Sustainable Substitutes for Big Tech Translation Services

Privacy-friendly alternatives to Google Translate that offer high quality translations.

  • Feasibility: How easily can the average user switch to this substitute? Higher feasibility results in a higher ranking.
  • Editor's Rating: How sustainable is the substitute? The more sustainability attributes it fulfils, the higher it is ranked.

LibreTranslate

LibreTranslate is an open-source machine translation API.

Source code is publicly available, allowing community contributions and audits.
Users can translate text without creating an account. However, at the time of writing usage on the public instance has been limited to accounts with valid API keys due to bot abuse.
Designed to minimise data collection and tracking, especially when self-hosted.
Does not display advertisements to users.
Completely free to use, with no premium tiers or hidden costs.
Can be installed and managed on your own server.
Can be self-hosted and used offline.
Website

Reverso

Reverso is a French AI-powered translation tool.

Reverso uses ethical AI practices, ensuring fairness and transparency in its translations.
Reverso is based in France, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong European privacy laws.
Reverso is designed with user privacy in mind, providing a secure and reliable translation service.
Reverso offers a free tier, with optional premium features to support the project and provide additional functionality.
Website

DeepL

DeepL is a German AI-powered translation service known for high-quality translations.

DeepL uses ethical AI practices, ensuring fairness and transparency in its translations.
DeepL is based in Germany, ensuring compliance with GDPR and strong European privacy laws.
DeepL is designed with privacy as a core principle.
DeepL offers a free tier, with optional paid plans for additional features and to support the project.
Does not display advertisements in its interface.
Website

Lingva Translate

Lingva Translate is an open-source, privacy-preserving frontend for Google Translate.

Source code is open and available for review and contribution.
Allows translations without requiring user registration.
No tracking or logging of user data, especially when self-hosted.
The service does not include advertisements.
Free to use with no subscription fees.
Can be installed and run on your own server.
Website

How to move away from Big Tech Translation Services

Here's a guide on how to easily get away from Google Translate.

Simply begin using your chosen service via its web interface or API. For self-hosted options like LibreTranslate or Lingva Translate, follow the official installation guides to set up your own instance, giving you complete autonomy over your translations and data.

Suggestions and Feedback

If you have suggestions for more alternatives or general feedback, please contact me via email or create an issue over on Codeberg. Suggest Substitute on Codeberg Write an Email