What are the rates?
Four published numbers cover the core of every German version I quote. They are the same for a two-person indie team and for a localization company sourcing a German linguist[1][2].
- Translation and dialogue adaptation: €0.10 per word. Dialogue, UI and store pages, with the glossary built as I go and a query sheet running, so your writers answer each question only once.
- Editing and proofreading: €0.05 per word. A full round by a second linguist who did not translate the script.
- LQA: €40 per hour, on request. Tracker-based on the implemented build, logged with severity levels.
- Voice sessions: from €180. My own voice, recorded the same week in Berlin. Full casts are quoted per project.
Translation memory and termbase handling are included, every asset is handed back on request, and two revision rounds are part of every project[1]. Every string is billed at the full rate and gets full attention, whether the translation memory calls it a fuzzy match or not. That keeps the quote easy to read, because it is words times rate.
What do 10,000, 50,000 and 150,000 words cost?
Here is the arithmetic for three script sizes, next to the two worked examples on the homepage[1]. Every figure is translation plus the editing pass by a second linguist.
| Scope | Translation | Editing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 words | €1,000 | €500 | €1,500 |
| 30,000 words (homepage example) | €3,000 | €1,500 | €4,500 |
| 50,000 words | €5,000 | €2,500 | €7,500 |
| 60,000 words (homepage example) | €6,000 | €3,000 | €9,000 |
| 150,000 words | €15,000 | €7,500 | €22,500 |
| 10,000 words plus one voice session | €1,000 | €500 | from €1,680 |
Time scales the same way. Solo I translate about 15,000 words a week, so 10,000 words fit inside one week of translation, and a 60,000 word project realistically takes 2 to 4 weeks[1]. At 150,000 words the solo pace would mean ten weeks, so a script that size runs with my vetted team of up to 10 translators, followed by a single editing pass across the whole script so it reads as one consistent version. The largest project shipped this way is an unannounced AAA title with over 100,000 words.
What does a small voice-over scope add?
Voice is priced per session, not per word. My own sessions start at €180, for narrators, NPCs and trailers, recorded the same week in Berlin, with in-game usage included flat[1]. Trailers and ads are quoted separately, so there are no surprise buyout fees later. To hear what one voice covers, play the nine character samples, from orc to narrator.
Bigger scopes draw on the Berlin voice pool of around 200 voices. Full casts are quoted per project, with casting, remote direction and mastering in one number. Whether your game needs German voice at all, or whether subtitles carry it, is its own question: Does an indie game need German voice-over, or are subtitles enough?
What drives the final number?
| Driver | How it is priced | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Word count | €0.10 plus €0.05 per word | The main line of every quote |
| String count | No separate fee, still per word | Many short UI strings need context: screenshots or a build |
| Glossary and translation memory | Included | Built as I go if you have none, handed back on request |
| LQA on the build | €40 per hour, on request | Shows how the German fits in the running game |
| Updates, DLC, patch notes | Quoted from the new word count | Glossary and memory keep the terms consistent |
| Voice | From €180 per session, full casts per project | Sits outside the text budget |
| Trailers and ads | Quoted separately | In-game usage is always included flat |
String count matters because short strings are where German gets tight. IBM's design guidelines, quoted by the W3C, give English strings of up to 10 characters an average expansion of 200 to 300% when translated into European languages, against 130% for strings over 70 characters[3]. The W3C also names German compound nouns as a challenge in narrow buttons and tabs. A UI-heavy game gains most from context up front, such as builds, screenshots or a glossary, and from an LQA pass on the implemented build.
How does this compare with an agency?
The companion article Why German localization pays for indie games compares freelance and agency rates per 1,000 words, with sources. The difference here is structural. I work without rented studios or a project manager between you and the people doing the work, and you get one person and one invoice[1]. You talk to the translator, and the translator sits at the desk when the voices get recorded. Shipped titles are in the credits, and vendor managers find rates, throughput and CAT tools on the vendor profile.
What would your game cost?
Send me your word count and the format your strings are in, Excel, CSV, JSON or PO, and you get a fixed quote within 48 hours. Or book a free 30-minute call and walk me through the game. If you are not sure about fit yet, a style sample of up to 1,000 words is free.
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Frequently asked.
How much does German game localization cost per word?
€0.10 per word for translation and €0.05 per word for editing and proofreading by a second linguist, so €0.15 per word translated and edited. Translation memory, termbase handling and two revision rounds are included.
What does it cost to localize a 50,000 word game into German?
€7,500 translated and edited: €5,000 for translation and €2,500 for the editing pass. LQA on the build at €40 per hour and voice sessions from €180 come on top when you book them.
Is there a free test translation?
Yes. Before a large project, a style sample of up to 1,000 words is free, translated the way your game would ship. A fixed quote follows within 48 hours of your word count.
Are repeated strings or fuzzy matches discounted?
No. Every string is billed at the full rate and gets full attention, whatever the translation memory calls it. In return, every German line is written or reworked by me, and I answer for it.
Do you also voice trailers or localize YouTube devlogs?
Trailers and ads are quoted separately from in-game voice work, where usage is always included flat. For a German version of a YouTube channel, the sister site localizegerman.com covers German YouTube localization.
Sources.
Elandir
- [1] Elandir homepage, sections "Why it costs less", "How it works", "Voice samples", "What I do" and "Questions", checked 6 October 2026 (translation €0.10 per word; editing and proofreading by a second linguist €0.05 per word; voice sessions from €180, full casts quoted per project; LQA €40 per hour; about 15,000 words a week solo, a vetted team of up to 10 on larger jobs; 60,000 words in 2 to 4 weeks; worked examples of 30,000 words for €4,500 and 60,000 words for €9,000). elandir.games/#cost ↩
- [2] Elandir vendor profile, checked 6 October 2026 (the same rates for localization companies; CAT tools memoQ, Gridly, Phrase and Crowdin; file formats). elandir.games/vendor/ ↩
Third-party reference
- [3] W3C Internationalization (Richard Ishida), "Text size in translation", first published 3 July 2007, last edited 1 February 2016, quoting IBM's Guidelines to design global solutions (expected expansion from English into European languages: up to 10 characters 200 to 300%, over 70 characters 130%; German compound nouns in narrow layouts). w3.org/International ↩