BYTETOOLS

Translation Cost Calculator

Price a translation job from CAT match bands, with editable payable percentages, minimum charges, rush fees, DTP and proofreading, per language pair.

CAT analysis — words per match band and the percentage you pay for each

Match bandWordsPayable %Weighted words
Repetitions
300
100% matches
750
95–99% matches
320
85–94% matches
360
75–84% matches
320
No match / new words
4,000
Total10,000−39.5%6,050
10,000
Total words
6,050
Weighted words
39.5%
Effective discount
4 days
Turnaround / language
Language pairs and rate per word

Quote by language pair

Language pairRateTranslationDTP + proofingRushTotal
English → German$0.14$847.00$210.00$0.00$1,057.00
English → French$0.13$786.50$210.00$0.00$996.50
English → Spanish$0.11$665.50$210.00$0.00$875.50
Grand total (3 languages)$2,929.00

Translation = weighted words × rate. DTP (2 h) and proofreading (3 h) are added per language, the minimum charge is applied to the subtotal if it is higher, and the rush surcharge is applied last.

The default payable percentages are a common CAT discount grid, not a standard: agencies and clients negotiate their own, so edit every band to match your rate card. All maths runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

What is the Translation Cost Calculator?

Translation Cost Calculator builds a weighted word count from the match bands a CAT tool reports — repetitions, 100% matches, 95–99%, 85–94%, 75–84% and new words — each with its own payable percentage.

  • Six editable CAT match bands with payable percentages and live weighted word count
  • Effective discount against the full rate shown alongside the totals
  • Unlimited language pairs, each with its own rate per word
  • Minimum charge, rush surcharge, hourly DTP and hourly proofreading lines
  • Turnaround estimate in working days from your weighted-words-per-day throughput
  • Plain-text quote breakdown you can paste straight into an email

How to use the Translation Cost Calculator

  1. 1

    Enter the word count for each match band from your CAT analysis and adjust the payable percentage you have agreed for each.

  2. 2

    Add one row per language pair with the rate per word for that pair.

  3. 3

    Set the currency, minimum charge, rush surcharge and daily throughput.

  4. 4

    Enter DTP and proofreading hours with their hourly rates — they are added to every language.

  5. 5

    Read the quote table and copy the whole breakdown with “Copy quote”.

About the Translation Cost Calculator

Translation Cost Calculator builds a weighted word count from the match bands a CAT tool reports — repetitions, 100% matches, 95–99%, 85–94%, 75–84% and new words — each with its own payable percentage. Multiply the weighted total by your rate per word and you have the translation line of the quote.

On top of that it adds hourly desktop publishing and proofreading, applies a minimum charge when the subtotal falls below it, adds a rush surcharge last, and totals everything for as many language pairs as you need. A turnaround estimate comes from your daily throughput.

The default discount grid is a common one, not a standard — agencies and clients negotiate their own, so every percentage is editable. All calculations run locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded.

Frequently asked questions

What is a weighted word count?

It is the total word count after each CAT match band is discounted. A repetition paid at 25% counts as a quarter of a word, a new word counts as a full one. The weighted total is what your per-word rate is actually applied to.

What are typical CAT discount percentages?

A widely used grid pays 25% for repetitions and 100% matches, 40% for 95–99%, 60% for 85–94%, 80% for 75–84% and 100% for new words. There is no universal standard, which is why every band here is editable.

How is the turnaround estimated?

Weighted words divided by your daily throughput, rounded up to whole working days, per language. Two thousand weighted words a day is a common assumption for a single translator, but revision rounds and file preparation are not included.

In what order are the surcharges applied?

Translation cost plus DTP and proofreading gives a subtotal. If that subtotal is below your minimum charge, the minimum is used instead. The rush surcharge is then applied to whichever figure won, so rush is charged on the real value of the job.

Does this include tax or agency margin?

No. It prices the production work only. Add VAT, GST, sales tax and any agency margin separately according to the rules where you invoice.

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