GITNUXREPORT 2025

Translation Statistics

Global translation market grows rapidly driven by AI, localization, and multilingual demand.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

Approximately 75% of global consumers prefer to buy products in their native language

Statistic 2

65% of consumers prefer content in their native language when making online purchases

Statistic 3

50% of consumers say that they are more likely to buy from a bilingual website

Statistic 4

Over 6,000 languages are spoken worldwide

Statistic 5

The most translated language in the world is English, followed by French and Spanish

Statistic 6

The European Union alone translates approximately 2 million pages annually

Statistic 7

The largest language pair translation volume is English to Chinese, with over 300 million words translated annually

Statistic 8

The top 5 languages requested for translation in the EU are English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian

Statistic 9

The global language services market size was valued at approximately $56 billion in 2021

Statistic 10

The demand for translation services is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.15% from 2022 to 2028

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The top three industries utilizing translation services are legal, healthcare, and IT

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The average translation cost per word varies from $0.08 to $0.20 depending on language and complexity

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The average project size for professional translation is about 8,000 words

Statistic 14

The sector with the highest growth in translation needs is the e-commerce industry, with a growth rate of 10% annually

Statistic 15

Approximately 30% of translation work is for subtitling and dubbing for media content

Statistic 16

The utilization of neural machine translation (NMT) systems surged by 75% in the past three years

Statistic 17

The most commonly translated document type is legal contracts, accounting for around 40% of legal translations

Statistic 18

Over 60% of translation agencies globally are small to medium enterprises (SMEs)

Statistic 19

The translation industry has grown by an estimated 10% annually since 2015

Statistic 20

The legal industry allocates approximately 15-20% of its budgets to translation and localization services

Statistic 21

In 2023, Asia-Pacific leads the market with approximately 40% of total global translation expenditure

Statistic 22

AI-driven translation services are anticipated to save companies $20 billion annually by 2025

Statistic 23

The translation software industry is projected to reach a market value of $2.5 billion by 2024

Statistic 24

The demand for localization services has grown by more than 22% annually due to international expansion

Statistic 25

Machine translation accuracy has improved to approximately 85% for certain language pairs

Statistic 26

The rise of AI-powered translation tools has reduced turnaround times by up to 50%

Statistic 27

About 25% of translation projects are now handled digitally, including CAT tools and cloud platforms

Statistic 28

Enhanced translation memory technology can improve productivity by up to 40%

Statistic 29

The use of translation apps and mobile devices accounts for around 35% of translation activity globally

Statistic 30

Approximately 80% of translation projects are handled online via cloud-based platforms

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Over 40% of professional translators work as freelancers or independent contractors

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The percentage of translators certified by professional bodies varies by country, with around 60% in the US and 40% in Europe

Statistic 33

The average salary for a professional translator in the US is approximately $52,000 per year

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The majority of translation projects are completed within 48 hours, especially for urgent clients

Statistic 35

Approximately 55% of translators worldwide utilize CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools regularly

Statistic 36

The number of certified translators has increased by nearly 25% over the past decade

Statistic 37

About 35% of translators identify as bilingual or multilingual from birth

Statistic 38

The average time to complete a 10,000-word translation with professional services is approximately 5-7 business days

Statistic 39

Over 50% of translation professionals work in the language pairs of European languages, especially English, German, French, and Spanish

Statistic 40

The translation and interpretation services industry employed over 750,000 professionals worldwide in 2022

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Key Highlights

The global language services market size was valued at approximately $56 billion in 2021
Over 6,000 languages are spoken worldwide
The demand for translation services is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.15% from 2022 to 2028
Approximately 75% of global consumers prefer to buy products in their native language
The most translated language in the world is English, followed by French and Spanish
The top three industries utilizing translation services are legal, healthcare, and IT
Machine translation accuracy has improved to approximately 85% for certain language pairs
Over 40% of professional translators work as freelancers or independent contractors
The average translation cost per word varies from $0.08 to $0.20 depending on language and complexity
The European Union alone translates approximately 2 million pages annually
The rise of AI-powered translation tools has reduced turnaround times by up to 50%
About 25% of translation projects are now handled digitally, including CAT tools and cloud platforms
The average project size for professional translation is about 8,000 words

Did you know that the global language services market is now worth an astounding $56 billion and is projected to grow at over 6% annually, driven by the booming demand for translation across industries and the rise of cutting-edge AI technologies?

