When traveling to a new country, understanding the local language is essential to get by. In the past, carrying large dictionaries and phrasebooks was the only way to communicate with locals. But now technology has advanced so much that translation apps are available! Whether you have an Android or Apple device, many free translator apps help you make the most of your trip. This article will comprehensively review the 10 best free language translation apps in 2023. From real-time translations to pulling text from a sign with your camera, these apps will make communicating with locals more straightforward and enjoyable.
iTranslate Translator
Available: iOS, Android
iTranslate is the best choice if you want one of Android and Apple's most famous translation apps. The app can translate more than 100 languages and even switch between accents. The app also has a dictionary and thesaurus that you can use to look up words, their meanings, and even actions. With the paid version, you can use your camera to translate text from signs, pictures, and menus. You can also use offline versions for 40 other languages. You can use iTranslate on Apple, Android, and the Apple Watch.
Highlights:
-
Free (limited) translation app for Android and iOS with a premium/paid (full) version
- Supports text translations in over 100 languages and speech translations in 40 languages
- Camera translation (in the premium version)
- Dictionary and phrasebook
- Offline mode
TripLingo
Available: iOS, Android
TripLingo is one of the best translation apps you can get if you travel to different places. It's a helpful app for avoiding misunderstandings and miscommunications while traveling. The app can understand official and informal speech and translate voices, text, and images into 42 languages. The receipt translation tool will make it easier for business travelers to complete expense reports. Just take a picture of a piece of paper; the app will translate it and save it as a PDF file in your language.
Highlights:
- Free (limited) translator for Android and iOS with a premium/paid (full) version
- Instant voice translation in 19 languages
- It comes with more than 26,000 phrases in 13 languages
- It has over 30,000 professionally recorded translations of audio
- Provides an offline language dictionary with approximately 10,000 words
- Image translation capable
- Allows users to connect to a human translator (premium service) to get more accurate live translations
Google Translate
Available: iOS, Android
Google Translate is one of the most useful apps for translating languages. The app can recognize more than 100 different languages and offer offline versions for 59 of them. With their Word Lens tool, you can translate text on signs from 37 other languages. Google Translate is different from the first two apps because it is free and has high standards for how effective its machine translation engine needs to be. The app's machine engine reads whole phrases or sentences, not just individual words.
Highlights:
- Free language translation app for Android and iPhone
- Supports text translations in 103 languages and speech translation (or conversation translations) in 32 languages
- Capable of doing camera translations in 38 languages and photo/image translations in 50 languages
- Translates handwriting in 93 languages
- Now available offline for translation in 59 languages
- Performs translations across apps
Microsoft Translator
Available: iOS, Android
The translating tool from Microsoft is its answer to Google Translate. It has the same features as Google Translate. It can translate speech, text, and pictures using the camera and voice translation. The primary distinction is that Microsoft Translator can pick up on multiple languages in the same conversation. Ideal for when you're in a meeting with people from all over the world.
Highlights:
- Free language translation app for iPhone and Android
- Supports text translations in 64 languages and speech translation in 21 languages
- Supports camera and image translation
- Enables multi-person translated conversations
- Features a phrasebook as well as pronunciation guides
- Allows translation sharing between apps
Speak & Translate - Translator
Available: iOS ONLY
This app is only for Apple products and has some of the same tools as the other apps. Because it's only for iOS, you can sync the app across all your Apple devices through iCloud. This is in addition to the normal translation features. The app can translate text into more than 117 languages and speech into 54 languages.
Highlights:
- Free (limited) language translation app for iOS devices but with a premium/paid version
- Supports text translations in 117 languages and speech translations in 54 languages
- Apple Speech Recognition Technology support for more accurate speech recognition
- Automatic language detection in speech translation
- The offline mode only available in the premium version
TextGrabber
Available: iOS, Android
One of the best apps to use when exploring is TextGrabber. TextGrabber will translate any text you point your camera at, whether on a street sign, a menu, or a set of directions, even if you're not online. It can understand more than 100 languages, and its real-time recognition mode immediately makes any address, phone number, or email address clickable.
