If you’re bilingual, did you know that there a variety of translation companies online willing to hire you right now the help translate? Yes, it is possible to get a translation job from home.
From converting documents to transcribing audio files, there’s quite a bit of work online if you know another language, no matter what it may be.
I have briefly mentioned online translation jobs in the past, particularly in my best entry level work from home jobs and 100+ ways to make money without a job posts, but I wanted to dive in deep and talk about the many companies that may want to hire you today. I will talk about what they are looking for, how to apply as well as what you may get paid.
If you know another language, whether it be Japanese, French, German or Spanish, and you’re looking for some extra cash, then you may want to consider one of the many freelancing translating jobs I’m about to mention below.
Let’s begin!
What Kind of Skills Do I Need?
Of course, you need to be fluent in another language. You should be able to write, read and speak it with ease. As most of these companies do test you, there’s no faking it, unfortunately.
Also, you will need to be able to have good listening skills as some jobs require you to translate in real time. In some cases, you may also have to transcribe what you hear as well. All job duties vary, but be prepared for a fast-paced environment in some cases.
Lastly, as with any at-home work, it’s important to have a quiet, distraction-free environment. You may also be asked to have a dedicated phone line in the case you plan on taking live calls.
What Kind of Work Will I Do?
Usually, most of your translation work will require translating written content, but some of the companies I mention need you to translate audio files or even calls in real time.
In each section below, I will talk about the work provided as well as what’s expected of you as an online translator.
Translation Job Salary Average
How much you make will depend on the language you speak as well as which company you apply to.
From my research, your hourly rate could range anywhere from $10 to more than $30 per hour. In the case of transcribing audio, you could earn $0.20 to $0.40 per audio transcribed minute. It will depend on the scope of the job.
Most companies will let you know what you’re paid before you apply, but I will try to include my findings in the posts below to let you know what you could get paid.
Freelance Translation Jobs Online (Work From Home)
Now that you know a bit about what’s expected from you if you want to find a translation job online, here are the many companies, as well as resources, that can help you find an online translating job.
FlexJobs
All of the companies I mention below aren’t always hiring. So, for that reason, you may find yourself frustrated in your job hunt. I get it.
This is where FlexJobs can come into the picture.
This career website searches for legitimate remote jobs only and presents them just like any other search engines. It does cost a few dollars a month, but consider it as an investment for your future if you’re looking for a remote opportunity. This fee goes to their staff to help weed out much of the garbage out there. Everything you see is 100% legit.
Whether it’s a translating job or any job for that matter, I highly recommend you at least check it out, no matter your experience. There’s always something for everyone and hundreds of jobs are added daily.
I have mentioned Appen so many times, and it’s for a good reason.
In short, this large company hires search engine evaluators as well as offers the opportunity to complete simple micro tasks, all from the comforts of your home.
While those are the popular job options, Appen also offers language transcribing jobs, wherein you will be asked to transcribe recorded speech from one language to English.
To qualify, all they ask is that you’re a native speaker in the language needed as well as be able to type at least 30+ words per minute. While experience is recommended, it isn’t necessary to be considered.
For more information as to how to apply as well as see the openings as of today, you can do so via the official link below.
Asurion often hires bilingual customer care representatives who want to work from home.
If interested, they do ask that you have at least six months of previous customer service experience as well as be willing to pass a readiness assessment. Other requirements do apply, all of which you can see in the job description posted below.
To date, Asurion employs more than 19,000 employees and is ideal if you’re looking more for a part- or full-time gig.
CyraCom offers both phone and video interpretation and is always looking for work-from-home translators. They are an Inc. 5000 company and work with some of the largest healthcare, insurance and financial service companies in the industry today.
As an independent contractor with the company, you get to choose when you want to receive calls as well as experience a variety of work calls. There are no outbound calls, no quotas or sales pitches necessary. You get to talk as long as needed with no one breathing down your neck.
To learn more about this remote opportunity, refer to the link below for more information.
