People from different countries often search for the best software localization services. These are usually developers who worked hard on their apps or software and who now want to share it with the world. The problem is, they must adapt it to every region where they plan on introducing it. This process includes translation, transformation of cultural nuances, and other linguistic as well as stylistic peculiarities. PickWriters team looks for the best professional translation services in different spheres, and this time, we focused on software.
Ten Best Software Localization Services in the Market
We treat our reviews very seriously. Before devising a list with the best options, we thoroughly research various companies and test them in different ways, including by placing an order. After months of intense search and evaluations, we came up with ten best localization firms.
Among the best software translation and localization companies we reviewed, this one impressed us to the biggest degree. Andovar was established in 2007, opening several officers in different regions and promoting itself as a top service. It specializes in 110 languages and cooperates with 5K translators. Such diversity is remarkable, and friendly customer support makes the whole client experience even more pleasing. The prices pose a small issue: they exceed the market average, but the difference isn’t big enough to be a serious disadvantage. This firm guarantees timely delivery and utmost quality, and we got both. Our indie software arrived strictly by our deadline and it was adapted properly. While Andovar offers free revisions in case of any discrepancies, we had no reason to use this option.
Pros
- Great range of services and languages covered
- Best level of localization quality
- Guaranteed delivery by a deadline
Cons
- Prices are higher than average
This is another top company that provides the best software localization services. It has a smaller experience since it spent only five years in this market, but it has managed to develop itself and gain recognition among the customers. It works with 50+ languages and supports various sectors. It doesn’t have many stable employees yet, but TheWordPoint’s team is determined and passionate about their work. It is a pleasure to speak with operators since they are always caring and invested in each customer. Prices are affordable, and deliveries are never late. The quality is amazing, too: the firm’s localization is thorough, accurate, and creative. Not just words but also tone and quirkiness were conveyed, so once again, we had nothing to complain about.
Pros
- Excellent quality across all localization projects
- Moderate prices for services
Cons
- Range of languages and services could be vaster
This is one of the older software localization companies. It was founded in 1999, so it has more than 2 decades of linguistic experience. A choice of languages is wide, too, since 215 of them are supported. You could submit website, app, or software and get quick assistance. Operators are truly helpful, just like translators, and managers tend to resolve any occurring issues in customers’ favor. The prices are very high here, though. Not everyone will be able to afford ordering localization from this company. Documents are submitted on time, and the quality is mostly good, too. The only problem we noticed was proofreading issues. The text could have been more polished. We asked our translators to revise it and they did ASAP, no questions asked.
Pros
- Long professional experience + diversity
- Great localization quality
Cons
- Prices are very inflated
As another best software localization service, this company has been showing great results starting with 2007, the year of its existence. It has more than 2K certified experts who accept orders day and night depending on their customers’ time zones. At the same time, they support only 45 languages. That’s not much, but all popular options are covered, so if you’re targeting big markets, you won’t have any problems. Services aren’t expensive, which is a great plus, and you have a chance to communicate with your translator directly. There are some technical issues, though: when you are downloading files, the page frequently auto-refreshes itself, so you have to repeat this same process again. We got everything on time, but quality was overly technical in some places. This required a revision. After it, everything started looking perfect.
Pros
- Mild prices for services
- Good quality of final projects
Cons
- Website has technical problems
- Revisions might be needed for the best results
This agency has been providing the best software translation since 2000. Over these two decades, it hired 8k translators who work with 150 languages and invested in great equipment. It allows reformatting details of clients’ projects so that nothing would be lost in the process of localization. We enjoyed chatting with MorningTrans’ operators: they understand their company’s policies and are always prepared to answer any questions. The problem is, prices are highly expensive — we can confidently state that you’ll be overcharged. Apart from that, not all orders arrive when needed. Sometimes translators are late, which is disastrous for those who have urgent deadlines. Quality, in turn, is truly amazing since every word is adapted correctly.
