Smartling
Enterprise Last verified: September 2026Enterprise translation management platform with AI-powered workflows, in-context visual editing, and a global language services network
What is Smartling?
Smartling is one of the two or three largest enterprise translation management systems (TMS) in the world, alongside Phrase and Lokalise. It is used by companies like DoorDash, Pinterest, Reddit, HubSpot, and IHG Hotels and Resorts to localize websites, apps, marketing content, and support documentation into dozens of languages. The platform combines three things: an AI-powered translation memory and machine translation layer, a cloud-based CAT workspace for human translators, and a built-in network of freelance translators and language service providers that customers can tap directly without separate vendor management. What differentiates Smartling in 2026 is its aggressive investment in LLM-powered translation, the platform routes segments between multiple AI engines (its AI Hub advertises 20+ LLMs and machine translation engines, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and DeepL, plus custom models), picks the best output per segment, and flags low-confidence output for human review. Its 2026 additions include an LQA Agent that scores AI translation quality at scale and Smartling Translate, an AI portal for instant on-brand translations. Its Professional Translation arm draws on a network of 4,000+ linguists. In-context visual editing lets translators see exactly how their text will appear in the final website or app before committing a translation. Smartling is notably expensive at the top end compared to developer-focused platforms like Lokalise or Crowdin, and the typical customer is an enterprise marketing team or global e-commerce brand translating millions of words per year. As of August 2026 Smartling publishes a two-tier plan structure rather than pure enterprise-only sales: a Core plan billed as "free to start" for individuals and small teams translating business documents, and a quote-based Enterprise plan. Neither tier carries a public price list, and the older reports of a $2,000-5,000/month entry point apply to full Enterprise deployments, not to Core. Smartling's compliance stack is deep: PCI Level 1 since 2012, SOC 2 and HIPAA since 2013, GDPR since 2018, HITRUST e1, and a set of ISO certifications including ISO 27001, ISO 17100, ISO 13485, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 18587, and ISO/IEC 42001:2023 for AI management systems. That makes it a common pick for regulated industries that still need a polished end-user translator experience.
Smartling demo video
Watch Smartling's official demo to see Smartling in action before reading our full review.
Official video by Smartling via YouTube, embedded for reference. ToolChase does not host or claim this video.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Enterprise marketing and e-commerce teams translating millions of words across dozens of languages with full AI+human workflows
Developer-first teams and startups that need cheap, predictable seats; the Core tier is free to start but caps translation memory at 180 days and locks custom workflows and the full connector suite behind Enterprise
Core is free to start · Enterprise is quote-based on annual contracts, no published list price
Yes, the Core tier is billed as free to start
End-to-end TMS with AI multi-engine routing, in-context visual preview, and a built-in translator network
No published price on either tier, and the capabilities that make Smartling worth buying sit on the quote-only Enterprise plan
Bottom line: Smartling scores 4.3/5, the premium pick for global brands translating millions of words per year with a polished end-user experience. A free-to-start Core tier now lets small teams try it, but the workflow, connector, and LQA depth that justify Smartling sit on the quote-only Enterprise plan; mid-market teams should still price Phrase, Lokalise, and Crowdin alongside it.
Pricing
Two published tiers, no published prices. Smartling's plans page lists Core, described as "free to start" and aimed at individuals or small teams translating business documents, and Enterprise for companies scaling translation. Smartling has no /pricing page and attaches no dollar figure to either tier, so every number below is a market estimate rather than a vendor-published rate.
Core (free to start): basic workflow, user, and project management; drag and drop upload; the CAT tool with visual context and in-platform communication; translation memory retained for 180 days; essential reporting and automated quality checks; basic LQA tools; and access to AI-enabled human translation services from Smartling.
Enterprise (quote-based): everything in Core plus fully customizable dynamic workflows, the broad connector suite, advanced user and project management, advanced translation memory with unlimited storage, customizable linguistic packages with glossary and style guides, fully customizable reporting, the full LQA Suite, AI and machine translation services, and bring-your-own-translators.
Market estimates, not vendor figures: mid-market Enterprise customers are commonly reported to start around $2,000-$5,000/month, with large deals at $100,000-$500,000+/year, and managed human translation billed at roughly $0.14-$0.30 per source word depending on language pair and specialization. ToolChase could not verify any of these against Smartling. Smartling's own homepage advertises AI translation from $0.005 per word.
