AI translators have become powerful tools in global communication in recent years. These tools have changed the way people who speak different languages interact.
For instance, if you are visiting a country where the local language is Spanish, it can be challenging to understand what the locals say if you don’t know the language. But with a good AI tool/software, you can ask it to translate what the locals are saying or words you see on the street to get a quick and accurate translation.
We also see multinational businesses use these tools to reach out to potential markets, speak to clients, and communicate with employees from different language setups.
If you are searching for a good AI translator for your business, you might wonder, “What are AI translators?” “How much does translation cost?” “What is the benefit of using AI tools for my business?” “Which one should I choose?” “Do I go for a free or paid version?”
Our article is an in-depth guide on this topic. We reviewed numerous AI tools and found nine of the best free and paid translators we recommend in this article.
But before we get into that, let’s first find out what AI tools are!
What are AI Translation Tools?
Generally, AI translation tools are digital applications and software that instantly translate text and speech from one language to another without requiring human input.
AI translators have been in use for quite a while. The problem, however, is that initial models could not provide accurate translations, so people preferred using human translators for this type of job.
How Do AI Translation Work?
Generally, computer scientists create AI systems to perform complex tasks that humans can do. These systems can reason, analyze data, and learn from their previous experiences, then develop the ideal solution for you. It uses the vast data or information in the system to help you find a solution within the shortest time possible.
AI translators work in the same way!
When you prompt the AI via text or through speaking to it, it will analyze each word, phrase, sentence, and paragraph. The AI will then use the large volume of data in its system to provide the most accurate translation for your context.
Although AI translators are far from perfect, we’ve seen considerable improvements in recent years. These tools provide more accurate translations than before, and we should continue seeing further progress.
List of Artificial Intelligence Translators in 2023
In this section, we will highlight some of the best translation tools in 2023 – both free and paid options you should consider. We tested the accuracy of translation these apps offered by prompting them to translate a block of text into its editor.
The following table summarizes the translation tools we picked, their starting price, and the best features they have.
| AI Translation Tools | Starting Price | Best Features |
|---|---|---|
| Google Translate | Free | Offers text, image, and real-time translations. Can translate up to 133 languages. Offers offline translations |
| Reverso | $11.12 per month | No adsEasy to use. Has integrated dictionaries and spell checkers. Can translate up to 26 languages. Has an app for offline translations |
| Yandex Translate | $0.000003 per character | Offers up to 100 language translations. Free and affordable. Offers text, images, document, and full website translations. Easy-to-use user interface |
| Bing Microsoft Translator | Free | Can translate text, documents, and speech. Offers up to 129 languages. Provides live features for translating conversations in real time. Offers free translations of up to 1M characters per month. |
| DeepL Translate | $8 per month | 31 language translations. User-friendly interface. Accurate translations. Offers professional translations within the platforms. API integrations. |
| Systran Translate Pro | $5.55 per month | API integration. Up to 50 language translations. Contextual translations14-day trial period |
| Mirai Translate | $586 per month | 14 language translations. Translates text and speech. 14-day trial period. Real-time translations for speech. Multiple language pairs for contextual translations |
| Taia | $0.56 per word | Offers both machine translation and professional translation services. Accurate translations for up to 97 languages. Several language pairs for contextual translations |
| Sonix | $10 per hour | Offers accurate translations for audio content. Free trial for 30-minute audio transcription and translation. Offers professional language services. Over 40 language translations. Has a minimum of 10 GB file storage space, depending on your preferred plan. |
The Top Free AI Translators in 2023
1. Google Translate
You’ve probably come across this tool if you want to translate a phrase or word. Google Translate is a free AI tool that translates up to 133 languages. It uses human-translated documents from European Parliament procedures to translate any word, sentence, or block of text.
We can regard this as one of the best AI translators – not because it’s free, but because it offers accurate translations. One report on the reliability of Google Translate suggested that this translator maintains the overall meaning of over 80% of translations. Meaning it’s reliable, especially if you are on a low budget.
