Metrics & Calculations
This page documents all the metrics, rates, and calculation methods used in the L10N Estimator tool. All estimates are based on industry-standard localization rates and best practices.
Use this for rough estimates only. Actual project costs depend on complexity, target audience, structure, level of detail, and other factors. Vendors, LSPs, and linguists need the full source files to provide an accurate quote.
Word Count Calculations
Desktop Publishing Tools
- • Pages: 500 words per page (FrameMaker, InDesign, Word)
- • Slides: 150 words per slide (PowerPoint)
- • Graphics: 25 words per graphic (editable + uneditable)
eLearning Tools
- • OST Wordcount: 65 words per slide/lesson
- • Graphics Wordcount: 25 words per graphic
- • Transcription Wordcount: 150 words per runtime minute
- • Subtitling Wordcount: 150 words per runtime minute
- • Audio Wordcount: 150 words per runtime minute
Other Services
- • Redaction: 500 words per page
- • Voice Over (Human/TTS): 150 words per runtime minute
Desktop Publishing
FrameMaker
Revision Rounds: 3
File Preparation:
- • Pages: 100 pages/hour (DTP Prep)
- • Graphics (Editable): 10 graphics/hour
- • Graphics (Uneditable): 5 graphics/hour
Revision Rounds (pages/hour):
- • Latin: Round 1 = 20, Round 2 = 40, Round 3 = 80
- • Asian: Round 1 = 15, Round 2 = 30, Round 3 = 60
- • BIDI: Round 1 = 10, Round 2 = 20, Round 3 = 40
InDesign
Revision Rounds: 3
File Preparation:
- • Pages: 100 pages/hour (DTP Prep)
- • Graphics (Editable): 10 graphics/hour
- • Graphics (Uneditable): 5 graphics/hour
Revision Rounds (pages/hour):
- • Latin: Round 1 = 15, Round 2 = 30, Round 3 = 60
- • Asian: Round 1 = 10, Round 2 = 20, Round 3 = 40
- • BIDI: Round 1 = 10, Round 2 = 20, Round 3 = 40
Word
Revision Rounds: 3
File Preparation:
- • Pages: 100 pages/hour (DTP Prep)
- • Graphics (Editable): 10 graphics/hour
- • Graphics (Uneditable): 5 graphics/hour
- • Screenshots: 20 screenshots/hour
Revision Rounds (pages/hour):
- • Latin: Round 1 = 15, Round 2 = 30, Round 3 = 60
- • Asian: Round 1 = 10, Round 2 = 20, Round 3 = 40
- • BIDI: Round 1 = 10, Round 2 = 20, Round 3 = 40
Special: Round 1 includes TOC adjustment (1 minute per page) if Table of Contents is enabled
PowerPoint
Revision Rounds: 3
File Preparation:
- • Slides: 100 slides/hour (DTP Prep)
- • Graphics (Editable): 10 graphics/hour
- • Graphics (Uneditable): 5 graphics/hour
Revision Rounds (slides/hour):
- • Latin: Round 1 = 15, Round 2 = 30, Round 3 = 60
- • Asian: Round 1 = 10, Round 2 = 20, Round 3 = 40
- • BIDI: Round 1 = 10, Round 2 = 20, Round 3 = 40
eLearning Tools
Storyline, Captivate, Rise
Breakdown:
- • Transcription: 10 minutes per 1 minute of runtime
- • Graphic Localization: 1 hour / 10 images (Editable), 1 hour / 5 images (Uneditable)
- • Subtitling: 10 minutes per runtime minute
- • Audio Recording: TTS = 1 minute per minute of runtime, Human = 1 hour per 6 minutes of runtime
- • Audio Synchronization: 10 minutes per runtime minute
- • OST Localization: 1 hour / 30 Slides (Simple), 1 hour / 20 Slides (Average), 1 hour / 10 Slides (Difficult), 1 hour / 20 Screenshots
- • Output: 30 minutes per project file
- • Revision: Total time ÷ 4
Video Tools
