Calculate return on investment for translating your book into other languages. Determine breakeven timeline and profitability.
Reach new readers in major markets: German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and more.
Know the breakeven timeline before investing in professional translation services.
Compare ROI across languages to prioritize which markets to enter first.
Professional translation costs $0.08-$0.15 per word. A 70,000-word novel costs $5,600-$10,500 to translate. Shorter books and simpler prose cost less.
Most translations take 12-36 months to break even. German and French markets are largest for English fiction. Romance and thrillers translate best. Literary fiction struggles internationally.
Start with your best-selling book in the largest market (usually German). If it succeeds, expand to other languages. If it fails, you've minimized risk.
$0.08-$0.15/word for professional translation. 70k word novel: $5,600-$10,500. Editing and proofreading add 20-30%. Budget $7,000-$13,000 total per language.
German first (largest market for English fiction), then French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese. Romance and thriller do well internationally. Literary fiction has limited markets.
12-36 months typically. Faster for series (read-through boosts revenue). Slower for standalone titles or saturated genres. Budget 24 months as realistic expectation.
Comprehensive analysis including marketing and cover design costs.
Calculate sales needed to recover translation investment.
Calculate series value to boost translation ROI projections.