build a transparent translation quote from source volume, repetitions, languages, review, DTP, QA, revisions, management, rush terms, discount, tax, and delivery capacity.

Enter actual rate-card and contract values. Changing the currency label never converts the amounts.

1. Project scope

Enter source volume, target languages, and repetition analysis. Service and unit labels never apply hidden multipliers.

Label only; values are not converted.

words

Use the source-basis count from the agreed analysis.

languages

The same rates apply to every target language in this run.

%

Use the repetition share from the agreed analysis.

%

Percentage of the base translation rate billed for repetitions.

2. Rates and optional services

Separate translation, review, DTP, QA, revisions, terminology, and file preparation so the scope remains visible.

USD/Source word
USD/Source word

Keep zero if this work is included in the translation rate.

USD
USD
USD
hours
USD/hour
hours
USD/hour
pages
USD/page

3. Commercial terms and schedule

Apply management, rush, discount, and tax in order, then test delivery against team-wide capacity.

%
%
%
%

Keep 0% if tax is included or not yet confirmed.

units/day

Use capacity across all target languages combined.

days
business days

4. Quote-scope checklist

Confirm volume, language, review, delivery, and payment terms that the arithmetic cannot decide.

Pre-tax project estimate

$4,970.86

Total including tax

$4,970.86

Effective pre-tax rate

$0.25 / Source word

Estimated turnaround

7 days

Schedule gap

2 days

Scope confirmed

0 / 8

Conditions to review

  • The current capacity and review allowance exceed the requested deadline. Revisit staffing, scope, or delivery.

Cost breakdown

New-content translation$1,920.00
Repeated-content translation$144.00
Repetition savings−$336.00
Proofreading and review$600.00
Localized DTP$400.00
Linguistic and functional QA$360.00
Extra revisions$240.00
Terminology and glossary$200.00
File preparation and engineering$100.00
Project-minimum adjustment$0.00
Project management$396.40
Rush surcharge$872.08
Client discount−$261.62
Tax$0.00
Direct service cost$3,964.00

Translation is 52.07% of the service subtotal; optional services total $1,900.00.

Repetition analysis

New per language

8,000 words

Repeated per language

2,000 words

Repetition savings

$336.00

Repetition savings compare full new-content pricing with the entered repetition billing rule.

Schedule check

Total work units
20,000
Production days
5 days
QA and review
2 days
Requested turnaround
5 days
Required daily capacity
6,666.67
Capacity increase needed
66.67%

How to use this estimate

This result is an arithmetic model of the entered rates and scope. It does not certify market pricing, ISO conformity, tax treatment, translation quality, or delivery, so review it with the source analysis, rate card, and contract.

Related calculators

What is a translation project estimate calculator?

A translation project estimate is rarely just source volume multiplied by one rate. A usable quote may need separate treatment for new and repeated content, multiple target languages, proofreading, linguistic or functional QA, localized DTP, terminology work, file preparation, extra revisions, project management, rush delivery, client discounts, and tax.

This calculator turns those terms into a visible cost chain. It splits new and repeated source units, applies the repetition billing percentage that you enter, adds optional services, checks a project minimum, and then applies management, rush, discount, and user-confirmed tax terms in a documented order. It also compares team-wide daily capacity with the requested turnaround and highlights quote-scope items that remain unconfirmed.

No hidden market-rate assumptions

Every price, percentage, and productivity value is an input. The KRW and USD defaults are independent formula examples, not official prices, recommended rates, survey medians, or currency conversions. Use the source analysis, supplier rate card, statement of work, and contract that apply to your project.

Who can use this quote model?

Freelance translators

Start with an actual per-word or per-character rate and show the client exactly how repetitions, review, revisions, rush delivery, and a minimum charge affect the quote.

Language-service providers

Combine the same-rate target languages in one run, add project-management and engineering work, and use the scope checklist before assigning vendors.

Localization project managers

Keep translation, review, DTP, file preparation, linguistic QA, and functional QA visible instead of hiding them inside one blended number.

Buyers and content teams

Normalize competing quotes to the same volume, match rule, delivery format, tax basis, and revision scope before comparing totals.

