Free translation invoice generator
Bill per word, per hour or per page, name the language pair and word count, add rush and minimum fees, and download an invoice an agency’s vendor system will accept.
Build your translation invoice
Prefilled with a typical agency job. Replace the language pair, word count and rates, then download.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|
What is a translation invoice?
A translation invoice bills for language work: written translation, revision, proofreading, subtitling or interpreting. Written work is usually priced per source or target word, which makes the invoice arithmetic unusually transparent — the word count and the per-word rate are both visible, and the total follows.
Agencies pay from purchase orders and job numbers, so those references matter more than the description. A translator invoicing an agency without the PO or job reference is asking a vendor-management system to route the invoice to a human, which adds weeks.
Direct clients need the opposite emphasis. They rarely know what a per-word rate means, so the invoice should name the document, the language pair and the word count, so the number in the corner is anchored to something they recognise.
What to include
Everything below is already in the generator above — this is what each part is for.
Language pair
Source and target language for each line — the first thing an agency checks against its PO.
Word, line or page count
The unit count billed, and whether it is source or target. Ambiguity here is the main cause of disputes.
Rate per unit
Your per-word, per-hour or per-page rate, with the quantity making the calculation self-evident.
PO and job reference
The agency’s purchase order and job number. Without them, invoices sit in vendor-management queues.
Service type per line
Translation, revision, MT post-editing, proofreading or DTP — each with its own rate.
Rush, minimum and CAT terms
Any rush surcharge, your minimum fee for small jobs, and agreed CAT-tool match discounts.
Three steps to a finished PDF
Enter client and references
Your details and the client, plus the PO and job number in the invoice fields and notes.
Bill by unit
Word count as the quantity and your per-word rate as the rate, with revision or rush on separate lines.
Download and submit
Download the PDF and send it to the agency’s vendor billing address, or to your direct client with the delivery.
Billing language work
Choose a unit and be explicit about it
Per-word pricing is the global default for written translation, but source and target counts differ — sometimes by twenty percent or more, depending on the pair. State which you are billing on the quote and on the invoice. Hourly pricing suits revision, DTP and unpredictable formats; per-page suits certified and sworn documents.
Set a minimum fee
- A 200-word job costs almost as much administration as a 2,000-word one.
- A stated minimum — often the equivalent of an hour’s work — keeps small jobs viable.
- Rush surcharges of 25–50% for overnight or weekend delivery are normal and should be agreed before you accept.
Handle CAT discounts on your own terms
Agencies often ask for a discount grid on translation-memory matches. Whether you accept one is a commercial decision, but the invoice should show the weighted count you actually billed and reference the grid, so the calculation can be checked rather than trusted.
Invoice on the agency’s cycle
Most agencies pay monthly on a fixed cycle — often 30 days from month end, sometimes on a self-billing model where they issue the invoice. Learn the cycle, submit before the cut-off, and keep your PO references exact; those two habits do more for your cash flow than raising your rate.
Three mistakes that delay payment
Source or target unstated
The most common billing dispute in translation is a word count nobody defined.
Missing PO or job number
Vendor systems cannot match the invoice, so it waits for a person.
No minimum fee
Tiny jobs quietly consume the time that larger ones pay for.