5 best AI localization and translation tools [2024]

Updated Jan 15 2024

In today's interconnected digital landscape, global outreach is no longer a luxury but a necessity for businesses aspiring to make a mark. Tapping into international markets means communicating in various languages and understanding distinct cultural nuances. Enter AI localization tools. These tools aren't just about word-to-word translation but ensuring content hits the mark in every locale.

• Beyond just translating words, successful international businesses must understand and adapt to cultural, social, and regional nuances.

• AI translation tools of 2024 for high-quality translations include Google Translate, DeepL, ChatGPT, Bing Microsoft Translator, and Smartling.

• Businesses should define their requirements before deciding on an AI translation software, test for accuracy, evaluate pricing, and read reviews.

• AI-powered translation tools provide speed, consistency, and scalability. However, human touch remains essential for content that is culturally dense or has nuanced meanings.

• Gelato offers a decentralized manufacturing solution, cutting delivery times and costs while catering to local market nuances. It is ideal for businesses seeking efficient global product creation and delivery without the upfront cost of inventory or the hassles of translations.

Cultural nuances: Beyond the literal translation, content must be adapted to fit the cultural, social, and regional intricacies of each market. Something humorous in one language might be offensive in another. Localization, with the help of an effective neural machine translation service, takes these sensitivities into account.

Language proficiency: Not all target audience members in a non-English-speaking country will be proficient in English. Localizing content through text and speech translation allows businesses to cater to a broader audience, ensuring everyone feels included and catered to.

Regional preferences: Colors, images, symbols, and even certain words or phrases can have different connotations in various regions. For instance, while white might be associated with purity in some cultures, it might be linked with mourning in others. Proper localization acknowledges and respects these regional preferences.

1. Google Translate

Google Translate, a free service by Google, breaks language barriers by instantly translating text across over 100 languages. Utilizing advanced machine learning, it empowers users to communicate and access information globally, albeit with varying levels of accuracy depending on the language pair.

Features

• Text translation: Allows users to input text in one language and get an instant translation in their desired language.

• Speech translation: Using voice recognition, Google Translate can transcribe and translate spoken words on the go.

• Image translation: Using image recognition, users can snap a picture, and Google Translate can translate any recognized text within that image.

• Offline translation: This feature enables translations without an internet connection, making it handy for travelers.

Advantages

• Comprehensive language support: Google Translate supports over 100 languages, encompassing many global dialects.

• User-friendly interface: It boasts a clean, intuitive interface, making it accessible even for the technologically uninitiated.

• Continuous learning: Leveraging the power of machine learning, Google Translate continually refines its translations based on user feedback.

Potential drawbacks

• Nuanced translations: While Google Translate is excellent for essential translations, it can occasionally miss cultural nuances or idiomatic phrases.

• Dependence on the internet: Though offline translations are available for some languages, the feature doesn’t support all languages.

Pricing

Google Translate is primarily a free tool. However, the Google Cloud Translation API, meant for developers and businesses, does come with a cost based on the volume of characters translated.

Accuracy

With the continuous enhancement through machine learning, Google Translate’s accuracy has improved exponentially over the years. However, for professional or official documents, human proofreading is recommended post-translation.

Ease of use

One of Google Translate's strengths is its straightforward, user-centric design. Whether accessing it via the web, mobile application, or integrated third-party apps, the user experience remains seamless.

2. DeepL

DeepL is an AI-driven translation powerhouse that has emerged as a formidable competitor in translation. Let's find out what makes DeepL a top contender, its core features, and potential areas where it might fall short.

Features

• Text translation: At its core, DeepL provides high-quality text translations, leveraging advanced neural networks to capture the intricacies of languages.

• Document translation: Unlike many other tools, DeepL allows users to upload entire documents (including their formatting) for translation, saving time and ensuring consistency.

• Neural networks and deep learning: DeepL's engine is based on the latest advancements in neural machine translation and deep learning, enabling it to provide translations that often feel more "natural" than competitors.

