How to Understand Differences in Translation Costs: A Guide to Translation Pricing

“How much does translation cost?” This question may seem simple, but it is actually more complicated than it seems. You may get quotes from different translation companies and choose one based on the number of words or the project cost. But is it really that simple?

At Arrow Translations, we are not the cheapest translation company on the market, but we always insist on providing high-quality services. We think it is necessary to explain to you why translation costs vary and why we set the prices we do.

What kind of translation service did you purchase?

The key to understanding a translation quote is: what type of translation service are you purchasing? Do you know what quality you will get for the money you pay for the translation?

Currently, in order to attract customers, many companies offer low quotes, and then use machine translation tools (such as the commercial version of Google Translate) to perform preliminary translation, and then perform simple corrections manually. This is a way to reduce costs and is suitable for certain projects, such as long reports or documents for internal reference only. However, for content facing external customers, such as marketing materials, brochures or website content, this translation method is not professional enough.

For these contents, the translation quality often fails to meet the brand's demand for accurate expression. Although low-cost machine translation or simple editing saves budget, it may damage the brand image and result in inaccurate or unclear translation content.

How to evaluate translation quality?

The quality of translation is one of the most important considerations when choosing a translation service. In order to reduce costs, some translation companies may hire lower-priced translators. However, the quality of translation varies greatly, and cheaper translations often mean lower translation quality, which not only affects the accuracy of the information, but may also have a negative impact on the brand image.

The level of the translator directly determines the quality of the translation. Different translators may handle the same text in completely different ways. If you choose a low-cost translation service, it may seem to save money, but in fact it may lead to poor translation quality.

Has the translation been professionally proofread?

Many translation companies offer proofreading services, but be aware that only a rigorous independent proofreading process can ensure translation quality. Many times, "integrated proofreading" is just the translator checking his or her own work, which is not equivalent to standard independent proofreading. True proofreading should be done by professional independent proofreaders who can detect omissions and errors in the translation and ensure that the final translation is accurate.

Although proofreading will add some costs, it can ensure the quality of the translation. If you choose a cheaper translation provider, they may not conduct professional independent proofreading, or they may use low-cost personnel to do the proofreading, and the quality of the translation is often not guaranteed.

Did the translation company take your style and brand guidelines into consideration?

In translation, style consistency and brand image are crucial. Many translation companies may not take into account the client's style guide, which is an important part of high-quality translation. Brand consistency is essential to business success and helps brands build closer connections with their target audience.

At Arrow Translation, we not only focus on language conversion, but also pay special attention to the consistency of brand style. Our team always pays attention to the brand's tonality and tone, ensuring that the translated content is consistent with the original text in style and cultural background. We have rich experience in brand marketing and can provide customized translation services for your brand to ensure a unified brand tone and help you establish a consistent brand image in the global market.

Are you getting long-term value, such as an updated glossary?

A good translation company will provide you with a professional glossary to ensure brand consistency. For example, some terms (such as "pancake") may be translated in multiple ways. As a marketing-oriented translation company, we will customize the glossary according to your brand needs and always make sure to use your preferred vocabulary. This not only helps with brand consistency, but also ensures that the translation content flows smoothly and naturally.

In addition, most translation companies also use translation memory, which means that each translated content will be stored and reused in future projects. This can not only effectively reduce long-term translation costs, but also ensure the consistency of translation quality.

What to do now?

What you need to think about is what your translation needs are? How important is communication to your business? Does your performance in the international market determine the success of your brand? Does each translation accurately convey the message and ensure that the target audience can understand it?

It’s not just a matter of avoiding translation errors, even though they often become the focus of public attention. More importantly, translation reflects your respect and commitment to your target market.

When evaluating translation quotes, ask yourself whether the little money you save is worth it. Choosing the right translation service is not only about saving money, but also about ensuring the accurate delivery of brand information and enhancing your brand’s competitiveness in the global market.

At Arrow Translation, we believe that every brand should have consistent and high-quality marketing copy in all languages, not just in English. Whether it is marketing translation or other translation needs, we focus on providing valuable services to our customers and become your trusted partner. Click here to learn more about Arrow Translation's services, we are happy to provide you with help and free advice.

◀️：Why you need translation for your video content: Five key reasons

▶️：How to ensure video translation resonates?