Premiere Pro, After Effects, Final Cut Pro
File Preparation:
- • Project Files: 30 minutes per project file
- • Graphic Extraction: 3 minutes / 1 image (20 images/hour)
- • SRT Creation: 10 minutes / 1 min runtime
- • OST Extraction: 5 minutes / 1 instance (12 instances/hour)
Breakdown:
- • Transcription: 10 minutes per runtime minute
- • Graphic Localization: 1 hour / 10 images (Editable), 1 hour / 5 images (Uneditable)
- • Subtitling: 10 minutes per runtime minute
- • Audio Recording: TTS = 1 minute per minute of runtime, Human = 1 hour per 6 minutes of runtime
- • Audio Synchronization: 10 minutes per runtime minute
- • OST Localization: 1 hour / 10 OST (Simple), 1 hour / 5 OST (Average), 1 hour / 2 OST (Difficult), 1 hour / 20 Screenshots
- • Output: 30 minutes per 1 video file
- • Revision: Total time ÷ 8
Subtitles
CaptionHub
- • Caption: 3 minutes per runtime minute (20 runtime minutes/hour)
- • Video Files: 5 minutes per video file (12 files/hour)
Burned-In Subtitles
File Preparation:
- • Project Files: 30 minutes per project file
- • Graphic Extraction: 3 minutes / 1 image
- • SRT Creation: 10 minutes / 1 min runtime
Breakdown:
- • Subtitling: 10 minutes per runtime minute
- • Output: 30 minutes per 1 video file
- • Revision: Total time ÷ 8
Transcription
Human Transcription
- • Transcription: 10 minutes per 1 minute of runtime (6 runtime minutes/hour)
STT (AI Transcription)
- • Raw STT: 1 minute per minute of runtime (60 runtime minutes/hour)
- • Note: This is raw output without human post-editing or QA
Voice Over
Human Voice Over
- • Audio Recording: 1 hour per 6 minutes of runtime
- • Word Count: 150 words per runtime minute
- • Note: Studio rates for this item might be different than regular localization rates
TTS (Text-to-Speech)
- • Audio Recording: 1 minute per minute of runtime
- • Word Count: 150 words per runtime minute
Other Tools and Services
OCR
- • Low Complexity: 1 hour / 6 pages (6 pages/hour)
- • Medium Complexity: 1 hour / 3 pages (3 pages/hour)
- • High Complexity: 1 hour / 1.5 pages (1.5 pages/hour)
Redaction
- • Raw Redaction: 15 minutes per page (4 pages/hour)
- • Word Count: 500 words per page
- • Note: Without human post-editing or QA
Canva
Revision Rounds: 3
File Preparation:
- • Graphics (Editable): 10 graphics/hour
- • Graphics (Uneditable): 2 graphics/hour (1 hour / 2 images)
- • Screenshots: 20 screenshots/hour
Revision Rounds (minutes per text box):
- • Latin/Asian: Round 1 = 5 min/box, Round 2 = 2 min/box, Round 3 = 1 min/box
- • BIDI: Round 1 = 10 min/box, Round 2 = 3 min/box, Round 3 = 2 min/box
Figma
Revision Rounds: 3
File Preparation:
- • Graphics (Editable): 10 graphics/hour
- • Graphics (Uneditable): 2 graphics/hour (1 hour / 2 images)
Revision Rounds (minutes per text box):
- • Latin/Asian: Round 1 = 5 min/box, Round 2 = 2 min/box, Round 3 = 1 min/box
- • BIDI: Round 1 = 10 min/box, Round 2 = 3 min/box, Round 3 = 2 min/box
Translation Rates (Per Word)
The following rates are used to calculate the Estimated Translation Cost:
• Latin Script: $0.12 per word
• Asian Languages: $0.18 per word
• BIDI (Bidirectional): $0.22 per word
Note: Translation turnaround time is calculated at 2,000 words per business day (translators work 6 hours per day).