Advantages

• Superior translation quality: Many side-by-side comparisons have shown that DeepL often outperforms other translation tools to capture nuances and provide contextually accurate translations.

• Data privacy: DeepL commits to a high standard of data privacy, ensuring users that their translations are not stored and are kept confidential.

• User-friendly interface: The platform is designed with user experience in mind, offering an intuitive layout that even non-tech-savvy individuals can easily navigate.

Potential drawbacks

• Limited language support: DeepL, while offering impeccable quality, still has a more limited range of languages compared to giants like Google Translate, which can translate text to and from numerous languages.

• Pricing for advanced features: Access to some of DeepL’s advanced features, especially for business purposes, can come at a premium price.

Pricing

DeepL Free offers a limited number of translated characters per day. DeepL Pro is a subscription model ranging from $10.49 to $68.99, which includes unlimited translations, priority access to new features, and no advertisements. 

Accuracy

DeepL's standout feature is its superior translation accuracy, often providing translations that sound native. However, it's always recommended to have professional or business documents proofread by humans for optimal accuracy.

Ease of use

DeepL's interface is streamlined, clean, and intuitive. The process is smooth and hassle-free, whether you’re translating a single sentence or an entire document.

3. ChatGPT

Often recognized for its conversational abilities, its prowess in localization and translation cannot be overlooked. Let's uncover the facets of ChatGPT that position it as a compelling choice for businesses and individuals alike.

Features

• Conversational AI: ChatGPT's primary strength lies in its ability to generate human-like text based on input. This makes it invaluable for real-time translations in conversations.

• Contextual understanding: Unlike straightforward translation tools, ChatGPT understands the context, ensuring the translations aren't just literal and make sense in conversations.

• Integration capabilities: ChatGPT can be integrated into various platforms and apps, offering on-the-spot translations with the right set-up.

Advantages

• Real-time translations: For dynamic conversations, especially in customer support or interactive sessions, ChatGPT offers instantaneous translations.

• Wide language spectrum: While it may not have started as a core translation tool, its expansive training ensures it covers a wide range of languages.

• Customization: For businesses, there's the potential to fine-tune ChatGPT to cater to specific jargon or industry terminologies, ensuring accurate translations.

Potential drawbacks

• Not exclusively a translation tool: ChatGPT is primarily recognized for its conversational abilities, so it might not encompass the exhaustive features of dedicated translation platforms.

• Requires calibration: To achieve the highest accuracy, especially in niche sectors, ChatGPT might need some initial training and calibration.

Pricing

Typically, there's a freemium model with basic capabilities and premium subscriptions offering advanced features. The premium subscription starts at $20 a month. 

Accuracy

While ChatGPT exhibits high accuracy in conversational contexts and general translations for official or sensitive documents, human touch for proofreading might still be advisable.

Ease of use

Given its primary design as a user-friendly conversational model, engaging with ChatGPT is intuitive. Even for translation purposes, users find the platform straightforward to navigate.

4. Bing Microsoft Translator

Bing Microsoft Translator sets out to cater to a broad spectrum of personal and business needs. Let's understand what positions Bing Microsoft Translator as an excellent AI translation tool in 2024.

Features of Bing Microsoft Translator

• Multi-platform compatibility: Bing Microsoft Translator is versatile, available on web browsers, as a standalone app, and integrated into several Microsoft applications, like Word and PowerPoint.

• Text, voice, and image translation: Apart from conventional text translations, it also offers voice and image-based translations, making it suitable for varied contexts.

• Real-time conversation mode: This feature allows multiple participants to join a conversation and receive translations in their preferred language for live scenarios.

Advantages

• Comprehensive language support: With support for over 70 languages, it covers a broad spectrum, ensuring most global communication needs are met.

• Integration with Microsoft Suite: Integrating the translator tool offers additional convenience for businesses already using Microsoft products.

• Offline mode: Unlike many competitors, Bing Microsoft Translator offers offline translations, which are essential for travelers or those in connectivity-limited regions.

