How do I price a translation job per word in a formal quote?
Count the words first, then enter the count as the quantity and your per-word rate, such as 0.35, as the unit price. The tool multiplies exactly and rounds the line to the halala. Name the file and the language pair in the description so the client knows which text the count refers to.
Step one: a word count you both accept
The most common translation dispute is not about the rate but about the count. Different programs count differently, especially with numbers, links and Arabic words that carry attached prefixes. So count with one tool and say which, for example the Word and character counter, rather than relying on a figure the client sends without checking it. Keep the text you counted; it is your reference if the number is ever questioned.
How to enter it
- Open the Quotation generator and pick the document language that suits the client.
- Make the line description specific, such as ‘Translation of the user guide, English to Arabic, file user-guide-v3, 3,250 words’.
- Type 3250 as the quantity and 0.35 as the unit price. The price field takes small fractions without trouble.
- Add fixed services as separate lines, such as a second-linguist review at a flat price.
- Enter a tax rate if one applies to your business, then create the file.
3,250 words × 0.35 = 1,137.50 SAR.
Tax at the rate entered for this example (15%): 170.625, rounded to 170.63.
Total 1,308.13 SAR.
Adding the proofreading
Say you offer a review by a second translator for a flat 150 SAR. The subtotal becomes 1,287.50, tax 193.13 and the total 1,480.63. Keeping the review as its own line lets the client accept or drop it, and makes clear it is not part of the per-word rate.
Why rounding matters more here
When the unit price is a small fraction and the quantity runs into thousands, rounding shows up quickly. The tool reads numbers exactly to six decimal places, works out each line total, rounds it to the halala and then adds the rounded lines. The figure in the quote table, the summary and the file is therefore the same, and the client will not find a stray halala when they check it on a calculator.
- If your rate is 0.325 per word, type it as it is; do not round it to 0.33 by hand.
- If you have a minimum charge, state it in the notes, or make it a fixed line when the file is short.
- If the final count changes once you receive the full file, issue a revised quote with a new number rather than agreeing the change verbally.
Common questions
Can I type the quantity in Arabic digits, such as ٣٢٥٠?
Yes. The tool accepts Arabic-Indic digits and converts them, and the file prints Western digits.
Does the tool count the words for me?
No, the quotation generator does not read your files. Count the words first, then type the number as the quantity.
How do I price two files in different language pairs?
Make each file or language pair its own line with its own count and rate, and the tool adds them into one total.