Highlights:
- Real-time translation into 100+ languages online and 10 languages offline
- Innovative real-time recognition mode based on ABBYY RTR SDK technology
- Text recognition in 60+ languages without an internet connection
- Digitize printed text directly from the camera screen without taking photographs
- All links, phone numbers, email addresses, postal addresses, and dates after digitization become clickable
Naver Papago Translate
Available: iOS, Android
Papago is an expert at translating 13 languages, including English, French, German, Vietnamese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Italian, and Indonesian. Like many of these translation apps, Papago can translate both sound and text in real-time, read text on phones, and find the right meaning of words. You can also get versions from websites by putting the URL into Papago.
Highlights
- Free translator to download on Android and iOS devices
- Supports text and speech translations in 13 languages
- Capable of doing image translations
- It comes with a dictionary and phrasebook
- "Papago Kids" feature for essential foreign language learning
Translate Now
Available: iOS
Translate Now is another app that only works on iOS devices. The app has the standard translation tools and extras, like a button that makes things more manageable so you don't always have to open the app. Translate Now has the standard voice and camera translations, so you can use Speak to translate and get translations from signs and menus. But one thing that makes them unique is their translation function which works in real-time.
Highlights:
- Voice Translation translates spoken words into the language you need.
- The point is Scan & Translate quickly. Scan and easily translate any text you find, such as menus or signs in different languages.
- AR Translation (Augmented Reality) access translation features with your camera and AR technology.
- Access to Air Apps One (30+ apps for free) get access to 30+ apps without extra cost.
- Dark Mode and Siri Shortcuts switch on dark mode for a pleasant reading experience, or use Siri shortcuts for quick access to translations when you're on the go. This app has all the features you need to communicate with people worldwide quickly and conveniently.
- Widget and Lock Screen Widgets Add a widget and lock screen widget to quickly access the app when you need translations without opening the app.
Easy Language Translator
Available: Android
This free language translator is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-use, fast, and reliable translator. It supports over 100 languages, allowing you to quickly and easily translate text and voice, listen to your translations, add it to favorites, share or send the translation, copy the translation, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and many other features. The graphics are nice, too, with many themes available. You can even save or share your translations as MP3 audio files! Plus, it displays the text as a significant sign – perfect for those hard of hearing. And don't forget: Easy Language Translator needs an internet connection to work correctly - and some languages do not support speech/voice translation.
Highlights:
- 100+ languages available
- Translate text, voice and listen to your translation
- Use your voice to translate or add as an MP3 audio file
- Add translations to favorites for easy retrieval
- Share and send the translation with others if you wish
- Copy the translation to other apps or documents
- Speech-to-text and text-to-speech features included
- Nice graphics with many themes available
-
Display text as a big sign for hard-of-hearing users
Translate All
Available: iOS, Android
Translate All supports three translation types: text, speech, and camera. Available on both Android and Apple, the app is ideal for when you are visiting abroad. With a user-friendly interface and an advanced search engine that can automatically detect over 100 languages, this app could be perfect if you want something simple.
Highlights:
- Translate texts and voice between multiple languages
- Fun and effective way to memorize vocabulary
- Supports Hindi to English, English to Urdu, Hindi to Telugu, English to Hindi, and more
- Simple interface and intuitive design
- Google Translate offers text/voice translations in almost any language. Microsoft Translator supports up to 60 languages with text and speech support.
Final Thoughts
With these top 10 free translator apps in 2023, nothing can stop you from understanding different languages! Finally, plenty of great options are available if you're looking for the perfect translator app to help you with your international travels or other language needs. Whether you want an online translation, offline translation, bi-directional earbuds, or a simple dictionary app, there's an option for everyone. Timekettle Bi-directional Earbuds Online/Offline Translator Earbuds also provide an immersive and personal experience that no translator app can match. No matter your choice, the best translator apps will make your life easier and allow you to communicate in any language more efficiently and accurately.