With more than 474 million sites using WordPress, it's no secret that this popular content management system (CMS) has become the go-to platform for individuals and businesses alike. However, while WordPress provides a powerful platform for creating and managing content, the fact that only about 18% of the total global population speaks English as a first or second language means that relying solely on English content can significantly limit your online reach.
To overcome this language barrier and make your WordPress site accessible to a wider audience, translate your content into multiple languages. With a multilingual site, you can better engage with visitors from diverse linguistic backgrounds and attract more traffic and customers. This is where WordPress translation plug-ins can help.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll take a deep dive into the benefits of WordPress translation plug-ins and compare seven of the best translation plug-ins to help you create a multilingual website.
Different ways to translate a WordPress website
There are several approaches you can take to translating a Wordpress website to ensure that your content reaches a global audience effectively.
Automatic translation plug-ins are quick and convenient to use. They automatically translate your website content into multiple languages. However, automatic translations may not be 100% accurate and can miss cultural nuances. For a more polished and accurate translation, professional translation services provide a human touch that can cater to cultural nuances and differences.
Another option is to use AI-powered translation that combines machine learning with human oversight. Plug-ins like DeepL integrate advanced AI translation models to produce more natural, human-like translations than standard automatic translation.
Learn more about AI-powered human translation.
Comparing 7 of the best WordPress translation plug-ins
WordPress has several translation plug-ins available in its marketplace. How do you choose the tool that fits your particular needs? Here’s a detailed comparison of the best plug-ins to help you efficiently prepare multilingual content for your site:
1. Smartling’s WordPress connector
Smartling’s WordPress connector is a plug-in that integrates Smartling’s translation management system (TMS) directly into the WordPress platform. The integration works seamlessly, especially if you have a multisite setup. You can automatically submit content from WordPress to Smartling for translation. Once the translations are complete, you can automatically download it back into WordPress and publish it on the appropriate site pages.
Smartling also integrates with the WPML (WordPress Multilingual) plug-in to provide high-quality translations for WordPress websites. With this integration, WordPress users can easily submit content for translation and receive completed translations within their WordPress dashboard.
You can work with native-speaking translators or machine translation and view translations with visual context to ensure the highest-quality translation results. Using translation memory can also speed up the translation process, improve accuracy and consistency across translated texts, and reduce costs. This feature alone helped Yext reduce its cost per word by 25% even after adding support for six new languages.
Smartling’s WordPress translation connector (Source)
Features:
- Bulk submissions: Save time by submitting multiple posts, tags, menus, and other entities for multiple locales in a single click.
- Automatic change detection: Immediately recognize updated text that requires translation so you don’t have to manually queue up content.
- Custom workflows: Configure translation workflows for each language according to your company’s unique needs and preferences.
- Automatic downloads: Convert the source language into your target language(s) and instantly return the translated text to your WordPress environment.
- Global delivery network (GDN): Rapidly deploy multilingual websites and web applications with minimal IT involvement leveraging GDN, a translation proxy on top of your existing website.
Pros:
- You can easily check the status of any translation in real time via the WordPress Submissions Board or the Smartling platform.
- Solutions consulting and advanced technical help with integration are available.
- Translation analytics—based on analyses of billions of data points—enable you to assess and manage translation quality, costs, and speed at scale.
Cons:
- Since Smartling primarily serves enterprises with complex translation and localization needs, it’s not as cost-effective as alternatives geared more toward smaller businesses with basic requirements.
Learn more about how Smartling makes WordPress translation easy in our in-depth guide.
2. Polylang
Polylang has four different versions of its WordPress translation plug-in at varying price points: a free version, a pro version, a version for WooCommerce, and a version for businesses. It supports content translation in more than 90 languages, with no limit on the number of languages you can translate into per website. Features:
- Automatic copying: Copy categories, post tags, and other metadata to new posts or duplicate posts.
- Shared slugs: Keep the same URL slug for posts across languages.
