| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | How do you set your rates per word/hour? Thread poster: Ine Spee
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Ine Spee
United Kingdom
English to Dutch
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I imagine this topic has been posted many times before, but I would love some advice on this!
I have been doing jobs as a freelance translator (Dutch-English and English-Dutch) for a few years, but only recently started working as a full-time freelance translator. I currently do some work for agencies where they set the rate per word (which I feel is very very low at €0.03-0.04 per word). I would like to start looking for other opportunities, but when I am asked for my rate per ho... See more I imagine this topic has been posted many times before, but I would love some advice on this!
I have been doing jobs as a freelance translator (Dutch-English and English-Dutch) for a few years, but only recently started working as a full-time freelance translator. I currently do some work for agencies where they set the rate per word (which I feel is very very low at €0.03-0.04 per word). I would like to start looking for other opportunities, but when I am asked for my rate per hour or per word, I am unsure of what to quote.
Obviously I don't want to list a rate that's too low (unless those rates above are the industry standard?), but I also don't want to list something that's too high, which will make me miss out on being considered for a job.
Is there any way I can find out what the average rate is for a language pair per word and per hour? 
Thanks in advance for any tips you might have! ▲ Collapse
| | | | Samuel Murray 
Netherlands
Local time: 07:08
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
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Ine Spee wrote:
(which I feel is very very low at €0.03-0.04 per word).
In my experience, agencies paying that little often wish that your hourly rate is €15 per hour or less. However, you can't make a living like that. My suggestion is that you aim high, and then adjust your rate based on what the agency is willing to offer. So when you approach new agencies, tell them your rate is €0.14 per word and your hourly rate is €50 per hour. Then, if they say "actually, we want to pay €0.03 per word and €15 per hour", then you have the freedom to say yes or no.
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 01:08
Japanese to English
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I charge USD 0.12 per English word and translate about 500 words an hour, or USD 60.00 an hour. I give the client a choice. Usually they decide on the per-word rate.
| | | | Mr. Satan (X)
English to Indonesian
Samuel Murray wrote:
In my experience, agencies paying that little often wish that your hourly rate is €15 per hour or less. However, you can't make a living like that. My suggestion is that you aim high, and then adjust your rate based on what the agency is willing to offer. So when you approach new agencies, tell them your rate is €0.14 per word and your hourly rate is €50 per hour. Then, if they say "actually, we want to pay €0.03 per word and €15 per hour", then you have the freedom to say yes or no.
In my humble experience, agencies paying that little often ceased to engage in further communications once they learned that my standard rates were above their budget. Ergo, closing all possibilities for a negotiation. Such agencies are just going to waste your time and best avoided since the first place.
[Edited at 2022-10-29 10:25 GMT]
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You’re selling yourself too low, we don’t translate the same languages, but €0.035/0.04 per word that’s what I charge for edition. Per hour I charge my regulars €40 (those who have been with me for ages) and €50 to new clients. My translation rate starts at €0.10, depending on the subject matter and on the language combination…
P.S. Have you checked the community rates... See more You’re selling yourself too low, we don’t translate the same languages, but €0.035/0.04 per word that’s what I charge for edition. Per hour I charge my regulars €40 (those who have been with me for ages) and €50 to new clients. My translation rate starts at €0.10, depending on the subject matter and on the language combination…
P.S. Have you checked the community rates on Proz?
https://search.proz.com/employers/rates?source_lang=eng&target_lang=dut&disc_spec_id=��cy=usd&view_old_rates=1&submit=Submit
[Edited at 2022-10-29 08:20 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | fantasy rates | Oct 29, 2022 |
Your rates are low, but if you're translating into English and that isn't your native language, maybe it's the only way you can compete.
Forget the fantasy rates stated on here by others as well, they would only apply to a direct client or nasty scanned PDF documents. I suggest you aim someone in the middle of these and what you're charging now to translate into Dutch.
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Rate per word times words per hour equals hourly rate
An hour of your time is an hour of your time, however you bill it and whatever you’re doing
| | | | | "Fantasy" rates? | Oct 29, 2022 |
Richard Purdom wrote:
Forget the fantasy rates stated on here by others as well, they would only apply to a direct client or nasty scanned PDF documents. I suggest you aim someone in the middle of these and what you're charging now to translate into Dutch.
The rates quoted by the colleagues here are actually very close to the rates I charge to translation companies... no fantasy at all.
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Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 01:08
Japanese to English
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This week I was offered USD 0.015 per word for medical Russian, about USD 3.75 a page. If you guessed that this was from a Chinese agency, you'd be right. This is not a fantasy rate, it's a dystopic rate. I am always told, "limited budget".
| | | | | A thread from 10 years ago. | Oct 30, 2022 |
I posted this nearly 11 years ago.
How much IS a fair rate? 14 Jan 2012
This is one of my main worries. I really don't know how much to charge. Ever since I started working for my agency- nearly four years ago - they have paid me an average of €0.03 per word (sometimes slightly more, sometimes - although I hate to say it - slightly less!). It seems to be a case of, "You can either take it, or leave it. If you don't take the job, someone else will." Unfortunately, t... See more I posted this nearly 11 years ago.
How much IS a fair rate? 14 Jan 2012
This is one of my main worries. I really don't know how much to charge. Ever since I started working for my agency- nearly four years ago - they have paid me an average of €0.03 per word (sometimes slightly more, sometimes - although I hate to say it - slightly less!). It seems to be a case of, "You can either take it, or leave it. If you don't take the job, someone else will." Unfortunately, this is exactly the same rate as before the euro came into use.
People talk about charging anything from €0.08 to €0.12 per word but whenever I have submitted a quote asking for anything more than €0.06, I have not been chosen to do the job.
