Pricing for Automatic Translation
WPML’s AI translation starts free: 22,500 AI translation words are included with Multilingual CMS, 45,000 with Multilingual Agency – enough to translate most sites into 2-3 languages. Additional words cost €3.00 down to €0.40 per 1,000, counted from your source content once per language.
Pay Once per Page, Edit Free – With Translate Everything Automatically and PTC
When Translate Everything Automatically is on and your engine is PTC, you pay once for each page in each language. Edits afterwards are free: WPML tracks the highest word count you paid for per page and language, and only new words above it cost.
Every other path – legacy engines, Translate Some, or content you send to translation manually – pays per updated word, at the rates on this page.
Option 1: Pay-As-You-Go
The recommended option for almost every case. 500 free AI translation words each month, then pay per use at the lowest per-word rate. With the agency dashboard you set spend limits per site, see consumption per client, and get monthly invoices you can rebill.
How to enable Pay-As-You-Go
- Log in to your WordPress site’s admin.
- Go to the WPML → AI Translation Billing page.
- Click the Activate Pay-As-You-Go button.
Estimate Your Translation Cost
The rate drops as volume grows – the 3,000th word costs less than the 501st.
See the math
Pay-As-You-Go Pricing
The price per 1,000 words drops as your monthly volume grows – from €3.00 for the first paid words down to €0.40 at the highest tier. See the full pricing table.
| Words (PTC) | Price per 1,000 | Total Words | Max Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| First 500 (free every month) | €0.00 | 500 | FREE |
| Next 2,000 | €3.00 | 2,500 | €6 |
| Next 2,500 | €2.80 | 5,000 | €13 |
| Next 10,000 | €2.40 | 15,000 | €37 |
| Next 22,500 | €2.00 | 37,500 | €82 |
| Next 62,500 | €1.60 | 100,000 | €182 |
| Next 275,000 | €1.20 | 375,000 | €512 |
| Next 625,000 | €1.00 | 1,000,000 | €1,137 |
| Next 1,500,000 | €0.80 | 2,500,000 | €2,337 |
| Next 10,000,000 | €0.40 | 12,500,000 | €6,337 |
| Note: Maximum payment does not include VAT. | |||
The rates are PTC’s, the recommended engine. The legacy engines cost less because they are legacy, lower quality (see the translation-quality study), and will be retired – see the per-engine rates.
| Engine | Cost |
|---|---|
| PTC (recommended) | standard rate (table above) |
| DeepL (legacy) | 50% off the PTC rate |
| Google Translate (legacy) | 50% off the PTC rate |
| Microsoft (legacy) | 75% off the PTC rate |
Option 2: Prepaid Words
Prepaid is the right choice when you need to pay upfront – for example, when accounting requires a purchase order per client. Otherwise, PAYG gives you a lower per-word cost and per-site spend control.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does WPML count AI translation words?
WPML counts the words in your source content, once per language you translate into. The per-word price depends on the engine: PTC (recommended) has the standard rate; the legacy engines cost less – DeepL and Google Translate 50% off, Microsoft 75% off – because they are lower quality, don’t learn from your edits, and will be retired.
Note that WPML calculates words differently when translating from Asian languages; total characters x 0.55 (e.g., 1,000,000 Chinese characters = 550,000 words).
How can I enable Pay-As-You-Go?
- Log in to your WordPress site’s admin.
- Go to the WPML → AI Translation Billing page.
- Click the Activate Pay-As-You-Go button.
If you manage AI translation for clients, see Bill your clients for AI translation.
How can I assign prepaid words to my website?
- Buy a prepaid word package.
- Go to Manage words in your WPML account.
- Locate your website and click Manage words.
Is there a monthly fee?
No, there’s no monthly fee for translated content – you only pay for new translations. If you don’t translate any content during the month – you don’t pay anything!
How can I remove words from my website?
- Log into your WPML account.
- Click Manage Words.
- Locate your site and click the Manage words button.
- Click Remove words and enter the amount you want to remove.
How is Pay-As-You-Go priced?
With pay-as-you-go, the price per word goes down the more you translate over the month. The lowest price you reach in one month carries over to the next three months as your starting price. The money you save automatically appears as a discount on your invoices.