When it comes to translating documents, you need more than just Google Translate. You need a translator who understands both language and context.
I learned this the hard way when I tried to translate my birth certificate using an online tool. The mistranslation was so off that it turned a simple place name into something awkward and confusing—not the kind of detail you’d want on official documents.
That’s when I started searching for professional translation services in London that can handle every kind of document you hand them. Here are the top services that stood out to me for their precision, professionalism, and attention to nuance.
How much does a translation service cost in London?
A translation service in London typically costs between £0.10 and £0.16 per word for standard texts. For certified or sworn translations, prices can start from £50 plus VAT. Other factors that affect the final price are turnaround time, document complexity, and language pair.
How I chose the best translation service in London
- Quality of service: I searched for companies with translators who can write and speak fluently in the languages they offer. I also read online testimonials and talked to some of their past clients.
- Customer service: I looked for those who respond quickly to inquiries and communicate with clients professionally most of the time.
- Languages: I opted for translators who can write and speak fluently in many languages on various continents.
- Range of services: I selected businesses that can execute various types of translations very well, such as legal document translations, business document translations, and more.
1. DOCSBASE
Address: Golden Cross House, 8 Duncannon St
Phone: +44 20 4577 2669
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9 AM – 6 PM
I appreciate DOCSBASE’s staff for answering all my questions with complete details. Their responsiveness helped me a lot in quickly determining if their services deserve to be on this top list.
Not only that, their actual service is highly efficient. They provided an accurate and timely translation of my birth certificate, which helped me fix the mess I made in no time.
When it comes to translation, they offer a total of 11 types of translation services. Some of their services are certified translations, business translations, and contract translations.
Lastly, they can translate up to 45 languages, which I find quite impressive. They are fluent in a range of common and uncommon dialects around the world.
However, some of the people that I spoke to said that they noticed small errors in their documents. One particular person received a bank statement with incorrect transaction dates. Fortunately, the team corrected it immediately.
Outstanding service
“I called Docsbase this morning in a bit of a panic as I needed a document sworn translated into Spanish for my visa appointment, and I had very limited time. The service has been nothing short of exceptional; I uploaded my documents and paid the fee at 12pm and I received an email from Jane 2 hours later with a scanned copy of the sworn translation, along with a tracking number for the hard copy. I would give more than 5* if I could…. outstanding service, excellent communication, and very reasonable fees! Thank you so much!”
-Melissa Gill, Google Review
I would highly recommend them
“I initially picked Docsbase because of their really good price compared to their competitors, who, after receiving a quote, would of charged me more than 4 times the price. However, Docsbase were very quick to send me, only the day after I had sent off and payed for their services, a draft version of my translated document which I proofread. They then made any reasonable changes that I asked for, which were then thoroughly checked by proofreaders and the translator. Additionally I asked them to send me a scanned copy of the finalized hard copy version which arrived shortly after my request (still the day after I sent off and payed for the translation). As well as this, they responded in minutes to my emails I sent them. i would highly recommend using Docsbase for any translations you may need! James N”
-J N, Google Review
2. Found in Translation
Address: 128 City Rd
Phone: +44 7762 936599
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9 AM – 5 PM
Found in Translation built such a strong reputation among its clients that I had to check them out myself. Most of the clients I talked to had nothing but praise for the quality of the team’s work and how seamless the transaction was from start to finish.
Some people also told me that the team is highly professional. They specifically pointed out the team’s trait of ensuring they deliver on their promises, such as updating them on their preferred time.
During the consultation, the translator I spoke to did his best to explain things to me as simply as possible, which I appreciated. I clearly understood their process in certain documents because of him.
They offer team is dedicated to honing skills in six types of translation services, including legal, financial, and certified translations. It might be a few compared to some competitors, but it’s a guarantee of quality service because of their hyperfocus on those services.
That said, they’re relatively new in the industry. They’ve only been providing translation services for less than a decade (seven years to be exact).
I wouldn’t go anywhere else
“Found in Translation and Mr. Evangelos Drakou are absolutely EXCELLENT! Mr. Drakou is a true professional in every sense of the word. I have used Mr. Drakou many times for translations and I wouldn’t go anywhere else. The service he provides is simply top quality, effective, efficient & fast – always delivering in a timely fashion even within tight deadlines. He is hands on, communication with him is effortless and he has excellent knowledge and expertise on various matters (invaluable when it comes to matters relating to Greece when very few know what they are actually talking about and what is required). He always demonstrates great attention to detail and unparalleled ethos (including regarding prices and finding the most cost efficient solution for the client). I can only give Mr. Drakou the highest recommendation! Thank you for all your help always and for being a true professional a client can trust – in the world we live in, this is priceless!”
-Tania Galanis, Google Review
I’m extremely satisfied
“I recently had the pleasure of utilising Drakou translation services, and I must say that I am extremely satisfied with the results. Evangelos’ professionalism, attention to detail, and exceptional quality have surpassed my expectations. From the initial inquiry to the final delivery, the entire process was seamless and efficient. Evangelos was prompt in his responses and demonstrated a deep understanding of the subject matter. Not only was the translation of exceptional quality, but the turnaround time was also impressive. I highly recommend Drakou translation services for any translation needs. The expertise, professionalism, and commitment to excellence makes them a reliable choice. I will definitely be using their services again in the future. Thank you, Drakou translations, for providing such exceptional translation services. Keep up the excellent work!”
