In today’s interconnected world, businesses are increasingly looking to expand their reach beyond domestic markets. Whether it’s translating marketing content, legal documents, or software interfaces, the need for reliable and efficient translation tools has never been greater. The United States, as a global economic powerhouse, is home to numerous companies that require seamless multilingual communication. This article explores the top 20 translation software tools available in the U.S., highlighting their features, pricing, and user reviews.

Redokun: A User-Friendly Translation Management System

Redokun is a cloud-based translation management system (TMS) and computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool designed for businesses that handle documents and marketing content. It’s particularly popular among marketing agencies, global enterprises, and translators. One of its standout features is the ease of use, which minimizes the learning curve for new users.

• Key Features:
• Smart revisions for quick document updates
• Seamless collaboration with import/export capabilities

• Pre-translate documents using translation memories and machine translation

• Pricing: Free 14-day trial followed by a subscription starting at $125 per month.

• User Reviews: Users praise its intuitive interface and responsive support team. However, some note that it lacks advanced automation features compared to other tools.

Smartcat: A Versatile TMS for Marketing and Web Content

Smartcat is another cloud-based TMS and CAT tool suitable for marketing content and website assets. It offers a free version with limitations on CTA tools but provides robust collaboration features.

• Key Features:
• Integrated vendor marketplace
• Automatic billing and international transactions

• Collaboration tools for teams

• Pricing: Starts at $249 per month, with a freemium model available.

• User Reviews: While users appreciate the design and user-friendliness, some find it lacking in certain automation features. However, the development team consistently releases updates to enhance the user experience.

SDL Trados Studio: Industry Standard for Document Translation

SDL Trados Studio is a well-established desktop-based TMS and CAT tool, widely used by translation agencies and global enterprises. It offers advanced features such as predictive typing and spellchecking.

• Key Features:
• Suggests translations based on databases like translation memories and machine translation
• Advanced translator tools including predictive typing and punctuation checks

• Steep learning curve due to complex interface

• Pricing: One-time license fee of approximately $2,933.

• User Reviews: Many users prefer it due to its widespread use among clients, making information exchange easier. However, the interface can be challenging for beginners.

Lokalise: A Collaborative Web-Based Translation Editor

Lokalise is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool ideal for marketing content, website assets, and app localization. Its collaborative web-based editor allows teams to work on different iterations of the same file.

• Key Features:
• Document version control through branching
• Two-way plugins for Adobe XD, Sketch, and Figma

• Paid seats required for native speaker reviews

• Pricing: Starts at $90 per month.

• User Reviews: Most users report a positive experience in both translation and project management. However, the requirement for paid seats for native speaker reviews may be a drawback for some.

Text United: Efficient Localization with Machine Learning

Text United is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool that uses translation memories and machine translation to speed up content localization. It also supports audio and video translation using automated speech recognition technology.

• Key Features:
• Audio and video translation via automated speech recognition
• API integration and connectors for SharePoint and ZenDesk

• Spending reports for cost optimization

• Pricing: Starts at $71 per month.

• User Reviews: Users praise the reliable and friendly support team, along with the solid foundation of translation tools.

Transifex: Advanced Configurations for Software Localization

Transifex is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool tailored for website assets, app, and software localization. It offers advanced configurations for complex workflows, including a proofread step after translation.

• Key Features:
• Edit lock to prevent overwriting of documents
• Community translation where users suggest and vote on translations

• Integration with GitHub and Figma

• Pricing: Starts at $70 per month.

• User Reviews: Users appreciate the ease of connecting and sending content to be translated from GitHub and Figma, making it ideal for software localization.

LingoHub: Streamlining App and Website Translations

LingoHub is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool that specializes in streamlining translations for apps, games, and websites. It syncs with popular repositories like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket.

• Key Features:
• Translate and develop your app simultaneously
• Syncs with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket

• Intuitive interface and versatile API

• Pricing: Starts at $29 per month.

• User Reviews: Users like the intuitive interface and versatile API, which makes software development more straightforward.

Smartling: Comprehensive Translation Solutions for Large Enterprises

Smartling is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool suitable for large global companies. It covers basic CAT tools like translation memories and pre-translation, and supports integration with various software and tools.

• Key Features:
• Download design application plugins for Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Sketch, and Figma
• Generate reports and analytics within the software

• Steep learning curve

• Pricing: Starts at $200 per month.

• User Reviews: Users love the flexibility to configure translation workflows based on other platforms they are using, but the learning curve can be steep.

Phrase: Scalable Platform for Web and Mobile App Localization

Phrase is a cloud-based software localization platform that supports localization across various platforms and programming languages. It syncs with popular repositories like Bitbucket, GitHub, and GitLab.

• Key Features:
• Adapts to existing tools like Slack and WordPress through plugins
• Enables branching and versioning

• Highly scalable for small to large projects

• Pricing: Starts from $23 per user per month.

• User Reviews: Users report that it’s highly scalable but can be challenging to organize and locate content.

Crowdin: Free and Flexible for App and Website Localization

Crowdin is a cloud-based localization management platform that allows free usage, though translations are donated to its translation memory database. It syncs with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure.

• Key Features:
• Integrated with Google Play, Android Studio, and VS Code
• Get translations from internal teams or Crowdin Marketplace agencies

• Flexible subscription plans

• Pricing: Starts from $40 per month.

• User Reviews: Users appreciate the comprehensive features but note that more flexible subscription plans would help optimize costs.

Weglot: Website Localization with SEO Support

Weglot is a cloud-based localization management system focused on website localization. It automatically detects and marks website content for translation and is compatible with CMS like WordPress and Shopify.