What the calculator includes and excludes

Included in the model

  • Source-word or source-character billing
  • One to twenty same-rate target languages
  • New and repeated content with an entered repetition rate
  • Proofreading, DTP, QA, revisions, terminology, and file preparation
  • Project minimum, management, rush, discount, and tax terms
  • Team-wide delivery capacity and an eight-item scope checklist

Outside the model

  • Market-rate recommendations by language pair or subject
  • Automatic CAT analysis or fuzzy-match bands
  • Currency conversion or live exchange rates
  • Tax, withholding, copyright, confidentiality, or certification decisions
  • ISO conformity, translator qualifications, quality, or delivery guarantees
  • Different rates for each target language in one calculation

Understand the core inputs

Select source words or source characters according to the agreed counting method. The calculator never converts between the two units and never estimates target-text expansion. If a contract bills target words, pages, lines, hours, or a mixture of language-specific rates, separate the work into compatible calculations rather than forcing it into one blended run.

Core translation estimate inputs and the independent USD example values
InputMeaningUSD exampleEvidence to check
Source volumeSource-basis units supplied for one target language10,000 wordsDocument or CAT analysis
Target languagesTarget languages sharing the same entered rates2Purchase order and locale list
Repetition shareSource content classified as repeated20%Agreed match analysis
Repetition billingShare of the base rate billed for repetitions30%Rate card or contract
Translation rateRate for each new source unit$0.12Actual supplier rate
Review ratePer-unit proofreading or review rate$0.03Included review scope
Daily capacityTeam-wide capacity across all languages4,000 unitsStaffing and schedule
Tax rateUser-confirmed rate added to the pre-tax quote0%Contract and tax review

Changing currency does not convert the quote

The KRW, USD, EUR, and JPY selector changes formatting only. A value of 120 does not become 0.12 when you switch from KRW to USD. Convert every rate and fixed fee outside the calculator, document the exchange-rate source and date, and then enter the converted values if a second-currency quote is required.

How new and repeated content are priced

Step 1: split source volume

repeated units per language = source units × repetition share
new units per language = source units − repeated units

A 20% repetition share on 10,000 source words produces 2,000 repeated words and 8,000 new words per target language. The model uses one repetition band because the meaning of exact, context, internal, and fuzzy matches varies by tool and contract.

Step 2: apply the entered billing rule

new translation = new units × base rate × languages
repeated translation = repeated units × base rate × repetition billing rate × languages
translation cost = new translation + repeated translation

A 100% repetition billing rate means no repetition discount. A 0% rate makes repeated translation cost zero in the arithmetic, but it does not imply that repeated content needs no review, context check, tag validation, or responsibility.

Step 3: show repetition savings separately

full new-content price = source units × base rate × languages
repetition savings = full new-content price − translation cost

Repetition savings are not the same as a client discount. They describe the difference caused by the match-billing rule before management, rush, commercial discount, and tax terms.

Optional services and fixed fees

Proofreading and review

The review rate applies to every source unit and target language. Keep it at zero when review is already included in the translation rate, but describe whether that inclusion means self-check, independent bilingual review, monolingual proofreading, or another defined step.

Localized DTP

DTP uses pages per language multiplied by the number of target languages and the entered page rate. If translated layouts have different page counts, run each language separately instead of relying on one shared page count.

QA and extra revisions

QA hours and extra revision hours are project-wide totals, so the calculator does not multiply them by language count. Add the estimated hours across languages before entry and distinguish included corrections from source or scope changes.

Terminology and file preparation

Use fixed fees for glossary preparation, terminology cleanup, text extraction, file conversion, tag protection, localization engineering, or package preparation when those services are outside the unit rate.

From direct cost to the final quote

  1. Add translation, proofreading, DTP, QA, extra revisions, terminology, and file preparation to obtain direct service cost
  2. Use the greater of direct service cost and the entered project minimum
  3. Apply the project-management percentage to that service subtotal
  4. If rush pricing is enabled, apply the rush percentage to service subtotal plus management
  5. Subtract the client discount from the amount after rush pricing
  6. Apply the user-confirmed tax rate to the resulting pre-tax total

The order is explicit, not universal

This model uses management, then rush, then discount, then tax. A supplier may discount translation only, exclude management from the rush base, include tax in listed prices, or calculate payment fees separately. Reconcile each row with the actual quote instead of assuming that every vendor follows this order.

