Content Briefs vs Technical & Documentation
Which you need, what each costs, and when a project wants both — content briefs compared with technical & documentation.
Last revised
Both sit under Content Production, and clients regularly ask which of the two they actually want. The short answer is below; the rest of this page is how to tell, what each costs, and the cases where a project needs both.
What each one is
- Content Briefs Detailed instructions for writers covering audience, search intent, structure, sources and links, so drafts come back close to right the first time.
- Technical & Documentation Clear documentation for products and developers, written so users can get something done without contacting support.
The numbers
| Content Briefs | Technical & Documentation | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | From $0.45 per word | From $0.45 per word |
| Services underneath | 3 | 4 |
How to decide
Go with Content Briefs when
- The job is specifically brief development, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically source & citation packs, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically subject matter expert interviews, which sits under this one
Go with Technical & Documentation when
- The job is specifically API & developer docs, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically knowledge base articles, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically product documentation, which sits under this one
When a project wants both
Worth knowing: More often than the question implies — the same job frequently touches both, and one team covers them, so moving between them is a conversation rather than a second supplier. If you are not sure which your files need, that is what the free trial is for. The process is the same either way: whichever you pick, the work runs through the same stages and is checked against the same bar. Content Production sets that out.
Questions we get on this specific choice
Is one of them cheaper?
They start at the same rate, so the choice is about what the job needs rather than about budget. Complexity moves both.
Which is faster?
Much the same, and volume moves the number far more than the choice between these two does.
Can you tell me which one my files need?
Yes, free. Send two or three real files — that judgment is part of the trial rather than something quoted separately.
Can I switch after we start?
Yes. If the files say the other one is the right answer, we re-quote before doing the work rather than after.
Where to go from here
- Content Briefs — what it is, in full, with its own pricing
- Technical & Documentation — the same for the alternative
- Content Production pricing — both rates side by side with the US market ranges
- Try it free — one 800-word piece, researched and sourced, and we will tell you which of the two your files need
- Get a quote if the scope is already clear
- Every rate we publish, on one page
