Lokalise
PaidModern localization platform built for software, mobile, and game teams — with AI translation, design integrations, and developer-first Git workflows
What is Lokalise?
Lokalise is the localization platform of choice for software, mobile, and game development teams who want a modern, developer-first alternative to enterprise translation management systems. Where Smartling is marketing-first and expensive, Lokalise is priced for product teams and built around source-string files in codebases, not marketing websites. It has native support for all common localization file formats (JSON, YAML, .po, .strings, .xliff, Flutter ARB, Android XML, iOS strings), deep Git integration (pull localization files from GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket, push translated files back on merge), and design integrations with Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD so that translators see copy in context before final layout. In 2024-2026 Lokalise shipped an LLM-powered AI Translate layer that routes content through DeepL, Google, and custom OpenAI and Anthropic models with glossary enforcement and automatic quality scoring. The platform also ships a built-in CAT editor, translation memory, quality checks, reviewer workflows, and optional human translation services (Lokalise AI + Human) where Lokalise-managed linguists handle post-editing on demand. Lokalise is popular with companies like Revolut, Notion, Miro, Discord, and Verizon Connect, and is a top-two pick for software product localization alongside Crowdin. Pricing is public and starts at $140/month for the Start plan with 3 projects and 5 users, climbs to $270/month for Essential (10 projects, 10 users, AI machine translation), and $990/month for Pro (unlimited projects, enterprise features, SSO). Custom enterprise pricing is available for larger teams. Lokalise is SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Software, mobile, and game product teams shipping multilingual apps with a Git-based localization workflow
Marketing teams translating visual websites and campaigns — Smartling and Phrase are a better fit
Start $140/mo · Essential $270/mo · Pro $990/mo · Enterprise custom
No free plan · 14-day free trial available
Developer-first workflow with Git, design tools, and modern localization file formats built in
No free tier, and entry pricing is still enterprise-feeling for small startups
Bottom line: Lokalise scores 4.4/5 — the best TMS for software and mobile product teams. Start at $140/mo if you need a real Git-based workflow; small hobby projects should use Crowdin's free plan instead.
Pricing
Start — $140/month (billed annually): 3 projects, 5 users, 5,000 hosted keys, AI translation memory, basic glossary, Git integration, Figma plugin.
Essential — $270/month: 10 projects, 10 users, 10,000 hosted keys, AI machine translation, branching, advanced QA checks, Slack and Asana integrations.
Pro — $990/month: Unlimited projects and users, 30,000+ hosted keys, full API, SSO/SAML, audit logs, advanced workflows, priority support.
Enterprise — custom quote: Dedicated customer success, custom integrations, on-premise translation memory, enhanced security, SLAs.
Key Features
- 30+ localization file formats (JSON, YAML, .po, ARB, XLIFF, Android XML, iOS strings)
- Git integration with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps
- Figma, Sketch, and Adobe XD plugins for in-design translation
- AI Translate with DeepL, Google, OpenAI, Anthropic routing
- Translation memory and glossary enforcement
- In-context editor with screenshot attachments
- Branching and conflict resolution
- 50+ integrations (Slack, Jira, Asana, Contentful, Storyblok, Strapi)
- SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 compliance
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Best-in-class developer experience with Git and design integrations
- Transparent pricing you can sign up for without a sales call
- Broad file format support including mobile-specific formats
- Strong AI translation routing with glossary enforcement
Cons
- No free plan — minimum entry is $140/month
- Less suited to marketing website and campaign workflows
- Essential tier ($270) is where most real features unlock
FAQ
How is Lokalise different from Crowdin?
Both are developer-first localization platforms, and they overlap heavily. Crowdin has a generous free plan and a stronger open-source community, while Lokalise has a more polished UI, better Figma integration, and tends to be preferred by larger product teams. For paid tiers at similar volume, pricing is comparable. Early-stage teams often start with Crowdin's free tier; teams over ~10 seats often migrate to Lokalise for the developer experience.
Is Lokalise worth $140/month for a small team?
For teams actually shipping multilingual releases, yes. The Start plan removes the headaches of maintaining localization files by hand and adds a proper translation memory that pays for itself within a few sprint cycles. For hobby projects or single-language apps it is overkill — Crowdin's free plan or a simple spreadsheet is fine. The rule of thumb: if you have two or more target languages and update strings weekly, Lokalise pays for itself.
Does Lokalise integrate with Figma?
Yes. The official Figma plugin lets designers push source strings directly to Lokalise, translators work in context with the actual design, and approved translations sync back into Figma so designers can verify layout. This is one of Lokalise's strongest differentiators vs text-first TMS tools — translators can see exactly what they are translating before it hits production.
What AI translation engines does Lokalise use?
Lokalise's AI Translate layer routes content through DeepL, Google Translate, Microsoft, and custom OpenAI and Anthropic models. Customers can pick a default engine, enforce glossaries and translation memory, and set up automatic quality checks. For regulated content, DeepL Pro or custom LLM deployments can be configured with data privacy guarantees. Pro and Enterprise plans unlock multi-engine routing.
Is Lokalise GDPR compliant?
Yes. Lokalise is SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified, fully GDPR compliant, with data processing agreements available for all paid customers. Data is hosted in the EU (Frankfurt) by default with US region optional. Enterprise plans support SSO, audit logging, and custom data retention policies. Third-party AI engines used in AI Translate are configurable and can be restricted for sensitive content.
Can I export my translations from Lokalise?
Yes, and this is important to emphasize because it is a common TMS concern. You own your translation memory and can export it as TMX, your glossaries as CSV or TBX, and your source/target files in all supported formats. There is no lock-in beyond the custom workflow configurations you build inside the platform. This is a deliberate choice by Lokalise to avoid the vendor lock-in reputation of older TMS vendors.
Does Lokalise have a mobile SDK?
Yes. Lokalise offers mobile SDKs for iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin/Java), React Native, and Flutter that enable over-the-air translation updates without requiring a full app store release. You can push a fix to a typo or a new language without going through app review. This feature is available on Essential and above and is one of the main reasons mobile teams pick Lokalise over Crowdin.
📋 Good to know
Sign up at lokalise.com, create a project, connect your Git repo or upload source files, and invite translators. First working setup takes 30-60 minutes.
SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR. EU or US data residency. DPA available on all paid plans. AI engines configurable per project.
Move to Essential ($270/mo) when you need AI machine translation. Move to Pro ($990/mo) when you need SSO, more than 10 projects, or audit logs.
Low-medium for web translators. Medium for developers — 1-2 days to set up Git workflow and file format mapping.