- API: Connect with other WordPress plug-ins and tools, including WPML.
Pros:
- Polylang prevents negative effects on website performance.
- You can use subdirectories, subdomains, or separate domains.
- You can make a one-time payment for any Polylang plug-in with pricing dependent only on the number of websites receiving translated content.
Cons:
- Some users have experienced bugs and theme compatibility issues. (Source: WordPress.org)
3. TranslatePress
TranslatePress is another translation plug-in that allows users to translate their WordPress sites from the front end. It allows for manual translation but can also produce editable automatic translations via Google Translate or DeepL.
Features:
- Translation blocks: Merge multiple translation strings into one to translate large blocks of HTML at once.
- Multilingual sitemap support: Translate sitemaps created and maintained with many popular search engine optimization (SEO) plug-ins, including Yoast, RankMath, and AIOSEO.
- Visitor preview: Preview what translated website content will look like to site visitors.
Pros:
- TranslatePress supports over 200 languages.
- You can create translator accounts, allowing linguists to do their work without having to deal with site builders or the backend of WordPress.
- You own your translations and can use them indefinitely, even if you stop paying for the plug-in.
Cons:
- Some users have encountered frustrating errors and bugs. (Source: WordPress.org)
GTranslate
GTranslate is a top choice for translating posts, pages, menus, widgets, and more via Google and Bing’s machine translation engines. It can automatically switch your site’s language based on each visitor’s browser default and offers a variety of language switcher styles for visitors who want to make a manual selection.
Features:
- Language hosting: Set up language-specific domains for translated versions of your site.
- Image localization: Translate media for different regions and cultures to provide a fully localized experience.
- Multilingual SEO: Enable search engine indexing so ideal customers are more likely to find your products and services in their native languages. Read more about multilingual SEO in our detailed guide.
Pros:
- GTranslate is compatible with WooCommerce, which means you can translate your ecommerce products, emails, and so on.
- Yoast compatibility allows you to translate keywords, meta descriptions, schema.org data structures, and sitemaps.
- Pricing is not usage-based, so you can translate as many words as needed with no pageview limits on either the free or paid plans.
Cons:
- GTranslate is a translation proxy, which means the translations are not stored locally.
- A few users mentioned translation accuracy issues, perhaps with certain languages more than others. (Source: G2 reviews)
5. Loco Translate
With over 1 million active installs, Loco Translate is a top plug-in for WordPress site translation. Localization managers use it for task assignment and project tracking. However, this tool is mainly for developers who need help translating parts of their sites or apps that a CMS can't help with, such as WordPress themes.
Features:
- Built-in translation editor: Edit translations directly within your WordPress dashboard.
- Machine translation: Integrate with translation APIs, including DeepL, Google, Microsoft, and Lecto AI.
- Language directory: Save custom translations.
Pros:
- You can create and update language files directly in your theme or plug-in.
- Loco Translate is free for up to 2,000 translations and offers three inexpensive paid plans with add-ons for additional translations and languages.
- Since this plug-in is platform-agnostic, you can import and export translations in various formats.
Cons:
- Unlike some other plug-ins that can translate dynamic content, this plug-in only translates static text. (Source: WordPress.org)
6. MultilingualPress
The MultilingualPress plug-in allows users to translate WordPress websites—particularly those that use WooCommerce—into different languages. Users can create a multisite network of connected shops to serve several languages and can easily manage and synchronize content to create a frictionless user experience.
Features:
- WP Auto Translate: Translate website content via machine translation engines like DeepL and Google Translate.
- Yoast SEO sync: Sync metadata from the Yoast SEO plug-in between translated pages.
- Language switcher: Create custom menus (with corresponding country flags) with a dropdown functionality or a simple shortcode to allow site visitors to choose their preferred language on any page.
Pros:
- Over 800 languages are available.
- MultilingualPress 4 features a language menu block, allowing users to easily add a language switcher to their posts or front-end pages.
- You can choose from four annual pricing plans based on the number of languages you need.