Potential drawbacks

• Dependency on Microsoft ecosystem: While integration with Microsoft products is a strength, those not within the Microsoft ecosystem might find it less flexible than standalone translation platforms.

• Occasional contextual errors: No AI translator is perfect, and users have noted occasional contextual or idiomatic translation missteps.

Pricing

Bing Microsoft Translator is largely free for personal use. 

Starting at $2k a month, a tiered pricing model based on the number of characters translated for businesses requiring the API for heavy-duty tasks is typically implemented.

Accuracy

The accuracy of Bing Microsoft Translator is commendable for general translations. However, as with any AI tool, highly specialized or nuanced content might benefit from human oversight.

Ease of use

Its user-friendly interface and integrations into commonly used Microsoft applications make the translation process intuitive. New users often find it easy to start and make it an integral part of their communication toolkit.

5. Smartling

Enter Smartling, an AI-powered solution that caters to the modern, international enterprise. Let's explore Smartling in depth and unravel insights that can aid decision-making.

Features

• Cloud-based translation management system: Smartling operates from the machine translation cloud service, allowing users to manage, collaborate, and track translation projects in real time.

• Contextual translation with visuals: One of its standout features is that Smartling lets translators view content just like human translators in its final layout format, ensuring context is maintained.

• Automation: Smartling boasts of advanced workflow automation, streamlining the translation process by determining which content needs translation and dispatching it to the right personnel or machine translation.

Advantages

• Human and machine collaboration: Smartling facilitates a collaborative platform where human-led translation services can refine AI-driven translations, ensuring higher accuracy.

• Real-time monitoring: Its dashboard offers a real-time overview of project status, costs, and other analytics.

• Contextual accuracy: Translators can view content as it appears to end-users, so translations are more contextually apt and nuanced.

Potential drawbacks

• Learning curve: Given its extensive features, new users might face a learning curve, especially if they are new to Translation Management Systems.

• Pricing for small businesses: While it's a comprehensive tool, smaller businesses or individual users might find the pricing steeper.

Pricing

Smartling offers a tiered pricing model based on the usage scale and required features. It's advisable to consult directly with Smartling or its authorized distributors to get an exact quote based on specific needs.

Accuracy

Leveraging both AI and human expertise, Smartling promises high accuracy. However, like any translation tool, the results for idiomatic or culturally dense content should be reviewed by native or expert speakers.

Ease of use

Once past the initial learning curve, users find Smartling's interface intuitive. The dashboard is user-friendly, and the platform offers numerous resources and support to aid first-timers.

• Define your requirements: Your choice will vary based on the volume of content you need to handle. Not all tools excel in every language. Identify the primary languages you're targeting and ensure your device of choice supports them effectively.

• Evaluate features: Ensure the tool seamlessly integrates with your existing content management systems, ecommerce platforms, and other essential software.

• Consider pricing and scalability: While it might be tempting to go for a tool with the most features, ensure it aligns with your budget. Remember, expensive doesn't always mean better.

• Read reviews and seek recommendations: Check online customer reviews, and if possible, seek recommendations from peers in your industry. First-hand experiences can provide invaluable insights.

In an age where international businesses must be agile, responsive, and customer-centric, finding solutions that facilitate these qualities becomes crucial. Gelato, a global print on demand platform, has emerged as a beacon for enterprises looking to streamline their product creation and delivery process on an international scale without losing their purpose in 'translation'.

Gelato's network spans across 100+ countries. This massive reach ensures that businesses can tap into local markets with ease. Instead of centralizing production and shipping worldwide, Gelato decentralizes the manufacturing process. The result? Faster delivery times, reduced shipping costs, and a significantly decreased carbon footprint. Gelato provides businesses with the tools to be genuinely global yet unmistakably local. Gelato's global alliance of print partners facilitates localized output of various products, including t-shirts, mugs, phone cases, and wall art.

By leveraging POD services, businesses can effortlessly cater to the diverse cultural nuances of different regions. Moreover, Gelato's compatibility with ecommerce platforms makes it incredibly user-friendly for businesses. So, sign up for Gelato today.