Crowdin
Crowdin is a cloud-based localization management platform that helps you streamline software translation by automating content updates and providing collaborative tools for developers and translators.
Smartcat
Smartcat is an AI-powered translation platform that connects businesses with a global marketplace of freelancers and automated tools to streamline multilingual content creation and management across all digital channels.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Crowdin | Smartcat |
|---|---|---|
| Website | crowdin.com | smartcat.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 14 days free trial | ✓ 14 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2009 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Tallinn, Estonia | Boston, USA |
Overview
Crowdin
Crowdin is a specialized platform designed to help you manage the entire localization process in one place. Instead of manually emailing spreadsheets to translators, you can automate the sync between your code repository and the translation interface. It supports over 400 languages and dozens of file formats, making it a versatile choice for mobile apps, websites, and desktop software.
You can build custom workflows that include machine translation, professional human translation, or community crowdsourcing. The platform provides a visual editor where translators see strings in context, which reduces errors and speeds up delivery. Whether you are a solo developer or part of a global enterprise, you can scale your international growth without technical bottlenecks.
Smartcat
Smartcat provides you with an all-in-one environment to manage translations, automate workflows, and hire linguists. You can upload documents in dozens of formats and use AI translation engines to get instant results, which you can then refine yourself or assign to professional editors. The platform eliminates the need for separate CAT tools, project management software, and payment systems by consolidating everything into a single cloud-based workspace.
You can scale your global content operations without worrying about seat licenses, as the platform allows for unlimited users. Whether you are a small startup localizing an app or a large enterprise managing complex documentation, you can automate the entire lifecycle from initial draft to final payment. It solves the problem of fragmented translation processes by providing a centralized hub for your internal teams and external vendors.
Overview
Crowdin Features
- Content Integrations Connect your GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket repositories to automatically sync source strings and finished translations without manual uploads.
- In-Context Editing Give your translators a visual preview of the application so they can see exactly where text appears and provide more accurate translations.
- Translation Memory Reuse previous translations for identical strings across your projects to save money and ensure brand consistency throughout your software.
- Glossary Management Create and maintain a list of key terms and brand names to ensure your specific terminology is translated correctly every time.
- Machine Translation Speed up the process by pre-translating your content using engines like Google Translate, DeepL, or Microsoft Translator before human review.
- Real-Time Reports Track your project progress, translation costs, and individual contributor performance with detailed analytics and status dashboards.
Smartcat Features
- AI Translation Drive. Generate instant translations using the best-performing engines for your specific content type and language pair automatically.
- Collaborative Editor. Work with your team or freelancers in real-time using a web-based tool featuring translation memories and glossaries.
- Freelancer Marketplace. Access a vetted network of over 500,000 linguists and hire them directly within your project workflow.
- Automated Payments. Pay all your global contributors with a single invoice, regardless of their location or preferred currency.
- Translation Memory. Store your previous translations in a database to reuse them in future projects and maintain brand consistency.
- Project Automation. Set up automated workflows that move tasks from translation to editing and proofreading without manual intervention.
- Website Localization. Translate your entire website visually using a proxy solution or direct integrations with your CMS.
- Quality Assurance. Run automated checks to catch formatting errors, terminology inconsistencies, and punctuation mistakes before you publish.
Pricing Comparison
Crowdin Pricing
- Unlimited public projects
- 1 private project
- 60,000 hosted strings
- Unlimited collaborators
- Basic integrations
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited private projects
- 30,000 hosted strings
- Translation Memory & Glossaries
- Task management tools
- Custom workflows
Smartcat Pricing
- Unlimited users and projects
- Access to Marketplace
- Basic AI translation
- Standard CAT tool features
- Single user payment system
- Everything in Free, plus:
- 150,000 Smartwords per year
- Email support
- Translation memory management
- Glossary support
- Project management automation
Pros & Cons
Crowdin
Pros
- Excellent automation through deep GitHub and GitLab integrations
- Intuitive online editor helps translators work faster
- Supports a massive variety of file formats
- Strong version control for managing multiple branches
Cons
- Pricing can scale quickly as string counts grow
- Initial setup for complex workflows takes time
- Mobile app interface is less powerful than desktop
Smartcat
Pros
- Unlimited user seats allow for easy team scaling
- Centralized payment system simplifies freelancer management
- Intuitive interface requires very little technical training
- Strong AI translation integration speeds up initial drafts
Cons
- Advanced project filtering can be difficult to navigate
- Occasional lag when working with very large files
- Marketplace communication tools can feel somewhat limited