Translation and localization

Translation tools range from quick machine translation of a paragraph to platforms that manage every language version of a website, app or help center. Knowing which job you have is the first step, because the two kinds of tool work very differently.

Machine translators take text or whole documents and return a translation in seconds. They are good for understanding a foreign-language document, drafting a reply to a supplier or getting a first version of a text a person will then review. Features worth checking include document translation that keeps formatting, glossaries that fix how product names and technical terms are translated, and a choice of formal or informal address in languages that have one.

Localization platforms are built for companies that publish in several languages and keep updating. They pull text from your software or site, run machine translation, route it to human translators or reviewers, store approved translations in a translation memory, and push the results back. Developers care about integrations and the API; translators care about the editor and the memory. Website translation tools are a lighter version that translate a site automatically and let you edit the result.

Website translation tools deserve their own check. They translate pages automatically as content changes and let you edit the result, which is quick to set up. Before you switch one on, decide which pages need a human review, how translated pages will appear in search, and who will fix errors that customers report.

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7 AI writing tools in translation and localization

DeepL Translator

by DeepL

Machine translation for text and whole documents, known for natural-sounding output in European languages.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Browser extension
  • Supports languages other than English

Google Translate

by Google

Google's free translator for text, documents, websites and photos, covering a very large number of languages.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Supports languages other than English
  • Developer API

Smartcat

Translation platform that combines AI translation with human editors and translation memory for company content.

  • Supports languages other than English
  • Developer API

Lokalise

Localization platform for apps and websites, with AI translation and workflows for developers and translators.

  • Supports languages other than English
  • Developer API

Phrase

Localization suite for software strings and documents, with machine translation and translation management.

  • Supports languages other than English
  • Developer API

Weglot

Translates websites automatically and lets you edit the translations, with plugins for common site builders.

  • Supports languages other than English

Crowdin

Localization platform for software and docs, with machine translation and community translation projects.

  • Supports languages other than English
  • Developer API

For writers, a translator is also a drafting aid. Writing a message in your strongest language and translating it often reads better than writing directly in a language you know less well, provided a fluent reader checks the result before it goes out.

Quality depends on the language pair and the type of text. Machine translation handles plain, factual text far better than slogans, humor, legal terms or medical instructions. Anything legal, medical, safety-related or published under your brand needs review by a fluent speaker, ideally someone who knows the subject.

Data handling also matters. Contracts, personal data and unreleased product text pass through these services. Check whether the provider stores uploaded documents, whether it uses them for training, and whether your plan includes the data terms your company needs.

Translation memory pays off over time. Once a sentence has been translated and approved, the platform reuses it the next time the same sentence appears, so repeated text such as product names, legal footers and interface labels stays consistent and costs less to update.

Questions about translation and localization

Is DeepL or Google Translate better?

It depends on the language pair and text. DeepL is known for natural output in many European languages; Google Translate covers far more languages. Run a sample of your own text through both and have a fluent speaker judge.

Can I publish machine translation without review?

For internal or informal use it may be enough. For anything published under your brand, or legal, medical and safety content, have a fluent speaker review it. Machine translation still makes mistakes with terms, tone and idiom.

What is the difference between translation and localization tools?

Translation tools convert a text or document. Localization platforms manage ongoing translation of software, websites and documentation across many languages, with workflows for translators, translation memory and integrations with your code or CMS.

How do I keep product names translated correctly?

Use a glossary or termbase. DeepL and most localization platforms let you fix how specific terms are translated, or keep them untranslated, so names and technical words stay consistent.

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