Softwr

Translation · head to head

Lokalise vs Smartling

Lokalise logo

Lokalise

Translation

New packages to fuel your revenue growth

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Smartling logo

Smartling

Translation

Enterprise translation management sold alongside first-party language services priced per word

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Lokalise has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Lokalise there is no free tier; the entry Explorer plan starts at $144 per month; Smartling translation memory is retained for only 180 days on the Core tier, so the asset that would make a future migration cheap expires on the plan most likely to be used by a team testing the water.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lokalise and Smartling actually diverge.

Attributes where Lokalise and Smartling differ
AttributeLokaliseSmartling
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, API

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 Lokalise

Nothing recorded that Smartling does not also cover.

Only in Smartling

  • Translation memory
  • Visual context CAT editor
  • Configurable workflows
  • First-party language services
  • Linguistic quality assurance
  • Connectors and API

What people use each for

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

Lokalise

  • Automating multi-product translation workflowsnot Smartling
  • Integrating GitHub and GitLab for code localizationnot Smartling
  • Translating Figma designs for global audiencesnot Smartling
  • Maintaining consistency with translation memorynot Smartling

Smartling

  • A company that wants one supplier answerable for both the translation platform and the quality of the translated outputnot Lokalise
  • Marketing sites where a translator needs to see the rendered page, not a spreadsheet of strings, to get tone and length rightnot Lokalise
  • Replacing a platform vendor plus several separate agencies with a single contract and a single invoicenot Lokalise
  • Content operations at a volume where per-word rates are the dominant cost and the tooling fee is noisenot Lokalise

Where each one falls short

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

Lokalise

  • There is no free tier; the entry Explorer plan starts at $144 per month
  • Multi-product workflow support requires the $999 per month Advanced plan
  • Enterprise security and support features are gated behind a custom quote

Smartling

  • Translation memory is retained for only 180 days on the Core tier, so the asset that would make a future migration cheap expires on the plan most likely to be used by a team testing the water.
  • The platform subscription is not published while the per-word service rates are, so you can model the variable cost precisely and cannot model the fixed cost at all until you have been through a sales sizing exercise.
  • The vendor earns on words routed through it, so the commercial relationship rewards volume flowing to Smartling rather than volume being avoided through better reuse of existing memory.
  • Per-word pricing multiplies by target language, so adding a market to a product that ships in twelve languages costs a thirteenth of the current translation bill rather than a marginal amount.
  • Minimum contract term, minimum annual spend and whether individual connectors carry their own charge are all absent from the public site, so three of the numbers that determine total cost only appear inside a proposal.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lokalise

Free
  • Explorer$144/month
    • Entry-level tier
    • Glossaries
    • Translation memory
  • Growth$375/month
    • Enhanced automation
    • Custom triggers
    • Templates
  • Advanced$999/month
    • Complex multi-product workflows
    • Most popular tier
    • Advanced AI capabilities
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom SLA
    • Specialized security
    • Dedicated support

Smartling

On request
  • Core$undefined/year
    • Subscription price not published
    • Basic workflow, user and project management
    • Browser CAT editor with visual context
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Subscription price not published
    • Fully configurable dynamic workflows
    • Translation memory with unlimited storage
  • Language services, charged separately per word$undefined/year
    • Machine translation from 0.0075 USD per word
    • AI translation from 0.06 USD per word
    • AI translation with human review from 0.12 USD per word

Which should you pick?

Choose Lokalise if

  • You want to start without paying.
Lokalise review

Choose Smartling if

  • You need translation memory.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want visual context cat editor.
Smartling review

Questions people ask

Is Lokalise or Smartling better?
Neither clearly leads. Lokalise starts at Free and Smartling at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lokalise or Smartling?
Lokalise has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Lokalise and On request for Smartling.
Does Lokalise or Smartling run on more platforms?
Lokalise runs on Web. Smartling runs on Web, API.
Can I use Lokalise for free?
Yes. Lokalise has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Smartling starts at On request.
What is Lokalise best used for?
Lokalise is most often used for automating multi-product translation workflows, integrating github and gitlab for code localization, translating figma designs for global audiences, maintaining consistency with translation memory. Of those, automating multi-product translation workflows and integrating github and gitlab for code localization are not what Smartling is typically brought in for.
What can Lokalise do that Smartling cannot?
Smartling covers Translation memory, Visual context CAT editor, Configurable workflows, First-party language services.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lokalise: How much does Lokalise cost?

Lokalise offers Explorer plan at $144/month for basic translation features, Growth at $375/month for enhanced automation, and Advanced at $999/month for complex workflows. Enterprise plans require custom quotes. All pricing is for monthly billing with no setup fees.

Source
Smartling: Is there a free plan?

The Core tier is advertised as free to start, but translation memory is kept for only 180 days on it and any production deployment is a quoted subscription. Treat it as an evaluation route, not a plan.

Lokalise: Does Lokalise offer a free trial?

Yes, Lokalise provides a 14-day free trial for all plans with no credit card required, giving full access to evaluate features before committing to a paid subscription.

Source
Smartling: What does the platform actually cost?

Smartling does not publish it. The published figures are per-word service rates. Expect an annual subscription sized against your content volume, workflows and language count, quoted after a scoping call.

Lokalise: What features does Lokalise's Advanced plan add?

The Advanced plan ($999/month) is designed for teams with complex, multi-product workflows. It includes all Growth features plus advanced AI capabilities, 24/7 support, and a dedicated account manager.

Source
Smartling: Can I use Smartling with my own translators?

Yes, the platform works with your own vendors and freelancers. You then pay for software and forgo the services revenue the pricing model is built around, which weakens your negotiating position on the subscription.

Smartling: What happens to my translation memory if I leave?

Translation memory is exportable, but on Core it only covers the previous 180 days, so leaving after two years on the entry tier means most of the asset is already gone.

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