Day Translations offers professional translation services, localization & interpretation solutions for legal, medical, finance, IT & other industries.
As I write this, the company is currently hiring translators in all languages, according to its carreer page. To be considered, you must have “exemplary work ethics” and a “love for languages.”
If interested, follow the link below to fill out an application to get started.
Gengo offers translators a flexible schedule, allowing you to work whenever you want. You also get to pick and choose from one of the thousands of projects posted every day.
If interested, you will first be asked to create an account, like many of these companies I mention, as well as take a two-part test. The website does offer a variety of translator resources to help you prepare for this test and pass it.
Once you’re approved, you will be asked to familiarize yourself with the style guide and workbench until you’re comfortable to start working on projects.
The average translator earns $417 a month, but how much you earn depends on the languages you know as some pay much more than others. Be sure to play around with the calculator found on the careers page linked below to see how much you can earn.
GlobaLink Translations is a smaller company in comparison to the many I have already mentioned here, but they do hire translators who want to work from home. They are a full-service company assisting clients with their “translation and cultural adaptation needs.”
If interested, they do ask that you send in an application via the email listed via the link below.
LanguageLine Solutions is said to be the world’s largest employer of professional interpreters, connecting people in real-time with a professional like you.
If interested in a job, they always seem to have job listings available, most of which are work from home opportunities. You just need to be fluent in the language specified, have excellent note-taking skills and be authorized to work in the United States, to name a few.
Operating for more than 35+ years, the company works in more than 240+ languages, serving more than 28,000+ clients.
If you’re interested in helping non-English speakers get the support they need to survive, then the Language Service Associates wants to hear from you.
In business since 1991, the company has built a network of more than 12,000 interpreters, working with more than 2,000 clients worldwide.
As an independent contractor with the company, you get to choose your own schedule, work from home and even have unlimited access to their online linguist community.
To see what opportunities are open as of today, the link below will lead you to the many active jobs. Scroll down to the telephonic and video jobs as these are often the remote opportunities.
Languagesunlimited.com offers online translating jobs for a variety of positions, from telephone interpretation to transcription services. As I write this, the company works with more than 10,000 translators and continues to grow its workforce today.
If interested, refer to the link below and fill out the form to be considered.
It only takes four steps to become a translator with lengoo.
Like most of the companies I mention here, you will be asked to fill out an application, and from there, the company will assess the files submitted to see if you’re a good fit.
If you pass the test, you can then register as a translator and start working almost immediately.
The company isn’t always hiring, so if you see a message saying they aren’t, you can follow them on social media for updates as to when they are hiring next.
Lionbridge is said to be the global leader in translation and localization.
To become a translator and/or interpreter, the company asks that you fill out a registration form, all of which will take you up to 15 minutes to complete. Picture it almost like filling out your resume.
If interested in becoming either a translator or interpreter, you can find out more information via the link below.
LiveOps is a very popular cloud call center based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Founded in 2002, the company is always looking to hire bilingual customer service representatives in various languages. You get to set your own schedule and pay rates for these bilingual reps ranges from $0.25 to $0.25 per talk-time minute.
To qualify, you must have at least one year of experience and be fluent in the language you’re applying for. Check out my Liveops review to see how to apply.
I have mentioned mTurk so many times on this site, I have lost count.
In short, it’s a platform where you can pick out any job you wish, with most of the jobs taking less than a minute to complete. These jobs can include a bit of everything, including translating jobs, from converting a document to audio files.
You won’t always find translating jobs here, but it’s a great platform to at least test out as you can earn $10+ an hour once you get good enough at picking out the right jobs.
Anyone can apply, and the great thing about it is that you can start almost immediately once you’re approved. When you get a second, be sure to check out my free guide, in which I show you how to make $50 a day on the platform.
NetworkOmni offers interpretation and translation services, almost always offering the opportunity for you to join their team as long as qualify, of course.
If you’re interested in working with them, they do ask you have at least three years of experience, a college degree and a record of performance in various subject areas.
