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Translation · head to head

MateCat vs Smartcat

MateCat logo

MateCat

Translation

Free, browser-based CAT tool under the LGPL, developed and hosted by the translation company Translated

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Smartcat logo

Smartcat

Translation

Translation platform and freelancer marketplace billed in Smartwords, where every added target language multiplies consumption

From
$1200/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MateCat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MateCat the hosted version most users rely on depends on Translated srl’s continued operation and infrastructure decisions, unlike a self-run desktop tool.; Smartcat smartwords are consumed as source words multiplied by target languages, so a product going from five to ten locales doubles consumption on identical source content and the plan you sized last year no longer fits.
  • They diverge on capability: MateCat covers Browser-based CAT interface, Smartcat covers Smartword allowance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MateCat and Smartcat actually diverge.

Attributes where MateCat and Smartcat differ
AttributeMateCatSmartcat
Starting priceFree$1200/year
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer year by Smartword volume
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 MateCat

  • Browser-based CAT interface
  • Machine translation suggestions
  • Translation memory
  • Quality assurance checks
  • Project management
  • File translation

Only in Smartcat

  • Smartword allowance
  • Freelancer marketplace
  • Payer of record
  • Unlimited users
  • Browser CAT editor
  • AI agents

What people use each for

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

MateCat

  • A freelance translator wanting a no-install, browser-based CAT tool with built-in machine translation suggestionsnot Smartcat
  • A small agency wanting basic hosted project management without paying for a commercial TMSnot Smartcat
  • A translator who wants MT suggestions from multiple engines surfaced alongside translation memory matches in one interfacenot Smartcat
  • A team occasionally needing quick file translation through a browser without setting up desktop softwarenot Smartcat

Smartcat

  • A company that wants to hire and pay many freelance linguists without opening a supplier account and payment channel for each onenot MateCat
  • Translation programmes with high volume in a small number of target languages, where the multiplier does the least damagenot MateCat
  • Teams that need unlimited internal users on the platform without paying per seat for occasional reviewersnot MateCat
  • Consolidating an existing freelancer roster onto one contract, one invoice and one payment railnot MateCat

Where each one falls short

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

MateCat

  • The hosted version most users rely on depends on Translated srl’s continued operation and infrastructure decisions, unlike a self-run desktop tool.
  • It is developed by a commercial translation company whose own paid services sit alongside the free tool, which is worth being aware of when evaluating vendor neutrality.
  • Being browser-based, it requires a stable internet connection, unlike OmegaT’s fully offline desktop application.
  • Advanced terminology management and enterprise-scale project features are more limited than a paid commercial TMS such as memoQ or Smartling.
  • Self-hosting the open source LGPL code independently of Translated’s hosted service requires technical setup effort that most individual translators are unlikely to undertake.

Smartcat

  • Smartwords are consumed as source words multiplied by target languages, so a product going from five to ten locales doubles consumption on identical source content and the plan you sized last year no longer fits.
  • The gap between the entry tier at 1,200 USD a year and the next at 24,000 is twentyfold with nothing between them, so a team that outgrows Adapt faces a step change rather than an increase.
  • Subscription Smartwords expire at renewal and monthly plan credits expire each cycle, so unused allowance is lost rather than banked and overbuying is a straight write-off.
  • Marketplace access, the reason many buyers choose Smartcat at all, does not exist on the entry plan, and API access with single sign-on only appears two tiers up at 60,000 USD a year.
  • The published commission table in the help centre still names retired plan tiers, so the rates a buyer would use to model marketplace cost cannot be reliably mapped onto the plans actually on sale.

Pricing, plan by plan

MateCat

Free
  • MateCatFree
    • Free browser-based CAT tool, LGPL licensed
    • Hosted and operated by Translated srl

Smartcat

$1200/year
  • Adapt$1200/year
    • Starting price, billed annually
    • 100,000 Smartwords
    • 1 workspace
  • Accelerate$24000/year
    • Starting price, billed annually
    • 1 million Smartwords
    • 1 workspace
  • Anticipate$60000/year
    • Starting price, billed annually
    • 2 million Smartwords
    • 2 workspaces
  • Autonomous$undefined/year
    • Price not published, tailored to requirements
    • 6 million Smartwords
    • 7 workspaces

Which should you pick?

Choose MateCat if

  • You need browser-based cat interface.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want machine translation suggestions.
MateCat review

Choose Smartcat if

  • You need smartword allowance.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want freelancer marketplace.
Smartcat review

Questions people ask

Is MateCat or Smartcat better?
Neither clearly leads. MateCat starts at Free and Smartcat at $1200/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MateCat or Smartcat?
MateCat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MateCat and $1200/year for Smartcat.
Does MateCat or Smartcat run on more platforms?
MateCat runs on Web. Smartcat runs on Web, API.
Can I use MateCat for free?
Yes. MateCat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Smartcat starts at $1200/year.
What is MateCat best used for?
MateCat is most often used for a freelance translator wanting a no-install, browser-based cat tool with built-in machine translation suggestions, a small agency wanting basic hosted project management without paying for a commercial tms, a translator who wants mt suggestions from multiple engines surfaced alongside translation memory matches in one interface, a team occasionally needing quick file translation through a browser without setting up desktop software. Of those, a freelance translator wanting a no-install, browser-based cat tool with built-in machine translation suggestions and a small agency wanting basic hosted project management without paying for a commercial tms are not what Smartcat is typically brought in for.
What can MateCat do that Smartcat cannot?
MateCat covers Browser-based CAT interface, Machine translation suggestions, Translation memory, Quality assurance checks. Smartcat covers Smartword allowance, Freelancer marketplace, Payer of record, Unlimited users.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

MateCat: Is MateCat really free?

Yes, it is free to use as a hosted browser-based tool and released as open source under the LGPL.

Smartcat: What is a Smartword?

A credit. One Smartword is consumed per source word per target language, so 1,000 words into five languages costs 5,000 Smartwords. AI dubbing costs ten Smartwords per dubbed word.

MateCat: Who maintains MateCat?

Translated srl, an Italian translation company, develops and hosts it; this differs from OmegaT, which is maintained by a volunteer open source community.

Smartcat: Does Smartcat take a cut from freelancers?

No. The vendor states it does not deduct a platform commission from supplier earnings; the marketplace commission is charged to the client. Freelancers pay withdrawal fees, a fixed one to ten dollars plus half a percent, and a two and a half percent currency conversion markup.

MateCat: Can I self-host MateCat instead of using Translated’s hosted version?

The code is open source under the LGPL and technically self-hostable, but doing so requires meaningful technical setup most individual users skip in favour of the hosted service.

Smartcat: Is there a free plan?

No. There is a fifteen day trial of the full platform. A legacy free tier still appears in help articles but is not on the current pricing page.

Smartcat: What happens if I do not review delivered work?

After fifteen days the system verifies the work automatically and triggers supplier payment, so silence is treated as acceptance.

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