Phrase
Paid Last verified: September 2026Enterprise translation management platform (formerly Memsource) with AI-driven quality, automation, and CAT tool heritage for software and localization teams
What is Phrase?
Phrase (formerly Memsource) is one of the oldest and most respected enterprise translation management systems on the market, acquired by Phrase Strings GmbH and rebranded in 2022 after Memsource merged with Phrase. The platform combines a mature CAT (computer-assisted translation) tool, Phrase TMS, originally Memsource, with a developer-friendly string management product, Phrase Strings, originally the Phrase platform, and a newer Phrase Orchestrator workflow engine. This merger makes Phrase unique in the TMS category: it is the only platform that covers both professional translator CAT workflows and software string management under one roof. In 2024-2026 Phrase shipped Phrase Language AI, an AI-powered MT engine that combines DeepL, Google, and custom LLM routing with automatic quality estimation (MTQE) to predict which segments need human review. The platform also supports branching, Git integration, Figma plugins, and 50+ enterprise integrations. Phrase is used by Uber, Fujitsu, Puma, Bridgestone, and dozens of Fortune 500 companies, and is especially strong in the professional LSP world where Memsource's CAT roots give it deep credibility. Phrase now markets the suite as the Phrase Language Intelligence Platform. Entry pricing is published: the Team plan is $1,245/month billed annually and includes unlimited Phrase TMS seats plus 20 Phrase Strings seats, with Business and Enterprise sold as custom quotes. A Freelancer plan at $27/month covers a single TMS seat, and Software UI/UX and Professional plans sit at $525/month each. Every plan comes with a 14-day free trial. Phrase is ISO 27001 certified and offers EU data residency; its own security page states it is SOC 2 Type I certified with Type II expected in 2026. It is the best pick for LSPs and enterprise teams that want a single TMS covering both software strings and professional document translation workflows.
Phrase demo video
Watch Phrase's official demo to see Phrase in action before reading our full review.
Official video by Phrase via YouTube, embedded for reference. ToolChase does not host or claim this video.
⚡ Quick Verdict
LSPs and enterprise teams that need one TMS covering both CAT tool workflows and software string management
Small teams on a tight budget, Phrase is priced for enterprise, with the Team plan at $1,245/month billed annually
Team $1,245/mo billed annually · Business custom · Enterprise custom · Freelancer $27/mo
No, 14-day free trial available on all plans
Only TMS that natively covers both CAT translator workflows and software string management
Pricing is enterprise-only and less transparent than Lokalise or Crowdin
Bottom line: Phrase scores 4.3/5, the strongest pick for LSPs and enterprises needing both professional CAT workflows and software localization in one platform. Smaller teams or pure software product teams are usually better served by Lokalise or Crowdin.
Pricing
Team, $1,245/month billed annually: a flat platform price, not a per-seat price. Unlimited Phrase TMS seats, 20 Phrase Strings seats, all Phrase products at standard capacities, customizable workflows, Figma, Slack and WordPress integrations, vendor management, and Language Quality Assessment.
Business, custom: unlimited TMS seats, 150 Strings seats, high product capacities, custom metadata and branching, unlimited MT profiles and glossaries, advanced translation memory, single sign-on.
Enterprise, custom: unlimited TMS seats, 150+ Strings seats, customized capacities, all integrations including Adobe Experience Manager and Contentful, Premium Success Plan, tailored onboarding, workflow audits, user role configuration.
Freelancer, $27/month billed annually: 1 Phrase TMS seat, no Strings seats, six Phrase products.
Software UI/UX, $525/month billed annually: 15 Strings seats, 1,000,000 Strings managed words, unlimited languages, aimed at product managers, developers, and designers.
Professional (freelancer and LSP track), $525/month billed annually: unlimited TMS seats and 150 Strings seats.
Phrase Language AI: included as a per-plan quota of Machine Translation Units, 12,000,000 MTUs/year on Team and 50,000,000 on Business, with MTQE and multi-engine routing through DeepL, Google, and custom LLM models. Team also includes 25,000 AI units per year.
Every plan carries a 14-day free trial of the Phrase Language Intelligence Platform. Euro and sterling list prices are also published: the Team plan is €1,195 and £1,075 per month.