Pros
- Impressive service & language diversity
- Great quality is a guarantee
Cons
- Costs of services are too high
- Possibility of late deliveries
TransPerfect has been specializing in software localization since 1992. It has almost 100 offices in physical locations, and its team comprises 5K translators. You could pick between multiple languages and ask for basically any kind of service since this company is extremely productive. Its operators could use some additional training, though. Their replies are often abrupt and they have little patience for questions. Still, prices are surprisingly mild for a firm with such a lengthy experience. Quality of localization is on the high level – these experts take care of all details, but there is no certainty that you’ll get what you’ve paid for on time. Late deliveries seem to be a frustrating tendency. But all in all, our review team remained pleased with the services we got.
Pros
- Respect-inspiring experience in translating sector
- Great price-quality ratio
Cons
- Support team isn’t well-trained
- Your document might come late
This best software localization provider joined the market in 2002. It works with 125 languages and focuses on localization in particular, which makes it a great option for people looking for this specific kind of help. It doesn’t matter what platforms or technical elements your software needs — this firm will accept your project one way or another. Despite excellent diversity, operators aren’t as effective as we expected. They mixed up our order with another one and offered us wrong services twice. This is a drawback that put a damper on our initial positively opinion. On the other hand, prices were pleasing as most people are going to find them affordable. The order got to us by the deadline. Its quality wasn’t the best: there were some missing parts, so we demanded a revision. After that, the text became flawless.
Pros
- Talented translators present
- Service costs are mild
Cons
- Flawed work of operators
- Quality varies depending on an expert
Like many other best software localization companies we mentioned, this one was founded around 2007. It claims that it works with absolutely every language, and that even in cases when the customers ask for a rare pair, it’ll still manage to find them a top expert. Operators stay online at all times, and their assistance is always friendly. Prices, unfortunately, exceed the average sum for the same services in the market. You should check them before you decide about hiring this company. It is honest in terms of delivery since its translators submit everything in a timely manner, but quality of localization is dubious. The first time we got our software, it had lots of issues. Some parts were downright incoherent while several elements were left untranslated. We were very displeased. But revision corrected all these problems — it felt like another expert was assigned, so the end result was great.
Pros
- Great range of services
- Software is delivered when asked
Cons
- Prices for localizing services are too high
- Quality can be very flawed without revisions
This is the oldest from all professional software localization services we reviewed. The company emerged in 1973, but despite having such a huge experience, it cooperates only with 5K translators. It holds several crucial certificates and specializes in 200 languages. For localization, it relies on various tools that help make this process faster. Operators are nice here, which is another plus: they listen carefully and address all questions. Prices aren’t really affordable — they are much higher than the norm, likely because ProTranslating holds a top position due to its respectful background. Another issue is order submission. There might be long delays with no signs of life from translators. Quality, in turn, is good, though it’s a question whether it corresponds to such prices.
Pros
- Solid background
- Good combination of diversity & quality
Cons
- The company is overcharging its clients
- Delays in delivery with no valid explanations
Stepes is a young but innovative company. It’s spent less than a decade in this industry, and yet it managed to establish contacts with an impressive number of 100K translators. It offers translation and localization in real time in numerous languages, and interestingly, its rates are adequate. You certainly won’t overpay here. Support team is attentive and works quickly, but two most important aspects are ambiguous. First, some localizers don’t submit software on time. A while could pass before you get it, and getting an apology is unlikely. Second, quality is like a roulette. The first team we got messed everything up. The software sounded rough and awkward. After revision, all issues miraculously disappeared. So, this is a good firm, but you might not get what you want from the very start.
Pros
- Innovative and diverse approach to localization
- You can find good experts here
Cons
- No guarantee of timely submission
- Quality fluctuates too much
How Software Translation Services Help Connect Countries Globally
People who localized their websites already know the benefits of a process like this. Localization is more than translation — it’s a stylistic and tonal adaptation of text. Difficult vocabulary, intricate terms, humor, double meanings, etc. are conveyed properly, to the extent where localized version doesn’t differ from original at all. If you developed a video game or some new software, settling for a local market isn’t a good idea. It’s too limiting, especially when you could reach multiple populations and have them use or buy your creation. If you want to expand your success, entering global markets is a must, and professional localization is the thing that’ll help you get there.