As for work, throughout 2011 I worked practically every day, sometimes doing a more than one text in the same day, yet it wasn't until yesterday I received my first job for 2012.
I'm seriously considering trying to find my own clients and charging them what I think I'm worth!
https://www.proz.com/forum/money_matters/216068-is_this_a_recession.html
Edited to add the link
[Edited at 2022-10-30 10:10 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | My rate-setting strategy | Oct 30, 2022 |
I figure out:
-how productive I am in an average hour
-how much I want to earn per year given the standard of living I target (with long studies, at least middle management level!), assuming I know what's left in my pocket after tax and compulsory contributions and how much I spend on business expenses.
-how many hours I can actively work per year considering holiday, sick leave, idle time without orders, admin, marketing, IT troubleshooting, training on new software and break... See more I figure out:
-how productive I am in an average hour
-how much I want to earn per year given the standard of living I target (with long studies, at least middle management level!), assuming I know what's left in my pocket after tax and compulsory contributions and how much I spend on business expenses.
-how many hours I can actively work per year considering holiday, sick leave, idle time without orders, admin, marketing, IT troubleshooting, training on new software and breaks by the coffee machine.
I get a figure around EUR0.60/word (sixty cents per word).
But it's fantasy. Then reality gets into the picture.
Therefore I cut a lot of corners in the guestimates above : more working time, less polishing, lower earning claims, work while ill, no retirement money, no holiday, no family weekends...
And I charge translation agencies as low as 0.11/0.12. What a bargain.
Welcome to the beautiful, self-fulfilling, YOYO (you're on your own) world of freelance translation!
Philippe ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sadek_A
Local time: 09:08
English to Arabic
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| "If you don't take the job, someone else will" | Oct 30, 2022 |
When we are told that line, we should immediately think "Okay. But, how many of those someones will do the job just as good?".
If the translator trusts their skills and quality, he/she are advised to totally disregard that lame line by client.
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Ine Spee
United Kingdom
English to Dutch
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TOPIC STARTER | Thanks for the feedback | Oct 30, 2022 |
Thank you for the comments everyone.
I checked the average rates on Proz and that seems to suggest a rate of €0.11 per word as standard and €0.08 minimum for English to Dutch/Dutch to English (I am fluent in both, but mostly translate English to Dutch).
The highest paying job I've had so far has been at €0.06 an hour, but most jobs have paid less. I have not yet had the chance to negotiate my rate with any agencies or clients, I have always been told that "This ... See more Thank you for the comments everyone.
I checked the average rates on Proz and that seems to suggest a rate of €0.11 per word as standard and €0.08 minimum for English to Dutch/Dutch to English (I am fluent in both, but mostly translate English to Dutch).
The highest paying job I've had so far has been at €0.06 an hour, but most jobs have paid less. I have not yet had the chance to negotiate my rate with any agencies or clients, I have always been told that "This is the rate we pay/the client pays", so it's a take it or leave it type of situation. And as I'm fairly new to the field and need to be able to pay the bills, at the moment I simply have to accept these low rates.
But I am working a silly amount simply to earn enough to pay the bills, working weekends, evenings etc. So I now want to start looking for some new opportunities, and knowing that the average rate is a bit higher means I have something to aim for (even if I might not get this rate). ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Segmented market | Oct 30, 2022 |
Ine Spee wrote: Thank you for the comments everyone. I checked the average rates on Proz and that seems to suggest a rate of €0.11 per word as standard and €0.08 minimum for English to Dutch/Dutch to English (I am fluent in both, but mostly translate English to Dutch). The highest paying job I've had so far has been at €0.06 an hour, but most jobs have paid less. I have not yet had the chance to negotiate my rate with any agencies or clients, I have always been told that "This is the rate we pay/the client pays", so it's a take it or leave it type of situation. And as I'm fairly new to the field and need to be able to pay the bills, at the moment I simply have to accept these low rates. But I am working a silly amount simply to earn enough to pay the bills, working weekends, evenings etc. So I now want to start looking for some new opportunities, and knowing that the average rate is a bit higher means I have something to aim for (even if I might not get this rate).
I think it is important to let you know that the market is segmented. There are some very price sensitive customers/agencies that need to go to the lowest price segment, and use begynners.
At the other end you have well renowned agencies that are willing to pay up for having experts doing the translations.
The key to a successful carreer in translation is being able to move up from the first segment. This is done by maintaing clients. Try to build relationships with customers and always look for better customers. Get rid of the worst clients as your client protfolio grows. Improve your skills and always deliver high quality on time. Problem is, this is a multi-year project.
| | | | | 350 EUR a day and still moaning? | Oct 31, 2022 |
Philippe Etienne wrote:
I figure out:
-how productive I am in an average hour
-how much I want to earn per year given the standard of living I target (with long studies, at least middle management level!), assuming I know what's left in my pocket after tax and compulsory contributions and how much I spend on business expenses.
-how many hours I can actively work per year considering holiday, sick leave, idle time without orders, admin, marketing, IT troubleshooting, training on new software and breaks by the coffee machine.
I get a figure around EUR0.60/word (sixty cents per word).
But it's fantasy. Then reality gets into the picture.
Therefore I cut a lot of corners in the guestimates above : more working time, less polishing, lower earning claims, work while ill, no retirement money, no holiday, no family weekends...
And I charge translation agencies as low as 0.11/0.12. What a bargain.
Welcome to the beautiful, self-fulfilling, YOYO (you're on your own) world of freelance translation!
Philippe
If you're getting 0.12 a word, you're either earning €350 a day, incredibly slow, or sitting around half the time doing nothing by that coffee machine! My heart does not bleed for you.
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