Worked USD example

The English default uses 10,000 source words, two target languages, 20% repetitions, and a repetition billing rate of 30%. The independent USD example uses $0.12 per new source word and $0.03 per word for proofreading, plus DTP, QA, revision, terminology, and file-preparation values shown below. None of these figures represents a national, language-pair, association, or platform average.

Worked USD translation estimate from direct services through final total
ResultAmountHow it is obtained
New-content translation$1,920.008,000 words × $0.12 × 2 languages
Repeated-content translation$144.002,000 words × $0.12 × 30% × 2 languages
Translation total$2,064.00New plus repeated translation
Repetition savings$336.00$2,400.00 full new-content price minus $2,064.00
Proofreading$600.0010,000 words × $0.03 × 2 languages
Localized DTP$400.0020 pages × $10 × 2 languages
QA$360.006 hours × $60
Extra revisions$240.004 hours × $60
Terminology and file preparation$300.00$200 plus $100
Direct service cost$3,964.00Translation plus all optional services
Project management$396.4010% of $3,964.00
Rush surcharge$872.0820% of service subtotal plus management
Client discount−$261.625% after rush pricing, rounded to cents
Pre-tax and final total$4,970.86Tax rate is 0% in this example
Effective pre-tax rate$0.25$4,970.86 divided by 20,000 source-language units

Schedule calculation and rush pricing

Estimated turnaround

total work units = source units × target languages
production days = ceil(total work units ÷ daily capacity)
estimated turnaround = production days + review days

The example has 20,000 source-language units and a team-wide capacity of 4,000 units per day. Production therefore takes 5 days, and the 2-day review allowance produces a 7-day estimate.

Capacity needed for the request

production window = requested days − review days
required capacity = total work units ÷ production window

A 5-day request with 2 review days leaves 3 production days. Required capacity becomes 6,666.67 units per day, 66.67% above the entered 4,000-unit capacity. The estimate is therefore 7 days with a 2-day gap.

A schedule gap does not switch on a surcharge

The rush switch is a commercial input, not an automatic response to the schedule calculation. You may have a tight project with no rush fee, or a contractually defined rush fee even when the simple capacity model shows no gap. Record the contractual reason and verify staffing, weekends, time zones, subject complexity, source quality, client feedback, and security restrictions in the real project plan.

A practical five-step workflow

1. Lock the counting basis

Agree on source or target basis, words or characters, the counting tool and version, excluded content, hidden cells, comments, code, and image text.

2. Confirm locales and repetition rules

List source and target locales, separate language pairs with different rates, and document how internal, exact, context, and fuzzy matches are classified.

3. Separate every service

State whether the translation rate includes self-check or independent review, then price DTP, terminology, engineering, QA, and out-of-scope revisions separately.

4. Match commercial terms

Enter the project minimum, management rate, rush rule, discount, tax basis, and currency from the actual quote. Record payment fees and exchange-rate terms outside the model.

5. Test delivery and close the checklist

Compare capacity with the requested date, then convert every unchecked scope item into a written question, assumption, or contract term.

Common project scenarios

Website and app localization

Translation may sit beside string extraction, placeholder protection, character limits, resource builds, screenshot review, and functional QA. Enter file engineering and QA separately and define whether the deliverable is a spreadsheet, resource file, XLIFF package, repository change, or tested build.

Manuals and catalogs

Confirm tables, diagrams, captions, text embedded in images, localized DTP, print proofs, and final PDF delivery. Page expansion can differ by language, so use separate runs when one page count cannot represent every locale.

Machine-translation post-editing

Selecting post-editing changes the project label only. It does not apply a discount or productivity multiplier. Enter the actual post-editing rate and measured capacity for the content, engine output, quality target, and responsibility defined in the statement of work.

Multilingual campaigns

Transcreation, legal review, subtitles, voice work, cultural review, and platform-specific variants may be separate services. Group only the languages that truly share one pricing structure and place the rest in separate calculations.