Features
Google Translate has various features that make it an excellent tool for any business or anyone who wants to access a Translator immediately. It offers translations for:
- Text: Copy-paste the source text into the edit window and select the target language, and it will provide results immediately.
- Images: If you want to understand a particular word on a restaurant’s menu or street sign, you can take a picture using the app.
- Conversations: The app can translate conversations in real-time.
- Handwriting: It can help you find translations for characters that you’d like to draw
Although you can access the translator on the Google search engines, especially if you are using Chrome, you can also download the app from Google Play Store. The app is free, and it allows you to use it without an internet connection.
Pros
- All the features within the app are free
- The tool is user-friendly both on the app and search engine
- You can use it to translate over 130 languages
- It provides accurate translations
- You can use it for personal uses or business translations
Cons
- Most people complain that the app can be unreliable in translating some languages
- You’ll need to make specific improvements on the translated texts because not everything might be accurate
2. Reverso
Reverso is an AI translation software launched in 1998. According to Wikipedia, the app has over 96 million active users. Besides translation services, the tool offers language services, contextual dictionaries, spell checkers, synonyms, and conjugation services. You can access the app’s services via:
- Chrome and Firefox extensions
- Windows and Mac app
- iOS and Android apps for smartphones
Features
The AI translator uses neural machine translation to instantly translate documents and blocks of text. You can use it to translate up to 26 languages (with more being added).
One of the features we loved about the app was its ability to grammar-check the document before translating it. That means the resulting translated text is accurate and contextual. Plus, you can save money and time since the human translator doesn’t have to do much work on the translated text.
We tested the different app versions Reverso offers, which were all user-friendly.
Although this AI tool is free, it also has a premium option, which offers:
- Unlimited text translation
- No ads
- Premium services on all its products
- Translating documents if you want to maintain the original layout
The premium version is affordable, and you can save a lot of money if you plan to use it continually throughout the year.
Pros
- Both the apps and extensions are user friendly
- The premium version is affordable
- Translated text is accurate and maintains context
- You can use the grammar and spell checker to avoid errors in the translation
- Very useful in business translations
Cons
- Sometimes, the context might be off
- Has a few language translations
3. Yandex Translate
Yandex Translate is an online-based translation tool that uses the neural machine translation model. Over the years, this AI translation tool has become a go-to option for many businesses and translation professionals because it offers accurate translations for different language pairs.
Features
Yandex Translate can help you translate up to 100 languages. You can use it to translate:
- Text: All you need to do is copy-paste the block of text into the editor
- Sites: Type in the website’s URL, and it will do the translation instantly
- Images: You can drag the image or upload it
- Documents: It will help you translate an entire document
- Speech:
Further, the app has a free and paid version. We analyzed the cost and found it to be quite affordable. The translation costs are based on a character basis. For instance, Translating one million characters will only cost you about $3. Thus, the cost of one character should be around $0.000003.
The AI translator has an app for Android and iOS, which you can access from respective Play stores. When using the app, you can use it in offline mode. Hence, the translation services are also available whenever you don’t have an internet connection.
Pros
- The user interface is easy to use
- It can translate images, speech, and different document formats
- Translation costs for businesses are affordable
- Translations are accurate and contextual
- It also has an on-screen keyboard for certain keyboards
- It has a spell checker
Cons
- Some users complain that translations from English to Russian are the most accurate than for other languages
- It can distort contextual meanings for specific languages
4. Bing Microsoft Translator
The Bing Microsoft Translator – often referred to as Bing Translator or Microsoft Translator – is another free tool you can use for business, education, or personal use. It offers translations for text, speech, and documents.
Bing Translator uses neural machine translation models, which makes translations accurate. By the way, some of the largest corporations in the world use this tool, which means it’s a reliable translation option.
Features
The AI translator can translate up to 129 languages, with the company adding more into the system. Although it has a paid version, the free version can offer translations of up to 1,000 000 characters monthly. We tried to find the pricing package for the paid version, but we couldn’t find it.
We also noticed that the app has a live feature that allows up to 500 people to simultaneously access the translation service during a conversation. This feature will enable you to use different devices and can translate speech into multiple languages during a live session.
