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Important differences between a freelance translator and a translation agency are:
- The number of people working on the text
- Quality control and mediation
- The price
Obviously, a freelance translator works alone. If at all possible, given the deadline, I will check my own texts twice,
but it is still possible that I do not spot some minor errors. Most translation agencies will have two people working on a
text; a translator and an editor. Because two different people look at the same text, the chance of even minor errors is
further reduced and the end result may be a better text. However, this completely depends on the skill of the original
translator and of the editor. To put it bluntly; a bad editor will actually introduce new mistakes . . .
A good translation agency will have a selection system for suitable translators and will work with a list of translators who
have proven their skill. Usually, translation agencies also offer more language combinations than a freelance translator; the
translation agency has built a network of reliable translators for many languages.
These differences lead to the last one; translation agencies are considerably more expensive than freelance translators!
Recommendations
For many purposes, a freelance translator will do. The hard part will be judging their quality. Matters to look for are; how
did the translator acquire their legal expertise? For how long has the translator been translating (consider two years a bare
minimum)? And, ideally, have a reliable person check the first few texts the translator translates for you.
See also: Native speaker or not?
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