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Translation · head to head

Localazy vs Microsoft Translator

Localazy logo

Localazy

Translation

Localisation platform priced per source string, where adding target languages costs nothing extra

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Translator logo

Microsoft Translator

Translation

Azure AI Translator, priced at $10 per million characters for standard text translation with volume commitment discounts available

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Localazy the price ladder is stepped rather than continuous, so a project that grows from 2,500 to 2,600 source keys jumps a whole bracket rather than paying slightly more.; Microsoft Translator published free-tier detail is thinner than Google’s or Amazon’s clearly stated character allowances, making it harder to estimate cost from public documentation alone.
  • They diverge on capability: Localazy covers Per source key pricing, Microsoft Translator covers Text translation API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Localazy and Microsoft Translator actually diverge.

Attributes where Localazy and Microsoft Translator differ
AttributeLocalazyMicrosoft Translator
Pricing modelPer month by source key countPer million characters
PlatformsWeb, API, Linux, macOS, WindowsWeb, iOS, Android, Windows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Translation).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Localazy

  • Per source key pricing
  • Shared translation memory
  • Framework SDKs
  • Figma plugin
  • CLI and GitHub Actions
  • Language CDN

Only in Microsoft Translator

  • Text translation API
  • Document translation
  • Speech translation
  • Custom Translator
  • Microsoft Translator app
  • Volume commitment pricing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Localazy

  • A mobile or web application that ships in twenty or more locales, where per-word pricing would multiply the bill by every added marketnot Microsoft Translator
  • An indie developer or small studio that needs a genuinely free tier rather than a fourteen day trialnot Microsoft Translator
  • Teams that want strings pulled from Figma so copy is localised before the interface is built rather than afternot Microsoft Translator
  • Continuous localisation in a build pipeline through the CLI and GitHub Actions, with runtime delivery through the CDNnot Microsoft Translator

Microsoft Translator

  • A developer already building on Azure who wants translation billed through the same cloud account as other servicesnot Localazy
  • An enterprise with high, predictable translation volume that negotiates a commitment-tier discountnot Localazy
  • A Microsoft 365 organisation using built-in document and Teams translation without a separate integration projectnot Localazy
  • A team needing speech translation as part of a broader Azure AI Speech deploymentnot Localazy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Localazy

  • The price ladder is stepped rather than continuous, so a project that grows from 2,500 to 2,600 source keys jumps a whole bracket rather than paying slightly more.
  • Single sign-on, audit logs, an SLA, priority support and audit trails are all Enterprise-only, and Enterprise is the one tier with no published price, so the moment a security review lands you leave the transparent pricing behind.
  • Counting by source key penalises content models where every paragraph is a separate key, so a documentation site or a marketing site can consume brackets far faster than an application with the same amount of text.
  • Human translation is sold in the platform but its rates only become visible after you have signed up, and whether Localazy takes a margin on that work is not disclosed anywhere public.
  • It is a company of roughly twenty people with no disclosed investors and no published legal entity details, which is a real continuity question for anyone putting a multi-year product localisation pipeline through it.

Microsoft Translator

  • Published free-tier detail is thinner than Google’s or Amazon’s clearly stated character allowances, making it harder to estimate cost from public documentation alone.
  • Translation quality for major language pairs is broadly comparable to Google Translate and Amazon Translate, so there is little functional differentiation beyond price and Azure ecosystem convenience.
  • Commitment-tier discounts require a negotiated minimum spend, so smaller developers without predictable volume do not get Microsoft’s most competitive published rate.
  • Custom Translator model training and management add operational complexity beyond simple API calls, requiring parallel training data the buyer must supply and maintain.
  • Adopting it while already using a different primary cloud (AWS or Google Cloud) means managing a second cloud billing relationship purely for translation, which is administratively unappealing for some teams.

Pricing, plan by plan

Localazy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 200 source keys
    • Unlimited seats and languages
    • All essential localisation features
  • Professional$34/month
    • 1,000 source keys
    • 408 USD per year billed annually, 41 USD if billed monthly
    • Scales to 1,500 keys at 43 USD and 2,500 keys at 61 USD
  • Autopilot$78/month
    • 3,500 source keys
    • 936 USD per year billed annually, 94 USD if billed monthly
    • Scales to 5,000 keys at 104 USD and 7,500 keys at 139 USD
  • Business$175/month
    • 10,000 source keys
    • 2,100 USD per year billed annually, 210 USD if billed monthly
    • Scales to 25,000 keys at 263 USD, 50,000 at 350 USD and 100,000 at 438 USD

Microsoft Translator

Free
  • Microsoft Translator (consumer app)Free
    • Free text, voice and camera translation
  • Azure AI Translator (standard)$10/month
    • $10 per million characters translated
    • Free tier for limited monthly volume
  • Azure AI Translator (commitment tier)$undefined/month
    • Discounted per-character rate for a committed minimum monthly volume, quoted by Microsoft

Which should you pick?

Choose Localazy if

  • You need per source key pricing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API, Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want shared translation memory.
Localazy review

Choose Microsoft Translator if

  • You need text translation api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want document translation.
Microsoft Translator review

Questions people ask

Is Localazy or Microsoft Translator better?
Neither clearly leads. Localazy starts at Free and Microsoft Translator at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Localazy or Microsoft Translator?
Localazy starts at Free and Microsoft Translator at Free.
Does Localazy or Microsoft Translator run on more platforms?
Localazy runs on Web, API, Linux, macOS, Windows. Microsoft Translator runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
Can I use Localazy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Localazy best used for?
Localazy is most often used for a mobile or web application that ships in twenty or more locales, where per-word pricing would multiply the bill by every added market, an indie developer or small studio that needs a genuinely free tier rather than a fourteen day trial, teams that want strings pulled from figma so copy is localised before the interface is built rather than after, continuous localisation in a build pipeline through the cli and github actions, with runtime delivery through the cdn. Of those, a mobile or web application that ships in twenty or more locales, where per-word pricing would multiply the bill by every added market and an indie developer or small studio that needs a genuinely free tier rather than a fourteen day trial are not what Microsoft Translator is typically brought in for.
What can Localazy do that Microsoft Translator cannot?
Localazy covers Per source key pricing, Shared translation memory, Framework SDKs, Figma plugin. Microsoft Translator covers Text translation API, Document translation, Speech translation, Custom Translator.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Localazy: What exactly is a source key?

One segment of text in your source language, such as a button label or a short paragraph. The same key translated into ten languages still counts as one key, and languages are unlimited on every plan.

Microsoft Translator: How does Microsoft’s per-character price compare to Google’s?

Microsoft charges $10 per million characters for standard translation, about half Google’s $20 NMT rate.

Localazy: Is the free plan a trial?

No, the 200 key free plan is permanent and includes unlimited seats and languages. Separately, new signups get a fourteen day trial of the Business plan.

Microsoft Translator: Is there a free tier?

Yes, for limited monthly volume, though Microsoft publishes less specific detail on the exact allowance than Google or Amazon do.

Localazy: How does it compare with per-word pricing?

It stops scaling with locale count. If you ship in three languages the difference is small; if you ship in thirty, per-key pricing is structurally cheaper rather than marginally so.

Microsoft Translator: Can I get a discount for high volume?

Yes, through commitment-tier pricing negotiated with Microsoft for a minimum monthly spend.

Localazy: Can I get single sign-on?

Only on Enterprise, which is quoted rather than published. There is no mid-tier SSO option.

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