You can also access the tool’s translation services via its free app, which is available for Android devices, iOS, Apple Watch, Android wear, Windows, and Windows phones.
Pros
- You can use it for business and casual translations
- The live feature allows different people to use the Translation service simultaneously
- Using the translation tool is free
- You can get translations for web pages by copying the URL
- Has minimal grammar mistakes in the translations
Cons
- Users complained that translations for long sentences could be wrong when it comes to context
- Few language translations for speech translations
The Best Paid AI Translators
5. DeepL Translate
This amazing translation tool is among the most recommended AI translators in the market. Launched in 2017 by a German-based company, Deep SE, the app has over half a million users, professional translators, and businesses who use this tool.
It offers accurate translations for text documents. DeepL Translate has a free trial, which enables you to translate up to 5,000 characters.
Features
DeepL Translate has a simple login and signup process. You don’t need to verify your email during registration. Once you sign in, you’ll see the text editor where you can paste the text you want to translate. It’s available in 31 languages, and you can access it via the Chrome extension or the application.
We tested the tool’s accuracy and we can confirm that the translation didn’t sway far away from the context. The AI tool allows you to select alternative phrases and words during translations, choose the right tone, and use its in-built dictionary. Hence, it makes the translation process seamless.
Once you reach the 5,000-character limit, you’ll need to pay to access the translation tool again. With the paid plan, you’ll get unlimited text translations and other tools. The only limitation of the paid plan is that the company only accepts credit cards from a few selected countries. So, if you’re not within its jurisdiction, using the app would be challenging.
The AI tool also has an API, which is only accessible if you use the DeepL Pro (a paid plan) feature.
Pros
- Offers accurate translations for 31 languages
- It can translate documents ( MS. Word and PowerPoint documents) without affecting the original documents
- It’s user friendly
- The signup process is easy
- Uses advanced neural networks – making translations more reliable
- Paid plan offers unlimited translation services
Cons
- The pro version is accessible in selected countries
- It doesn’t have a free API Version
- The free trial offers a 5,000 characters limit – quite low compared to other AI translators
6. Systran Translate Pro
If you are looking for the best translation tool for professional and personal use, Systran Translate Pro might be the perfect solution. The company is one of the oldest machine translation companies but uses neural machine translation to create this AI.
Features
You can access this best AI translator via the Chrome extension, API (free to download), or your browser. The translation tool allows you to translate different document formats, including PDFs, word documents, PowerPoint presentations, Excel sheets, and emails.
One feature you will love about this translator is the ability to customize the translation to fit your industry. For instance, if you want to translate a medical document, you can prompt the AI to translate using words you use in the medical field.
You can also:
- Choose alternative words and sentences from the translated text
- Display active translation
- Select your preferred font size
The AI tool offers users both free and paid versions. While signing up, you can opt to use the free trial (which lasts 14 days). Once the trial period ends, you must pay for the ideal pricing plan.
Each plan has its perquisites and limitations. For instance, the Lite plan allows you to translate up to 150 pages per month, while the premium plan will enable you to translate up to 2,000 pages.
Pros
- Using the translation tool is easy
- Offers up to 50 languages
- The translation process is quick
- You can customize the translation to suit your needs
- Sign up process was easy; no credit card was required for the free trial
Cons
- It can only translate texts, and not audio or text
- Pro plans offer limited translations per month; some people find this expensive
7. Mirai Translate
Mirai Translate is an AI translation software founded in 2014. We tried the free trial, and the translation results were impressive. Here’s what you need to know about this best AI translator.
Features
This translation tool can help you translate text and speech in real-time. It uses neural machine translation and offers up to 14 language translations.
With the free trial, I did have access to the translation editor for up to 14 days. It also allowed me to do as many translations as I wanted and give my account access to 10 users. However, the free trial details read that I couldn’t get any support for their translation services, which for me, was one of the downsides of using this tool.
For the translated text and speech, I can say that it did so accurately. You can copy text into the editor or upload a Word doc or PDF. For speeches, you have to speak the words you want to translate via your phone’s microphone.
