What are the best wordpress translation plugins and how to choose?

WPML, TranslatePress, and Polylang are all popular WordPress translation plugins that allow you to create multilingual websites. Here’s a comparison among these three plugins:

1. WPML (https://wpml.org/): WPML is one of the most popular WordPress translation plugins, with a wide range of features and a strong reputation. It supports over 40 languages and offers professional translation services. WPML also supports multilingual e-commerce websites and allows you to translate posts, pages, custom post types, taxonomies, and menus. WPML is a paid plugin, with pricing starting at $29 per year for the Multilingual Blog version.
2. TranslatePress (https://translatepress.com/): TranslatePress is a newer WordPress translation plugin that has gained popularity quickly. It offers a unique visual translation interface, which allows you to translate your website in real-time, directly on the page. TranslatePress supports over 221 languages and offers automatic translation integration with Google Translate, DeepL, and Yandex Translate. TranslatePress also allows you to translate all aspects of your website, including dynamic content from plugins and themes. TranslatePress is a freemium plugin, with pricing starting at $79 per year for the Personal version.
3. Polylang (https://polylang.pro/): Polylang is a popular WordPress translation plugin that has been around for over ten years. It supports over 100 languages and allows you to translate posts, pages, media, categories, tags, and menus. Polylang also offers integration with popular page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder, and e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce. Polylang is a free plugin, but some features, such as automatic translation integration, are only available with the Pro version, which starts at €99 per year.

What we need to consider when we choose translation plugins

• Translation Interface: WPML and Polylang both use a traditional translation interface, where you edit translations in a separate page or section of your WordPress dashboard. TranslatePress, on the other hand, offers a unique visual translation interface that allows you to translate content directly on your website’s front-end, making it easier to see how your translations look in context.
• Automatic Translation Integration: WPML and Polylang both offer integration with automatic translation services like Google Translate, but the integration is only available in their paid versions. TranslatePress offers automatic translation integration with Google Translate, DeepL, and Yandex Translate in both its free and paid versions.
• Multilingual SEO: WPML offers built-in multilingual SEO features, including the ability to add language tags to URLs, which can help improve your website’s search engine rankings. Polylang also offers similar SEO features, but you’ll need to use a separate plugin to add language tags to your URLs. TranslatePress does not offer built-in multilingual SEO features, but you can use third-party SEO plugins to optimize your website for search engines.
• Ease of Use: All three plugins are relatively easy to use, but the learning curve can vary depending on your experience with WordPress and website development. WPML and Polylang have a more traditional interface that may require some familiarity with translation and localization concepts. TranslatePress offers a more intuitive interface, especially for beginners, but it may not be as powerful as WPML or Polylang in terms of customization options.
• Compatibility: WPML is compatible with a wide range of WordPress themes and plugins, making it a reliable option for most websites. Polylang is also compatible with many popular themes and plugins, but some users have reported compatibility issues with certain plugins. TranslatePress is relatively new, but it’s designed to work with most WordPress themes and plugins, and the developers actively work to ensure compatibility with popular tools.
• Support and Documentation: All three plugins have extensive documentation and support resources, including user manuals, FAQs, and forums. WPML and Polylang offer dedicated support teams that can help you troubleshoot issues and provide technical support. TranslatePress also has a support team, but its resources are more limited due to the lower cost of the plugin.
• Performance: WPML and Polylang are known for being reliable and efficient, with minimal impact on website performance. TranslatePress is designed to be lightweight and fast, with minimal impact on page load times. However, some users have reported that the visual translation interface can slow down website performance slightly.

The Price of these top translation plugins

Here’s a breakdown of the pricing for WPML, TranslatePress, and Polylang:

WPML:

• Multilingual Blog: $29 for 1 website
• Multilingual CMS: $79 for 3 websites
• Multilingual Agency: $159 for unlimited websites

TranslatePress:

• Personal: $99 per year for 1 website
• Business: $199 per year for up to 5 websites
• Developer: $299 per year for up to 100 websites

Polylang:

• Free version available on WordPress.org
• Pro version: €99 per year for 1 website, or €349 for a lifetime license for 1 website

As you can see, WPML is the most affordable option for a single website, with their Multilingual Blog package starting at just $29. However, if you have multiple websites to manage, their Multilingual Agency package may not be the most cost-effective choice.

TranslatePress offers a range of options depending on the number of websites you need to translate. Their Personal plan is a good value for a single website, but their Business and Developer plans are more expensive than the equivalent plans from WPML and Polylang.

Polylang’s free version is a great option for small websites, but their Pro version is more expensive than WPML’s Multilingual CMS package and TranslatePress’s Personal plan.

Overall, WPML may be the best choice if you have a single website to translate, while TranslatePress and Polylang may be better options for larger projects or multiple websites. However, it’s important to consider not just price, but also the features and functionality offered by each plugin when making your decision.

But right now, we offer these three plugins at a really low price and you could definitely try them all!