| Страници во темата: [1 2] > | Poll: "The higher your rates are, the less projects you are likely to receive." Лице кое објавува дискусија: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question ""The higher your rates are, the less projects you are likely to receive."".
View the poll results »
| | | | Lieven Malaise 
Белгија
Local time: 21:13
Член (2020)
француски на холандски
+ ...
Also: grass is green.
If I would double my rate, chances are that my work load is reduced to near zero. If I would lower it to bottom-rate level the number of translation requests will probably increase heavily (after which I would go bankrupt or die from exhaustion).
The person that came up with this statement probably had a brilliant discussion in mind, but I'm struggling to see how exactly. Further elaboration seems needed.
[Bijgewerkt op 2025-09-26 09:21 GMT]
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If I accepted all project offers I receive, I'd have to be able to manipulate time to my benefit with a DeLorean.
The rate idea is to set the right threshold between "too much work" and "insufficient earnings".
Perhaps the purpose of this question is to trigger discussions around perceived value: a consumer who sees a bricklayer charging 20 euros/hour might turn to a bricklayer who charges 50 thinking that the outcome will be better. The cheap bricklayer ends up getting less w... See more If I accepted all project offers I receive, I'd have to be able to manipulate time to my benefit with a DeLorean.
The rate idea is to set the right threshold between "too much work" and "insufficient earnings".
Perhaps the purpose of this question is to trigger discussions around perceived value: a consumer who sees a bricklayer charging 20 euros/hour might turn to a bricklayer who charges 50 thinking that the outcome will be better. The cheap bricklayer ends up getting less work than his more expensive counterpart.
Such behaviour might be relevant when the customer is the end user and will sleep in the finished home.
When the customer is a developer, he may choose the lower offer because they will not live there.
Philippe ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Шпанија
Local time: 21:13
шпански на англиски
+ ...
| That'll be 4 cents € | Sep 26, 2025 |
"The higher your rates are, the fewer projects you are likely to receive"...
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| Partly agree | Sep 26, 2025 |
I don't think the answer is as simple as that. There are a few other facts to consider, but I don't have time to go into that right now.
(Busy translating despite my prices). 
| | | | Zea_Mays
Италија
Local time: 21:13
англиски на германски
+ ...
| The higher your rates are, the less projects you NEED TO ACCEPT | Sep 26, 2025 |
Higher rates allow you to pick out the best opportunities, giving you all the time you need to deliver high quality with little stress.
It all depends on finding quality-oriented clients. Spoiler: they exist.
| | | | Luca Adie
Германија
Local time: 21:13
германски на англиски
+ ...
If you're an old timer legal translator who charged 0.50 per word - those times are gone.
I do laugh when I see translators' rates set at this. This will be because they studied law before I imagine, but I actually studied the highest form of legal and medical translation at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where they actually know a thing or two.
Translation used to be a mystery as people really don't have the facility to learn different languages. Now you can ... See more If you're an old timer legal translator who charged 0.50 per word - those times are gone.
I do laugh when I see translators' rates set at this. This will be because they studied law before I imagine, but I actually studied the highest form of legal and medical translation at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where they actually know a thing or two.
Translation used to be a mystery as people really don't have the facility to learn different languages. Now you can get the "gist translation" from several automatic providers. However, they really do miss the mark on so many nuances.
Highest level of translation: translation done by a native of the target language, who has actually lived or been "consumed" by the source language. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Luca Adie
Германија
Local time: 21:13
германски на англиски
+ ...
Essentially, translation is a human endevour. Machine plus human works, but I still insist that there is nothing better than human-human translation.
I was working on a translation of a Dutch text recently. I know the writer and we went back and forth. I think this was a "real translation".
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| Partly agree | Sep 26, 2025 |
As Yetta says, the answer is not simple (things are rarely black and white and there are often grey areas). In general, I don't like these bombastic statements, especially when applied to the world of translation, because the reality is extremely different from one market to another, from one area of specialisation to another, or even between language combinations.
The highest rate I have ever charged (translation + edition) was in 2015 to a direct client who asked me for two EN/PT ... See more As Yetta says, the answer is not simple (things are rarely black and white and there are often grey areas). In general, I don't like these bombastic statements, especially when applied to the world of translation, because the reality is extremely different from one market to another, from one area of specialisation to another, or even between language combinations.
The highest rate I have ever charged (translation + edition) was in 2015 to a direct client who asked me for two EN/PT “ready-to-print” translations, one on xenophobia (41,125 words) and the other on labour relations (85,125 words). I know the client was satisfied with the work because the two translations were separated by a few months, but they never contacted me again. I later found out by chance that some years later they had contacted another translator who charged almost half my rate.
I haven't increased my rates for my regular clients since 2015, with one exception: a direct client who asks me for EN, FR and ES translations. I only changed the ES/PT rate (the lowest) but left the others as they were... ▲ Collapse
| | | | Liena V.
Летонија
Local time: 22:13
Член (2014)
француски на латвиски
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| Not so simple | Sep 26, 2025 |
As others have said above, it's a little more complicated than that. I can't even say the opposite has been true for me – I have agreed to some rather low rates at times of desperation and still never received any work, as well as resisted the pressure to lower them and the work just kept coming...
So let me rephrase it: "The higher your rates are, the less it will matter how many projects you receive" and, as a special bonus, chances are you will also be treated with more respect.
| | | | Lingua 5B
Босна и Херцеговина
Local time: 21:13
англиски на француски
+ ...
“The higher your rates are, the less desperate you are.”
[Edited at 2025-09-26 12:41 GMT]
| | | | Luca Adie
Германија
Local time: 21:13
германски на англиски
+ ...
It's nice to see people talking about translation again and sharing their knowledge.
The highest rate I charged... it was a while back and for marketing. I've updated my rates with my main client... I just hope they continue to send work! I learn a lot from the texts they send.
The lowest... actually I currently do "low-paid" jobs now, but they are large, I get my name in print and the books they make are beautiful. Happy to keep the pages turning...
Transl... See more It's nice to see people talking about translation again and sharing their knowledge.
The highest rate I charged... it was a while back and for marketing. I've updated my rates with my main client... I just hope they continue to send work! I learn a lot from the texts they send.
The lowest... actually I currently do "low-paid" jobs now, but they are large, I get my name in print and the books they make are beautiful. Happy to keep the pages turning...
Translation was a great love of mine at university. I got excellent grades in Russian, top marks in Spain, but for some reason, I got really terrible marks in Spanish from my Scottish university. I still wonder to this day what it was.
But I've made a career out of it, and a pretty damn good one, so I shouldn't think about it too much ▲ Collapse
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Luca Adie
Германија
Local time: 21:13
германски на англиски
+ ...
@Neil
I see you also studied at Strathclyde. Was Nijolė there at that time?
| | | | Tom in London
Обединето Кралство
Local time: 20:13
италијански на англиски
ProZ.com Staff HAD THE TEMERITY to write:
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question ""The higher your rates are, the less projects you are likely to receive."". View the poll results »
In correct English, the question is
"The higher your rates are, the FEWER projects you are likely to receive."
| | | | Lingua 5B
Босна и Херцеговина
Local time: 21:13
англиски на француски
+ ...
Tom in London wrote:
ProZ.com Staff HAD THE TEMERITY to write:
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question ""The higher your rates are, the less projects you are likely to receive."". View the poll results »
In correct English, the question is
"The higher your rates are, the FEWER projects you are likely to receive."
Yes, and less vs. fewer is our biggest problem when the whole industry is falling apart.
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