Upwork is the best platform to hire freelance translators for most readers because it has a free Basic client account, a wide hiring pool, and a client fee of 3% to 5% on the Basic plan, while Fiverr suits small fixed-price jobs and ProZ suits agency and specialist work. Per-word services are the clearest way to compare cost: Gengo and Tomedes start at $0.08 per word, and Translated lists an average price of $0.10 per word, so a 1,000-word text costs $80 at $0.08 per word and $100 at $0.10 per word before any rush or specialist charge. Gengo is moving fully to Lionbridge technology and its suite of offerings beginning in January 2027, and Gengo stays fully available until 31 December 2026, so a buyer who plans a long project on Gengo should check the Lionbridge move before committing to a repeat workflow.
Hiring a translator is not only about the lowest per-word price. A marketplace lets you compare individual translators and set your own terms, while a managed service sets the price per word and handles review and delivery. The right choice depends on how often you hire, how much review you need, and whether the document must be certified.
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Best platform to hire freelance translators: comparison table
Swipe the table sideways on a phone to see every column.
| # | Name | Best for | Starting price | Free plan / trial | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upwork | Large hiring pools and varied project sizes | $0 to join, 3% to 5% client fee on Basic plan | Yes | Visit |
| 2 | Fiverr | Small fixed-price translation jobs | $0 to join, 5.5% service fee | Yes | Visit |
| 3 | ProZ | Agency work and specialist translators | $180 per year for Plus membership | Yes | Visit |
| 4 | Gengo | Fast per-word human translation | $0.08 per word for Standard and Advanced | No | Visit |
| 5 | Smartcat | Teams mixing AI translation with human review | $1,200 per year for Adapt | Free trial (15 days) | Visit |
| 6 | Translated | Managed translation in three service levels | $0.10 per word average | No | Visit |
| 7 | Freelancer.com | Low employer fees on fixed-price projects | 3% or $3 employer fee on fixed-price projects | Yes | Visit |
| 8 | Tomedes | Certified translation for official use | $0.08 per word for certified translation | No | Visit |
The 8 best best platform to hire freelance translators, in detail
Upwork
Best for: Large hiring pools and varied project sizes
Upwork is a general freelance marketplace, and that breadth is its main strength for translation hiring. A client can post a job for free, browse translator profiles, send up to 30 invites per job on the Basic plan, and create hourly or fixed-price contracts with milestones. The Basic client plan is free to create and free to use until you hire, and the client service fee is 3% to 5% on Basic.
- Business Plus has no monthly subscription cost, but the client fee rises to 8% to 10%, and it adds Expert-Vetted talent, up to 60 invites per job, and
- The trade-off is that the translator sets the rate, so the total cost is the translator rate plus the Upwork fee and any contract initiation fee.
- Freelancers on a Basic account get 10 Connects per month, while Freelancer Plus costs $19.99 per month and includes 100 Connects.
- Choose Upwork when you hire across languages and subjects and want to compare many profiles.
Pros
- Free Basic client account
- up to 30 invites per job on Basic
- payment protection on eligible contracts
Cons
- Contract initiation fees apply on every Basic contract
- Business Plus raises the client fee to 8% to 10%
Fiverr
Best for: Small fixed-price translation jobs
Fiverr works best when the job is small and well defined, such as a product description, a short web page, or a social post. A buyer searches Gigs, reads the package scope, and orders at a fixed price, then Fiverr adds a service fee at checkout. The standard service fee is 5.5% of the purchase amount, plus $3.50 on orders under $200, and each separate payment carries its own fee.
- That means a $100 Gig costs a buyer $109 before taxes, with $100 for the Gig, $5.50 for the service fee, and $3.50 for the small-order fee.
- The fixed-price format helps with budgeting, but it also limits negotiation and custom scoping on larger jobs.
- A buyer who needs a long document, a glossary, or a multi-stage review should ask for a custom offer and read the revision terms before ordering.
- Choose Fiverr for a quick, bounded job with a clear deliverable.
Pros
- Fixed-price Gig format with clear scope
- freelancers keep 80% of a completed order, which keeps the seller share clear
Cons
- Service fee applies to each payment, including extras and tips
- $3.50 small-order fee applies to orders under $200
ProZ
Best for: Agency work and specialist translators
ProZ is a specialist network for language professionals, and it works in a different way from Upwork and Fiverr. Registration is free, and the site combines a translator directory with a job board, so agencies and direct clients can find translators by language pair and subject. The Plus membership costs $180 per year, and the Premium monthly option costs $25 per month.
- ProZ states that jobs go to members first, and that 65% of jobs posted in the last 30 days were open to members first for 3 to 72 hours.
- For a client, the value is access to translators who work mainly in translation, plus tools such as the Blue Board for agency information and KudoZ fo
- The limit is that ProZ does not set the translator rate or take a commission on the project, so the client still negotiates price, deadline, and revie
- Choose ProZ when you want a specialist translator for a niche subject or a long-term agency relationship.
