Learn how DeepL calculates, and bills character translated or improved and speech translated in DeepL API plans.
Character count
DeepL counts the characters in the source text, i.e., the original text you want to translate.
One character corresponds to one unicode code point, where a single character can consist of several bytes. For example, the character é is represented as two bytes in UTF-8. However, DeepL only considers this as one character. Invisible characters such as spaces, tabs, line feeds, etc., also count as characters.
If the parameter "tag_handling" is set to either "xml" or "html", the characters of the HTML or XML tags (including all their attributes and values) are not counted towards billing.
For example:
<h1 style="color:red;">This is an important title</h1>With the "tag_handling" parameter set to "xml" or "html", only characters outside markup elements will be billed, in the example that is This is an important title. Learn more about the XML and HTML handling in DeepL's API documentation.
Learn how to track your key-level character translation usage here.
Character count in file translation
For the following file types, a minimum of 50,000 characters will be counted for each file translated, even if the file contains fewer characters:
- Word (.docx / .doc)
- PowerPoint (.pptx)
- Excel (.xlsx)
- PDF (.pdf)
This is done to cover the cost of processing the file.
Files containing more than 50,000 characters will be counted to the exact character.
For the following file types, characters will be counted to the exact character, with no minimum character count per file:
- HTML (.html)
- SRT (.srt)
- Text (.txt)
- XLIFF (.xlf / .xliff)
Speech to text and speech to speech count
Speech is charged per audio stream minute of the source audio.
For speech to text translation, the transcription and the translation from the transcribed audio to the target language text is included in the price charged per audio minute.
For speech to speech translation, the transcription and the translation from the transcribed audio to the target language text is included in the price charged per audio minute. The synthesized target audio output is also included.
Only audio minutes streamed are metered, regardless of connection duration or speed of transmission. Fractional audio minutes are summed and rounded up to the nearest whole minute for billing purposes.
Billing per API plan
DeepL API Developer
With DeepL API Developer, you can translate up to 1,000,000 characters in total. To translate more, you can upgrade to DeepL API Growth at any time.
DeepL API Growth
The DeepL API Growth plan is available with a monthly or a yearly billing term. With a monthly billing term, the DeepL API Growth plan includes 1 million characters and 10 hours of speech to text. With a yearly billing term, the DeepL API Growth plan includes 12 million characters and 120 hours of speech to text.
Any usage above the included contingents is charged extra. For text translation and improvement, billing occurs according to the number of characters sent in successful API requests, charged at the exact number of characters translated or improved during the usage term. For speech to text, billing occurs according to the number of source audio minutes sent in successful API requests, charged at the number of minutes transcribed and translated during the usage term.
The character and hour pay-as-you-go rates can be found on the Pricing page.
The DeepL API Growth plan has a usage limit of 50 million characters and 300 hours speech to text per month. Contact DeepL's Sales team if you are working on large-scale, long-term API projects and would like to learn more about the Enterprise API plan.
DeepL API Enterprise
Enterprise API allows business customers to set up large-scale, long-term API projects by purchasing custom character, speech to text, or speech to speech commitments up-front. Any usage above the commitments is charged extra according to the pay-as-you-go price rates for characters and hours. Note that there is a higher price rate for speech to speech translation than for speech to text translation.
Contact DeepL's Sales team for details.
DeepL API Free
With DeepL API Free, you can translate up to 500,000 characters per month for free. To translate more, you can upgrade to DeepL API Pro at any time.
DeepL API Pro
In addition to a monthly base price, the DeepL API Pro subscription is billed according to the number of characters sent in successful API requests, charged at the exact number of characters translated and improved during the billing period. For speech to text, billing occurs according to the number of source audio minutes sent in successful API requests, charged at the number of minutes transcribed and translated during the usage term.
The monthly base price and character rates can be found here. DeepL API Pro plan does not include any free characters. The DeepL API Pro plan places no limit on the amount that you can translate.
The DeepL API Pro plan is available only on a monthly basis.
DeepL reserves the right to charge usage-based costs to your payment method periodically in advance, depending on your current consumption. Subsequent invoicing and debiting of any remaining balance occurs at the end of each usage period. You will receive a monthly invoice on the overall monthly remuneration paid at the end of the usage period. For more detailed information, please also consult DeepL's Terms and Conditions.