BasicCAT vs OpenTM2

BasicCAT is a free, open-source computer-aided translation tool intended to give translators a simple desktop workspace. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows and includes translation memory, terminology management, language checking, Quickfill, AutoCorrect, and interactive machine translation. Users can merge or split segments, export Word files for external review, and create bilingual paragraph files. Listed file support includes TXT, IDML, XLIFF, and Gettext PO, alongside TMX, TBX, and SRX standards. Its documentation lists built-in connections to 12 machine translation services, including Baidu, Google, Microsoft Bing, MyMemory, Tencent Cloud, IBM Watson, and Amazon. Most services require API keys; MyMemory instead requires an email address. Language checks use LanguageTool through its API or locally. Translation memory and terms can be shared through a server program, while Git collaboration is for work files and does not sync those resources. The sharing server requires Java 8 or later.

OpenTM2 is a free Windows desktop program for managing translation projects and automating repetitive work for professional translators. Its Workbench combines a translation editor, translation memories, and project glossaries, alongside terminology management and alignment tools. Supported formats include HTML, Java properties, OpenOffice, XHTML, generic XML, XLIFF, and TMX translation memory databases; TMX, TBX, and XLIFF are supported for exchanging translation assets. The maker says the software handles all languages, including bidirectional scripts and East Asian ideographic languages. For software localization, XLATE lets translators work on interface strings in context and resize dialog boxes for translated text. Scripts can automate project creation, importing and pretranslating files, word counts, and exports. Translation memories can be shared on a local network, with offline synchronization options for remote translators. OpenTM2 is released under the Eclipse Public License, which the maker describes as suitable for commercial and open-source software. Downloads include an installer/updater and source code; the application has a built-in update mechanism.