Due to high demand, you may not hear back, but as long as you meet the minimum requirements mentioned prior, they will at least evaluate and process your resume through their extensive screening procedure.
ProZ isn’t a company, per se, but rather, an online marketplace for language professionals.
Like many of your freelancing websites, ProZ connects you with clients who need your help. The biggest difference, however, is they only focus on language jobs, making it much easier to browse the job bank.
As I write this, there were more than 900+ jobs to choose from, all of which you could filter to find a job you’re suited for.
Becoming a registered user is 100% free, but you can upgrade if you want more features. Check out the link below to see how you can earn on ProZ.
Quicktate/iDictate transcribes voicemail messages, memos, letters and legal files, to name a few and often hire bilingual contractors to help.
To become a transcriber with the company, they do ask that you abide by a few qualifications as well as review the typist handbook, company policies, confidentiality agreement and HIPAA business associate agreement, to name a few.
To learn more about what’s expected of you as well as how to apply, you can do so via the official careers page link below.
Formerly known as 1-800-Translate, Responsive Translation Services often hires freelance linguists and translators.
According to the official job description, you are asked to submit your resume to the email on the website to be considered. When the time comes to hire someone, their managers will draw from the pool and contact you if you qualify.
To learn more, you can follow the link below to submit your resume and cover letter.
Rev is a huge online transcription company, probably one of the best options if you want to start typing online, even if you have no experience or know a language.
But, in the case you want a translating job, Rev does offer a foreign language subtitle translating job. According to the website, it pays anywhere from $1.50 to $3 per audio minute.
To get approved, you will need to take a quick quiz demonstrating your language and grammar skills as well as submit a transcription sample to ensure it meets customer quality expectations. If you meet the requirements, you can start in as little as 48 hours.
According to the website, “Stepes is powered by TermWiki.com – the world’s largest multilingual terminology platform with millions of technical terms translated into 100+ languages.” They currently work with more than 100,000 translators and are always looking to add more to their platform.
If you become a translator, you can work from either your phone using an app or on your computer.
In order to qualify, you need to read their Etiquette Guide, sign up and then qualify to be approved. If they accept you, then you’re able to start working right away.
The website is pretty cool because you can browse the most current jobs as well as what they pay to see what you’re getting yourself into. As I write this, there were more than 2,700 jobs that needed to be finished, so there is a lot of work to be had.
The TextMaster platform makes it easier than ever to work as a translator from home.
To start working, all they ask is that you create an account and specify your areas of interest. And, once they approve your account, you can then work on any projects that suit your needs.
For instance, when I was writing this, I saw a few example jobs. One paid $3,150 to translate 35,000 words from English to French, whereas another paid $96 to translate a 1,200 blog post to French.
As a freelancer on this platform, you work directly with the client so that you know exactly what’s needed from you. Payments are sent out seven to 14 days after you request a payment, either via PayPal or Payoneer.
As the name implies, Translate.com translates a variety of documents, from medical to business and legal.
To get started, you will be asked to create a profile, followed by passing a test to see if you qualify. Lastly, you will have to translate a sample text to test your skills.
If you’re approved, you can then log into the company’s portal at any time to start working whenever you please. Every task is first come, first serve and no bidding is involved. You get paid what it says.
Translate.com pays per word, with payment sent out anytime you want to cash out.
Right now, Translations ABC is looked for “qualified, innovative and committed” professionals who want to join their network. They hire a variety of positions, including translators, proofreaders and interpreters, to name a few.
If you’re interested in a position, they do ask that you send them a resume via email. You can find out more information via the link below.
TranslatorsCafe is another place where you can find potential clients who need translating help. It isn’t a company, but it does have a ton of people who post jobs daily.
While the design looks outdated, don’t let it stop you from joining as it appears 50-100 jobs are added every day.
You will have to register on the website in order to see thees jobs, but in doing so, at least your name can pop up if someone were to search for your particular skill set.
Transparent Language is headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire, and offers a variety of remote opportunities, most of which revolve around teaching a foreign language online.
