Source-backed analysis11
Review basis
The AppDuo team prepared this review by analysing product features, official documentation and user feedback to help you understand its strengths, limitations and suitability for your needs.
11 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
Google Translate Review
Free translation across 240+ languages by text, voice, camera and conversation
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- Web
- iOS
- Android
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Google Translate suits anyone who needs quick, free translation across a huge range of languages, including while travelling and offline. The trade-off is uneven quality between languages, and it is no substitute for a human translator on important documents.
Best for: Travellers who need camera sign translation, two-way conversation and downloadable languages for offline use
Skip it if: People who need precise translation of contracts, legal or medical text where a human reviewer is required
Pros
- Free on web, Android and iOS; the App Store lists up to 249 languages
- Many input modes: typing, speech, handwriting, photos, instant camera translation and two-way conversation
- Download languages for offline use; translate documents (keeping formatting) and entire webpages from a URL
Cons
- Wikipedia cites a 2019 study where 67 of 102 languages did not reach minimally comprehensible output at least half the time, and single-word lookups are unreliable because it can invent translations for words it does not recognise
- User ratings are middling: 4.0/5 on the Vietnam App Store (21,426 ratings) and 4.2/5 on Google Play, below Chrome and Gboard
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- Since August 2025, Gemini-powered live conversation translation and a beta Practice mode
Cons
- Translation history is saved to your Google Account when Web & App Activity is on, and the pages opened give no explanation of model-training use
Best for
- Anyone wanting the gist of a webpage, document or message in a wide range of less common languages
Skip it if
- Users who do not want translation history tied to a Google Account
Experience & key features
What is Google Translate?
Google Translate is Google's machine translation service, launched on 28 April 2006 as statistical machine translation. On 15 November 2016 it moved to neural machine translation (GNMT), which translates whole sentences rather than fragments. It is available on the web and as Android and iOS apps; the App Store lists up to 249 languages, a figure Wikipedia also gives for languages and varieties.
Key features
Google's about page lists text translation, speech, handwriting, pointing the camera to translate instantly, two-way conversation, downloadable languages for offline use, uploading documents with formatting preserved, translating a whole webpage from a URL, saving phrases, and tap-to-translate text copied in any app. In August 2025 Google added Live translate (live conversation, 70 languages, launched in the US, India and Mexico) and a beta Practice mode, initially for English speakers learning Spanish or French and for Spanish, French and Portuguese speakers learning English, both powered by Gemini.
Pricing and value
The app and website are entirely free, and the pages consulted show no paid consumer tier. Adding translation to your own product means using Cloud Translation, a separate Google Cloud service outside the scope of this review.
More analysis
Who it's for and how it compares
Google Translate fits fast, broad translation best, especially when travelling. Alternatives include DeepL, Microsoft Translator and Papago; compare them on the language pair you actually need, since quality varies by language for every service. Wikipedia reports Google discontinued the service in mainland China in September 2022, citing low usage. For important text, do not rely on machine translation alone.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Google Translate
Free
Free on the web, Android and iOS. Google's about page states no cap on translations; which features are available depends on the language.
- Free plan limits
- Offline translation needs each language downloaded in advance. Gemini-powered live conversation translation launched in August 2025 with 70 languages, initially only in the US, India and Mexico (per AlternativeTo).
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
Not applicable; the service is free.
Privacy
When you are signed in with a Google Account, translation history in the app is saved to the cloud as long as Web & App Activity is on; if it is off you can still view and delete old entries but no new ones are created. To avoid cloud history you must sign out, which leaves on-device history only. In My Activity you can delete today, a custom range or all time, or turn on auto-delete. Google says it does not sell personal information. The help pages opened do not say whether text you translate is used to train models. The Cloud Translation API for developers has its own separate documentation.
Google Translate alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Translate free?
Yes. The Android and iOS apps and the website are free. The developer API is the separate Cloud Translation service.
Can Google Translate work offline?
Yes, but you must download each language in advance. Camera translation also works offline for downloaded languages.
How many languages does Google Translate support?
The App Store lists up to 249 languages, but which features work depends on the language. Live conversation translation covered 70 languages at launch.
Is my translation history saved?
Yes, if you are signed in with a Google Account and Web & App Activity is on. Sign out to keep history on the device only, or go to My Activity to delete a time range, delete everything or turn on auto-delete.
Review evidence & sources11
Scores
- Ease of use
- 8.7
- Features
- 8.6
- Value for money
- 9.0
- Performance
- 6.9
- Support
- 6.2
- Privacy & security
- 5.8
Why this score
Pick languages, then type or point the camera; available on the web and both mobile platforms. Marked down slightly for user ratings of 4.0/5 on the Vietnam App Store and 4.2/5 on Google Play.
Why this score
Covers text, speech, handwriting, camera, conversation, format-preserving document translation, web page translation, offline use, a phrasebook and Gemini for live conversation, across 249 languages though some features exist only for some of them.
Why this score
Free, with no paid consumer tier in the pages opened.
Why this score
Works best on simple, formal text in major languages; Wikipedia's roundup of studies shows quality varies widely between languages and that it is not as reliable as human translation.
Why this score
A Google Translate Help Center explains each feature, but the pages opened show no direct support channel.
Why this score
Clear controls (sign out, delete by range, auto-delete) and Google says it does not sell personal information. Marked down because history is tied to the account when signed in and there is no clear statement on training use.
What users say
- App Store (Vietnam)4.0/5 · 21,426
- Google Play4.2/5 · 9,023,512
Sources
- Vendor-providedGoogle Translate official about pageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedGoogle Translate Help: translate textNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedGoogle Translate Help: translate text in imagesNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedGoogle Translate Help: manage Translate historyNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedGoogle Translate Help: how Google protects your privacyNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-providedGoogle blog: 110 new languages (2024-06-27)Nov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (Vietnam)Nov 10, 2026
- storeiTunes Lookup API (rating, release date, languages)Nov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listingNov 10, 2026
- Community-reportedWikipedia: Google TranslateNov 10, 2026
- pressAlternativeTo: Live translate and practice (2025-08-27)Nov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Google LLC
- Headquarters
- United States
- Launched
- 2006
- Category
- Utilities
Capabilities
- Works offline
- AI features
- Mobile app
Platforms
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Interface languages
- Vietnamese
- English
- Japanese
- Chinese
- Spanish
- French
- Korean
- German
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Thai
- Indonesian
Integrations
- Google Account
- Google Chrome
- Gemini
Support
- Help center
Change history
- Feature.Google adds Live translate (live conversation, 70 languages) and a beta Practice mode, powered by Gemini.
- Feature.Google adds 110 new languages using the PaLM 2 model, its largest expansion.
- Company.Google discontinues Google Translate in mainland China, citing low usage.
Full change history (7)
- Feature.Switches to Google Neural Machine Translation (GNMT), translating whole sentences at once.
- Company.Google acquires Word Lens to improve visual and voice translation.
- Launch.The Google Translate iOS app is released on the App Store.
- Launch.Google Translate launches using statistical machine translation.