𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦: 3 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴🕒
Depending on the type of content you’re producing, whether it's a technical manual, a marketing campaign or internal documentation, your translation needs will vary. Choosing the right level of service can save you time, money and risk.
At Wolfestone, we offer five clearly defined levels of translation to match your content’s complexity, audience, and business goal.
In this blog, we’ll explore what each level offers and how to decide which one’s right for you.
Why different translation levels matter
Imagine applying the same translation process to both a pharmaceutical insert and a global marketing campaign.
One requires strict accuracy and compliance; the other needs emotional impact and creative freedom.
By offering multiple service levels, we help clients:
-
Optimise budget without sacrificing quality
-
Match the right resources to the right content
-
Deliver accurate, on-brand communication globally
Each level is designed to balance quality, speed, cost and human involvement.
The 5 translation levels explained
AI – Machine Translation Only
AI-powered translation using advanced neural engines.
Best for: Internal reference, bulk content, time-sensitive documents where quality isn’t critical.
Pros:
-
Fastest turnaround
-
Lowest cost
-
Ideal for understanding the gist of content
Limitations:
-
No human oversight
-
No nuance or context awareness (although LLMs are getting better at this)
-
Not suitable for public-facing materials
Rapid – Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE)
Your content is machine-translated and then lightly edited by a human linguist to fix errors and improve fluency. This is called machine translation post-editing.
Best for: Non-critical content where speed and cost are important, but a human eye is still needed.
Pros:
-
Cost-effective with human review
-
Suitable for simple, factual content
Limitations:
-
Not always ideal for creative or high-stakes material
-
May not catch all tone/style issues
Specialist – Human Translation by Subject-Matter Expert
A professional, specialist translator with expertise in your field translates the content. This level includes full review and QA process.
Best for: Technical, medical, legal or regulated content where accuracy and compliance are essential.
Pros:
-
Accurate, industry-specific language
-
Reviewed for terminology and formatting
-
Fully ISO 17100-compliant
Limitations:
-
Higher cost and longer lead time than MTPE
Branded – High-Quality Human Translation with Advanced QA
A step up from Specialist, with extra layers of review and unlimited client feedback loops.
Best for: Public-facing, brand-sensitive content where tone, nuance and accuracy must align perfectly.
Pros:
-
Multiple review rounds
-
Terminology alignment and brand tone adherence
-
Includes project and account management
Limitations:
-
Not required for low-visibility content
Creative – Full Transcreation
Your content is creatively reimagined for a different language or market, in a process known as transcreation. Think of it as a level above translation.
Best for: Emotionally charged or brand-defining content that needs to resonate locally.
Pros:
-
Culturally adapted and copywritten
-
Tone, emotion, idioms tailored to the audience
-
Includes creative brief and collaboration
Limitations:
-
Not suitable for factual or highly technical material
Choosing the right level for your project
| Your Content | Your Goal | Recommended Level |
|---|---|---|
| Internal-only, high volume | Speed over polish | AI |
| Simple factual info | Balance cost and clarity | Rapid |
| Technical/regulatory | Accuracy and compliance | Specialist |
| Client-facing brand content | Precision and polish | Branded |
| Creative campaigns | Emotional and cultural impact | Creative |
Why our clients value this approach
Our multi-tier system gives you flexibility across projects.
Some clients use three or more levels depending on the department, purpose or geography.
For example:
-
One of our life sciences clients uses Specialist for clinical content, Branded for patient-facing materials, and AI for internal documentation.
-
A B2B SaaS client uses Rapid for help centre articles, Branded for website UX, and Creative for campaign messaging.
We’ll help you build a content strategy that makes the most of your budget without compromising on quality.
Choosing the right level of translation is about aligning your content, goals and audiences with the correct solution.
Whether you need regulatory compliance, brand finesse or speed at scale, we’ve got a solution that fits.
Contact us today for a free quote, test piece or localisation consultation.
