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Translation · head to head

Localazy vs SDL Trados Studio

Localazy logo

Localazy

Translation

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SDL Trados Studio logo

SDL Trados Studio

Translation

Windows desktop CAT tool that agencies treat as the default exchange format

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Localazy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; SDL Trados Studio it runs on Windows only, so macOS translators pay for a virtual machine or a second computer before they can accept work.
  • They diverge on capability: Localazy covers Per source key pricing, SDL Trados Studio covers Translation memory.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Localazy and SDL Trados Studio actually diverge.

Attributes where Localazy and SDL Trados Studio differ
AttributeLocalazySDL Trados Studio
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer month by source key countquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, API, Linux, macOS, WindowsWindows, Web

Identical on both: 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 SDL Trados Studio

  • Translation memory
  • Term base integration
  • File filters
  • Alignment
  • Quality assurance checks
  • App store extensions

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 SDL Trados Studio
  • An indie developer or small studio that needs a genuinely free tier rather than a fourteen day trialnot SDL Trados Studio
  • Teams that want strings pulled from Figma so copy is localised before the interface is built rather than afternot SDL Trados Studio
  • Continuous localisation in a build pipeline through the CLI and GitHub Actions, with runtime delivery through the CDNnot SDL Trados Studio

SDL Trados Studio

  • Freelance translators who must open and return agency supplied Studio packagesnot Localazy
  • Language service providers running multi-vendor projects with shared memories and term basesnot Localazy
  • Regulated translation work where segment level memory matches must be auditablenot Localazy
  • Translating formats such as InDesign or structured XML where tag handling is the hard partnot 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.

SDL Trados Studio

  • It runs on Windows only, so macOS translators pay for a virtual machine or a second computer before they can accept work.
  • A perpetual licence covers the version you bought, and each major release is a further purchase, so the total cost over five years resembles a subscription without being described as one.
  • The learning curve is long: project settings, filters and memory configuration have to be understood before quality output is possible, which makes casual use impractical.
  • Memories and projects are local by default, and real collaboration needs GroupShare or the cloud tiers at extra cost, so two translators sharing one memory is a paid upgrade.
  • Third party plugins from the app store are maintained by their authors and frequently stop working after a major Studio release, which strands workflows that depend on them.

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

SDL Trados Studio

On request
  • SDL Trados Studio$undefined/year
    • Freelance, Professional and cloud tiers sold separately
    • Perpetual desktop licences and subscriptions both offered
    • Prices vary by region, reseller and frequent discount campaigns

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 SDL Trados Studio if

  • You need translation memory.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want term base integration.
SDL Trados Studio review

Questions people ask

Is Localazy or SDL Trados Studio better?
Neither clearly leads. Localazy starts at Free and SDL Trados Studio at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Localazy or SDL Trados Studio?
Localazy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Localazy and On request for SDL Trados Studio.
Does Localazy or SDL Trados Studio run on more platforms?
Localazy runs on Web, API, Linux, macOS, Windows. SDL Trados Studio runs on Windows, Web.
Can I use Localazy for free?
Yes. Localazy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SDL Trados Studio starts at On request.
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 SDL Trados Studio is typically brought in for.
What can Localazy do that SDL Trados Studio cannot?
Localazy covers Per source key pricing, Shared translation memory, Framework SDKs, Figma plugin. SDL Trados Studio covers Translation memory, Term base integration, File filters, Alignment.

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.

SDL Trados Studio: Is it still called SDL Trados?

The product is now sold as Trados Studio by RWS, which acquired SDL in 2020. Older documentation and job adverts still say SDL Trados.

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.

SDL Trados Studio: Do I need it if my clients use a cloud TMS?

Often yes. Agencies still send Studio packages, and accepting them without the tool means manual conversion and lost memory matches.

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.

SDL Trados Studio: Can I run it on a Mac?

Not natively. Translators use Parallels, Boot Camp on older hardware, or a Windows virtual desktop.

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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