App localization cost depends on the work you include: translating a store listing, adapting the app itself, and maintaining both are different projects. Count the words and languages you need, then add time for review, screenshots, engineering and future updates. The translation tool or service is only one part of that budget.
If you only need titles and descriptions, start with metadata translation. If people cannot complete the core task in that language, budget for in-app localization before expanding the listing. A translated promise should match the experience after installation.
Separate the four parts of your budget
| Scope | What to count | Common extra work |
|---|---|---|
| Store listing | Title, subtitle or short description, keywords, description, release notes | Local search research and native review |
| Product | UI strings, onboarding, errors, emails, purchase flows | Plural forms, formatting, RTL layout, device testing |
| Creative assets | Screenshot captions, actual localized UI captures, video | Layout corrections, exports, accessibility |
| Maintenance | Changed source text, new features, support, review cycles | Fixing stale translations and publishing approved changes |
Translating the store listing is usually a smaller project because it does not require changes to the app code. Its value still depends on whether people can use the app after installing it. Check the listing localization checklist to decide what your first release actually needs.
Compare approaches by delivered scope
Freelance translator
A freelancer can be suitable for a small number of languages when you can provide context and coordinate review. Request a written quote with the word count, locale variant, subject matter, revision rounds, and delivery format. Ask whether keyword research and a second reviewer are included. A price per word tells you little about those services.
Translation agency
An agency can coordinate several translators and reviewers across languages. Compare project management, specialist expertise, quality checks, and update handling alongside price. Ask who checks the copy in the actual interface and who owns corrections after delivery. Do not assume that every agency quote includes app-store keyword research.
AI drafting
AI can prepare a draft for review. Estimate both usage charges and the time needed to verify meaning, terminology, local relevance, and field limits. Generic translators can help with understanding; specialist workflows may reduce copying and keep fields together. Try a representative draft and have a fluent reviewer check it before estimating the full job.
AppDrift uses tokens for AI work and supports 60+ languages. Free accounts receive a one-time signup allowance; paid plans and token packs offer additional capacity. Monthly plans are Basic $9.99, Pro $19.99, and Studio $39.99. Translation is not unlimited. Use the displayed quote and current plan details for your actual job.
AI draft plus human review
An AI draft gives the reviewer something to work from. Give the reviewer source copy, screenshots, terminology, and a list of claims that must remain exact. Track revision time: a cheap draft that takes longer to repair may cost more than a direct professional translation. Pilot one representative language before committing to a large package.
A worked budget you can adapt
Illustrative inputs, not market rates or a vendor quote: suppose your listing contains 450 source words and you want three locales. You budget $0.12 per translated word, one hour of review per locale at $35, and two hours of screenshot work at $40.
- Translation: 450 × 3 × $0.12 = $162.
- Review: 3 × $35 = $105.
- Screenshot changes: 2 × $40 = $80.
- Example initial total: $347, before engineering, taxes, or software.
Replace every input with your own quote and internal costs. For an AI-assisted alternative, replace the $162 translation line with the actual tool charge and measured editing time. Keep the review and screenshot lines unless your pilot shows that they are unnecessary.
For recurring work, add the expected number of updates. Separate unchanged strings from changed text and check whether your vendor charges a minimum project fee. Keep an approved source version so a small feature change does not trigger an unnecessary full retranslation.
Estimate break-even without assuming download growth
Estimate how much you keep from each additional paying customer after platform fees and other costs that rise with sales. That amount is your contribution per customer. More installs alone will not cover the localization bill.
Illustrative example: at $8 contribution per additional customer over your chosen measurement window, a $347 initial project needs 44 additional customers to cover that cost. This calculation does not predict those customers will arrive. Include ongoing review, support, refunds, and maintenance before evaluating the complete project.
Choose a market with a reason to test: existing users, relevant search demand, qualified requests, or support capacity. The language selection guide explains how to compare those signals without treating a global spending chart as your forecast.
Costs teams forget
- Engineering readiness: resource extraction, plural handling, locale-aware values, and layout fixes.
- Screen captures: translating a caption does not translate the UI inside a captured image. Create a real localized capture, then place it in the screenshot editor.
- Human review: short titles can take considerable work because meaning and length both matter.
- Support: decide who answers users and maintains help material in the language you advertise.
- Store submission: translation does not bypass store review. Apple's editable-property matrix explains why timing depends on the field and app state.
Start with a scoped pilot
Choose one app, one target locale, and one complete user task. Record your baseline, draft the listing, review the actual product and screenshots, then retain the approved version. In Listing updates, preparation is free and translation shows its token quote before confirmation; sending supported fields to a connected store is a separate paid action.
After launch, record observed installs, relevant product usage, paying customers, and review time separately. Expand when the evidence and maintenance capacity support another language. Use what the pilot actually cost and delivered to budget for the next language.
Frequently asked questions
How much does app localization cost?
Calculate translation or AI usage, review, screenshots, engineering, and ongoing maintenance for your chosen locales. Request scope-matched quotes; there is no single reliable price for every app.
Is AppDrift translation unlimited?
No. AI work uses tokens. Check the quote for the selected work and the current allowance or token pack; a subscription does not include unlimited translation.
Can AI replace a native reviewer?
AI can create a useful draft, but it does not establish accuracy. Review important copy, meaning, terminology, layout, and any sensitive claims before publication.
How do I calculate localization ROI?
Compare attributable contribution over a defined window with the complete localization and maintenance cost. Use observed additional customers where possible; do not assume every additional download will pay.
