TimeTrack Pro
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Built for Translators

Time Tracking for Translators

Per-word rates don't capture the full picture of translation work. TimeTrack Pro helps translators track research, translation, review, and quality assurance time so you can price projects that reflect the true complexity of the work.

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Why translators struggle with time tracking

  • 1Per-word pricing hides the time difference between translating a marketing brochure and a legal contract
  • 2Terminology research and glossary creation for specialized fields takes significant time that per-word rates ignore
  • 3Clients assume machine translation does the heavy lifting and undervalue human review and post-editing
  • 4Rush jobs and weekend work deserve premium rates, but without time records, it's hard to quantify the urgency premium

How TimeTrack Pro helps translators

Track translation, review, and research time separately to see your real per-word-per-hour rate for different content types

Project tags by subject area (legal, medical, marketing, technical) build a database for accurate quoting

Time data proves to clients that a 5,000-word legal translation requires 3x the effort of general content

Rush-job tracking with premium rate tagging ensures you're compensated for urgent turnarounds

Common projects translators track

Document translation (legal, medical, technical)Website and app localizationMarketing and advertising transcreationSubtitle and caption translationCertified translation for official documentsMachine translation post-editing (MTPE)

Average hourly rate for translators

$35–$90/hr

US market range — rates vary by experience, specialization, and location.

Frequently asked questions

Should translators charge per word or per hour?
Per-word is industry standard for straightforward translation, but hourly is better for review, editing, localization, and highly technical content. Use TimeTrack Pro to track time on per-word projects — you'll discover that your effective hourly rate varies dramatically by content type.
How do translators track time on long documents?
Break the document into sections or chapters and track each one separately. TimeTrack Pro's project labels let you segment a 50-page document so you can see which sections took longer and adjust your per-word rates for similar content in the future.
How do I price machine translation post-editing (MTPE)?
MTPE is typically priced at 50–70% of full human translation rates, but the actual time varies wildly based on MT quality. Track your MTPE time in TimeTrack Pro to determine your real per-word efficiency and price accordingly.
How do I invoice translation agencies vs. direct clients?
Agencies expect per-word invoices with word counts from CAT tools. Direct clients benefit from more detailed invoices showing the process. TimeTrack Pro supports both formats — generate per-word summaries for agencies and time-based breakdowns for direct clients.

Time tracking for other freelancers

Freelance WritersCopywritersVirtual Assistants

Ready to track your time smarter?

Join translators who use TimeTrack Pro to track hours and send invoices in minutes.

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Free plan includes unlimited time tracking