Credits vs Pay-as-You-Go: Which Pricing Option Is Right for You?
Updated April 12, 2026
Summary
Doc2Lang offers two ways to pay for translations: Pay-as-you-go (no signup required) and Credits (requires a free account). This guide explains how each option works and helps you choose the right one — especially if you translate files regularly.
The two pricing options at a glance
Doc2Lang charges based on tokens, which measure translation length. As a rough guide, 1 English character ≈ 1 token, and a typical page is about 2,000–3,000 tokens.
Both pricing options use the same underlying token system — the difference is in how you pay and what minimum charges apply.
Option 1: Pay-as-you-go
Upload a file, preview the translation, pay once, download the result. No account needed.
| Token range | Price per 1K tokens |
|---|---|
| 1–20K tokens | $0.50 |
| 20K–60K tokens | $0.25 |
| 60K+ tokens | $0.10 |
Minimum charge: $5 per file. Even if your file only uses 2,000 tokens (which would cost $1 at the standard rate), you'll still be charged $5.
Best for: One-time users, large files, or anyone who just needs a single translation without creating an account.
Option 2: Credits
Register a free Doc2Lang account and buy credits in bulk. 1 credit = 100 tokens, and credits are deducted based on your actual usage.
| Package | Credits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 100 credits | $5 |
| Regular | 600 credits | $19 |
| Pro | 8,600 credits | $99 |
| Business | 18,600 credits | $199 |
Credit benefits:
- No $5 minimum charge per file — you only pay for what you actually use
- Credits never expire — buy once, use whenever
- One-time checkout — no need to go through Stripe payment for every file
- Shareable within a team — everyone uses the same credit pool
Best for: Frequent users, small teams, and anyone translating multiple small files.
Real-world example: when credits save you money
Let's say you're a freelance researcher who translates 20 small documents per month, each around 3,000 tokens (roughly 1 page).
With pay-as-you-go
Each 3,000-token file would normally cost $1.50 at the standard rate — but the $5 minimum charge kicks in every time.
- Per file: $5.00 (minimum charge)
- 20 files × $5 = $100 per month
With credits
- Each 3,000-token file uses 30 credits
- 20 files × 30 credits = 600 credits used
- Cost: $19 (the 600-credit package)
Total savings: $81/month — over 80% cheaper
Even better, if you buy a larger package like 8,600 credits for $99, you'd have enough for nearly 12 months of the same usage pattern, and you'd still have credits left over.
Quick decision guide
Choose Pay-as-you-go if:
- -You only need one translation and don't want to register
- -Your file is large (20K+ tokens), where the $5 minimum doesn't matter
- -You're testing Doc2Lang for the first time
Choose Credits if:
- You translate files regularly (even just a few per month)
- Most of your files are small (under 10,000 tokens)
- You work in a small team and want shared billing
- You want to lock in pricing and avoid repeated checkouts
Rule of thumb: Rule of thumb: If you think you'll use Doc2Lang more than 2–3 times, credits will almost always save you money.
How to get started with credits
- 1Create a free account — takes less than a minute, just an email
- 2Go to the Credits page from the sidebar
- 3Choose a package and click Purchase Credits
- 4Complete the payment through Stripe's secure checkout
- 5Your credits are instantly added to your account and ready to use
Credits apply automatically to every file you translate — no extra steps needed at checkout.
FAQs
Do credits ever expire?
No. Credits purchased on Doc2Lang never expire, so you can buy in bulk during promotions and use them whenever you need.
Can I mix credits and pay-as-you-go?
Once you have credits in your account, they're used automatically for new translations. If you run out mid-file, you'll be prompted to top up or pay directly for the remaining amount.
What if I buy credits and don't use them all?
Credits stay in your account forever. There's no "use it or lose it" policy — buy what you need, when you need it.