Copy Review
Chinese proofreading vs translation vs localization: which do you need?
Three different jobs with three different prices. A simple way to choose, and to avoid paying for the wrong one.
These three are often quoted as if they were one service. They are not. Choosing the wrong one either wastes money or leaves the real problem unsolved. The fastest way to get a good outcome is to name the job before you ask for a price.
Review and proofreading: you already have Chinese
You have Chinese copy and it needs accuracy, naturalness and market fit checked. The work is review plus edits. Nothing has to be translated, because the text is already in the target language. This is the right call when the copy exists, sounds a little foreign, or was produced by a machine and lightly cleaned up.
Translation: the source is another language
You have English, or another source language, and you need Chinese produced from it. Straight translation is the correct starting point for internal or factual text, where the goal is accuracy rather than persuasion. The output should be correct and readable. It is not automatically market-ready, because translation preserves the source structure.
Localization: the goal is to perform in the market
You have a page that has to sell, book or convert. The work adapts the message, the structure and the call to action, not only the words. Localization assumes the source may need to change to work. That is the difference between a page that is translated and a page that is effective.
Where the price comes from
Review is priced by length and depth. Localization is priced by page and service level. Whole site work is scoped first, because two sites with the same page count can differ several times over in workload. Pick by the job, not by the label, and the price will make sense.
A common and costly mistake
Teams sometimes buy translation when they needed localization, then conclude that Chinese audiences do not respond. In reality the page was never adapted to them. The opposite mistake is buying a full rewrite when a review would have been enough. Both come from not naming the job first.
How to decide in one sentence
Ask what has to change. If only the language quality has to change, you need a review. If the source language has to change, you need translation. If the message and structure have to change so the page performs, you need localization. Most marketing and sales pages fall into the third category.
Where to start if you are unsure
If you already have Chinese, start with a review. It is the cheapest way to learn how far your copy is from native, and it tells you whether a deeper rewrite is worth it. If you have English and a page that must perform, start with localization. If you have a whole site, start with a short scope conversation rather than a purchase.
A worked comparison
Take a simple product claim. Translation preserves the sentence structure and produces a correct version of the English. Localization asks whether that claim is the one a Chinese buyer needs to see first, and often reorders or reframes it. Review assumes the Chinese already exists and asks only whether it reads native. The same source can therefore lead to three different deliverables and three different prices.
Choosing by risk, not only by cost
If the text is internal, accuracy usually matters more than persuasion, and translation is enough. If the text is public and persuasive, market fit matters as much as accuracy, and localization is the safer choice. If the text is already Chinese, the only question is how native it reads, which is exactly what a review answers.
What to ask a provider
Ask what will change: the language, the message, or the structure. Ask who reviews the work and whether the reviewer is a native editor. Ask what the revision terms are. A provider that can answer those questions clearly is usually the provider that will also scope the job correctly.
Where teams get stuck
Most teams delay the decision because the three options sound similar in a proposal. The fix is to describe the problem in plain terms rather than compare service names. Say what is wrong with the page today, and the right service usually becomes obvious. A page that reads foreign needs review. A page that was never written for the market needs localization. A page that does not exist yet needs translation first, and often localization after it.
A note on revisions
Most of these services include one round of revisions, which is usually enough when the brief is clear. Additional rounds are available if the scope changes. Knowing this up front prevents the common surprise of assuming unlimited changes, and it keeps the project focused on the outcome rather than on an open ended exchange.
Need a page to perform? Try Landing Page Localization. Whole site? Try the Website Localization Sprint.