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Side-by-side comparison ยท Writing & Translation

DeepL vs Google Translate vs Wordtune

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

DeepL

4.2

From $10.49/mo

Best overall

Google Translate

4.5

From Pay per character

Wordtune

3.8

From $0

Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.

At a glance

Pick it if: Businesses that sell, support or write in more than one language, and anyone who regularly translates documents.

Best overallBest value

Pick it if: Anyone who needs a quick, free translation, from travellers reading a menu to small businesses answering an overseas customer.

Pick it if: People who write a lot of emails and messages and want a quick way to make sentences clearer, especially non-native English speakers.

Overview

AttributeDeepLGoogle TranslateWordtune
In one lineTranslates text, whole documents and live conversations, with natural-sounding results.Free translation of text, documents, photos and conversations in 240+ languages.Suggests clearer, shorter or more formal ways to say a sentence as you write.
Pricing modelFreemiumFreeFreemium
Starting price$10.49/moPay per character$0
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Works with Claude Code Yes Yes No

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeDeepLGoogle TranslateWordtune
Overall rating4.24.5Winner3.8
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
5.0
5.0
4.5
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
4.5
4.5
3.5
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
4.0
3.5
3.5
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
3.5
5.0
3.5
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
4.0
4.5
4.0

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeDeepLGoogle TranslateWordtune
Access & platform
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Mobile app Yes Yes Yes
Desktop app Yes No No
Browser extension Yes Yes Yes
API access Yes Yes No
Teams & business
Team workspace Yes No Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes Yes Yes
Connects to other apps Yes Yes Yes
Open source or self-hosted No No No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes Yes Yes
Understands images Yes Yesโ€“
Makes images No No No
Makes video No No No
Writes code No No No
Runs agents or automations No No No
Learns your brand or style Yes Noโ€“
Works in many languages Yes Yesโ€“
Capabilities score12/ 179/ 177/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeDeepLGoogle TranslateWordtune
Plans

Free

Free

Occasional emails and short text.

Google TranslateOur pick

Free

Everyone.

Basic

$0

The odd sentence.

IndividualOur pick

$10.49/mo, or $8.74/mo billed yearly

One person translating most weeks.

Cloud Translation API

Pay per character, with a free monthly allowance

Developers adding translation to an app or website.

Advanced

$13.99/mo, or $6.99/mo billed yearly

Light daily use.

Team

$34.49/user/mo, or $28.74/user/mo billed yearly

Small teams sharing glossaries.

UnlimitedOur pick

$19.99/mo, or $9.99/mo billed yearly

People who write all day.

Business

$68.99/user/mo, or $57.49/user/mo billed yearly

Teams translating all day.

Business

Custom

Teams buying for staff.

Enterprise

Custom

Large organisations with security reviews.

Which plan to pickStart on Free. If you translate documents or customer emails every week, Individual on a yearly plan is the sweet spot and stops DeepL keeping your text. Move to Team only when several people need the same glossary.Use the free app and website. Only look at the Cloud Translation API if you're building translation into your own website or system.Use Basic for a week to see if you reach for it. If you do, Unlimited on yearly billing is the one to get, because Advanced still caps your rewrites. There are no refunds, so cancel during the 3-day trial if it isn't for you.

Key features

AttributeDeepLGoogle TranslateWordtune
Standout features
  • Text translation
  • Document translation
  • Glossaries and style rules
  • DeepL Write
  • DeepL Voice
  • Apps and API
  • Text and documents
  • Camera translation
  • Conversation mode
  • Live translate in headphones
  • Offline languages
  • Practice mode
  • Rewrite
  • Works where you write
  • Grammar and spelling
  • Summaries
  • Humanise AI text

Pros and cons

AttributeDeepLGoogle TranslateWordtune
Pros
  • More natural translations than Google Translate in most European languages
  • Documents keep their formatting after translation
  • Glossaries keep your terms consistent
  • Paid plans don't store or train on your text
  • A European company, which matters to businesses avoiding US tools
  • Completely free for everyday use
  • More languages than any other translator
  • Camera, conversation and offline modes in one app
  • Gemini has made phrasing more natural
  • Translates whole documents and websites
  • Several rewrite options in one click
  • Works in Gmail, Docs and LinkedIn without copying text
  • Unlimited grammar fixes on the free plan
  • Summarises videos as well as articles
  • Cheap on yearly billing
Cons
  • Free plan is small: 50,000 characters and one file a month
  • Weaker on Japanese, Chinese and Korean than a good chat assistant, and newer languages are uneven
  • Many complaints about renewal charges, refused refunds and slow support, so diarise the end of any trial
  • Long-time users report it got slower and less literal in 2026, sometimes rewording the meaning, so legal text still needs a human
  • Glossary and file limits are tight on the cheaper plans
  • Business writing often needs polishing before it goes to a customer
  • DeepL usually sounds more natural in major European languages
  • Long documents can lose formatting
  • Avoid pasting confidential information into the free version
  • Free plan stops at 10 rewrites a day
  • No refunds, only a 3-day trial
  • A chat assistant you already pay for can do the same
  • Its owner has moved its focus elsewhere, so new features are rare

Who each one is for

AttributeDeepLGoogle TranslateWordtune
Best for
  • Translating Word, PowerPoint and PDF files with layout kept
  • Customer emails in another language
  • Keeping product terms consistent with glossaries
  • Live translated meetings
  • Polishing English as a second language
  • Quick translations of emails and messages
  • Reading signs and menus with your camera
  • Talking with someone in another language
  • Translating a document or web page
  • Rare languages other tools don't cover
  • Rewording a sentence without writing a prompt
  • Making emails sound more professional
  • Writing in English as a second language
  • Summarising articles and videos
You'll find it used by
  • Exporters and importers
  • Customer support teams
  • Agencies
  • Translators
  • Legal and HR teams
  • Travellers
  • Small businesses
  • Students
  • Customer support teams
  • Language learners
  • Non-native English speakers
  • Office workers
  • Sales teams
  • Students
  • Support teams

Questions people ask

Which is better, DeepL, Google Translate or Wordtune?

Google Translate scores highest overall in our ratings (DeepL 4.2/5, Google Translate 4.5/5 and Wordtune 3.8/5). DeepL is best for Translating Word, PowerPoint and PDF files with layout kept and customer emails in another language. Google Translate is best for quick translations of emails and messages and reading signs and menus with your camera. Wordtune is best for rewording a sentence without writing a prompt and making emails sound more professional.

Which is cheaper, DeepL, Google Translate or Wordtune?

DeepL: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $10.49/mo. Google Translate: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at Pay per character. Wordtune: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $0.

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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