- CAT tools at a glance
- Eleven CAT tools to consider
- Desktop CAT tool or translation management platform?
- What ISO 17100 does and doesn't cover
- Questions to ask before you switch
- Features translators use every day
- When working in Word stops making sense
- My plain advice on choosing a CAT tool
- Frequently asked questions
The best CAT tool depends on how you work: a free open source tool suits freelancers starting out, a desktop CAT tool suits professional translators, and a translation management platform suits agencies and in-house localisation teams. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Translators don't retype the same sentence twice if they can help it. Computer assisted translation tools remember every segment you've translated, suggest matches, keep terminology consistent and let you get on with the hard bits that need a human.
The eleven CAT tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from free open source tools to platforms used by global brands. Every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. If you're wondering how far AI alone can go, my roundup of AI translators for business covers that side.
CAT tools at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free app or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| CafeTran Espresso | Computer assisted translation tool | Freelancers who like a flexible tool | Trial only |
| Déjà Vu | CAT tool from Atril | Teams sharing memories on a network | Yes |
| Matecat | Free online CAT tool | A free browser-based CAT tool | Yes |
| memoQ | Translation and localisation management | Agencies and in-house language teams | Trial only |
| OmegaT | Free translation memory tool | Open source desktop translation | Yes |
| Phrase | AI language platform for localisation | Routing content to the right engine | Not stated |
| Smartcat | AI platform for global content | AI translation with human review | Trial only |
| Trados Studio | Translation technology from RWS | Established desktop translation work | Trial only |
| Wordbee | Translation management platform | Growing localisation teams | Not stated |
| Wordfast Pro | Standalone translation memory tool | Mac, Windows and Linux users | Not stated |
| XTM Cloud | AI localisation platform | Brand rules built into translation | Not stated |
Eleven CAT tools to consider
CafeTran Espresso
Best for: Freelance translators who want a feature-rich CAT tool that's fun to use, with an AI assistant added on top.
Déjà Vu
Best for: Translators working in teams who want to share translation memories and terminology databases over a local network.
Matecat
Best for: Freelancers and agencies that want a free, browser-based CAT tool with machine translation matches and terminology checks built in.
memoQ
Best for: Language service providers and in-house teams that want translation management with in-country reviewers working inside the system.
OmegaT
Best for: Translators who want a free, open source translation memory tool released under the GNU General Public License.
Phrase
Best for: Enterprise localisation teams that want a platform choosing between machine translation engines and LLMs for each piece of content.
Smartcat
Best for: Companies that want AI translation in hundreds of languages, with human workflows and a long list of integrations.
Trados Studio
Best for: Professional translators and agencies that want an established desktop CAT tool, with regular Trados Studio releases and support from RWS.
Wordbee
Best for: Localisation teams of any size that want one platform to automate workflows, manage linguists and translate at scale.
Wordfast Pro
Best for: Agencies and translators on Windows, Mac or Linux who want a standalone translation memory tool that opens complex publishing formats.
XTM Cloud
Best for: Global brands that want content translated, scored and routed automatically, with their brand rules applied to every decision.
Desktop CAT tool or translation management platform?
Desktop CAT tools are built for the person translating: segments, translation memory, termbases and quality checks in one window. Translation management platforms add projects, workflows, vendors and integrations with websites and content systems, which suits agencies and in-house teams.
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.
Freelancers often need both worlds, because clients send work through their own platforms. Check which formats and platforms your main clients use before you choose.
What ISO 17100 does and doesn't cover
ISO says the use of raw output from machine translation plus post-editing is outside the scope of ISO 17100:2015, the standard for translation services.
That matters if a client asks for ISO 17100 work. A machine translation pass with light editing won't count, whichever tool you use. Your CAT tool should make the human translation and revision steps easy to show.
Questions to ask before you switch
- Which file formats does it open, including desktop publishing files?
- Can I import my existing translation memories and termbases?
- How does it handle machine translation and AI suggestions?
- Does it work offline, online or both?
- Can I share memories with a team or a client?
- Which client platforms can it exchange packages with?
Features translators use every day
- Translation memory. Earlier work comes back as suggestions.
- Termbases. The client's preferred terms stay consistent.
- Quality checks. Numbers, tags and spacing errors get flagged.
- Format support. You translate the file, not a copy and paste.
When working in Word stops making sense
Repeated content, long manuals, strict terminology and clients sending updates to documents you've already translated are the usual triggers. Once those are regular, a CAT tool pays back the learning time quickly.
Do you make translation software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a CAT tool
Freelancers should start with the tool their main clients use, or one that exchanges files with it cleanly. A free tool is a fine way to learn, but compatibility with clients is what keeps work flowing.
Agencies and in-house teams should test with a real project, including review and delivery back to the content system. The best workflow is the one your reviewers will use without complaint. My article on common business translation mistakes lists the errors a good process catches.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CAT tool?
A computer assisted translation tool helps human translators work faster and more consistently, using translation memory, termbases and quality checks.
Is a CAT tool the same as machine translation?
No. A CAT tool supports a human translator. Many now include machine translation suggestions, but the translator decides what goes into the final text.
Is there a free CAT tool?
Yes. OmegaT is free and open source, Matecat describes itself as completely free, and Déjà Vu offers a free edition. Check the table for each tool.
What is translation memory?
It's a database of sentences you've already translated. When a similar sentence appears again, the tool suggests your earlier translation.
Do translation agencies need a translation management system?
Usually, yes. Once you're managing many linguists, clients and files, a platform with workflows and integrations saves a lot of manual work.
Does ISO 17100 allow machine translation?
ISO says raw machine translation output plus post-editing is outside the scope of ISO 17100:2015.
