Translation pricing has its own rhythm: you quote by the word or page, you bump the rate when the deadline is tight, and on a big localization job you want some money up front before you sink three weeks into it. Fee-Lion’s estimate builder handles all three, so you can hand a client a number that’s precise to the word and lock in a deposit before the first sentence gets rendered.
Price the job by units
Most translators don’t bill hours — they bill volume. In Fee-Lion, that’s a unit line item: quantity times rate. Open Estimates in the left sidebar, start a new estimate, and add a unit line for each chunk of the job.
- Add a unit line item — name it “Translation (per word)” and set the rate, e.g. 0.14.
- Enter your word count as the quantity. Fee-Lion multiplies it out automatically, so a 12,400-word manual prices itself.
- Add a second unit line for anything you bill differently — “Proofreading (per page)” or “Certified pages” — each with its own rate.
- If part of the work is genuinely time-based, like a glossary review call, add a task line (hours × rate) alongside the units.
Mixing units, tasks, and fees on one estimate means the client sees exactly what they’re paying for instead of one mysterious lump sum.
Tip: Save your usual mix of line items as a reusable template so your next per-word quote is a thirty-second job, not a rebuild. See how to pick an estimate template.
Add a rush surcharge for tight deadlines
Same-day or weekend turnaround is worth more, and you should charge for it openly. Fee-Lion lets you add a surcharge right on the estimate, so the rush premium is a visible line the client agrees to — not a fight you have later.
- Add a surcharge as a flat amount or a percentage of the work — a 25% rush uplift on a weekend delivery, say.
- Going the other way, drop in a discount for a repeat client or a high-volume contract.
- Set your tax defaults once at Settings → Preferences so VAT or sales tax lands on every estimate without you thinking about it.
For the mechanics of stacking these, see add discounts and surcharges to an estimate.
Take a deposit on large-volume jobs
A 40,000-word localization is weeks of work. Don’t carry that risk for free — ask for a deposit so the client has skin in the game before you start.
- On the estimate, set a deposit percentage — 30% or 50% is normal for big jobs.
- Set a sensible house default once at Settings → Preferences under deposit defaults, so every estimate proposes it.
- Send the estimate; your client opens it in the portal via a magic link — no login — and approves with one click.
- Convert the approved estimate to an invoice, and the client pays the deposit by card. The money lands in your own Stripe.
When the translation is delivered, send the final invoice for the balance. Estimate to deposit to delivery to final invoice — the whole job tracked in one place.
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