Poll: How have your rates changed over the past 5 years?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
May 10, 2018

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How have your rates changed over the past 5 years?".

This poll was originally submitted by Leticia Klemetz, CT. View the poll results »



 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 12:09
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
They have stayed more or less the same May 10, 2018

I'm told that my rates are higher than average... Anyway, nowadays I tend to quote each project individually, based on language combination, field of expertise, number of words, technicality, deadline, document type and other practical criteria.

 
Angus Stewart
Angus Stewart  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:09
Member (2011)
French to English
+ ...
They have stayed more or less the same May 10, 2018

My rates have stayed more or less the same. Most of my clients are in the Eurozone and thanks to the fluctuation in the exchange rate working in my favour I have received a welcome pay rise without having to the increase the rates I charge to my customers. I have however increased my rates for new clients who pay in GBP, although I haven't got around to increasing them for my existing customers based in the UK yet. It is a task that is on my to do list.

[Edited at 2018-05-10 11:21 GMT]


 
John Fossey
John Fossey  Identity Verified
Canada
Local time: 08:09
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
Other May 10, 2018

My rates have taken on a wide spread, as I have branched into working directly with end clients. When I am bidding competitively I will quote at the lower end of the spread, in order to keep busy. For the bulk of my agency clients, most of whom I have been working for for a long time, I quote in the middle of the range. But for direct corporate end clients I charge far higher rates. In the last year I have been kept pretty much full-time busy with the latter high-end clients. At the same time, I... See more
My rates have taken on a wide spread, as I have branched into working directly with end clients. When I am bidding competitively I will quote at the lower end of the spread, in order to keep busy. For the bulk of my agency clients, most of whom I have been working for for a long time, I quote in the middle of the range. But for direct corporate end clients I charge far higher rates. In the last year I have been kept pretty much full-time busy with the latter high-end clients. At the same time, I don't change my rates for a given client, rather take on different types of client at the different rates. The spread in rates seems to keep me always busy, with few peaks and troughs, and a good income overall.Collapse


 
neilmac
neilmac
Spain
Local time: 13:09
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other May 10, 2018

For my oldest, most loyal regulars, I haven't changed my rate in the past 10 years. I recently raised my basic rate 20 or 25% for new clients, or those wanting me to bill them in advance, as it involves more admin for me.

I also give unsolicited instantaneous discounts when I feel they are deserved.


 
Mario Freitas
Mario Freitas  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 09:09
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
About the same May 10, 2018

Since I live in Brazil, it's OK to have the rates in USD and EUR stay the same, as they will be readjusted with the exchange rates and actually increase regularly in BRL, without any raise in the original currency. However, I had no readjustments whatsoever, with local or foreign customers in the past five years. I actually lost a few clients for trying to raise my rates.
But the worst of the economic crisis is to notice my rates in BRL with local clients have also not been readjusted duri
... See more
Since I live in Brazil, it's OK to have the rates in USD and EUR stay the same, as they will be readjusted with the exchange rates and actually increase regularly in BRL, without any raise in the original currency. However, I had no readjustments whatsoever, with local or foreign customers in the past five years. I actually lost a few clients for trying to raise my rates.
But the worst of the economic crisis is to notice my rates in BRL with local clients have also not been readjusted during this period, with a yearly inflation of around 6%. This means I have already lost one third of my income with Brazilian clients. Thankfully, they only represent 25% of my income. But I realize why translators who concentrate their work with local clients are complaining so much.
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Muriel Vasconcellos
Muriel Vasconcellos  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 05:09
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Other May 12, 2018

My rates increased a bit in 2013-2015, but there came a turning point where they stagnated. This was especially true of my best client, who had voluntarily raised it by 2 cents a word the year before. When I contacted them, they explained that they had a new policy and had to give the bulk of their work to translators who charged less. So I went back to the rate I had had in 2014. My workload bounced back up, but the rate has remained unchanged (it's a good rate compared with the market average)... See more
My rates increased a bit in 2013-2015, but there came a turning point where they stagnated. This was especially true of my best client, who had voluntarily raised it by 2 cents a word the year before. When I contacted them, they explained that they had a new policy and had to give the bulk of their work to translators who charged less. So I went back to the rate I had had in 2014. My workload bounced back up, but the rate has remained unchanged (it's a good rate compared with the market average). With another of my regulars, I'm required to sign a 3-year contract at the rate they specify. Their rate hasn't gone up in 4 years.

Agencies rarely hire me anymore; they no longer agree to rates they were happy to pay 5 years ago.

[Edited at 2018-05-12 06:52 GMT]
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Poll: How have your rates changed over the past 5 years?






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