-Spyridoula Moraiti, Google Review
3. Lingo Service
Address: 1 Mayfair Pl
Phone: +44 8001 938888
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9 AM – 5 PM
- Sat: 10 AM – 4 PM
I was glad that Lingo Service is available every Saturday. I was able to speak to them without worrying about where I should fit them into my tight weekday schedule.
I also love how quickly they reply to emails. They even answered all my follow-up questions after the consultation.
Their track record is also impressive. They’ve provided multiple language translations simultaneously for just one company and have handled various types of translations.
Speaking of which, they can perform 12 types of translation services. They can translate your website, medical documents, and more.
They also offer interpretation services. Some of them are video, audio, and court proceeding interpretation.
Their only disadvantage is the limited payment method. One of their past clients told me that they only accept payments through PayPal. I find this a bit inconvenient because some people don’t know how to do a transaction on PayPal, especially older people.
I was well informed on everything
“Using Lingo Service has been an extremely smooth and quick experience. The whole team is very friendly, professional and knowledgeable, and might I add, very fast at getting back to you and getting the work done. I received timely replies and updates, all my questions were answered, in fact I was given more information than I ask for to ensure I was well informed on everything I needed to know, before even needing to ask. Customer service was absolutely great, and I could not be happier and more satisfied with Lingo Service, and would honestly recommend to anyone who might be looking for the services they offer.”
-Bee Knd, Google Review
Great company with excellent service
“Great company with excellent service. I had the privilege to work as English to Dari Interpreter for a short period of time with Lingo service. The team is very professional, polite, gentle, especially Mohamed who is head of the company. I am utterly inspired by his patience and understanding. I had to withdraw from the service due to a misunderstanding or miscommunication that occurred. I have just had a short phone conversation with the company director Mohamed, I have found him a great person. I am having a closer look see if any work opportunity raises for me with lingo service in the future. I strongly recommend the company for any translations and Interpretation services. Good luck,”
-Said Bashir Sadat, Google Review
4. Translation Services 24
Address: 5 St John’s Ln
Phone: +44 20 8677 3775
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9 AM – 6 PM
I believe that with longevity comes wisdom, and Translation Services 24 proved that. They’ve been providing reliable translation services for over 14 years!
I was surprised when one of their staff told me they know 138 languages. They don’t just flaunt that number just for the sake of it—they do have expert team members in each language they offer.
For translation services, they’re experts with at least 10 types, including marketing, technical, and software translations. This is more than enough for your translation needs, whether for business or personal documents.
They also offer interpretation services, making them a one-stop shop for your language service needs.
Their brochure helped me a lot in comparing their services to competitors. I was able to learn many details about their services in just one sitting.
However, some of their past clients whom I spoke to told me that they received their documents a day after the agreed deadline. While they didn’t mind since their document weren’t urgent, this might be a dealbreaker to some.
Great team for translating services
“Great team for translating services. I got quotes from a few different websites as there are quite a few out there! This company was best value for money for their service and delivered results exactly as I needed including the statement of truth. And all completed in a couple of days. You recieve their quote and their site is really easy to fill out and navigate to provide your details. I am in Stoud and they are in London and I still received great customer service. If you are unsure of who to go with as there are many translating services out there, go with this company.”
-Becca, Google Review
Definitively recommend
“Have used their services a few times now for various translation purposes – on a range of documents including formal. This time I used their services to translate a notarised Travel consent form for a child. As ever it was a very smooth service. You provide the documents you wish to be translated and receive a quote back very promptly based on the word count. Once you accept the quote the translated document is worked on and completed within two days. You receive a copy via email – enabling you to check for any possible errors or inaccuracies. Once you confirm everything is ok – the certified copy is sent in the post. Really happy with this company and the service they provide – yet again. And still reasonable prices too. Again, definitively recommend.”
-Matthew Horner, Google Review
5. Lingvo House
Address: 60 Cannon St
Phone: +44 20 3086 9416
Business hours:
- Mon-Fri: 9 AM – 5 PM
When it comes to longevity, Lingvo House’s over 15 years of excellence are worth mentioning. Their continued success for many years made them deserving of being on this list.
I love how professional they were during the consultation. They went the extra mile in articulating the things I didn’t quite understand, such as their free trial.
Speaking of, the highlight of their service is the free trial offering for new clients. They will happily translate the first 1000 words or five pages of your document for free. After that, it’s up to you if you want to hire them (no hard feelings).
When it comes to translation services, they can flawlessly execute 10 types. They can translate documents in the gaming, healthcare, and cybersecurity sectors.
Nevertheless, there’s no such thing as a perfect company. Some of the people I spoke to said that they noticed very minor misspellings on their documents. The team revised the errors, though.
The entire experience was seamless
“I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude and satisfaction with the exceptional translation services your team provided. It is not often that one encounters a service provider that goes above and beyond to ensure complete customer satisfaction, and I am truly delighted with the results. I initially approached LingvoHouse with a complex document that required translation from English to Spanish for a critical business presentation. The content was highly technical, and accuracy was paramount to convey our message effectively to my Spanish-speaking clients. From the moment I submitted my request, the entire experience was seamless. Thoroughly recommended!”
-Lera Von Li, Google Review
Professional and clear
“I had a large amount of documents to be translated for immigration purposes and Lingvo House was able to turn them around quickly for me, including several last minute entries that I needed done in 24 hours. They handled requests I had regarding my preferences for these translated documents promptly and never left me hanging. They were always professional and clear about what they were doing, when it would be done and what it would cost. I definitely recommend them.”
-E.M. A, Google Review