The AI tool also allows you to customize your source text to make it ideal for legal, medical, financial, and technical industries.
Once the trial period ends, you’ll have to pay for the translation services.
Pros
- Offers accurate translations for text and speech
- Free trial allows you to access all the tool’s features
- You can customize the translation to suit industry jargon
- Translation is instant
- Provides real-time translations
Cons
- Not much information is available on the site
- Users say that the paid plan is expensive
- Offers a few languages
8. Taia
Taia is a company that offers both machine translation and translation services. You can translate the content by yourself and give it to one of the translators within the platform to proofread it for you. Or, you can hire one of the translators to translate the document on your behalf.
Here’s what you need to know about Taia.
Features
The platform’s AI technology does accurate translation for about 97 languages. According to Wikipedia, the platform combines both neural machine translation and machine learning, which makes it an ideal solution for translations. You can use the platform to translate over 160 language pairs, including:
- English to Chinese
- English to Russia
- English to German
- English to Spanish
- English to French
Apart from the AI translation services, the platform has over 2000+ professionals who can give the document you want to translate a professional touch in case you want to localize it.
If you want to translate the document using AI, choose the “Translate by Yourself” option from the features tab on the homepage. The service is free. If you select the “Professional Language Services” option, you might need to pay a fee depending on the number of words you want to translate.
The platform supports different types of documents, including images, PDFs, word documents, PowerPoint presentations, JPG, HTML, and WIX, among so many others.
Once you upload the document, you’ll get an instant quote (if you select the professional translation services) and when you’d like to receive the translation.
Pros
- Sign up process was free and quick
- Machine translation is accurate for different types of industries
- The platform offers professional translation if you want localization services
- It can translate many languages
- Can translate huge documents
- Offers API integration for companies that need bulk translations on their platforms
Cons
- The user interface can be confusing to use if you are a first time user
- Some users complain that the pricing is a bit high compared to other AI tools in the market
9. Sonix
If you are looking for the best AI translator for audio and video content, Sonix is one of the most recommended tools you should consider using. We tried its free trial, and in our opinion, the translation was high in quality.
Features
Sonix comes with a variety of features that you can use. It has an in-text editor that allows you to copy the audio content you want to translate. It transcribes the text and then translates it within no time.
The platform can help you transcribe and translate over 50 major languages, including different variations. Once it completes the translation, you can use the editor to edit the content to fit your language needs.
When signing in for the free trial, you’ll need to enter your personal details and credit card number. The free trial allows you to transcribe up to 30 minutes of audio content.
This best translation tool offers three plans to users. They are:
- Standard plan: It’s ideal for people who don’t need to translate documents all the time. The price is $10 per hour of audio content.
- Premium plan: This is for people needing to use the translation tool for a month or so. It will cost you $22 monthly, which is a bargain.
- Enterprise: The price for this is not available on the site. But it’s ideal for people who want to use the AI translation tool for bulk translations.
Pros
- It offers quick and accurate translations for audio content
- Has over 50 translation languages available
- The customized pricing is ideal for different users
- You get access to 10GB of storage space
- Can translate different types of audio content
Cons
- The signup process requires you to enter your credit card details to complete the process
- Doesn’t offer text or document translations
Benefits of Using AI Translation Software
Here are a few benefits you can get (both personally and commercially) from using the best AI translation software.
- You save on translation costs.
The best AI translators will save money for your business, especially when you compare the cost of hiring a translator to do all the work to that of using different AI tools. Although companies differ in pricing models, users can choose whichever package fits their translation needs and budget.
Remember, also, most translators will charge on a cost-per-word basis. With AI tools, it’s different. They’ll charge on a monthly or annual basis and will offer discounts, especially if you need to use the tools on a long-term basis.
- AI is quick
We examined different forums to determine how long a translator takes to translate an entire document. On average, a professional translator will take a full day to translate a 1000-2000 word document. If you have a short deadline, hiring an expert translator can be costly, especially if you have to hire several people to do the job.
