You've been thinking about getting a computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool to improve the way your company translates…
But which software packages should you consider? There are so many tools on today's market!
Before you select a specific computer-assisted translation tool, it's important to take some time and identify what you need from such a tool. But first, think about if it is really necessary to have such tools at all.
It might be possible (and even advisable) to avoid purchasing your own software and use one through your translation provider.
In this article, we'll look at 10 of the best CAT tools on the market today.
What is the meaning of computer-assisted translation?
Do you need to translate your company's global content into different languages? If so, a computer-assisted translation (CAT) tool will probably form some part of your translation workflow.
Computer-assisted translation helps streamline the job of professional translators. CAT tools incorporate a variety of features to make translation easier and more efficient while improving the quality of the resultant translations.
There are various advantages to using a CAT tool. These include getting a better use of your budget, achieving a more consistent global company image, and reducing the turnaround time for translations.
There are at least 5 different types or features of CAT tools:
- Translation memories
- Terminology management tools
- Dictionaries
- In-context editing and review
- Translation alignment
How to find the best computer-assisted translation software
The first question to ask yourself when you're looking for a CAT tool is: Do we even need our own tool?
CAT tools are most useful for individual translators and translation providers. Unless you are planning to manage all of your company's translations in-house you are usually better just leaving the choice of tool to your translation provider.
We rarely recommend managing all your own translations in-house, but there are some situations where it can make sense.
If you are sure that you need your own tool, here are some steps you can follow:
- Do your research — An article like this one is a good place to find out your options.
- Consider your needs — Identify what features and price requirements you have for a tool.
- Narrow down your options — Make a shortlist of the few tools that seem to meet your requirements the best.
- Test out one or more tools with a pilot project — Run a pilot project with this shortlist to identify which is the best for your needs.
- Make a decision — Finally, commit to a tool and then make it work.
The 10 best computer-assisted translation tools for you
There are so many CAT tools on the market that you could choose from!
It helps to have at least a broad overview of what tools are available so you can make a more informed decision. Whatever the tool, you need to be proactive to get the best out of your content. Critical factors include which content you throw at the tools, in what order content will be added, and how you will handle nonstandard content.
Here are 10 of the most popular and feature-filled CAT tools on the market, in alphabetical order:
Déjà Vu
Déjà Vu is a complete CAT tool that is relatively easy to use. It's simpler and cheaper than more complex tools like Trados Studio or MemoQ.
According to Déjà Vu, the tool can "import any file format you can think of" and it includes a range of features to make the translation process easier.
Lokalise
Lokalise is one of the fastest-growing translation tools on the market. It is aimed at agile teams working with multiple types of content, including mobile apps, games, marketing content, and documents.
According to Lokalise, it works best for short time-to-market projects, helping to reduce the costs of translation.
MemoQ
MemoQ is a powerful CAT tool with many advanced features, which means it requires training. These include automated error checking, linguistic quality assurance, and statistical error categorization.
According to MemoQ, it is a tool that was "created by translators for translators" and it provides training courses to get you started quickly.
Memsource
Memsource is a full-featured CAT tool with support for a wide range of languages and file types. It includes both a web-based and a desktop version, making it more flexible than web-only tools.
According to Memsource, it is "the most innovative CAT tool on the market." It uses artificial intelligence to streamline the translation process.
OmegaT
OmegaT is an open-source CAT tool. It is a basic tool without many of the more advanced features you'd find in paid tools. But it supports over 30 file formats and integrates with Google Translate.
According to OmegaT, the tool is "the free translation memory tool." It's not likely to be suitable for a large global company, but it might work for small side projects.
Phrase
Phrase is a cloud-based platform aimed primarily at software localization. It uses smart automation to help translation teams scale their processes.
According to Phrase, their customers save an average of 48 hours per release when using the tool over not using it.
Smartcat
Smartcat is a simple cloud-based CAT tool that is free for translators. It has a wide userbase of over 10,000 translation providers and 300,000 freelance translators.
According to Smartcat, a key benefit of the tool is that it combines a collaborative workflow, a marketplace, and an extensive network of translation professionals.
STAR Transit
Transit NXT is the newest version of STAR's translation memory system. It is isn't commonly used by freelance translators but is aimed more at translation agencies.
According to STAR, the difference with Transit is that it doesn't rely on a sentence-based translation memory system, as other tools do. Instead, it looks at the whole context of your document.
Trados Studio
Trados Studio is one of the biggest names in the translation industry and is used by over 250,000 translators. It includes powerful analytics features, but can take some time and effort to learn.
According to Trados, it is "the leading translation software for language professionals who want to translate and review projects."
XTM Cloud
XTM Cloud is a subscription-based CAT tool that is billed by the number of words you translate. There is also an enterprise plan with unlimited words.
According to XTM, the tool provides an agile localization toolkit to support "high translation volumes and tight deadlines."
Which computer-assisted translation software should you get?
Computer-assisted translation tools can be an efficient and powerful way to improve the speed, quality, and efficiency of your translations.
However, it’s important to do your research and find the right tool for your company.
Unless you have a very good reason to purchase your own CAT tool, it’s usually a better idea to let your translation provider use their preferred tools. This will be most efficient for everyone involved, as most companies significantly underestimate the skill and effort involved in supporting a CAT tool.
The 10 CAT tools we’ve listed are some of the best and most popular on the market, but there are many other great options out there.
If you want to learn more about how to select a CAT tool or want help to implement one into your workflow, get in contact with our team
For even more tips on ways you can improve your translation workflow, download our free eBook 10 Profitable Tips to Streamline Your Translation Workflow
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10 Profitable Tips to Streamline Your Translation Workflow
Like any manufacturer, you know that a streamlined workflow is the key to a successful business. However, the idea of having a “streamlined translation workflow” might seem unusual.