- Free Google Translate vs the paid Cloud Translation API
- Google Translate document limits
- How to use Google Translate offline for free
- When Google Translate stops being free
- Is the free version good enough for business?
- What the Cloud Translation API doesn't charge for
- Free ways a small business can use Google Translate
- My advice
- Frequently asked questions
Yes, Google Translate is free on the website and the app, including document translation and offline languages. You only pay if you use Google's Cloud Translation API, and even then the first 500,000 characters a month are free as a $10 credit as of October 2026.
I use Google Translate with clients who sell into new countries and want a quick read of a reply, a review or a supplier document. For that, it costs nothing. The confusion starts when someone searches "Google Translate pricing" and lands on the Cloud Translation page, which is a different product for developers.
Free Google Translate vs the paid Cloud Translation API
| Google Translate (website and app) | Cloud Translation API | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Anyone translating text, documents or signs | Developers building translation into a website or app |
| Cost | Free | First 500,000 characters a month free (as a $10 credit), then charged |
| Documents | Up to 10 MB; PDFs up to 300 pages | Priced per page sent |
| Billing | None | Monthly, by characters processed |
Google Translate document limits
Google's Translate help page sets out the limits for translating whole files on a computer:
- Files can be up to 10 MB.
- Accepted formats are .docx, .pdf, .pptx and .xlsx.
- PDF files must be 300 pages or less.
- Text inside images and scanned PDF pages comes through in the output document, but it isn't translated.
- Document translation isn't available on smaller screens or mobile.
That scanned PDF point catches people out. If a supplier sends you a scanned contract, Google Translate's document tool won't translate it. You'll need to get the text out first. If you work in Word, my guide to translating a document in Word is another free route.
How to use Google Translate offline for free
- Connect to Wi-Fi first. Google's help page says to do this before you download languages.
- Open the Translate app on your Android phone or tablet and choose the languages you'll need.
- Download them to your device.
- Translate without an internet connection. Google says that once a language is downloaded you may also be able to translate it by pointing your camera at text.
When Google Translate stops being free
Charges only apply to the Cloud Translation API. Google's pricing page, as of October 2026, says you're charged monthly for the amount of content it processes, and for the standard model you pay by the number of input characters per target language.
- Free allowance: the first 500,000 characters a month, applied as a $10 credit every month.
- The catch: that credit is shared across Cloud Translation Basic and Advanced, doesn't roll over, and doesn't apply to formatted document translations.
- After the allowance: the listed rate is $20 per million characters for the standard model, with lower rates at higher volumes.
- Documents through the API: priced per page, starting at $0.08 per page sent.
So a small business adding a translate button to its own website could stay inside the free credit for a while. A big document job through the API is a different story, because that credit won't cover formatted documents at all.
Is the free version good enough for business?
For reading, it's excellent. For anything you'll publish, I'd always get a human to check it. If you want to compare quality before you decide, my DeepL vs Google Translate comparison shows where each one does better, and this roundup of AI translators covers the rest.
What the Cloud Translation API doesn't charge for
If you do use the API, a few details on Google's pricing page work in your favour:
- If you don't specify a source language, Cloud Translation detects it for you, and Google says there's no extra charge for that detection. You're only charged for the text you provided.
- Google says it doesn't charge for other requests such as creating a glossary.
- Prices are pro rata, so charges scale with the amount of content you send rather than jumping in big blocks.
- Custom model training is billed separately: Google lists $45 an hour, with a maximum of $300 for each training job, as of October 2026.
Free ways a small business can use Google Translate
- Read reviews and comments from customers who write in another language.
- Check supplier emails and quotes before you reply.
- Draft a reply in your own language, translate it, then ask a native speaker to check anything important.
- Translate product sheets and documents you receive, as long as they're not scanned.
- Download the languages you need before a trip so you can translate offline.
Heading abroad? Learning the basics beats translating every sentence, so see the best language learning apps.
My advice
Use the free Google Translate website and app for everyday work, and download your key languages before you travel. Don't touch the Cloud Translation API unless you're building translation into your own site or app, and if you do, remember the free credit doesn't cover formatted documents. For scanned files, get the text out first or the tool will hand them back untranslated.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Google Translate free to use?
Yes. The Google Translate website and app are free, including document translation and offline languages. Only the Cloud Translation API for developers is charged.
What is the file size limit in Google Translate?
Google's help page says you can translate documents up to 10 MB in .docx, .pdf, .pptx and .xlsx formats, and PDFs must be 300 pages or less.
Can Google Translate translate a scanned PDF?
No. Google says text in images and scanned PDF pages appears in the output document, but it isn't translated.
How much does the Google Translate API cost?
As of October 2026, the first 500,000 characters a month are free as a $10 credit, and after that the listed rate is $20 per million characters for the standard model.
Can I use Google Translate without internet?
Yes. On Android you can download languages to your device and translate offline. Google says to connect to Wi-Fi before you download them.
Is there a word limit on Google Translate's document tool?
Google's help page sets the limit by file size and pages rather than words: documents up to 10 MB, and PDFs of 300 pages or less.
Does Google charge for language detection in the Translate API?
No. Google's pricing page says that if you don't specify a source language, Cloud Translation detects it for you with no extra charge, and you're only charged for the text you provided.