How We Choose the Best Localization Agencies
As we’re looking for top software or the best game localization, we test firm after firm. In all our evaluations, we follow similar criteria. You can take a look at them below to know what to look out for in case you’ll be conducting your own research at some point.
- General info. We learn as much as humanly possible about software localization companies during our review. We study reviews written by other customers, read reports featuring a firm, and chat with its operators. We also check every section on a website itself. This helps us form an initial picture of what we might expect.
- Prices. As the second step, we establish translation rates to see how affordable they are. We spent a lot of time in this market — it means that we understand how high the prices should be. It’s a crucial aspect for many people, so we pay particularly close attention to it.
- Quality. Obviously, only firms showing the best performance make it into our review list. We acknowledge that sometimes mistakes could take place, so we give companies a second chance by ordering a revision. We evaluate localization based on its fluency, accuracy, similarity to an original in terms of style, etc.
- Policies. Some agencies have terrible policies. We make sure that our visitors see only the best recs.
Aspects to Check in Your Individual Research
We listed four major points that we use to look for the best localization services. But people who refuse to base their opinions on reviews and prefer doing their own evaluations will need to cover more elements! Here’s the approximate list.
- Service. Make sure a firm has your target language and type of assistance. For instance, if you need French translation, go into ‘languages’ section and see if it’s covered. Check a firm’s supported platforms, too. JavaScript, PHP, C++, as well as HTML are common options that should be present. Finally, does it serve Windows, Android, iOS, and/or Linux? Find out about these details in advance.
- Graphic User Interface. Clients should make certain that a company guarantees an appropriate GUI localization. Some firms might skip this stage, so it requires clarification.
- Status updates. Is a company willing to provide status updates to you? It’s relevant, especially for people who worry about their deadlines.
- Testing. Best firms organize software testing. It is done by native speakers of a target language: they use the software as if they were its buyers, and then they comment on any possible mistakes they’ve noticed.
Why Human Translation Is the Only Way to Go
It’s true that some kinds of translation could be done with the help of technology. This especially concerns technical texts where terms are often repeated. But it would never work with localization of software. Imagine that you are hiring Chinese translation services: your software will have to be adapted not just into this language, but in accordance with mindsets of Chinese people. Formatting, preferences in terms of short/long sentences, cultural knowledge all play a role here. Only the best experts who specialize in Chinese can work on your project and make it sound both comprehensible and natural. Machines and apps could never have the same effect, so human input is essential.
Optimal Prices and Their Implications
Prices for localization is something that most people worry about. There are some things you should know about it: reliable companies should display how much they’ll charge from the start. If they encourage you to ask for a quote first, it’s not the best practice — in most cases, it means an agency is hiding how high its costs are.
Average rates for software localization range between $0.17 and $0.25 per one word depending on complexity and/or level of service. Higher prices are a rip off. Lower prices are suspicious, too. Localization means a lot of hard work, and experts simply cannot be cheap, so keep this in mind.
Benefits of Professional Software Optimization
Most developers don’t think about other target populations when they work on their software. They focus on their native language. It’s the task of experienced localizers to change it. They’ll remove parts that could seem offensive to more conservative/liberal countries, replacing them with appropriate substitutes. They’ll make jokes sound funny. They change text from right to left and vice versa if the country's rules require it, etc. In other words, they guarantee full adaptation. You don’t have reasons for concern — with the best firms, your content will sound perfectly natural.
Choose Only Top Flexible Services
Our review lists the best software localization firms in the market. Things might change next year, but right now, these are the options you can trust. Learn more about them. If you need help with other services, check more categories with PickWriters’ reviews. We’re sure you’ll find everything you need!
