Crowdin vs Lokalise: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will compare Crowdin and Lokalise, two popular localization management platforms, and highlight their key differences.

1. Pricing and Plans: Crowdin offers a variety of pricing plans starting from free to enterprise-level, based on the number of contributors and features required. Lokalise follows a similar model, but they also offer a pay-as-you-go option, allowing users to pay only for the features they use. This flexible pricing structure makes Lokalise a good choice for smaller teams or projects with limited budgets.

2. Integration with Development Tools: Both Crowdin and Lokalise provide integrations with popular development tools like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. However, Crowdin supports a wider range of integrations, including JIRA, Slack, and Trello, making it more suitable for teams that heavily rely on these tools for project management and collaboration.

3. Workflow Automation: Crowdin offers a comprehensive range of automated workflow features, such as translation memory and machine translation integrations, which can help streamline the translation process. Lokalise also provides similar automation capabilities, but their platform focuses more on collaboration and project management features, making it a better choice for teams that prioritize efficient communication and coordination.

4. Translation Quality Management: Crowdin places a strong emphasis on translation quality management. They offer features like glossaries, spelling and grammar checks, and context screenshots to ensure accurate and consistent translations. Lokalise also provides quality management tools, but their focus is more on collaboration and user-friendly interface, making it a preferred choice for teams that prioritize ease of use and real-time collaboration.

5. Support and Documentation: Both Crowdin and Lokalise provide comprehensive documentation and customer support. However, Crowdin offers a wider range of support channels, including live chat and phone support, which can be beneficial for users who require immediate assistance. On the other hand, Lokalise provides extensive documentation and prompt email support, making it suitable for users who prefer self-help options and timely email responses.

6. Advanced Features and Customization: Crowdin offers several advanced features like in-context editing, translation memory, and file versioning, making it suitable for large and complex localization projects. Lokalise, on the other hand, focuses more on customization options, allowing users to create their own workflows, labels, and filters, making it ideal for teams that require a high level of customization and flexibility in their localization process.

In Summary, Crowdin provides a wider range of integrations and advanced features with a strong focus on translation quality management, while Lokalise offers more flexibility in pricing, customization options, and collaboration features for a smoother localization workflow.