Translation platforms and “self-service” translation – Part 2

So what’s out there?

Maybe you’ve heard about translation platforms or are intrigued by the idea of “self-service” translation but don’t know how they work or what benefits they can offer? We’re here to provide all the answers! In this blog series, we’ll be exploring translation platforms and whether they’re right for you. Here, we’ve put together an overview of some of the biggest names on the market. If you want a reminder of what self-service translation platforms are, check out part 1 !

Text United

This Austrian-based company was founded a little over ten years ago and offers a self-service, cloud-based translation management system (TMS).

• Customers manage their translations via a desktop app and there’s web-based access as well
• Handy in-built translation workflow tracker
• Online and in person training as well as webinars and documents and a support team to teach users how to work with the system
• Monthly/annual payment plan depending on volume

What users say:

• Excellent customer service and support

Phrase

Phrase offers a web-based TMS for web and mobile applications with an offering aimed principally at software developers. The company was founded in Germany in 2012.

• Focus is on web and app translation and localisation
• Supports a wide range of file types and programming languages
• Online training and webinars to teach users how to work with the system
• Monthly/annual payment plan depending on the number of users

What users say:

• The large number of features can make the interface difficult to get used to
• Can be pricey for large teams of users

Transifex

This US company was founded in 2009 and markets itself as a localisation automation platform aimed at developers and marketers.

• Cloud-based TMS
• Customisable translation workflow
• Allows customers to group their translators into teams
• Supports teamwork with six roles to be assigned
• Monthly/annual payment plan depending on the number of users and hosted words

What users say:

• One of the pricier options on the market
• Some overly complicated features and bugs

Weglot

Founded in 2016, Weglot is the youngest company on our list. This Paris-based start-up specialises in website translation.

• Integrates many content management systems (CMS)
• In-website translation format (no coding)
• Easy to install on the website for translation
• Dedicated support for developers
• Monthly/annual packages depending on the number of words and languages

What users say:

• Excellent customer service
• Can get quite pricey for large, multi-lingual projects

To sum up

We hope our guide has given you a better idea of what translation platforms offer and what they’re best for. Self-managing translation projects can be unexpectedly time-consuming and if you’re not sure whether managing your own translation projects is for you, part 3 in this series will provide the answers: Platform or translation agency?  There we discuss the pros and cons of self-service translation and traditional language service providers so you can make an informed decision.