Do you need to translate something from Italian to Mandarin or Afrikaans to English?

Well, nothing beats a professional translator with years of experience.

However, if you can’t afford or do not have access to one, your best bet is to use one of the many translation apps available on the web.

Undoubtedly, Google Translate is at the top of the pile, as it helps over 200 million users every day. However, it does have some limitations.

For instance, not only does Google Translate support a limited range of file types, but you are also not able to customize its translation, and the information you give it is not secure.

For this reason, many people have asked the question, ‘What are the best Google Translate alternatives’?

In this post, we will take a look at 10 of the best.

Whether you’re launching your first website or looking to improve your existing translation processes, here are a few tools that can help you out.

1. Microsoft Translator

Microsoft Translator is a versatile translation application that is available for both business and personal use.

This app allows users to translate text, screenshots, photos, and voice in more than 60 languages. Impressively, this can all be done offline as well.

Users can choose to manually type the text to be translated, speak it out aloud, or take a picture of it.

As you would expect, Microsoft Translator is compatible with other Microsoft products such as Microsoft Office and Skype. In addition, a smartwatch application is also available for this app.

One of its neatest features is that you can save and store recent searches for future use.

Supported platforms: Windows, iOS, Android, Mac

2. Amazon Translate

Amazon Translate is a machine translation cloud-based service that can be sourced through Amazon Web Services (AWS).

It provides a user-friendly interface that you can access through the AWS Management Console or an API.

The service supports multiple file formats and has automatic language detection. Crucially, it also uses neural networks and advanced machine learning algorithms to produce high-quality and accurate translations.

That said, if you want highly specialized or complex documents translated, particularly on a professional level, this might not be as good a choice as a human translator.

However, for other tasks, Amazon Translate is available widely and can be integrated with other AWS services. Therefore, it can be a popular choice for businesses looking for a scalable and flexible translation solution.

Supported platforms: API, AWS Management Console 

3. GlobalLink Web

GlobalLink Web offers a comprehensive suite of translation and localization tools. 

With no-code implementation, the service promises unrestricted language access, an in-context editor tool, automated content translation, site traffic metrics, native formatting, unlimited users, and seamless integration with any CMS.

Although GlobalLink Web is not a free service, it offers tiered subscription levels — making it a good option for small businesses just getting started or large enterprises looking for customized services. 

When getting started, GlobalLink Web offers a free trial period of up to 30 days or 500,000 words served — allowing users to get a comprehensive look at the tool before monetarily committing to it.

Supported platforms: Android, Windows, iOS and Mac

4. Linguee

Linguee is a well-established web-based tool that has been around since 2009. It allows users to translate sentences or individual words and currently supports over 25 dialects.

As with any other Google Translate alternatives, you can also use it offline, which is handy if you are out in a remote location with limited Wi-Fi connectivity.

One unique aspect of Linguee is that it displays pairs of sentences in different languages from its web media. This way, you will quickly learn how a single term or phrase can be best used in a variety of situations.

This software is popular in Europe among legal firms due to its fundamental capabilities in German, French, and Dutch.

Supported platforms: Android, Windows, iOS and Mac

5. DeepL

Created by a German start-up company, DeepL Translator is a machine translation service that is enjoying fast growth.

One of the main reasons for this is that it has an interface with a beautiful design that is easy to use.

While you can translate both uploaded and manually typed texts, it does possess an automatic language detection system that fails occasionally. Despite this, the translations are generally accurate.

This system is powered by neural networks and artificial intelligence to ensure its correctness.

However, it does notably fall short of the standard of a professional translator, especially when dealing with creative, sophisticated, or specialized materials, uncommon language pairings, and subtle subtleties.

Supported platforms: Windows, Mac, Android and iOS

6. ChatGPT

Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence service that gained mainstream attention last year, in part for it’s translation abilities.

Known for its user-friendly interface, its main selling point is that it incorporates deep learning algorithms to generate high-quality translations in a much quicker timeframe than a traditional human translator could come up with.

As it can handle a huge range of languages, it is a great tool for individuals or businesses who require lots of text to be translated accurately and quickly.

Given that it is a relatively new piece of technology, ChatGPT is still essentially in the development phase. Therefore, it struggles with aspects like specialized terminology, complex syntax, and cultural sensitivity, which are all important parts of certain translation styles.

Supported platforms: Various platforms depending on your level of subscription

7. Yandex Translate

Yandex Translate is another of the more widely used Google Translate alternatives.

Developed by Yandex, the Russian internet giant, it allows you to translate webpages and text via an easy-to-use interface in just a couple of clicks.

Supporting several languages, including plenty in Asia and Eastern Europe, it generates accurate translations.

Therefore, it is a very popular choice for individuals and businesses who run a multi-lingual website.

Supported platforms: MacOS, Web, Android, iOS

8. iTranslate

Developed by Sonico Mobile, the innovative iTranslate software allows you to do everything from translating text and websites to looking up the meaning of words and even verb conjugations in more than 100 languages.

iTranslate has a really cool gesture-based control feature and also possesses the ability to convert Chinese characters to words that Westerners can more easily understand to facilitate much easier translation.

Essentially, it enables you to translate anything just by typing in text or talking voice-to-voice.

Supported platforms: Google Play, Windows, iOS, Android and Mac

9. Baidu Translate

In China, Baidu is the nation’s most popular search engine as Google is not available there.

Baidu Translate is similar to Google Translate and uses neural networks, which makes the translations very smooth in up to sixteen languages. It provides accurate translations, particularly for lengthy and complex documents.

Moreover, Baidu Translate offers a voice-based search feature that allows you to search using voice commands on your phone.

In September 2017, Baidu launched a portable talking translator that can listen and speak in different languages.

The handheld translator is smaller than a regular smartphone and can also function as a portable Wi-Fi router. This device is compatible with networks in 80 countries.

Supported platforms: iOS, Windows, Mac, and Android

10. Reverso Translation

Softissimo Inc. has developed a user-friendly software named Reverso Translation, which has gained the trust of more than 6 million users worldwide.

This software allows you to learn new words and phrases effortlessly and translate them into various languages, including English, German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Polish, Arabic, and Italian.

Aside from that, Reverso Translation provides an option to search for suggestive words and idiomatic phrases while inputting text. You can also share the translated content with others via email, Facebook, or Twitter. 

Moreover, this program assists in determining the correct pronunciation, which is why it is one of the best Google Translate alternatives out there.

Supported platforms: Windows, iOS, Android and Mac

Conclusion

If you are looking for Google Translate alternatives, there are literally thousands of options out there. The ten we have outlined in this list represent some of the best.

Whichever one you decide to use, we hope they can assist you with your translation requirements. 

However, we strongly recommend you make sure to do your due diligence and take advantage of full-featured options that offer a free trial, such as GlobalLink Web, to help you decide which will one will provide the greatest benefit to you before spending any money on them.