Pros
- Free basic profile
- no commission on projects for members
- Blue Board agency information and KudoZ terminology tools
Cons
- Many useful features sit behind the Plus membership
- Premium monthly option costs $25 per month
Gengo
Best for: Fast per-word human translation
Gengo is a per-word human translation service with a simple price structure. Its site lists Standard at $0.08 per word for everyday content and Advanced at $0.08 per word for professional content that needs subject knowledge, with no add-ons or minimum spend. The site also lists 70+ language pairs and states that 5M+ words are translated weekly.
- Orders can be placed online on demand, through an API, or as a custom service with add-ons such as subtitling, video transcription, and post-edited ma
- The key fact to plan around is the move to Lionbridge.
- Gengo states that its services will move fully to Lionbridge technology and its suite of offerings beginning in January 2027, and that Gengo stays ful
- That makes Gengo a good choice for a short project now, but a buyer who needs the same workflow in 2027 should confirm how ordering, pricing, and tran
Pros
- Clear per-word pricing with no add-ons or minimum spend
- 70+ language pairs and 5M+ words translated weekly, as stated on its site
Cons
- Specialized translation needs a custom quote
- the service is moving to Lionbridge in January 2027
Smartcat
Best for: Teams mixing AI translation with human review
Smartcat combines AI translation coworkers with a marketplace of human experts, and its pricing is based on Smartwords processed, not on seats. The Adapt plan starts at $1,200 per year, billed annually, and includes 100,000 Smartwords, unlimited users, and linear workflows. Accelerate starts at $24,000 per year and adds the Reviewer Coworker and Marketplace experts, while Anticipate starts at $60,000 per year and adds API access, SSO, and 2FA.
- A 15-day free trial is available, including API access, with 15,000 Smartwords in the trial.
- The price jump from Adapt to Accelerate is the point to check before you sign up.
- Adapt covers AI translation and review inside the team, but hiring a human expert from the Marketplace needs Accelerate or a higher plan.
- Translation memory matches and repetitions are free on every plan, so the effective cost per word falls as approved sentences are reused.
Pros
- Unlimited users on every plan
- 100,000 Smartwords included on Adapt
- translation memory matches and repetitions are free on every plan
Cons
- Marketplace access to human experts is not in Adapt
- API access is listed from Anticipate, not from the entry plan
Translated
Best for: Managed translation in three service levels
Translated is a managed translation service with three levels: Economy, Professional, and Premium. Economy is a light edit of machine output by a native-speaking professional translator, Professional is translation by a native-speaking professional translator with review by a second translator and final quality control by a project manager, and Premium adds a full review by a second translator plus translation memory and glossary on request. Translated lists an average price of US $0.10 per word, and a standard page costs on average US $25, based on 250 words per page.
- The site also gives indicative prices for a general subject from Italian to English, such as 240 euros for a 3,000-word website at Professional level
- Pay After Delivery lets a client pay within five days of delivery by card, bank transfer, or PayPal.
- Choose Translated when you want a managed service with a named review level and a project manager.
Pros
- Three service levels from Economy to Premium
- Professional and Premium include review by a second native-speaking translator
- pay after delivery within five days
Cons
- Exact price varies by language pair, subject, and delivery date
- minimum invoice is 100 words
Freelancer.com
Best for: Low employer fees on fixed-price projects
Freelancer.com is a general freelance marketplace with a low employer fee. It is free to sign up, post a project, receive bids, review portfolios, and discuss requirements. When a client awards a fixed-price project, the employer fee is 3% or $3.00, whichever is greater, and the same 3% applies to any overage if the client later pays more than the original bid.
- For hourly projects, the employer fee is 3% on each payment.
- There is no contest fee for posting and awarding a contest for employers.
- The freelancer side of the fee matters for hiring, because freelancers on fixed-price projects pay 10% or $5, whichever is greater, and 10% on hourly
- A translator who knows that fee will factor it into the bid, so the lowest bid may still reflect a higher net rate for the translator.
Pros
- Free to sign up, post a project, and receive bids
- employer fee is 3% or $3, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects
Cons
- Freelancers pay 10% or $5, whichever is greater, on fixed-price projects, which can affect the rates they quote
- free members get 6 bids per month at first
Tomedes
Best for: Certified translation for official use
Tomedes is the strongest pick in this list for certified translation, because the certificate is part of the service rather than an add-on. Certified translation starts from about $0.08 per word, or roughly $20 for a standard 250-word page, with 24 to 48 hour delivery for certified work. Documents of 1 to 3 pages typically arrive within 24 hours, and larger files within 1 to 3 business days.
- A domain-matched linguist translates, a second translator reviews independently, and every certified translation includes a signed certificate of accu
- Tomedes covers 270+ languages and 1,000+ language pairs, and it holds ISO 17100:2015 certification and ATA corporate membership.
