16 online translation tools

recommended by translators
Search recuits performed by Google

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2016 and has been updated
in October 2019.

The translation process can often be somewhat tedious—sometimes covering a

multitude of topics, requiring extensive research and contextual knowledge.
Fortunately, the digital revolution triggered the creation of tools, software and
resources that helps ease the burden of translation and improve efficiency,
consistency and quality. Below is a list of translation tools that are recommended by
translators, for translators.

1. Linguee: A crowd favorite, this unique translation tool combines a

dictionary with a search engine, so you can search for bilinguals texts, words and
expressions in different languages to check meanings and contextual
translations. Linguee also searches the web for relevant translated documents and
shows you how a word is being translated throughout the internet. It is often used in
conjunction with Google Images to help translators and language learners alike.

2. SDL Trados Studio : The most recommended

computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool by Gengo Wordsmiths, SDL Trados is a
wise investment for full-time translators. This software features TM,
terminology, machine translation and software localization. Most large agencies
require translators to work with one of the established CAT tools, so using SDL
Trados could also increase your client base and broaden your horizons. If you need
time to decide before purchase, try a free demo version for 30 days.

3. The Free Dictionary:Available in a wide variety of

languages, this comprehensive site is a dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedia in
one. Get free access to medical, financial and legal dictionaries, an extensive
collection of idioms, acronyms, quotes, and several languages besides English, such
as Spanish, French, Portuguese and Japanese. The encyclopedia also has sections
updated regularly, providing users a word or article of the day. The free mobile
application is compatible with iOS and Android devices.

4. Fluency Now :Fluency Now Professional is a premium CAT

tool and translation memory software created for individual freelancers. Available for
$9.95 per month, it’s compatible with Mac, Windows and Linux operating systems.
For organizations, Fluency Now Enterprise gives access to extra features like
Fluency Flow, a project management solution. It also provides a built-in proofreading
software and project and document statistics.

5. ProZ: If you prefer interaction and crowdsourcing, then ProZ should be

your go-to resource. Home to the world’s largest translation network, ProZ is a portal
for professional translators who wish to collaborate on terms translation, dictionaries,
training as well as receive access to discounts on translation tools. Translators can
ask questions and join forum discussions, too.

6. MemoQ: A translation software designed for freelance

translators, MemoQ offers a number of powerful functions that enable you to reuse
previous translations. It also has features to help improve quality, check consistency
and ensure the use of correct terminology. The 2015 version also has a faster spell-
checking feature. See if it works for you by trying the free demo version for 45 days.

7. Memsource: A TM database integrated with Gengo to improve

efficiency, Memsource is a cloud-based translation environment that provides an
effective and efficient project-management tool. Users can further optimize their
translation productivity using features like TM, editing and terminology management
all within the platform.

8. Translators Café: An online community and forum where

you can ask questions and advice from experienced translators. Registration is free
for both professional and amateur translators, and members of Translators Café can
bid and acquire jobs at no extra cost. Employers may contact the freelancers based
on their bids or they can provide their information to translators. Payments are paid
directly to freelancers with no escrow accounts.

9. Zanata: A web-based system for translators, content creators and

developers to manage localization projects, Zanata handles the entire translation
workflow and allows translators to focus on translations, not tools and formats. Its TM
also finds and suggests the best translation matches in the entire system. Zanata’s
Editor works on any web browser with no installation necessary. Multiple translators
can also work on the Editor, with a chat room for real-time communication.

10. WordFast Pro : Wordfast Pro is a standalone, multi-

platform TM tool designed to improve the translation process, for anyone from project
managers to freelance translators. Unlike other CAT tools, translators can import and
export TMs even with the demo version and can be used for an unlimited time. The
only limitation is the size of the translation memory (500 units). There’s no need to
pay extra for tutorials and support and they provide excellent customer support.

11. SmartCAT: A collaborative CAT tool, SmartCAT streamlines

the translation process by allowing the translator, editor, and other contributors to
work and collaborate in real time. This cloud-based software leverages the concept
of translation memories (TM) and allows translators to create glossaries for
consistent translations. In addition, SmartCAT now supports multilingual translation
memories, which makes creating and managing TMs easier than with some desktop
applications. This feature can also be beneficial for translators working in mixed
language pairs.

12. Magic Search: For quicker terminology searches, Magic

Search is a multilingual search engine that provides one-page search results of
multiple dictionaries and other sources for different language pairs. It searches
multiple sources such as Word Reference, TAUS, IETA, EUdict, and more. Users
may also install a Google Chrome extension in their browser and customize the list of
dictionaries and sources they’d like to search.

13. IATE (Interactive Terminology for

Europe): Launched in 1999, IATE, which stands for Interactive
Terminology for Europe, is the European Union’s inter-institutional terminology
database. This useful resource ensures the consistency and quality of all EU-related
written communication. It plays a vital role for translators and language professionals
as it covers all 23 official European languages, with 8.4 million terms EU-specific
terms, 540,000 abbreviations and 130,000 phrases. Users can rate the reliability of
the terms, which are fed into the database by EU terminologists and translators.

14. Microsoft Language Portal: For translators

specializing in IT and software, the Microsoft Language Portal lets users search
translations of key Microsoft terms and general IT terminology. The term base
contains approximately 25,000 defined terms, including English definitions, translated
in up to 100 languages. Users can also download the Microsoft Terminology
Collection featuring standard terminology terms used across Microsoft products, as
well as UI translations, Microsoft Style Guides, and the Microsoft Terminology
Service API.

15. OmegaT: A free translation memory tool, OmegaT is an open-

source software that allows translators to work more efficiently through fuzzy
matching (computer-assisted translation) and automatic match propagation. This tool
also uses multiple translation memories simultaneously and allows users to process
multiple file projects at the same time. Its powerful tools include the Unicode (UTF-8)
support that can be used with non-Latin alphabets; an integral spell checker, and
compatibility with other translation memory applications.

16. Website Word Count: This is a free online tool that

you can use to calculate repetitions and new words on the websites which are built
on WordPress platform. From the developer of Website Word Count herself, Hanna
Sles: “I receive many requests daily for English to Russian translation, mostly for
website localization. To make it easier to count repetitions and new words on my
website, I developed this tool to help translators and customers save their time and
efforts. At the end of this year, I am planning to upgrade my tool so that it can also
get word counts for websites on other platforms.”