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Poll: Are you satisfied with your income as a freelance translator/interpreter?
Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
SITE STAFF
08:10

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Are you satisfied with your income as a freelance translator/interpreter?".

This poll was originally submitted by Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida. View the poll results »
 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
Belgium
Local time: 15:06
Member (2020)
French to Dutch
+ ...
Yes 08:33

It provides me with everything me and my familiy need and then some more. I don't think I would be able to earn the same, let alone more, in employment.
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 14:06
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
No 08:44

Some days ago, a colleague during a Forum exchange suggested that this Quick Poll should be repeated as things have changed a lot since the last time it was run, so I proposed it.

My income from freelancing has more than halved. More than everything else, it has become extremely irregular, a good month is inevitably followed by a terrible month. Most demands are post-editing and translation per se is no more required…

Gregor Trebec
Alexandra Speirs
Heather Oland
Claudio Machado Junior
 
Philippe Etienne
Philippe Etienne  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 15:06
Member
English to French
+ ...
Down to a third or a quarter of what it used to be! 11:16

I survived 2025 on the lower end of my usual turnover, but from January 2026, my monthly translation income has fallen abruptly by 67 to 75% compared to "before".
Clearly not enough for my lavish standard of living.

Now that I am at the sadder end of my fifties, I'm looking into becoming a part-time professional football player to supplement my translation income.

Good luck everyone.

Philippe

Baran Keki
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Claudio Machado Junior
Dan Lucas
Christine Andersen
 
Claudio Machado Junior
Claudio Machado Junior  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 10:06
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
Volatility is the name of the game 12:25

July has been a good month, the best of 2026. May and June, however, were so and so. It seems that the industry is slowly recovering, but... workflow has never been so irregular. Good luck to everyone.

Christine Andersen
 
Gregor Trebec
Gregor Trebec
Slovenia
Local time: 15:06
English to Slovenian
+ ...
Well.. 12:34

Old people are right. There is no future in the web, or income for that matter.
 
Gregor Trebec
Gregor Trebec
Slovenia
Local time: 15:06
English to Slovenian
+ ...
Well... 12:37

Interesting enough, when you start critisizing Proz, an job ad comes in the inbox.

Christine Andersen
 


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Poll: Are you satisfied with your income as a freelance translator/interpreter?






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