- A firm, all-inclusive quote arrives within 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, and the 1-Year Quality Guarantee covers corrections within 24 to 48 hours.
- Notarization is a flat fee per document, and apostille coordination is priced by jurisdiction, so both appear as separate lines in the quote.
Pros
- Signed certificate of accuracy at no extra cost
- firm quote in 15 minutes
- 1-Year Quality Guarantee with corrections in 24 to 48 hours
Cons
- Notarization is a flat fee per document and is not included in the per-word price
- apostille coordination is priced by jurisdiction
How we chose
We chose platforms that let a client hire a freelance translator or order human translation online, with a listed price or fee on an official page opened on 2026-11-12. We included general marketplaces, a specialist translator network, per-word services, a managed service, and a certified translation provider, so the list covers one-off jobs, regular work, and official documents. Prices and plan limits in this article come from official vendor pricing pages and docs opened on 2026-11-12, and the Sources section lists one official pricing URL for each item. We did not test any tool hands-on. No price was invented, and no item was added without an official price or fee to cite.
Pick by budget and job type
| Job type | Best pick | Cost to budget | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-off job under $100 | Fiverr | $100 Gig plus $5.50 service fee plus $3.50 small-order fee, total $109 | Package scope and revision count |
| 1,000 words, everyday content | Gengo | $0.08 per word, total $80 | Language pair and delivery date |
| 1,000 words, managed review | Translated | $0.10 per word average, total $100 | Economy, Professional, or Premium level |
| Certified 250-word page | Tomedes | $0.08 per word, about $20 | Certificate wording and authority rules |
| Regular team translation | Smartcat Adapt | $1,200 per year, 100,000 Smartwords included | Marketplace access needs Accelerate at $24,000 per year |
| Specialist or agency hiring | ProZ Plus | $180 per year for Plus membership | Member-first job access for 3 to 72 hours |
Frequently asked questions
Which platform is best for hiring a freelance translator?
Upwork is the best choice for most readers because it has a free Basic client account, a wide hiring pool, up to 30 invites per job on Basic, and a client fee of 3% to 5% on the Basic plan. Fiverr suits small fixed-price jobs, ProZ suits specialist and agency work, and Gengo suits fast per-word orders. The best pick depends on job size, review needs, and whether certification is required.
How much does it cost to hire a freelance translator?
Cost depends on the model you choose. Gengo and Tomedes start at $0.08 per word, Translated lists an average price of $0.10 per word, and a 1,000-word text costs $80 at $0.08 per word and $100 at $0.10 per word. Marketplaces add a fee instead: Upwork charges clients 3% to 5% on Basic, Fiverr charges 5.5% plus $3.50 on orders under $200, and Freelancer.com charges employers 3% or $3 on fixed-price projects.
Which platform is best for certified translation?
Tomedes is the best pick for certified translation in this list because it starts at $0.08 per word, or about $20 for a standard 250-word page, and every certified translation includes a signed certificate of accuracy at no extra cost. A firm quote arrives in 15 minutes, documents of 1 to 3 pages typically arrive within 24 hours, and the 1-Year Quality Guarantee covers corrections within 24 to 48 hours.
Is Gengo still available for new translation orders?
Yes, Gengo stays fully available until 31 December 2026, and its services will move fully to Lionbridge technology and its suite of offerings beginning in January 2027. Its site lists Standard and Advanced at $0.08 per word, with no add-ons or minimum spend. A buyer with a long project should confirm how ordering and pricing will work after the move before committing to a repeat workflow.
What is the cheapest way to translate a short text?
A per-word service is usually cheapest for a short text. Gengo at $0.08 per word costs $80 for 1,000 words, while Translated averages $100 for the same count. Fiverr can also work for a small fixed-price job, but a $100 Gig costs $109 after the 5.5% service fee and the $3.50 small-order fee. Compare the total after fees, and check the review level before you order.
When should I use Smartcat instead of a marketplace?
Use Smartcat when a team translates often and wants AI drafts plus human review in one place, with unlimited users and 100,000 Smartwords included on Adapt at $1,200 per year. Use a marketplace such as Upwork or Fiverr for a single job, because Smartcat Marketplace access to human experts starts with Accelerate at $24,000 per year, which is a large step up from the entry plan.
Sources
- https://www.upwork.com/
- https://www.upwork.com/resources/is-upwork-free
- https://www.fiverr.com/
- https://help.fiverr.com/hc/en-us/articles/360049646033-What-is-a-service-fee-
- https://www.proz.com/
- https://www.proz.com/professional-membership
- https://gengo.com/
- https://www.smartcat.com/
- https://www.smartcat.com/pricing/
- https://www.translated.com/
- https://translated.com/translation-rates
- https://www.freelancer.com/
- https://www.freelancer.com/feesandcharges
- https://www.tomedes.com/
- https://www.tomedes.com/certified-translation
Prices and features were read on each company’s own website in November 2026. They change often, so confirm the current offer on the official site before you sign up or buy.