Getting paid per word vs per project
I’ve noticed translators are split on this. Some swear by per-word rates, others say project pricing is the only sane option. In practice, per-word often ignores research and formatting time. How do you handle this, and has your preference changed over time?
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Per-word pricing looks fair on paper, but it rarely reflects the real work. Research, formatting, client back-and-forth — none of that fits neatly into a word count. After a few messy projects, I slowly shifted toward project pricing, mostly because it forces clearer expectations on both sides. What helped me stay sane was having everything client-related in one place. I’ve been using a merchant services crm, and it made tracking projects, payments, and disputes much easier. Not a silver bullet, but when you can see the full picture, it’s easier to price your work realistically and avoid undercharging for invisible effort.