Eight quote terms to confirm

  • Source volume: included files, excluded regions, duplicates, locked text, and late source changes
  • Billing basis: source or target text, word or character unit, counting tool, and analysis version
  • Language pair: source language, target locale, regional variant, and the rate for each pair
  • Repetition rule: internal repetitions, exact and context matches, fuzzy bands, and billing percentages
  • Review scope: translation, independent revision, proofreading, post-editing, linguistic QA, and functional QA
  • Revision limit: included rounds or hours, source changes, scope changes, and additional rates
  • Delivery format: editable files, PDFs, CAT packages, XLIFF, DTP, builds, and acceptance testing
  • Commercial terms: currency, exchange-rate date, tax basis, transfer fees, payment date, cancellation, and validity

Standards and primary-source boundaries

The references below were checked on August 2, 2026. They help describe translation, post-editing, and localization-file scope, but none supplies a price list, repetition discount, productivity rate, rush multiplier, or delivery promise for this calculator.

ISO 17100:2015 and Amendment 1:2017

ISO 17100:2015 addresses core processes, resources, and other aspects required for translation services that meet applicable specifications. Its published scope excludes raw machine-translation output plus post-editing. On the checked date, the ISO page listed the 2015 edition as published and marked it for revision while also listing a revision project. The standard does not determine unit rates, review prices, daily capacity, or project duration.

ISO 18587:2017

ISO 18587:2017 addresses the process of full human post-editing of machine-translation output and post-editor competences. The official ISO page listed the 2017 edition as published and also showed revision work for a later edition. Selecting the post-editing service label therefore does not create an automatic price or speed assumption.

OASIS XLIFF Version 2.1

XLIFF 2.1 is an OASIS Standard dated February 13, 2018. It defines a localization interchange format whose purpose is to carry localizable data between process steps and tools. File interoperability helps define deliverables, but it does not make extraction, engineering, translation, validation, or testing free or automatic.

Official references

Future maintainers should recheck whether revised ISO 17100 or ISO 18587 editions have been published. A new edition may require wording updates, but it should not be converted into a hidden pricing multiplier.

Limits and cautions

One shared rate structure

Every selected target language uses the same translation, review, and DTP rates. Run separate estimates when language pairs, suppliers, page counts, review scopes, or tax treatment differ.

A simple capacity model

Daily capacity is team-wide and does not change automatically for subject matter, file quality, translation memory, post-editing, weekends, feedback delays, or security constraints.

Tax and payment terms

A 0% default does not mean tax-free. Confirm invoice treatment, withholding, place of supply, transfer fees, exchange-rate responsibility, and payment timing with the contract and qualified advisers.

Quality and rights

The total does not judge translator qualifications, confidentiality, copyright ownership, legal or medical responsibility, certification, acceptance criteria, or final translation quality.

Frequently asked questions

Does the calculator recommend a per-word translation rate?

No. Every default price is an independent formula example. Enter the real rate card or supplier quote for the language pair, subject, service level, and delivery terms.

Does 20% repetition mean a 20% translation-cost reduction?

Not necessarily. Savings also depend on the repetition billing percentage. In the worked example, 20% repeated content billed at 30% of the base rate reduces translation cost by 14%, from $2,400.00 to $2,064.00.

What if proofreading is already included?

Set the proofreading rate to zero and state what the included step means. Self-check, independent bilingual review, monolingual proofreading, and functional QA are not interchangeable labels.

How should I handle different target-language rates?

Run each different rate structure separately and add the results. One calculation applies the same unit, review, and DTP rates to all selected target languages.

Does a short deadline automatically add rush pricing?

No. The schedule gap and rush switch are independent. Enable rush pricing only when the actual quote or contract applies it.

Does a 0% tax input mean the service is tax-free?

No. It is an unconfirmed default. Verify tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive pricing, invoicing, withholding, cross-border treatment, and payment fees for the parties involved.

Can this prove ISO 17100 or ISO 18587 conformity?

No. The standards help describe process scope and competencies, while conformity requires evidence beyond a cost worksheet. This calculator neither audits nor certifies a provider or project.

Can it convert characters to words or KRW to USD?

No. Unit and currency selectors change labels and formatting only. Use the contract counting method and separately converted monetary values.

Build the quote from evidence, not a hidden average

Keep the source analysis, rate card, and statement of work beside the calculator. Enter each confirmed term, review the cost and schedule warnings, and turn every unchecked scope item into a written assumption or question before sending the quote.