The best replacement depends on what you're translating. Software teams moving strings out of code need a translation management system that plugs into their repository. Marketing teams translating a website need something that works on live pages without code. Decide which job you have, then test how updates reach translators and come back.
Two quite different jobs hide under the words translation tool. One is translating the strings inside an app: button labels, error messages, settings screens. The other is translating a website full of pages that change every week. POEditor describes itself as a translation management system that mixes human expertise with AI, and it's firmly in the first camp. Here are eight alternatives, in no particular order, sorted by the job they're built for.
Software strings or website pages?
For apps and software
Lokalise, Localazy, Tolgee and SimpleLocalize are pitched at teams shipping software and apps. The aim is that new text reaches translators and comes back into the product without anyone copying and pasting, so ask each one how it connects to your development workflow.
Wider localisation platforms
Crowdin, Transifex and Lingohub present themselves as wider platforms, covering more of the localisation workflow and more kinds of content. They're worth a look for teams with several products or a dedicated localisation manager, so ask which glossary, memory and quality tools each includes.
For websites
Weglot works on websites rather than code. It's the one to look at if your main job is getting a marketing site into several languages without a developer.
The full list, from A to Z
Alphabetical and unranked. Each line reflects what the vendor says about its own product.
Crowdin
Best for: Teams wanting one localisation platform with the tools and integrations to translate software and wider content, as the vendor describes it.
Lingohub
Best for: Teams that want glossary, translation memory, quality checks and Git in one place, with an AI assistant drafting inside their files, per the vendor.
Localazy
Best for: Software makers who want AI to automate translation while people stay in charge of quality, according to the vendor.
Lokalise
Best for: Product teams that want localisation built into their development workflow so translated releases go out faster, per the vendor.
SimpleLocalize
Best for: Software teams localising web and mobile apps who want a lightweight system with a web editor, integrations and team collaboration.
Tolgee
Best for: Developers who want an open source localisation platform with in-app translation and collaboration tools, as the vendor describes it.
Transifex
Best for: Growing businesses wanting AI localisation that scales without piling on overhead, which is the vendor's own headline; ask to see it on your own files.
Weglot
Best for: Website owners who want their site translated with no code, then managed from one place, according to the vendor.
Eight localisation tools in a table
| Tool | Main job | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Crowdin | Localisation platform | Teams localising software and wider content in one place |
| Lingohub | Translation system of record | Glossaries, translation memory, checks and Git together |
| Localazy | Automated localisation | AI translation with people checking the quality |
| Lokalise | Continuous localisation | Plugging translation into the development workflow |
| SimpleLocalize | Lightweight translation management | Small software teams wanting a light web editor |
| Tolgee | Open source localisation | Developers translating inside the running app |
| Transifex | AI localisation platform | Growing businesses scaling translation with AI |
| Weglot | Website translation | Translating a website without touching code |
Keeping translations in step with your releases
Here's what decides whether a localisation tool works for you: how new text gets to translators, and how their work gets back into your product without breaking anything. Every tool on this list translates. Not all of them make the round trip painless.
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Watch for three things in a trial. First, does new text arrive automatically when a developer adds it, or does someone have to upload a file? Second, can translators see where the text appears, so they don't translate a button label as if it were a sentence? Third, when you change the source wording, does the tool flag the translations that need updating?
AI translation features are now everywhere in this space. They're useful for a first draft, and they're quick. Keep a person in the loop for anything customer-facing, and use a shared glossary so product names and key terms stay consistent across languages.
My advice for moving your translation work
Export everything before you go: every language file, your glossary and, if you can, your translation memory. Translation memory is years of approved wording, and losing it means paying translators to redo work they've already done. Most tools accept the common file formats, so ask each vendor which ones it imports.
Then run one real release through the new tool, from a developer adding text to a translated build. If you're also choosing human translators, my guide to the best online translation services for small businesses is a useful companion, and this piece on Japanese and English translation technology shows how much context matters.
Notes to send your translators before the switch
- Where they'll log in, and whether their old account details carry over.
- Which glossary and style guide to follow, and where to find them in the new tool.
- How screenshots or in-context previews will show where each string appears.
- Who to ask when a string is unclear, and how quickly they'll get an answer.
Do you make translation or localisation software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a translation management system?
It's software that stores the text you need translated, sends it to translators or machine translation, and keeps every language version in sync with the original.
What's the difference between translation and localisation?
Translation changes the words into another language. Localisation goes further, adapting dates, formats, images and tone so the product feels local to each market.
Can I use machine translation for my app?
For a first draft, yes. For anything customers read, have a fluent speaker review it, and keep a glossary so key terms stay consistent.
What is translation memory?
It's a database of sentences you've already translated. When the same or similar text comes up again, the tool reuses the approved version, which saves time and keeps wording consistent.
How do I move my translations to a new tool?
Export every language file in a common format, along with your glossary and translation memory, then import them and check a few screens in each language.
Do I need a developer to translate my website?
Not always. Some website translation tools work without code. App and software translation usually needs a developer to connect the tool to your code.