Consumer Preferences and Localization

Approximately 75% of global consumers prefer to buy products in their native language
65% of consumers prefer content in their native language when making online purchases
50% of consumers say that they are more likely to buy from a bilingual website

Consumer Preferences and Localization Interpretation

With half of consumers more inclined to buy from bilingual sites and a majority preferring native language content, it's clear that speaking the language of your customers is not just polite—it's profitable.

Language Diversity and Usage Trends

Over 6,000 languages are spoken worldwide
The most translated language in the world is English, followed by French and Spanish
The European Union alone translates approximately 2 million pages annually
The largest language pair translation volume is English to Chinese, with over 300 million words translated annually
The top 5 languages requested for translation in the EU are English, French, Spanish, German, and Italian

Language Diversity and Usage Trends Interpretation

With over 6,000 languages woven into the world's tapestry, English’s global dominance—flanked by French and Spanish—underscores the intricate dance of communication, where translating 2 million pages annually for the EU and handling 300 million words from English to Chinese reflects both the magnitude and complexity of bridging cultures in our interconnected world.

Market Size and Industry Growth

The global language services market size was valued at approximately $56 billion in 2021
The demand for translation services is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.15% from 2022 to 2028
The top three industries utilizing translation services are legal, healthcare, and IT
The average translation cost per word varies from $0.08 to $0.20 depending on language and complexity
The average project size for professional translation is about 8,000 words
The sector with the highest growth in translation needs is the e-commerce industry, with a growth rate of 10% annually
Approximately 30% of translation work is for subtitling and dubbing for media content
The utilization of neural machine translation (NMT) systems surged by 75% in the past three years
The most commonly translated document type is legal contracts, accounting for around 40% of legal translations
Over 60% of translation agencies globally are small to medium enterprises (SMEs)
The translation industry has grown by an estimated 10% annually since 2015
The legal industry allocates approximately 15-20% of its budgets to translation and localization services
In 2023, Asia-Pacific leads the market with approximately 40% of total global translation expenditure
AI-driven translation services are anticipated to save companies $20 billion annually by 2025
The translation software industry is projected to reach a market value of $2.5 billion by 2024
The demand for localization services has grown by more than 22% annually due to international expansion

Market Size and Industry Growth Interpretation

As global commerce and communication continue their rapid ascent, the $56 billion translation industry, driven by AI innovations and booming sectors like e-commerce and legal services, underscores that in a world where over 60% of work involves subtitling or legal contracts, speaking many languages isn't just an asset—it's a billion-dollar necessity.

Technological Advancements and Tools

Machine translation accuracy has improved to approximately 85% for certain language pairs
The rise of AI-powered translation tools has reduced turnaround times by up to 50%
About 25% of translation projects are now handled digitally, including CAT tools and cloud platforms
Enhanced translation memory technology can improve productivity by up to 40%
The use of translation apps and mobile devices accounts for around 35% of translation activity globally
Approximately 80% of translation projects are handled online via cloud-based platforms

Technological Advancements and Tools Interpretation

With AI-driven translation tools accelerating accuracy, reducing turnaround times, and handling the majority of projects online, the language barrier is not just shrinking—it's practically collapsing into a digital Babel.

Workforce Characteristics and Certification

Over 40% of professional translators work as freelancers or independent contractors
The percentage of translators certified by professional bodies varies by country, with around 60% in the US and 40% in Europe
The average salary for a professional translator in the US is approximately $52,000 per year
The majority of translation projects are completed within 48 hours, especially for urgent clients
Approximately 55% of translators worldwide utilize CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools regularly
The number of certified translators has increased by nearly 25% over the past decade
About 35% of translators identify as bilingual or multilingual from birth
The average time to complete a 10,000-word translation with professional services is approximately 5-7 business days
Over 50% of translation professionals work in the language pairs of European languages, especially English, German, French, and Spanish
The translation and interpretation services industry employed over 750,000 professionals worldwide in 2022

Workforce Characteristics and Certification Interpretation

With over 750,000 professionals worldwide skillfully balancing deadlines, certifications, and multilingual talents—often as freelancers armed with CAT tools—it's clear that the global translation industry is not just about words, but about transforming languages into a multilingual mosaic that moves at lightning speed and hefty salaries.