How Do Translation Companies Charge for Contract Translation?

— A Professional Overview from Elite Translation

Contract translation is a high-stakes, detail-critical service. Used in business agreements, cross-border deals, joint ventures, IP licensing, employment relationships, and tenders, contract translation must be accurate, consistent, and legally precise.

One of the most common questions from clients is:
"How is contract translation priced?"

At Elite Translation, we believe in transparent and service-based pricing. Below is a practical breakdown of how professional translation companies typically structure their rates — and what factors influence the cost.

1. Common Pricing Methods for Contract Translation

Translation companies usually price projects based on language combination, content volume, and required services. The most common pricing models include:

● By Word or Character Count

This is the most widely used method. Pricing is based on either:

• Source text (e.g., Chinese characters or English words), or

• Target text, depending on the language and direction

This method provides clear, upfront cost estimation for clients.

● By Page or Document

For short, standardized contracts such as certificates, powers of attorney, or statements, pricing may be based on a per-page or per-document rate.

● Project-Based (Bundled) Pricing

For full-service requests — translation, editing, formatting, bilingual layout, terminology management — a custom project quote may be provided.

2. Key Factors That Affect Pricing

In addition to the pricing model, the final cost of contract translation is influenced by the following:

1. Language Pair

Rates vary depending on the supply and demand of language combinations.

• Common pairs (e.g., English ↔ Chinese) tend to have stable pricing

• Less common languages (e.g., German, Japanese, Arabic, or Dutch) often have higher rates due to limited translator availability

2. Contract Type and Complexity

• Standard commercial contracts (e.g., sales agreements, NDAs) are relatively straightforward

• Specialized contracts (e.g., M&A agreements, financing terms, tax-related clauses) involve dense legal language and require expertise in both law and language

3. Scope of Services (Editing, Review, Bilingual Layout)

For contracts that are intended for official use, submission, or signing, we recommend:

• Native-language editing and proofreading

• Clause-by-clause bilingual formatting

• Terminology consistency and version control

• Quality control reviews for legal clarity

For internal reference only, clients may opt for simplified service — resulting in more flexible pricing.

4. Turnaround Time (Rush Delivery)

Standard timelines are based on daily word output.
If urgent delivery is needed (e.g., 24-hour turnaround or weekend delivery), companies may apply a rush service fee to support resource allocation and team coordination.

5. Volume and Client Relationship

• One-off contracts vs. bulk translation projects may have different pricing structures

• Long-term clients benefit from custom workflows, terminology databases, and translation memory tools — improving both quality and efficiency over time

3. Our Pricing Philosophy at Elite Translation

At Elite Translation, we don’t follow a one-size-fits-all model. Instead, we provide customized pricing based on real project needs. We always aim to be:

• Transparent — clear service breakdowns, no hidden fees

• Reasonable — fair pricing aligned with service quality and translator expertise

• Flexible — scalable solutions for urgent, complex, or ongoing projects

• Collaborative — we offer sample evaluations and solution recommendations upon request

◀️：Which Company Should You Choose for Contract Translation?

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