All businesses / Translation and localisation
Starting a translation and localisation business in Europe costs €150–€600 in 2026, with first income after about 4 weeks and earnings of up to €2,800 a month working full time.
Last updated: September 2026 · sources at the bottom of the page
Adapting text and products.
| Money to start | €150–€600 | What you spend before the first customer pays: kit, stock, licences, launch. |
|---|---|---|
| Hours a week | 8–40 | What it takes to run it properly, from part time to full time. |
| Weeks to first income | about 4 | How long you pay in before any money comes back. You still need to live in those weeks. |
| Kept of every €100 | €90 | What stays with you after running costs, before you pay yourself for your hours. |
| Most it earns a month | €700 part time · €2,800 full time | A realistic ceiling for one person running it. Your own hours are the limit. |
| Competition | high | Easy to enter, so plenty of people already do it. |
| Licence or qualification | needed | Count it in months, not weeks, and check the rules where you live. |
Almost no capital and you start immediately. But it's the most AI-exposed trade here: base rates have collapsed, only specialist adaptation survives.
These are the categories this business pays for in the first month. We go through the software side on the tools page.
Instant access, works on any device, save it as PDF. Digital product delivered immediately.
LaunchKit · €390 + VAT
A site made for your a translation and localisation business business, Google profile, domain and email, a QR poster and a 30-day launch plan built on the numbers above. Live in about a week.
Between €150 and €600 to begin. That covers platform profiles, CAT tools, certifications and the rest of the setup. It does not cover your own living costs during the 4 weeks before the first income arrives, which is the cost most people forget.
Around 4 weeks to the first euro. Reaching the realistic maximum of €2,800 a month takes considerably longer, and assumes 40 hours a week.
Up to about €2,800 a month working full time, or €700 part time. Of every €100 it takes, about €90 stays with you after running costs.
Yes, at a cost. Part time it realistically tops out around €700 a month, against €2,800 working full time, and it needs 8–40 hours a week.
Competition is high. Crowded markets are crowded because anyone can enter tomorrow, which is also why they tend to keep more of each euro but earn less in total.
Compare further: every business you can start with €500 · what it costs to start a business, across all 115 · all 115 ranked by startup cost
Where these numbers come from. Figures are rounded ranges for European markets; check the ones you are about to spend money on. Last checked September 2026.
These numbers are the average case. Whether this business clears your target depends on your money, your hours and how long you can wait. Put them in and see.
A one-page checklist that goes with any business on this site. We email it to you straight away.