Translation agreements that price the words and the deadline

Translators are paid by the word and judged by the deadline — and both move. The source text grows after you quote, the deadline shrinks to overnight, and the agency pays in 60 days, if you remind them twice. A standing agreement settles rates, rush fees and payment terms once.

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The contract and payment problems you actually run into

Source text that changes after the quote

A new version of the source file arrives halfway through. Quote on the final word count, and price updates to already-translated text separately.

Rush jobs at standard rates

"Can you have it by tomorrow morning?" should cost more. A rush-fee clause sets a surcharge for turnaround under an agreed threshold.

Reviewer changes that aren't errors

Style preferences from the client's in-house reviewer aren't translation errors. Define what counts as a correction you fix for free versus preferential edits.

Late payment from agencies

Agencies often pay 45–60 days out and batch invoices. Put the payment term, the currency and late interest in writing, and invoice per project.

How it works with Clinch

1
Describe the job in a sentence or two: the AI drafts the contract from a template made for your trade.
2
Send one link: your client reads and signs on their phone in about 30 seconds, no account needed.
3
Collect the deposit at signature, then invoice the balance from the same place.

Contract templates to start from

Translation Services Agreement TemplateA translation contract covering source text, word-count pricing, language pairs, terminology, certified translations, and liability for meaning.Technical Writing Contract TemplateA technical writing agreement covering documentation scope, access to subject-matter experts, review cycles, tools, and style guides.One-Way NDA Template (Non-Disclosure Agreement)A one-directional non-disclosure agreement for when only one party is sharing confidential information with the other.Freelance Service Agreement TemplateA general-purpose contract for any freelance engagement — scope, payment, ownership, and confidentiality in one clean document.

Clauses worth adding

Rush fee clauseA rush fee clause for freelancers: the surcharge for tight deadlines, weekend work and last-minute changes.Revisions clauseA revisions clause that caps revision rounds, defines what counts as a revision, and prices extra rounds.Confidentiality clauseA mutual confidentiality clause for freelance agreements: what's covered, exceptions, and how long it lasts.Late payment clauseA late payment clause with interest, a pause-work right and collection costs. Wording freelancers can paste into any contract.Currency and exchange rate clauseA currency clause for international clients: which currency you're paid in, who bears conversion and transfer fees.Data protection (GDPR) clauseA data protection clause for freelancers who handle client customer data: GDPR processor duties, security and deletion.

Free tools

Late fee calculatorWork out the late fee on an overdue invoice and get a reminder email.Invoice generatorLine items, tax, deposit paid, due date and late-fee terms in one clean invoice.Payment reminder emailPolite, firm or final: the right reminder for how late the invoice is.Freelance rate calculatorFind the hourly and day rate that actually pays your target income.

Comparing tools?

Clinch vs Upwork for freelancers Clinch vs Fiverr for freelancers Clinch vs sending a PDF over email

Questions

Should translators charge per word or per hour?

Per word (source or target) for translation, per hour for editing, proofreading and review, with a minimum fee for short jobs.

Do I need a confidentiality clause for translations?

Almost always: you see contracts, medical records and unreleased products. If documents contain personal data, add a data protection clause too.

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Other trades

Photographers Wedding planners Designers Developers Copywriters Videographers Consultants Coaches Architects Social media managers DJs Event planners Fitness trainers Interior designers Marketers Illustrators Wedding photographers Web agencies Tutors

General information, not legal advice. For high-stakes deals, have a lawyer review your contract.

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