The 9 best WordPress translation plugins for multilingual websites

With nearly 44% of all websites powered by WordPress, this multilingual content management system (CMS) is the go-to platform for individuals and global businesses. It offers an intuitive, highly customizable interface, with thousands of plugins and themes available.

Many of these plugins use machine translation tools like DeepL and Google Translate, which make the translation process easier to achieve at scale. However, not every translation plugin for WordPress provides adequate quality or features. Businesses that know which WordPress language translation plugins to use for their website content can translate pages more efficiently, tapping into foreign markets and reaching a wider audience. 

Here, we’ll explain how to choose the best WordPress translation plugins for your multilingual WordPress website.

How to choose a multilanguage plugin for WordPress: 7 considerations

There are many WordPress website translation plugins available, but most fall into one of two categories:

• Automatic plugins (machine translation): Automatic plugins use machine translation tools powered by artificial intelligence to automatically translate your WordPress site’s content into multiple languages. They generate translations using software like Google’s language translator, DeepL, or Microsoft Translator.
• Manual translation plugins: These plugins require you to input translations manually for every language and piece of content. This is a more labor-intensive way to localize and translate WordPress web pages, but the higher quality is often rewarded with better engagement.

After deciding on a type of translation plugin, look for plugins with the following essential features:

• Integrations: Find plugins that integrate with Google Translate, DeepL, or professional translation services and provide multiple languages.
• SEO compatibility: Your plugin should support multilingual SEO, handling separate URLs or subdomains for each language. The program should work in tandem with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO.
• Ease of use: The plugin should make website content translation faster and easier with a straightforward interface to manage the translation process.
• High performance: A good plugin won’t slow down your page load speed. It should work with popular caching plugins to maintain optimal performance.
• Customer support: Look for plugins with responsive and reliable support teams that can help you quickly remedy problems with your translated pages.
• Intuitive UI: Poorly designed language switchers can frustrate users and reduce engagement. Ensure your plugin’s switcher options allow users to find their preferred language in just a few clicks.

The 9 best translator plugins for WordPress websites

Several WordPress translation plugins stand out for their comprehensive features and powerful localization capabilities. Here are the most popular options for your multilingual website:

1. Smartling’s WordPress connector

Smartling’s WordPress Connector offers unparalleled translation for WordPress by plugging Smartling’s translation management system (TMS) directly into the WordPress platform. After installation, you can easily submit posts, pages, categories, tags, theme widgets, and more for translation, all without leaving the WordPress interface.

Standout features:

• Designed for multisite architectures, it automates new content uploads to Smartling and downloads translations to the appropriate site.
• Translation memory to improve accuracy and consistency while speeding up the translation process
• Translation analytics to assess and manage quality, costs, and speed based on billions of data points

Smartling’s plugin is ideal for enterprises with complex translation needs. It’s also a translation service provider for the WordPress Multilingual (WPML) plugin, outlined below.

2. WPML

WPML is a powerful plugin that allows WordPress websites to operate in multiple languages. It supports translating posts, pages, taxonomies, menus, and even plugin texts. WPML integrates with popular page builders like Elementor and Divi, as well as e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce.

Standout features:

• Side-by-side translation view with translation memory and spell checker
• Translates theme and plugin texts without .mo files
• Allows you to easily assign roles and manage multilingual content 
• Integrates with machine translation engines for faster results

WPML is a great choice for businesses, bloggers, and online stores that want to reach people around the world. It works well for big companies looking to localize and translate large volumes of website content. However, some users find WPML’s setup process complicated, especially when configuring it for large websites with extensive content.

WPML offers paid plans starting at €39 per year, with higher tiers that offer additional features and translation credits.

3. TranslatePress

TranslatePress supports posts, pages, menus, themes, and plugins. It works with WooCommerce and page builders like Elementor, making TranslatePress an excellent fit for small blogs and complex WordPress sites.

Standout features:

• Translate directly from the front end with live previews
• Covers all content, including SEO metadata and images
• Multilingual SEO addon to optimize each language version
• Flexible and customizable language switcher

TranslatePress pricing starts at €99/year for the Personal plan, with Business (€199/year) and Developer (€349/year) plans unlocking advanced features like multiple languages and automatic language detection.

