How to compare translation tools
Instead of a score sheet, here is what actually differs, in terms you can test on any product.
Two ways to serve translations
| Question | Fetched from the vendor at visit time | Pre-built static files (our approach) |
|---|---|---|
| What do visitors need? | The vendor's servers to be up and fast. | Static files on your site and CDNs. |
| Vendor outage | Depends on the product. Test it. | Already-published pages keep their translations. |
| Search engines | Depends on whether separate URLs are generated. | Separate URL per language with hreflang. |
| Cost of a lapse | Depends on the product. Check the terms. | Published pages stay up; you can export. |
Five tests worth running on any vendor
- Block the vendor's domain in your browser and reload a translated page. What does a visitor see?
- View the page source as a search engine would. Are there translated URLs with hreflang?
- Ask what happens to your translations if you cancel. Can you export them in a standard format?
- Ask how word limits are enforced and whether you are moved to a higher plan automatically.
- Ask which companies receive your page text and whether it is used to train models.
We do not publish named comparisons until we have verified each statement at the competitor's own pages and recorded the date. Until then this page stays generic.