For most positions, a college degree is required as well as experience, but it depends on the job.
The company isn’t always hiring translators, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see a listing when you click the link below. If there isn’t anything, keep checking in as they continue to update their careers page almost weekly.
According to the company’s about us page, Trusted Translations is said to be the leader in Spanish translation services and multilingual translations.
If you’re interested in working with them, they ask that you fill out the registration form linked below to receive more information as to how you can start working.
Unbabel allows you to earn money while reviewing and improving translations on your own schedule.
If you’re interested in joining and working as you please, they do ask that you first check to see if your language is open. If not, that means they are filled at the moment. If it is, then you will need to take one of their language tests to get approve. In these tests, they will evaluate your level to see if you qualify.
If you pass and are accepted, then you can start translating any time you wish. Just log into the platform, check for any available tasks and read the directions to get paid.
Universal Translation Services is a professional translation agency which offers high quality global language translation services, at least according to the official website.
As a freelancer with this company, they offer a job notification app, in which notifies you anytime a job is available as well as free training tools to help you get up to speed.
To qualify, they do ask that you have a good knowledge of a foreign language as well as the ability to meet tight deadlines. You can follow the link below for more information as to how to apply.
Upwork really isn’t a company per se, but it’s a great way to find clients who need your help.
To start working on Upwork, you will first have to create a business profile, basically selling yourself. Why should this person hire you? You can also take qualification tests as well to really stand out.
After you register and complete your profile, you can then start bidding on any jobs that you feel you can complete. At first, it can be hard since you won’t have any ratings, but as you prove yourself and your ratings grow, you can soon find it easier to find more work.
Out of all the options I mention, Upwork will take the most work to start making your first dollar, but it can pay off much more in the future, seeing you can set your rates.
VerbalizeIt, “human powered translation services for businesses,” helps companies translate one document from one language to another.
If you want to become an online translator with this company, you will be asked to create a profile, pass a test and then train to become active in the system.
Once you’re approved, you can mark yourself as available any time you wish. In doing so, the company will send you work notifications, in which you can accept or reject. If you do accept, you will finish your work in the designated timeline and get paid as long as it passes a quality review. Payments go out every 15th and 30th of the month via PayPal.
To learn more about the process as well as how to apply, you can do so via the official careers link below.
Verbal Ink was founded in 2003, establishing itself as one of the leaders in the transcription industry. I wrote about them before in my get paid to type post.
While they focus a lot on transcription, they do offer translating opportunities as well, from document translating to audio, video and even voiceover.
If you know one of the 200+ languages they work with and don’t mind transcribing a file from one language to the next, then you can contact them via the form below. If interested in applying, they do ask that you email a specific email with a resume and cover letter attached.
If interested in becoming a freelance translator with World Lingo, they offer two category options: a generalist or a specialist. You will only be used if the language being translated is in your native tongue and for the country in which you reside.
To become a remote translator generalist with World Lingo, they do ask that you have at least five years of experience and a university degree. As for a specialist, however, they only require two years of experience and a college degree.
If interested, refer to the link below and look for the “freelance translators” position.
Working Solutions is another call center option, where you have the opportunity to work from home. I have mentioned them a few times, particularly in my email support jobs and how to make money on social media posts.
As this is moreso a “network” that connects you with their clients, who you work with can vary.
Pay is said to be up to $30+ per hour, and they often hire bilingual agents who speak more than 30+ different languages.
If you know more than one language and are looking for an online translator job, then let it be known that there are a ton of options, as you can see.
The great thing about being an independent contractor is that you can apply to all of these companies if you so choose. From there, you could then pick out a few of your favorites that offer you the most work. It’s hard for me to say who can offer you the most since I don’t know which language you’re fluent in.
For now, check out the many legitimate companies I mentioned above. I can almost assure you that you can find one, two or even three that suit your needs. Every option is 100% free to join and can potentially pay your bills if you find the right one.
As always, you’re more than welcome to add comments on the companies I mentioned or even feel free to add an idea I mentioned below.
Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.
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