If you are fluent in two or more languages and want to give your career a freelance shot, then you ought to be in the translation service.

Freelance translation jobs are especially suitable for those guys who are more inclined towards working freedom and have a passion for languages. Let’s find out the opportunities to get paid to translate.

If you are searching through Fiverr Gigs, you will see translation gigs are quite popular among the communities. In fact, they are highly demanding.

Besides the freelance websites extending independent contract based jobs in varied fields, there are a few dedicated websites providing freelance translation jobs.

In this blog, we will be exploring those websites that may give you the opportunity to earn as a translator.

The Future of Translation Services Industry

The industry includes those companies and individuals that a) translate written material and b) offer interpreting services from one language to another (including sign language services for the impaired).

According to a study conducted by Common Sense Advisory, the size of the translation industry was around $33.5 billion in 2012.

The numbers are growing so rapidly that employers nowadays are looking for ways to find the best translator to get there job done. And it is estimated that the industry size would be around $37 billion in 2018.

At the moment, though the United States leads the industry with the largest single market and Europe the second, the Asian market is still unexplored. It has a lot of potential in the translation industry.

Increasing globalization and overseas expansions of the companies will drive more demand in the coming days and the opportunities to get paid to translate is ever increasing.

Translation Job Description

To get paid for translating words is just not enough. The translation isn’t merely replacing a word in one language to another.

Depending upon client requirements, the service industry where the translation is needed and the project description, translation jobs vary in features and quality.

For better understanding, let’s segregate translation jobs in following broad categories.

1. Language Localisation

Wikipedia defines language localization as “the process of adopting a product that has been previously translated into multiple languages to a specific country or region…”.

Further states “language localization differs from translation activity because it involves a comprehensive study of the target culture in order to correctly adapt the product to local needs.”

In simple words, localization is part of a bigger process called internationalization. Multinational companies, sell their products across the globe.

But, it would not be possible for them to sell a particular product with a single language advertisement. Hence they need a localized approached which is more than mere translation.

In such circumstances, the company needs to penetrate the target market by adopting the local culture and needs.

2. Certified Translation

A certified translation is an authenticated or verified translation of documents from one language to another in toto.

A certificate accompanied the translation work states that the translation has been completed by a professional translator and is of high quality and true to the original text.

This type of certification is given by an agency or by the translator himself.

3. Creative Translation

Creative translation focuses on capturing the persuasive and emotive effect of the original text and transposes it into an adaptive translation.

In the case of creative translation, the translated text would differ significantly from the source text in terms of vocabulary but the message is unharmed. Creative translation is often used in product marketing or brand campaigning i.e. creating a multilingual tagline, slogans etc.

Freelance Translator Websites: Get Paid To Translate

Here are the 3 dedicated websites extending opportunities for freelance translation jobs.

1. Gengo

Gengo is a reputed and one of the oldest websites providing translation services globally. You can pick up your language translation projects in your niche or the areas that interest you.

Moreover, the website provides a supportive forum facility to interact with professional translators and exchange advice and tips with them.


The registration process is not that complicated. But has to specify the areas of your interest, as well as the languages you want to translate into and translate from.

To be eligible as a translator, every newbie translator has to go through a 2 step test. The first stage of the test is called multiple choice pre-test. The aspiring translator has to answer at least 4 out of 5 questions correctly.

In the second stage of testing (after passing the first step), you have to translate a piece of texts of 300 words into your native language. Though you don’t have a time limit to translate the texts, you cannot save the work in the midway.

An approved translator will be notified about the availability of translation jobs through site’s dashboard, email or RSS feed as per specification along with the level of proficiency required, completion deadline as well as the reward offered.

The Company pays through two ways- PayPal and Payoneer. There is no automatic payment system. Payouts are made only after requested by the translator.

2. Verbalizeit

Verbalizeit is another website dedicatedly involved in translation works. As per the website, the company offers translation services in about 150 languages and in more than 50 industries.


The registration process here is almost the same as that of Gengo. All you have to tell about your language expertise and experiences in specific industry or sectors.

In the next step, you have to prove your expertise by passing in a language test. Once you get approved, you would be at your convenience to take up translation jobs remotely.

When you are free to take up jobs, flip a switch on browser/phone indicating your availability. Accordingly, Verbalizeit sends notification citing translation project details.

Once you accept the job, complete it and send it for review. When the site reviews your work it will give completion credit. And the payment is made accordingly through PayPal twice a month.

There is a scope for an upgrade of the translator based on the quality of work.

3. One Hour Translation

OnehourTranslation is another high-quality translation service provider website. It provides ample freelance translation work opportunity across the globe.

A person wishes to join as a freelance translator has to mention his/her academic qualification as well as work experience and accordingly submit his/her CV with the site.

Merely being a native speaker is not enough to be qualified as a translator.

One Hour Translation

The registration process is as same as other websites providing freelance translation jobs. Every interested translator has to take an online exam and gets approval only after a review by the site staff.

A translator can get works after receiving the certificate from the site administrators.

When you get on the board as a translator, you will be notified of translation projects. You are at the sole discretion of accepting a project for translation.

On accepting a project, a countdown timer will appear on the project page indicating the time remaining to complete the project.  Submit the project for review immediately after completion.

Normally, a translator gets credited within 3 days of declaring the work as complete. A minimum of 2000 credit ($20) required for the payout.

Note: The amount can be withdrawn via OTH MasterCard or Payoneer or PayPal.

Please note that you take up a project only if you can complete within time. Use of machine translation is strictly forbidden. Otherwise, you will be barred from taking up any further job.


From a translator’s point of view, the opportunity to get paid to translate in the internet industry is mammoth.

But the point of caution is that you need to take up the translation jobs in a particular industry, provided you are knowledgeable or expert in that respective industry.

The freelance industry expects perfection or near perfection from the workers. So, rather than taking up jobs for money without proper knowledge will do nothing but raise some questions about your credibility.

Internationalization, globalization, and localization are the primarily driven forces that make the translation jobs inevitable.

The whole marketing industry believes that translation and creativity can have a killer combination to penetrate a much larger and extremely localized market.

The market is ever expanding with the new industry entrants and is feeling vigorous about the translation works to tap the local market.