Cons:
- This plug-in is optimized for WooCommerce, so it may not work as well if you use another platform.
7. Weglot translation plug-in
Weglot is a comprehensive WordPress translation plug-in that allows you to easily translate your website into multiple languages. Weglot supports over 110 languages, including custom languages, providing a wide range of translation options.
Features:
- Automatic content detection: Weglot automatically detects and translates all the content on your website, including text, images, and metadata—no manual intervention necessary.
- Multilingual SEO optimization: Weglot optimizes your translated pages for search engines by automatically creating language-specific URLs, implementing hreflang tags, and translating metadata.
- Translation management tools: Weglot provides an intuitive dashboard where you can manage your translations, collaborate with team members, and order professional translations.
- Visual translation editor: Weglot offers a visual editor that allows you to preview and edit translations directly on your website without having to switch between interfaces.
- Compatibility with WordPress plug-ins and themes: Weglot is compatible with all WordPress plug-ins and themes, including WooCommerce, Elementor, and Yoast SEO.
Pros:
- Weglot offers a free plan for websites with up to 2,000 words, making it accessible for small businesses and personal websites.
- It provides fast and responsive customer support.
Cons:
- Some users have reported issues with Weglot's word count tracking, where the plug-in may count certain content as exceeding the free plan's 2,000-word limit.
- Weglot is a translation proxy and doesn’t store translations locally.
How to install and configure a WordPress website translator
Installing a WordPress translation plug-in is no different than installing any other plug-in on your site. To install Smartling’s, for example, follow this step-by-step tutorial:
Step 1: Installation
- Log in to your WordPress site.
- Navigate to the WordPress plug-in store.
- Search for "Smartling Connector."
- Click the "Install Now" button to download and install the plug-in.
- Once installed, click the "Activate" button to enable the plug-in on your site.
Step 2: Connect your Smartling account to WordPress
- Go to your Smartling account and generate an API key.
- Copy down your user identifier and project ID, as explained in the Smartling documentation.
- Return to your WordPress site and navigate to the plug-in settings.
Step 3: Add a profile
- Click the "Add Profile" button in the plug-in settings.
- Fill in the required fields with the API key, user identifier, and project ID from step 2.
- Add a profile name to identify this connection.
- If you want to use this profile immediately, select the "Active" option on the profile configuration page.
Step 4: Test the connection
- Click the "Test Connection" button to ensure a successful connection between WordPress and Smartling.
- Select your source locale (your content’s original language).
- Choose your target locales and languages (the languages you want to translate your content into).
- Save your profile to apply the changes.
You’re all set!
Matching WordPress translation plug-ins to your workflows
Website translation involves more than just translating content using plug-ins. You also need to ensure that translated content is culturally appropriate. This may involve edits, approvals, and revisions. Moreover, for each new language, you might need an entirely separate translation workflow. Sounds like an operational nightmare, right?
That’s why it’s important to consider how translation plug-ins fit into your specific workflows without causing disruption. With Smartling’s dynamic workflows, project managers can customize their translation workflows to automatically direct content to different steps from start to publish.
Smartling’s dynamic workflows (Source)
Get fast, accurate translations with Smartling’s WordPress connector
While independent WordPress plug-ins can be a cost-effective solution for smaller businesses looking to translate their website, these plug-ins often fall short for large-scale localization projects. Many plug-ins have limited translation capabilities, lack professional translation services, and can introduce significant friction when trying to localize an entire website or existing content backlog.
Independent WordPress plug-ins can’t replace a dedicated TMS like Smartling’s. Smartling’s WordPress connector can streamline your translation workflows and deliver localized content to your audience faster, all within the WordPress platform. It empowers you to:
- Automatically download completed translations to WordPress
- Automatically detect changes for content updates
- Integrate translation memory
- Configure user-friendly workflows for each language
- Incorporate robust translation analytics
Experience guaranteed translation quality, fast setup, and efficient growth with Smartling’s translation tools. Request a meeting today.