4. Weglot

Weglot is a fast and user-friendly WordPress plugin that translates your website into over 110 languages. It automatically detects and translates your entire site, including posts, pages, menus, widgets, and SEO metadata. Weglot is fully compatible with all WordPress themes, WooCommerce, and popular page builders like Elementor.

Standout features:

• Duplicate categories, tags, and metadata for translations in multiple languages
• Keep consistent URL slugs across all languages
• Use subdirectories, subdomains, or separate domains for each language

Weglot is best suited for users who value speed and simplicity over manual control. It offers a free version that allows translation of up to 2,000 words in one language. The subscription-based Weglot model starts at €15 a month and offers enhanced features and additional translations.

5. Polylang

Polylang is a versatile WordPress site plugin that allows you to create a multilingual website by editing posts, pages, media, categories, tags, custom post types, taxonomies, widgets, and menus. It can organize and manage translations for over 90 supported languages directly within the WordPress dashboard and lets you add as many as you need. However, users typically need to provide the translations themselves, as automatic translation with DeepL is only in beta for Polylang Pro.

Standout features:

• Customizable language switcher that can be added as a widget
• Compatibility with Yoast SEO
• Integrate with other plugins and tools using the API
• Automatically copies categories, tags, and metadata when creating new translations

Polylang is ideal for website owners looking for a free or cost-effective solution to manage multilingual content. The free version offers core features, whereas Polylang Pro (€99/year) unlocks advanced functionality, and the Business Pack (€139/year) adds WooCommerce support.

6. Loco Translate

Loco Translate is a free WordPress plugin that lets you translate themes and plugins directly from your WordPress dashboard. It provides an in-browser editor for translation files, making it easier to manage translations without external software.

Standout features:

• Integrates with machine translation services like DeepL, Microsoft Translator, and Google Translate
• Offers tools to extract translatable strings and generate templates

Loco Translate is useful for translating static text and basic website content. However, it struggles to translate pages with dynamic content and doesn’t provide a language switcher for site visitors.

7. Lingotek

Lingotek is a cloud-based translation management system that works alongside the Polylang plugin within WordPress. Content is automatically uploaded to Lingotek’s system and returned to your WordPress site once translated, simplifying the process. It can also connect you with community translators who are available for hire.

Lingotek is suited to website owners and businesses seeking simple translation management. The plugin is free to use, but professional translation services through Lingotek come with additional costs.

8. Multilanguage

Multilanguage is a free WordPress plugin that helps you create a multilingual website by translating posts, pages, menus, widgets, and more. It supports over 80 languages and offers automatic translation via Google Translate integration. The plugin is intuitive, making it a good option for beginners who want to manage translations without a steep learning curve. Developer BestWebSoft also provides a pro version with additional features for $39 per domain per year.

9. GTranslate

GTranslate is a WordPress plugin that uses the Google language translator to automatically translate your website into over 100 languages. It offers both free and paid versions, allowing you to choose between automatic machine translations and manual editing for greater accuracy. Paid versions of GTranslate have no restrictions on the number of words or translated pageviews, and automatic translations are included without additional charges. Pricing for paid GTranslate plans starts at $9.99 per month.

Simplify your WordPress translation with Smartling

The proper translation plugin for your WordPress website depends on your business’s needs. However, most organizations want to simplify their translation workflows and guarantee consistent, high-quality translations. In these cases, Smartling’s WordPress Connector is the top option. It easily integrates with your existing tech stack while streamlining translation processes with automated submissions, notifications, and updates.

Our eBook, “What To Look for in a Translation Solution: A Buyer’s Guide,” uncovers the nine features that can simplify your workflows and maximize efficiency. Download it today and start your content translation journey so you can reach a global audience.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to translate a WordPress site?

The best way to translate a WordPress site is by using a translation service like Smartling’s WordPress Connector, which simplifies workflows and provides high-quality translations. 

Will translations slow down my website?

Translated pages may affect your site’s speed, but optimized multilingual plugins can minimize this. The best translation tools come with built-in caching options and lightweight code.

What is multilingual SEO?

Multilingual SEO involves optimizing your website for search engines in different languages. It includes adding hreflang tags, translating metadata, and creating localized URLs to improve visibility in various regions.