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Traditional dubbing
How Much Does It Cost to Dub a Video? Complete Pricing Guide 2026
"How much will it cost to dub this video?" It's the question every creator asks before deciding whether to expand their content internationally. And the answer, until recently, was often discouraging: thousands of dollars for a single video. But 2026 has changed the game. Artificial intelligence has made dubbing accessible to everyone, with costs that are a fraction of traditional methods. Let's look at the real numbers.Important: in 2026, AI dubbing costs up to 95% less than traditional studio dubbing. A 10-minute video can be dubbed into 3 languages for under $50.💰 Traditional Dubbing: The Real Costs Let's start with the classic method. Professional studio dubbing involves:Professional translator Dialogue adapter Professional voice actor Audio technician Recording studio Post-productionAverage costs for a 10-minute video (one language):Cost Item Average PriceTranslation and adaptation $250-500Voice actor (hourly/daily rate) $400-1,000Recording studio $150-250Post-production and mixing $200-400Total $1,000-2,150Multiply by 3 languages and you're already at $3,000-6,500 for a single 10-minute video. For a creator who publishes 4 videos per week and wants to cover 3 international markets, we're talking about $48,000-104,000 per year just for dubbing. Numbers sustainable only for large productions. ⚡ AI Dubbing: The Cost Revolution The arrival of artificial intelligence dubbing has completely overturned the economics of video localization. Costs with NovaDub for a 10-minute video:Plan Price/minute Total (10 min, 1 language)Lite (with watermark) €0.99 (~$1.10) €9.90 (~$11)Pro (no watermark) €1.49 (~$1.65) €14.90 (~$16.50)To dub the same video in 3 languages:Lite plan: ~$33 Pro plan: ~$50Direct comparison: $50 vs $3,000-6,500. A savings of 98%.Pro Tip: if you produce content regularly, monthly subscriptions offer additional savings. The Creator plan (€49/month for 50 minutes) brings the effective cost down to €0.98/minute.📊 Complete Comparison TableFactor Traditional AI (NovaDub)Cost per 10 min (1 language) $1,000-2,150 $11-16.50Production time 3-7 days 10-15 minutesVoice quality Excellent Excellent (ElevenLabs)Voice consistency Variable (different actors) Perfect (voice cloning)Scalability Difficult ImmediateEdits/corrections Expensive (new session) Free (regenerate)Available languages Limited by budget 29+ languages🎯 Real Budget Examples Let's look at some concrete scenarios: Scenario 1: YouTuber with 1 video/weekAverage video: 12 minutes Target languages: Spanish, German Monthly volume: 48 minutes × 2 languages = 96 minutesTraditional cost: ~$8,000/month NovaDub Pro cost: ~$165/month (Creator plan + extra) Savings: $7,835/month = $94,020/year Scenario 2: Business with corporate videos5 onboarding videos: 30 minutes total Languages: Spanish, German, French, Japanese One-time projectTraditional cost: ~$12,000-18,000 NovaDub Pro cost: ~$200 (30 min × 4 languages × €1.49) Savings: $11,800-17,800 Scenario 3: High-volume TikTok creator20 videos/week at 1 minute each Languages: Spanish, Portuguese, German Monthly volume: 240 minutesTraditional cost: Impractical (~$48,000/month) NovaDub Business cost: €149/month (200 min included) + €59 extra Total: ~$230/monthNote: NovaDub subscription plans never have watermarks, regardless of tier. Watermark is only for Lite pay-as-you-go.💡 How to Calculate Dubbing ROI Cost is only half the equation. The other half is return on investment. Factors to consider:View increase: A video dubbed in 3 languages can easily triple potential audienceMonetization by market: CPM varies significantly:USA: $3-5 per 1000 views Germany: $3-4 Brazil: $0.50-1 India: $0.20-0.50Compound effect: Dubbed videos continue generating views for months/yearsROI calculation example:Original English video: 10,000 views, CPM $3 = $30 Spanish version: 8,000 views, CPM $1.50 = $12 German version: 5,000 views, CPM $3.50 = $17.50 Portuguese version: 6,000 views, CPM $1 = $6Total revenue: $65.50 vs $30 original = +118% Dubbing cost (3 languages, 10 min): $50 Net additional profit: $5.50 from first month, then all profit ⚠️ When Traditional Dubbing Still Makes Sense Despite AI's advantages, there are cases where traditional dubbing remains preferable: Premium films and TV series: For high-budget cinematic productions, the artistic direction of a human voice actor can make a difference. Content with strong emotional component: Dramas, touching documentaries - where every emotional nuance counts. Markets with specific expectations: Some countries (like Italy and Germany) have strong dubbing traditions and very demanding audiences. Luxury brands: Where budget isn't an issue and you want maximum creative control.Warning: don't choose traditional dubbing out of habit. Test AI first - you might be surprised by the quality and save budget for other areas.🚀 How to Start Saving If you're still paying thousands for dubbing (or giving up on localization entirely), here's how to change:Try free: NovaDub offers 2 free minutes - enough to test a short videoStart with pay-as-you-go: No monthly commitment, pay only for what you useScale gradually: Once you've verified quality, switch to subscriptions for additional savingsMonitor ROI: Use YouTube Analytics to track performance by marketReinvest savings: Budget saved can go into producing new content✅ Conclusion: Dubbing Is No Longer a Luxury In 2026, the excuse "it costs too much" no longer exists for not localizing your videos. With AI, dubbing has become accessible to any creator, from hobbyists to million-subscriber channels. The numbers speak clearly:Savings: 95-98% compared to traditional Speed: Minutes instead of days Quality: Indistinguishable from professional Scalability: InfiniteThe real question is no longer "can I afford to dub?" but "can I afford NOT to dub?". Every unlocalized video is lost audience, missed revenue, slowed growth.Calculate how much you could save. Try NovaDub free and discover the real cost for your videos. Have questions about dubbing costs? Write us at [email protected]!