Machine translation tools
Translate text and files. 4 tools we track, checked .
Short answer page: What's the best machine translation tool?
Ranked by fit for solo businesses: tools we profile in depth first, then those used in our research notes, then the rest. Affiliate status never changes the order.
- 1
DeepL
Pick this if you want first-pass professional translation.
Machine translation known for natural-sounding results, with document translation.
Free plan + paid plans · Free plan: Yes · $0 · then €7.49/mo billed annually (shown for Germany) · Difficulty 1/5
- 2
Google Translate
Pick this if you want free quick translation in many languages.
Free translation for text, documents, websites and images.
Free · Free plan: Yes · Difficulty 1/5
- 3
Smartcat
Pick this if you want translation projects with reviewers.
Translation platform combining AI translation with human linguists.
Free plan + paid plans · Free plan: Yes · Difficulty 2/5
- 4
Matecat
Pick this if you want free professional translation workspace.
Free, open-source online CAT tool for translators.
Free · Free plan: Yes
Side-by-side
| Tool | Pricing model | Free plan | Starting price | Difficulty | Output rights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeepL | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | $0 · then €7.49/mo billed annually (shown for Germany) | 1/5 | Not a content generator | First-pass professional translation |
| Google Translate | Free | Yes | Free | 1/5 | – | Free quick translation in many languages |
| Smartcat | Free plan + paid plans | Yes | See official site | 2/5 | – | Translation projects with reviewers |
| Matecat | Free | Yes | Free | – | – | Free professional translation workspace |
"Starting price" is shown only for tools we profile in depth, where we read the official pricing page on . For the others, check the official site.