A good AI translation software will take a short time; in most cases, it can take less than a minute to complete the translation, regardless of how large the source text is. That helps with shorter deadlines, even if you need to correct a few mistakes within the translated text.
- They are easy to use
In our opinion, AI tools are user-friendly. You don’t need to code, consult dictionaries, or research. All you need to do is copy the source text into a text editor, and the AI will do the rest of the work.
Besides this, AI can translate different types of content, including documents, presentations, images, and speech, without compromising the format. For instance, you can copy a Word document with images and different formatting features and the AI will not affect the formatting used.
- They keep on learning
We can all agree that AI translators are far from being perfect. However, something that we can all appreciate about this technology is that they keep learning. AI designers keep improving them, and that’s why these tools might take over the translation industry in a few years.
- AI can translate many languages.
The limitation of hiring a professional translator is that they may be unable to translate different languages, which is why AI translation software has the edge over them.
Most AI translators can translate many languages. That is beneficial, especially if you want to market your company to multilingual communities and countries.
- Eliminates language barrier, especially when you are in foreign countries
Let’s say you visit a French-speaking country, but you only know how to speak English. If you don’t have a translator close to you, it can be challenging to order a drink or food in a restaurant or understand what the locals are saying.
An AI translator is the best aid in such a situation. You can simply take an image of the item you need a translation for and ask an AI tool such as Google Translate to translate it for you. Additionally, you can ask the AI to translate what a local is saying to you by turning on the microphone on your phone.
How to Choose the Right AI Translation Tool for Your Needs
Choosing the best AI translation software from the list above can be challenging for a first-time user. In this section, we’ll pinpoint some crucial points you should consider to make an informed decision.
1. How much translation do you need to do?
Before you even look up different translation services, consider your needs first. In this case, how much translation do you need to do? Bulk translation may require you to go for a software that offers translation services at an affordable price.
In some instances, hiring a professional translator might be the most affordable option, especially if you want accurate translations and the the work is not significant.
2. Consider the pricing
Next, you should remember, “How much money am I willing to use?” If you want to use an AI translator for business purposes, you might want to use a payment plan that suits your budget.
So, compare the different packages each translator offers. If you are unsure of what package to pick, see if they have a ‘free trial.’ A free trial gives you an opportunity to know which translator’s accurate and contextual for your business and which is not.
On top of that, when checking out the free trial, get to know:
- What limitations does it have?
- Will I access all the software’s features or not?
- How long will the trial period be?
3. What features does the AI translator offer?
AI translators come with different features. For instance, some offer translations for text only; others offer translations for speech, documents, images, and audio. In that case, if you need translations for different types of content, choose the one that offers all these features.
Some AI translators we found in the market also offer human translation services. In such platforms, you can self-translate the text for yourself or hire someone within the platform to help you with the translations. But note that hiring a translator may come at an added cost.
By the way, the AI translator doesn’t need to have many languages that it can translate. Ensure the tool offers contextual translations for the language pairs you target.
4. Check out different online reviews
It’s always good to check out different online reviews before signing up for any tool. Things you need to check out while reading those reviews are:
- What are the pros and cons of the software?
- How accurate was it?
- What model is the AI built on?
- Is it safe to use AI software?
- Is the AI tool something they’d recommend?
5. User-friendliness
While checking the AI tool, consider how user-friendly it is. For instance, one of the AI translators we reviewed (we didn’t include it in the list above) didn’t offer instant translations. It took about 24 hours to get the translation in my email. Additionally, some tools had a complicated registration process, while others used machine learning models that were quite inaccurate in translation.
Some of the things you should check in terms of user-friendliness are:
- Was the signup process complicated or simple?
- Is the dashboard easy to use?
- Can you access the support team at any time? If yes, how long do they take to respond?
- How long does it take to get a translation?
Conclusion
That’s it, folks. If you are looking for a reliable AI tool, we encourage you to try out the AI tools we listed in this article.
AI translation tools are crucial tools for communication in 2023.
If you use them for business, you can save on the translation cost and time taken in translating documents and marketing materials.
Furthermore, they’ll make your translation process easier.
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