In this article, we’ll answer your questions by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of hiring a translation agency vs a freelance translator. This way, you can choose the best option for your product.
You may have doubts when it comes to taking your product to the international market, especially when it comes to choosing between hiring a translation company or a freelance translator.
What is translation agency?
Firstly, a translation agency is a company that offers translation services in various languages. To this end, it employs several native and certified expert translators. In addition, an agency is also backed by several quality certifications.
What is a freelance translator ?
In comparison, a freelance translator is an independent translator who works on commission. Freelancers generally work alone, and thus their resources are more limited. For this reason, it will be more difficult for them to complete very large or complex projects. Specifically if said project must be completed on a tight deadline.
Differences Between the Two
For the purpose of this comparison, we will explain several key aspects that differ between the two and that you should consider, such as:
Quality:
Firstly and foremost, it is essential to emphasize the difference in quality between a freelance translator and a translation agency.
For example, the quality of a freelance translator’s work depends solely on their knowledge and experience. However, this can be difficult to measure as it varies from one translator to another. Furthermore, since a translator is a single person, it may be more difficult to carry out more than one review due to a heavier workload or lack of time.
On the other hand, the quality of work done by a translation agency is generally higher because they have many translators who can perform multiple quality checks and reviews. As a result, having a team of translators makes it more likely that gramatical errors or problems will be detected and resolved faster.
Likewise, a translation company is also subject to more quality standards and regulations that it must comply with. This difference is especially noticeable in the quality of the final product.
In addition, it is easier to verify the reliability and quality of an agency than that of a freelance translator.
Specialization:
Another major difference between the two is their degree of specialization. A freelance translator tends to specialize in one or two specific industries.
Whereas, a translation agency tends to specialize in numerous areas and industries because it has several teams of specialized translators.
Therefore, as can be seen this limits the range of industries and services that an individual freelance translator can cover in comparison to an agency.
CAT Tools:
As expected, although a freelance translator can use several tools, they are limited to a smaller budget.
Often, a freelance translator may have fewer options when purchasing licenses for paid tools due to their high price.
In contrast, an agency may have access to more advanced translation software and cutting-edge technology. By the same token, a translation agency has more resources and a larger budget at its disposal.
Undoubtedly, when it comes to software or website translations that require the use of technology, an agency generally has more options.
Costs:
It is important to realize the difference between the cost of hiring a translation agency or a freelance translators.
On one hand, hiring a freelance translator is usually cheaper than hiring a translation agency.
On the other hand, you need to keep in mind that an agency works with several translators, while a freelance translator relies on their own resources.
Speed:
A freelance translator is generally more flexible when it comes to time and deadlines, but their ability to complete large or complex trasnlations within a tight timeframe is more limited. As a result, turnaround times and speed will vary depending on the freelance translator. Therefore, there can be a significant difference between different translators.
Conversely, a translation agency can handle large or more complex projects more quickly because it has several translators on staff. In addition, a translation agency usually offers the option of requesting urgent deliveries and often has pre-established deadlines. For this reason, if you need a translation urgently, it’s preferable to hire an agency.
In short, a freelance translator may require more time to complete the same project compared to an agency due to several factors.
Availability:
A freelance translator may have limited availability due to their workload.
While a translation agency generally offers continuous availability thanks to its team.
Individualized customer service:
Finally, it’s clear that when hiring a freelance translator, you will need to communicate directly with them. Therefore, the service you receive will be more direct, but it may also take longer for them to respond.
However, by hiring a translation agency, you will receive a more structured service, which makes communication easier.
Therefore, communicating with a translation agency will be more effective due to their availability.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, hiring a translation agency is the best option, as it is an investment in high-quality, longevity and efficiency. And guarantees the best viability for your product in an international market.
