Question 1

How do translators and writers invoice accurately by word count?

Accepted Answer

The standard method is to count words in the source or target text (conventions vary by profession and client), multiply by the agreed per-word rate, and add any rush or specialization fees. For translators, source word count is most common since you're pricing the work before it's done. This calculator counts the target (delivered) text deterministically.

Question 2

What counts as a 'word' for billing purposes?

Accepted Answer

Industry standard: any string of characters separated by whitespace. Numbers, hyphenated compounds, and contractions each count as one word. Headers, captions, and footnotes should be included unless your contract specifies otherwise. This calculator uses the same method as Microsoft Word's word counter.

Question 3

How is per-word rate different from per-hour billing?

Accepted Answer

Per-word billing incentivizes efficiency (the faster you work, the better your effective rate) and makes the invoice transparent to the client — they can verify the word count themselves. Per-hour billing rewards slowness and requires client trust. Many experienced translators and copywriters prefer per-word billing for this reason.

Question 4

Can I add a rush fee or specialization surcharge to the per-word invoice?

Accepted Answer

Yes — this calculator allows you to add a percentage markup on top of the base per-word calculation. A 25–50% rush surcharge is industry-standard for work delivered in less than 24 hours, and a 20–30% technical/legal surcharge is common for specialized domain content.

Word-Count Auto-Invoicer

Invoice & Rate Settings

Source Text

Invoice