Question 1

How are translation costs calculated?

Accepted Answer

Translation costs are typically calculated per source word. Rates vary by language pair, subject matter complexity, and translation method. Professional human translators usually charge $0.10–$0.25 per word, while AI-assisted workflows can reduce costs by 50–90%.

Question 2

What is the difference between human and AI translation?

Accepted Answer

Human translators provide nuanced, culturally-aware translation with domain expertise. AI translation is significantly faster and cheaper but may require human review for critical content. The 'Human + AI Review' tier combines machine translation speed with human quality checks.

Question 3

What does monthly maintenance cost include?

Accepted Answer

Monthly maintenance covers new content, updated strings, and iterative changes to your product. Typically 10–20% of your original content changes each month as features evolve. This estimate uses a 15% monthly change rate as a baseline.

Question 4

How many languages should I support?

Accepted Answer

The optimal number depends on your target markets. European markets often require 5–10 languages, while global products may need 20+. Each additional language multiplies costs linearly — but also multiplies potential revenue from new markets.

Question 5

How does Better i18n reduce localization costs?

Accepted Answer

Better i18n uses context-aware AI to generate high-quality translations, leverages translation memory to avoid re-translating existing strings, and provides a developer-first SDK that eliminates integration overhead. First 1,000 keys are free to get started.

Localization Cost Calculator

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