Key Features
- AI multi-engine routing via AI Hub, 20+ LLMs and MT engines (OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepL, Google, custom models)
- LQA Agent for scoring AI translation quality at scale
- Smartling Translate, an AI portal for instant on-brand translations
- In-context visual editor for websites, apps, and emails
- Translation memory with cross-project reuse and leverage analytics
- Built-in LSP and freelance translator network (4,000+ linguists)
- Quality checks with LQA (Language Quality Assurance) scoring
- Full API, webhooks, and Git-based integrations
- 50+ native integrations (Figma, WordPress, Marketo, Salesforce, Braze)
- SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001 for AI management, HIPAA, PCI Level 1, HITRUST e1, GDPR
- Real-time translation analytics and project dashboards
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Most polished enterprise UX in the TMS category
- Multi-engine AI routing picks the best model per segment
- In-context visual preview dramatically reduces translation errors
- Built-in translator network removes vendor management overhead
Cons
- Expensive at the Enterprise tier, and the Core tier caps translation memory at 180 days
- No published price on either tier, which makes budget planning hard
- Heavier to deploy than developer-first tools like Lokalise or Crowdin
FAQ
How much does Smartling actually cost?
Smartling publishes plan names but not prices. Its plans page lists a Core tier billed as free to start for individuals and small teams, and a quote-based Enterprise tier; there is no /pricing page. Everything beyond that is a market estimate ToolChase could not verify against Smartling: entry-level Enterprise TMS contracts are commonly reported around $2,000-$5,000/month for a basic deployment with one or two languages, mid-size enterprise customers at $50,000-$150,000/year, and Fortune 500 deployments at $500,000+/year, with managed human translation billed separately at roughly $0.14-$0.30 per source word depending on language pair and subject matter. Smartling's own homepage advertises AI translation from $0.005 per word.
Is Smartling the same as Phrase?
Both are enterprise TMS platforms, but they target slightly different buyers. Smartling is marketing-first with a stronger focus on websites, e-commerce, and visual in-context editing. Phrase (formerly Memsource) is more developer-friendly with deeper CAT tool heritage and better Git integration for software localization. Large global e-commerce brands often pick Smartling; software companies shipping weekly releases tend toward Phrase or Lokalise.
Does Smartling do human translation itself?
Yes, Smartling operates its own vetted translator network, now marketed as Professional Translation and advertised at 4,000+ linguists. You can assign projects to Smartling-managed linguists directly from inside the TMS without contracting with a separate LSP, and Smartling offers a satisfaction guarantee under which it revises delivered translations at no extra cost. Smartling also supports bringing your own LSP, your own in-house translators, or routing content to multiple providers depending on content type. The unified workflow across AI, internal, and external translators is one of its key selling points.
Does Smartling use ChatGPT or Claude for translation?
Yes. Smartling's AI translation router (still branded LanguageAI) and its AI Hub advertise 20+ LLMs and machine translation engines, including OpenAI GPT models, Anthropic Claude, DeepL, Google, and custom fine-tuned models, and select the best output per segment based on quality scoring. A separate LQA Agent evaluates AI translation quality at scale. Customers can control which engines are allowed, enforce privacy rules, and train custom models on their own TM and glossary data.
Is Smartling GDPR compliant?
Yes. Smartling's security page lists GDPR (since 2018), SOC 2 (continuously since 2013), HIPAA (since 2013), PCI Level 1 (since 2012), a HITRUST e1 certification for its AWS-hosted TMS, and ISO 27001 alongside ISO 17100, ISO 13485, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 18587, and ISO/IEC 42001:2023 for AI management systems. Data Processing Agreements are available for enterprise customers, and documents and reports are available on request. Content submitted to Smartling is not used to train third-party models by default, and customers can opt out of any optional AI training.
Can I integrate Smartling with Figma or WordPress?
Yes. Smartling advertises 50+ pre-built connectors, and its plans page lists Figma (design-stage translation), WordPress, Drupal, Adobe Experience Manager, Adobe InDesign, Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot, Braze, Contentful, Contentstack, Zendesk, Shopify, Webflow, Sitecore, Canva, Sketch, and a GitHub connector, among others. Most integrations are bidirectional, you push source content from the CMS, Smartling handles translation and QA, and localized content flows back automatically on approval. Custom integrations can be built on the REST API.
Smartling vs Lokalise, which should I pick?
Lokalise is cheaper, developer-focused, and excellent for software and mobile app localization. Smartling is more expensive, marketing-focused, and designed for website, email, and multi-channel content. If your main use case is translating strings in a codebase, pick Lokalise. If you are translating an entire marketing website and email program at scale, pick Smartling.
📋 Good to know
Core is self-serve and free to start. Enterprise is sales-led: expect a discovery call, scoping, contract, and 2-4 weeks of initial deployment with a dedicated customer success manager.
SOC 2, ISO 27001, ISO 42001, HIPAA, PCI Level 1, HITRUST e1, GDPR. SSO and SAML, granular permissions, audit logs, encryption in transit and at rest. Opt-out of any AI training on customer data.
Move from Core to Enterprise when you need customizable dynamic workflows, translation memory beyond 180 days, the full connector suite, SSO, or the complete LQA Suite. Add Professional Translation (human) when AI quality is insufficient for specific content types.
Medium-high. Non-technical marketers can use the web interface quickly; deploying integrations and configuring workflows requires a dedicated owner.
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