The Best Translation Apps of 2024

Written by: BestApp.com App Testing Team - Updated: Aug 09, 2021

   Best Translation Apps Badge

Microsoft Translator stands out as the best translation app available. It’s completely free, works offline, and offers a variety of useful features. But Microsoft Translator may not be the best fit for your specific needs. We’ve also reviewed nine other top translation apps that are worth checking out below.

Top 10 Translation Apps to Try

How We Chose the Best Translation Apps

When determining the best translation apps, we looked for features such as real-time voice translation, text translation, camera translation, and pronunciation guides. We also prioritized providers that offer affordable pricing. Many of the options listed below won’t cost you anything at all. 

Choose the translation app that’s right for you

When choosing a translation app, consider your specific needs. The best option for one user isn’t necessarily the best one for another. For example, some apps are designed for travel use, while others are more focused on helping you learn a new language.

Translate on the go with offline mode

If you are looking for a translation solution to use while traveling, then offline mode is an absolute must-have feature. Many areas of the world don’t offer access to fast internet, but that won’t matter if your translation app doesn’t require internet connection. For this reason, you’ll find that most of the apps featured in this guide include at least some level of offline functionality.

Our Translation App Reviews

Microsoft Translator — Top Pick

Microsoft Translator App feature

Download: Android | iOS

With this app, you can translate text and voice content in over 70 languages. You can also download languages, which allows you to translate content without an internet connection — this is an especially useful feature when you’re traveling. Other features include split-screen mode, phrasebooks, and pronunciation guides. Best of all, you can access all of these features for free.

Notable features:

  • Free mobile application
  • Support available: Help & FAQs, Forum, Email
Microsoft Translator Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Feature-rich translation app No live support available
Offline access  
All features are free to use  

iTranslate — Best for Different Dialects

iTranslate App feature

Download: Android | iOS

With the free version of iTranslate, you can translate content into over 100 languages, listen to translations in a male or female voice, and switch between different dialects. By upgrading to the premium version of this app, you’ll get access to extra features such as verb conjugations in different tenses and offline translation mode for over 40 languages. The Pro version’s Lens feature allows you to use your device’s camera to instantly translate menus, signs, etc.

Notable features:

  • Free version available
  • In-app purchases: $2.99 – $43.99 per item
  • Support available: Email, Help/FAQs
iTranslate Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Translate content into 100+ languages No live support

Google Translate App feature

Download: Android | iOS

With over one billion downloads, Google Translate is by far the most popular translation app covered in this guide. And it’s easy to see why this app is so popular — Google Translate’s features include text and voice translations for 108 languages, a phrasebook, handwriting translations, instant camera translation, and offline mode for 59 languages.

Notable features:

  • Free mobile application
  • Support available: Help Center, Email, Community Forum
Google Translate Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Translate content into 100+ languages No live support
All features are free to use  

TripLingo — Best for Live Translations

TripLingo App feature

TripLingo offers many features that will help you learn how to speak a new language, including a 10,000-word offline dictionary, audio lessons, built-in flashcards, and quizzes. There are also features for traveling, such as an intelligent tip calculator, currency converter, and an instant voice translator for 19 languages. But what really separates TripLingo from your other translation app options is that you can access a live human translator whenever you need it (this service will cost you $3 per minute).

Notable features:

  • Free version available
  • In-app purchases: $9.99 – $100.00 per item
  • Support available: Email 
TripLingo Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Access to a human translator No live technical support

SayHi — Best Performance

SayHi App feature

Download: Android | iOS

With a size of just 11 MB, SayHi is one of the most lightweight apps covered in this guide, which has enabled it to offer exceptionally fast loading time and performance. The app is completely free to use, and it allows you to translate content into dozens of languages. There’s also support for several specific dialects, including USA, UK, and Canada English; France and Canada French; and Mandarin and Taiwan Chinese.

Notable features:

  • Free mobile app
  • Support available: Email, FAQs
SayHi Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Lightweight app with exceptional performance Doesn’t work offline
All features included for free No live support

Papago — Best for Handwriting Translations

Papago App feature

Download: Android | iOS

Papago offers all the translation features you’ll ever need, including text translation, image translation, voice translation, handwriting translation, a dictionary, and offline mode. All of these features are included for free as well. The only downside to Papago is that it only allows you to translate 13 languages — most of the other options in this guide let you to translate many more languages than that.

Notable features:

  • Free mobile app
  • Support available: Help/FAQs, Ticket
Papago Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
All features included for free Relatively few languages included
Offline access No live support

TextGrabber — Best Support

TextGrabber App feature

Download: Android | iOS

As you may have been able to guess from its name, TextGrabber only allows you to translate text. But if you just need text translation, TextGrabber is a useful tool — all you need to do is point your camera at a piece of printed text and the app will quickly translate it for you (no internet connection is required). Unlike most of the other apps listed in this guide, TextGrabber offers live phone support that you can contact whenever you need assistance.

Notable features:

  • Free version available
  • In-app purchases: $1.99 – $17.99 per item
  • Support available: FAQs, Email, Phone, Ticket
TextGrabber Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Offline mode Only capable of translating text
Phone support  

Waygo — Best for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean

Waygo App feature

Download: iOS

Waygo allows you to translate Chinese, Japanese, and Korean without an internet connection. With Waygo’s camera feature, you can point your phone at a piece of text and get your translation without even taking a picture. Waygo allows you to see and hear the pronunciation of translations as well. If you only need to translate one of the three languages that Waygo offers, this is an excellent choice.

Notable features:

  • Free version available
  • In-app purchases: $1.99 – $11.99 per item
  • Support available: Email, FAQs, Videos
Waygo Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Offline mode Only works for three languages

Speak & Translate — Most Languages

Speak & Translate App feature

Download: iOS

Speak & Translate allows you to translate text into 117 languages, which is more than any of the other apps covered in this guide (you can access voice translations for 54 languages). But you’ll need to find another solution if you have an Android device, as Speak & Translate is only available on the Apple app store.

Notable features:

  • Free version available
  • In-app purchases: $2.99 – $69.99 per item
  • Support available: Email, Phone
Speak & Translate Pros & Cons
What we like What we don’t like
Translate content into 100+ languages Not available for Android devices
Phone support  

Translation Apps: Feature Summary Table

Translation Apps Comparison Table
App Subscription Fees or
In-App Purchases
Features
Microsoft Translator — Top Pick   Free Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
Camera Translation
Pronunciation Guide
iTranslate — Best for Different Dialects $2.99 – $43.99 per item Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
Camera Translation
X Pronunciation Guide
Google Translate — Most Popular Free Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
Camera Translation
Pronunciation Guide
TripLingo — Best for Live Translations $9.99 – $100.00 per item Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
Camera Translation
X Pronunciation Guide
SayHi — Best Performance Free Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
X Camera Translation
X Pronunciation Guide
Papago — Best for Handwriting Translations Free Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
Camera Translation
X Pronunciation Guide
TextGrabber — Best Support $1.99 – $17.99 per item Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
Camera Translation
X Pronunciation Guide
Waygo — Best for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean $1.99 – $11.99 per item Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
Camera Translation
Pronunciation Guide
Speak & Translate — Most Languages $2.99 – $69.99 per item Real-Time Voice Translation
Text Translation
X Camera Translation
X Pronunciation Guide