Start with what you're translating. App and software strings need a translation management system that connects to your code and keeps releases in sync. A marketing website is often easier with a no-code website translation tool. Large organisations with many content sources usually need an enterprise platform that links several tools and translation engines together.
Two very different teams search for a localisation tool. One is a developer trying to get app strings translated before the next release. The other is a marketer who wants the company website in three more languages by next quarter. The tools below serve both, in no particular order, so the first job is working out which team you are.
App strings or web pages?
For developers translating software
Tolgee, Localazy, POEditor and Lokalise are built around the strings inside your product. They connect to your repository or build process, let translators work on keys with context, and push translations back in. They fit product teams with regular releases.
For marketers translating a website
Weglot works at the website level. Instead of exporting strings, you connect your site and it handles the translated versions, including multilingual SEO. It fits small businesses and marketing teams without a developer on hand.
For organisations with many content sources
Phrase, Smartling and Transifex speak to larger teams translating product, marketing and support content together, often with several translation engines and human linguists in the mix.
Keeping translations in step with releases
Crowdin's own homepage describes an all-in-one localisation and translation management platform with the software, tools and integrations you need. That breadth is its appeal, and it's also why some teams leave: a smaller team can end up maintaining a setup built for a much bigger operation.
The thing to test in any replacement is how strings and content are sent for translation, and how updates stay in sync. When a developer changes a button label, how quickly does the translator see it, and does the old translation get flagged? When a page on your site changes, is the translated page updated or left stale? That sync is where localisation projects quietly fall apart.
It's worth asking who'll own the tool day to day, too. If it's a developer, they'll want command-line tools and repository hooks. If it's a marketer, they'll want a visual editor and won't touch code. Pick for the person who'll log in every week, and you won't end up with a system nobody's keen to open.
Comparison of eight localisation tools
| Tool | Kind of tool | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Localazy | Software localisation automation | App and software translation with AI and human review |
| Lokalise | Continuous localisation platform | Plugging translation into the development workflow |
| Phrase | Enterprise translation software | Large organisations connecting many tools and engines |
| POEditor | Translation management system | Small teams starting simply and growing from there |
| Smartling | Localisation platform and services | Brand content across platforms, with reporting |
| Tolgee | Open source localisation | Developers who want in-app translation |
| Transifex | AI localisation platform | Growing translation volume without growing the team |
| Weglot | Website translation | Translating a whole website without code |
All eight, alphabetically
Alphabetical and in no particular order. Each line reflects what the vendor says about its own tool.
Localazy
Best for: Software teams wanting translation automated with context-aware AI while people keep control of quality, per the vendor.
Lokalise
Best for: Product and engineering teams that ship often; the vendor says it plugs into your development workflow so localised releases go out faster.
Phrase
Best for: Enterprises connecting many tools and translation engines; the vendor describes AI-powered software for automating workflows and scaling multilingual content.
POEditor
Best for: Teams that want to start small with software translation and grow, mixing human expertise and AI, as the vendor describes it.
Smartling
Best for: Brands translating content across many platforms that also want translation services and real-time analytics from the same vendor, per its homepage.
Tolgee
Best for: Developers who like open source; the vendor offers in-app translation, integrations and collaboration tools for multilingual apps.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Transifex
Best for: Teams expecting more content to translate; the vendor's homepage headline pitches AI localisation that scales growth rather than overhead.
Weglot
Best for: Website owners and marketers who want a site translated without code; the vendor also covers multilingual SEO and managing translated content.
Advice for product and content teams
Don't judge a localisation tool on how fast it translates. Machine translation is quick everywhere now. Judge it on how it handles change: new strings, edited strings, deleted pages and urgent fixes. Ask each vendor to show you exactly what happens when a source string changes after it's been translated.
Think about who reviews the output, too. AI translation is a useful first pass, but customer-facing text, legal wording and anything regulated deserves a fluent human check. Rules on what must be translated vary by country, so check with your regulator if you sell into a market with language requirements. If you'd rather hand the job to people, my guide to online translation services for small businesses covers that route, and my piece on Japanese and English translation technologies shows how tricky language pairs are handled.
Try it on one small release
Pick one small, real release, such as a new feature or a single landing page, and run it through two tools on your shortlist. Connect each to your real repository or site, translate into one language you can check, then change the source text and watch what happens. The tool that flags changes clearly and keeps the translated version current without extra work is the one that'll keep doing so when you add more languages.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between localisation and translation?
Translation changes the words into another language. Localisation adapts the whole experience, including dates, formats, images and tone, so the product feels native to each market.
Do I need a translation management system for a small website?
Often not. A website translation tool that works without code is usually simpler for a small site. A full translation management system makes more sense for apps with frequent releases.
Can I rely on machine translation alone?
For internal or low-risk content, it can be enough. For customer-facing pages, legal text or anything regulated, have a fluent person review it before it goes live.
How do translations stay in sync with code changes?
Most tools connect to your repository or build process. When a source string changes, the tool flags it for translators and pushes the updated version back.
Is open source localisation software a good option?
It can be if you have developers to host and maintain it. You get control over data and setup, but updates and monitoring become your job.