Key Features
- Phrase TMS, professional CAT workflow (originally Memsource)
- Phrase Strings, developer-first string management
- Phrase Language AI with multi-engine MT routing and quality prediction
- Translation memory and terminology management
- Branching and Git integration for software localization
- Figma and Sketch plugins
- 50+ enterprise integrations
- On-premise deployment option
- ISO 27001 certified, SOC 2 Type I with Type II expected in 2026
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Only TMS natively covering both CAT and string management workflows
- Mature CAT heritage from Memsource, beloved by professional translators
- Strong AI quality estimation (MTQE) for smart human-review routing
- Enterprise-grade compliance and deployment options
Cons
- Pricing is quote-based and enterprise-focused
- Two underlying products (TMS + Strings) can feel like separate apps
- Smaller teams may find the feature depth overwhelming
FAQ
Is Phrase the same as Memsource?
Yes and no. Memsource was the CAT tool beloved by professional translators and LSPs. Phrase was a separate software string management platform for developers. In 2022 the two companies merged under the Phrase brand. Today, Phrase TMS is the rebranded Memsource product, and Phrase Strings is the original Phrase platform. Both are still sold and run independently under the Phrase umbrella, with Phrase Orchestrator increasingly unifying workflows across the two.
Phrase vs Lokalise, which is better?
Lokalise is cheaper, faster to deploy, and has a more modern UI, ideal for venture-funded software product teams. Phrase is more expensive, has deeper CAT heritage, and covers professional LSP workflows that Lokalise does not. For pure software product localization under 20 seats, Lokalise is usually the better pick. For LSPs or enterprises that also run professional translation projects with CAT workflows, Phrase is the right choice.
Does Phrase include AI machine translation?
Yes. Phrase Language AI is the add-on MT layer that routes content through DeepL, Google, Microsoft, and custom LLMs with glossary enforcement and Machine Translation Quality Estimation (MTQE). MTQE is one of Phrase's standout features, it predicts segment-level quality so you can auto-approve high-confidence translations and route only low-confidence segments to human reviewers, cutting post-editing effort significantly.
Is Phrase suitable for a small team?
Not really. The Team plan is $1,245/month billed annually (a flat platform price, not per seat) and pricing climbs from there. Phrase is built for professional localization operations, LSPs, enterprise in-house teams, and Fortune 500 global product teams. A one-person operation can use the Freelancer plan at $27/month, and a small product team would be better served by Crowdin's free tier or Lokalise's $144/month Explorer plan. Phrase's strength is depth, not accessibility.
Can Phrase run on-premise?
Yes. Phrase offers private cloud and on-premise deployment options for enterprise customers with strict data residency or security requirements. On-premise deployments include the full Phrase TMS CAT engine, TM, terminology, and workflow components. Pricing is custom and typically starts at $50,000+/year depending on volume and language pairs. As of August 2026: Phrase's public pricing page lists cloud plans only and does not name on-premise among the Enterprise inclusions, and the $50,000 figure is not published by Phrase, so confirm both with their sales team before budgeting.
Does Phrase integrate with Git?
Yes. Phrase Strings has first-class Git integration with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, you can connect a repo, configure which files and branches to localize, and translations flow back automatically. Phrase TMS also has Git support, though it is more common to use it with file uploads, SFTP, or direct CMS connectors for traditional document-based workflows.
Is Phrase GDPR compliant?
Yes. Phrase is ISO 27001 certified and GDPR compliant, and offers EU data residency. On security certifications, Phrase's own security page states it is SOC 2 Type I certified with Type II certification expected in 2026, so treat any SOC 2 Type II claim as pending rather than in hand. ISO 17100 is a certification held by translation service providers rather than by Phrase itself, though Phrase TMS supports the two-linguist revision workflow ISO 17100 requires. Data Processing Agreements are standard with all enterprise contracts. Phrase Language AI can be configured to route only through privacy-preserving engines (like DeepL Pro with its deletion guarantee) for regulated content.
📋 Good to know
Self-serve 14-day free trial on every plan, or a sales-led route with a scoping call. Expect 2-6 weeks of deployment including integrations and user onboarding.
ISO 27001 certified, GDPR compliant, EU data residency, DPA standard. Phrase's security page lists SOC 2 Type I with Type II expected in 2026. ISO 17100 is a translation service provider certification, not one Phrase holds itself.
Move from Team to Business when you need multiple brands, advanced workflows, or SSO. Enterprise unlocks on-premise and unified TMS+Strings deployment.
Medium-high. Professional translators can use Phrase TMS quickly thanks to its Memsource heritage. Setting up integrations and workflows takes a dedicated admin.
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