Google Cloud Translation vs LibreTranslate
Google Cloud Translation
cloud.google.com
LibreTranslate
libretranslate.comSide by side
| Figure | Google Cloud Translation | LibreTranslate |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $0.08/mo | $29/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 13 | 2 |
| Spec score · Translation apps | 9.1 (#5) | 7.9 (#76) |
| Spec score · Translation Software | 8.8 (#11) | 8.2 (#56) |
| Spec score · AI Translation Tools | 8.8 (#4) | 8.1 (#13) |
| API access | Cloud Translation provides programmatic translation through its API. | The hosted libretranslate.com API requires a purchased API key, while self-hosted instances do not require one by default. |
| Document translation | Yes | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Translation memory | Yes | No |
Plans
Google Cloud Translation
- Neural Machine Translation free allowanceFree
- Neural Machine Translation text$20 a month
- Neural Machine Translation document$0.08 a month
- Custom Translation text$80 a month
- Custom Translation document$0.25 a month
- Translation LLM input$10 a month
- Translation LLM output$10 a month
- Adaptive Translation input$25 a month
- Adaptive Translation output$25 a month
- Advanced document translation$0.08 a month
In their own words
Google Cloud Translation
Google Cloud Translation is an API-based translation service for websites, apps, documents, user comments, and media workflows. It supports 189 languages and includes website and document translation, translation memory, glossary tools, and API access. The API is available in Basic and Advanced editions, with Advanced adding customization features and glossary support for website and app workflows. Adaptive Translation uses LLMs and small datasets to shape translations to a content's style and tone. Document translation supports DOCX, PPT, and PDF; Translation Hub manages large document volumes and organizational workflows, while its Advanced option supports human review and editing. Integrations with Speech-to-Text, Transcoder, and Cloud Text-to-Speech support transcript, subtitle, and voice-over workflows. Charges depend on content processed, API methods, and translation model. The first 500,000 API characters per month are free across Basic and Advanced, excluding LLMs; monthly free credit is up to $10 and does not roll over. Document translation is listed at $0.08.
LibreTranslate
LibreTranslate is a free and open source machine translation API powered by the Argos Translate library. It supports text translation, automatic source-language detection, HTML or markup translation, alternative translations, and language detection. Its API also includes file translation. When a requested language pair is not directly available, the service can route through another language, usually English. Users can run LibreTranslate on their own machine or server for free, and the documentation describes offline-capable local use. Installation and deployment options include Python, Docker, Gunicorn, Kubernetes, and Helm. Listed integrations include a Discourse translator plugin, Android and iOS apps, Firefox extensions, and the minbrowser web browser. The hosted portal asks users to split requests longer than 2,000 characters into smaller chunks. Hosted Pro costs $29 / month and Business costs $58 / month; both list unlimited translations, with bursts up to 80 and 200 translations per minute respectively. There is no free trial, and the portal lists a 7 days money-back guarantee. LibreTranslate says translation texts are not stored or logged.