• Key Features:
• Compatible with WordPress, Shopify, and custom-built sites
• Accounts for multilingual SEO, including titles, URLs, and metadata

• Responsive support team

• Pricing: Starts from $23 per month.

• User Reviews: Users generally report a positive experience with website integrations, SEO functions, and helpful support.

POEditor: Simple and Effective for App and Game Localization

POEditor is a cloud-based localization management platform suitable for app and game localization. It connects to software using a simple API and supports GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, and Azure.

• Key Features:
• Review translation history and recover previous translations
• Option to crowdsource translations

• Easy-to-use interface

• Pricing: $14.99 per month.

• User Reviews: Users find it good for web and mobile localization, but the experience can vary depending on specific needs.

Pairaphrase: Specialized in Text and Audio Translations

Pairaphrase is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool that processes text and audio translations. It supports 18 languages and offers voiceover translation.

• Key Features:
• Supports online collaboration and basic CAT tools
• Translation API for enterprises

• Voiceover translation for scripts

• Pricing: Starts from $2,199 per year.

• User Reviews: Some users report formatting issues with translated documents, but overall, it’s a reliable tool for text and audio translations.

GlobalLink: Comprehensive Localization for Mobile Apps and Games

GlobalLink is a cloud-based TMS that supports mobile app, website, and gaming localization. It integrates with content management systems, e-commerce, and marketing automation platforms.

• Key Features:
• Glossary, terminology, and translation memory management

• AI-enabled voiceover and subtitling for media localization

• Pricing: Not public; contact support for details.

• User Reviews: Users appreciate the prompt service team, but some mention minor workflow hiccups.

XTM Cloud: Efficient Translation for Websites and Documents

XTM Cloud is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool suitable for website assets and documents. It allows translation from content management systems and offers a clean view of content.

• Key Features:
• Translate and review content in context
• Mobile app for project managers

• Autosuggest feature for translations

• Pricing: Starts from $61 per month.

• User Reviews: Users appreciate the mobile app, but some request an autosuggest feature for translations.

OmegaT: Free and Open-Source for Freelance Translators

OmegaT is a free, open-source translation memory software and CAT tool suitable for freelance translators. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

• Key Features:
• Basic CAT tools like glossaries and translation memories

• Active community support

• Pricing: Free.

• User Reviews: While not as aesthetically pleasing as industry-standard tools, it offers great customization potential for tech-savvy users.

CafeTran Espresso: Productivity-Boosting for Translators

CafeTran Espresso is a desktop-based translation memory software for freelance translators. It boosts productivity with machine translation and smart autocompletion.

• Key Features:
• Alternative clipboard workflow for unsupported file formats

• Supports Windows, Mac, and Linux

• Pricing: Approximately $95 per year.

• User Reviews: Generally favorable, though some users face challenges when importing files from other CAT tools.

Matecat: Free and Open-Source for Freelancers

Matecat is a free, open-source CAT tool suitable for freelancers and language service providers. It offers unlimited users, projects, and storage.

• Key Features:
• Connects with a community of professional translators

• Free technical support via email

• Pricing: Free.

• User Reviews: Users raise concerns about lagging and privacy issues, but it remains a popular choice for budget-conscious translators.

Wordfast Pro: Professional CAT Tool for Enterprises

Wordfast Pro is a desktop-based CAT tool suitable for freelance or professional translators, language service providers, and enterprises. It offers unlimited translation memories and glossaries.

• Key Features:
• Option to set translation memories as primary or secondary references

• Supports import of translation packages from SDL Trados

• Pricing: $460 per license.

• User Reviews: While it supports SDL Trados packages, some users report compatibility issues. Overall, it’s a good introduction to CAT tools.

Swordfish Translation Editor: Budget-Friendly for Freelancers

Swordfish Translation Editor is a free, open-source CAT tool suitable for freelancers and professionals. It offers compatibility with exchange files from other CAT tools.

• Key Features:
• Compatibility with files from SDL Trados, GlobalLink, etc.

• Integrates external machine translation engines

• Pricing: $120 per year.

• User Reviews: Users appreciate the excellent support and free updates, though some note limitations in editing terminology bases directly from the software.

Transit NXT Professional+: Advanced Translation Memory for Complex Projects

Transit NXT Professional+ is a desktop-based translation memory software and CAT tool suitable for translators and project managers. It offers dynamic “bubble windows” for translation suggestions.

• Key Features:
• Dynamic “bubble windows” for translation suggestions

• Customizable layouts and taskbars

• Pricing: Not public; contact support for details.

• User Reviews: While the learning curve is steep, users appreciate the customizable features for translators.

Cloudwords: Scalable TMS for Global Enterprises

Cloudwords is a cloud-based TMS and CAT tool suitable for global enterprises. It offers huge storage for translation memories and integrates with various platforms.

• Key Features:
• Integrates with marketing automation, enterprise file sharing, and content management

• Collaborate remotely and track all edits

• Pricing: Not public; contact support for details.

• User Reviews: Users appreciate the simplicity, though the interface isn’t optimized for mobile use.

MetaTexis for Word: Affordable CAT Tool for Microsoft Word Users

MetaTexis for Word is a desktop-based CAT tool suitable for translators and small teams working primarily in Microsoft Word. It grants easy access to translation memories and glossaries.

• Key Features:
• Runs on Microsoft Word
• Provides free software updates

• Supports Word documents generated in SDL Trados

• Pricing: Starts from $45 per license.

• User Reviews: Freelancers love this inexpensive tool mostly because it can be used directly in Microsoft Word.

Ultimately, no amount of research and reviews can beat your own user experience. Most translation software can be tried for free, so definitely make full use of that! If eager to learn more, here are some related posts that might be helpful:

Happy translating,

Shu Ni