Translator Invoice Template
This translator invoice template is already filled in with the line items the job usually carries. Change the numbers, add your details, and download the PDF. Nothing is uploaded and no account is needed.
A translator's invoice is priced on a count, and which count was used is the thing that has to be unambiguous.
Your details
Bill to
Invoice details
Line items
Tax & discount
- Subtotal
- $793.00
- Total due
- $793.00
Notes & payment details
- Invoice no.
- —
- Issued
- —
- Due
- —
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translation EN to ES, 4,200 source words | 4200 | $0.14 | $588.00 |
| Revision of existing translation (hours) | 3 | $55.00 | $165.00 |
| Certified translation statement | 1 | $40.00 | $40.00 |
- Subtotal
- $793.00
- Total due
- $793.00
Priced per source word at the rate shown. Source count is taken from the file supplied. CAT tool matches are discounted per the agreed grid, applied above. Certification statement supplied where requested for official submissions.
Prefilled as a translator invoice. The rates shown are round placeholder figures to make the document readable, not rate guidance. Saved in this browser only.
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How translators usually bill
| Convention | Value |
|---|---|
| Billed by | Per source word, per target word, or per hour for revision |
| Usual payment terms | Net 30, and Net 45 or longer with agencies |
| Money up front | Uncommon with agencies, 30% to 50% for large direct projects |
| Also called | translation invoice, interpreter invoice, localisation invoice |
| These are the common conventions in the trade, not rules. The terms that matter are the ones in your own agreement with the client, and this template will carry whatever you set. | |
What belongs on a translator invoice
- Source or target word count, named
- Translations expand or contract between languages, sometimes by twenty per cent. Saying which count the price is based on removes the entire dispute.
- The language pair and direction
- EN to ES and ES to EN are different rates and different work. Agencies processing many invoices need the direction on the document.
- CAT tool match discounts
- If you agreed a discount grid for fuzzy and repeated matches, show it. An invoice that silently applies it looks like a different rate.
- Certification, separately
- A certified statement for an official submission is a distinct deliverable with its own fee, not part of the per-word price.
The mistake that costs translators the most
Not fixing the word count before starting
Source and target counts differ, tools count differently, and a client who supplies a PDF may not know their own count. Agree the count and the counting method in writing before the first word, and put both on the invoice. This is the single most common translation billing dispute and it is entirely preventable.
Sales tax on a translator invoice
Translation is a professional service and is untaxed in most states. Cross-border work introduces the client's own country's rules, which is a separate question from US sales tax and is worth settling before the first invoice.
The template has a tax field with an editable label, so it will say VAT or GST if that is what you need, and it applies the rate to the subtotal after any discount. Leave the rate at zero if you are not registered to collect. Nothing here is tax advice, and a question about your own registration is one for your state's department of revenue or your accountant.
Templates for related work
Per word, per piece or per hour
Per hour, per day, or against a monthly retainer
Quoting the job before you bill it is what the quote generator is for, and working out what to charge in the first place is what the freelance rate calculator does.
Questions about translator invoices
Should translators charge per source or per target word?
Per source word, in most cases. The client can see the number before committing, and you are not rewarded for being verbose or penalised for being concise. Target word pricing is common in some markets, but it makes the final price unknowable at the point of order, which most clients dislike.
What payment terms do translation agencies use?
Net 30 is common, Net 45 and Net 60 are not unusual, and many agencies pay on a monthly cycle rather than per invoice. Ask about the cycle rather than just the terms, because an invoice submitted a day after the cut-off waits a full extra month.
Should I discount for CAT tool matches?
It is standard practice with agencies and you will rarely avoid it, but the grid should be agreed before the project and shown on the invoice. Direct clients often do not use the grids at all, which is one of several reasons direct work pays better.