How Translation Word and Page Counts Work

How We Price Your Translation

We base our pricing on the total word count of your document:

• Certified translations are priced per page, with one page covering up to 250 words. We also allow a small buffer—up to 60 additional words—before counting it as an extra page. This means a single page can include up to 310 words before rolling over to the next page.
• Standard translations are priced per word.

For example:

• A 980-word document = 4 pages (certified)
• A 1,050-word document = still 4 pages (certified, within the buffer)
• A 1,100-word document = 5 pages (certified)
• Standard translation pricing would use the full word count (e.g., 980, 1,050, or 1,100 words)

This approach ensures fair, consistent pricing regardless of how your document is formatted. For instance, a dense one-page birth certificate with 700 words will cost more than a five-page form that only contains 500 words total. Pricing by word count accounts for the actual work required—not just the number of pages.

What Counts as a Word?

Every visible word in your document is included in the word count, regardless of how it appears or what language it's in. This ensures accurate pricing and allows the translator to deliver a complete, formatted translation that matches the source content.

We count:

• Numbers – Each number is considered one word, whether it's a single digit like "4" or a longer number like "926". Even though numbers may not need to be translated, they still need to be typed, formatted, and placed correctly within the document.
• Words already in the target language – If parts of the document are already in the language you're translating to, they are still counted. Translators must retype and format this content to maintain consistency with the rest of the translation and meet certification requirements.
• Stamps, seals, headers, footers, instructions, handwritten notes, and signatures – Especially in certified translations, all visible content must be included. These elements often require careful formatting or transcription to preserve the integrity of the original document.

Many source documents—especially scanned or photographed files—require the translator to retype every word and recreate the layout from scratch. That includes numbers, already translated content, and repeated text. If there is anything you do not want translated, such as annotations or unrelated pages, please redact or remove it before uploading. We translate and count everything that is visible.

How Word Counts Are Calculated

Our system automatically counts the words in your uploaded documents during checkout and shows you a preview of what was detected. This helps speed up the ordering process and ensures transparent pricing.

To get the most accurate word count, make sure your files are clear, legible, and well-formatted. Here are a few tips:

• Use high-quality scans or photos – The clearer your document, the more accurately our system can detect text.
• Avoid shadows, glare, or folds – These can interfere with text recognition and lead to undercounting or missed content.
• Submit one document per image or file – Don't include multiple pages in a single photo. Each page should be submitted as its own image or as part of a properly scanned multi-page PDF.
• Fill the frame – Ensure the document takes up as much of the image as possible without cutting off any edges. Don't include background or desk space.
• Keep everything straight – Crooked or angled images reduce accuracy. Try to align documents squarely within the frame when capturing a photo.
• Avoid handwritten text when possible – Printed or typed text is much easier to process, but our system can often accurately count handwriting given a good scan or photo.

If the word count looks incorrect or if your file includes handwriting or low-quality images, you can always request a quote. Our team will manually review your files and confirm the word and page count before providing a price and turnaround time.

When Automatic Word Counting May Not Work

While our system accurately counts most documents, certain file types and formats require manual review to ensure correct pricing:

• CSV or XLSX files – These files often contain structured data where not all text needs translation or should be counted. A manual quote is required to review the content and determine the accurate scope of work.
• PowerPoint files – Presentations often contain text embedded in slides, notes, and master layouts. We manually review these files to determine if translation within the original format is possible and to provide an accurate quote.
• Files with duplicated text in multiple languages – If your document contains the same content repeated in different languages, our system will count all visible words. You can either redact the duplicate text before uploading or request a quote with a note indicating which sections should be excluded from translation.
• Low-quality scans or photographs – Documents that are blurry, shadowed, cut off, or heavily handwritten can lead to missed text or inaccurate word counts. If the automatic count doesn't reflect the full scope of work, we recommend requesting a manual quote for an accurate assessment.

If any of these situations apply to your documents—or if you simply want to double-check the count—please request a quote. Our team will review your files, confirm the correct word or page count, and provide an updated price and turnaround time before you finalize your order.