Comparison of machine translation applications

A machine translation application is a program that attempts to translate text or speech from one natural language to another. Machine translation applications have become relevant to the modern language industry. Please see the individual products' articles for further information.

General information

Basic general information for popular Machine translation applications.[1]

Name	Platform	License	Price	Latest stable release	Source availability	Notes
Apertium	Cross-platform (Web application), Unix compatible Precompiled packages available for Debian	GPL	No Fee Required	3.4.2	Yes	Rule-based, shallow transfer; all programs and language data are free and open source
Anusaaraka	Unix compatible	GPL	No Fee Required	0.50	Yes	Rule-based, deep parser based, paninian framework based; all programs and language data are free and open-source
IBM	Cross-platform	SaaS	Free, Commercial (varies by plan)	3.0	No	Both rule-based and statistical models developed by IBM Research. Neural Machine Translation models available through the Watson Language Translator API for developers.[2][3]
OpenLogos	Windows, Linux	GPL or Paid initiative taker	No Fee Required	1.0.3	Yes	Rule-based, deep transfer
Moses	Cross-platform	LGPL	No Fee Required	4.0[4]	Yes	Drop-in replacement for Pharaoh, features factored translation models and decoding of confusion networks.
Moses for Mere Mortals	Ubuntu Linux	GPL	No Fee Required	2014-11-16	Yes	Free open source; based on Moses; translation memories integration.
NiuTrans	Cross-platform	GPL	No fee required	1.1.0	Yes	Competitive performance for Chinese translation tasks; statistical machine translation. Supports phrase-based, hierarchical phrase-based, and syntax-based (string-to-tree, tree-to-string, and tree-to-tree) models for research purposes.
Google Translate	Cross-platform (Web application)	SaaS	No fee required	Beta	No	Statistical and neural machine translation
Bing Translator	Cross-platform (Web application)	SaaS	No fee required	Final	No	Microsoft's linguistically informed statistical MT system
Yandex.Translate	Cross-platform (Web application)	SaaS	No fee required		No	Statistical and neural machine translation
SYSTRAN	Cross-platform (Web application)	Proprietary software	$200 (desktop) – $15,000 and up (enterprise server)	Version 7	No	Hybrid rules-based and SMT
GramTrans	Cross-platform (Web application)	Freeware	No Fee Required	?	No	Rule-based, using constraint grammar
Promt	Cross-platform (Web application)	Proprietary software	Commercial	12.5	No	Hybrid, rules-based, SMT and neural[5]
Babylon	Windows, Mac	Proprietary software	Depends on license ($9.90–$89 for one license)	10.3	No	Prompts to install the Babylon Toolbar, a browser hijacker which is difficult to remove.[6][7]
IdiomaX	Windows, Symbian S60, Windows Mobile	Proprietary software	Depends on configuration	6.0	No	Rule-based

Languages features comparison

The following table compares the number of languages which the following machine translation programs can translate between. (Moses and Moses for Mere Mortals allow you to train translation models for any language pair, though collections of translated texts (parallel corpus) need to be provided by the user. The Moses site provides links to training corpora.)

This is not an all-encompassing list. Some applications have many more language pairs than those listed below. This is a general comparison of key languages only. A full and accurate list of language pairs supported by each product should be found on each of the products websites.

Language		IBM Watson	Apertium	OpenLogos	Google Translate	Moses	Babel Fish	Bing Translator	GramTrans	SYSTRAN	IdiomaX
To English	Arabic to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Catalan to English	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Chinese (Simplified) to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Chinese (Traditional) to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Czech to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Danish to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Dutch to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Esperanto to English	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Estonian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Finnish to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	French to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	Galician to English	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	German to English	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Greek to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Haitian Creole to English	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Hebrew to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Hindi to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Hungarian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Indonesian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Irish to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Italian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	Japanese to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Korean to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Latvian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Lithuanian to English	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Macedonian to English	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Malay to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Maltese to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Norwegian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Persian to English	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Polish to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Portuguese to English	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Portuguese (Brazilian) to English	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Romanian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Russian to English	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Serbo-Croatian to English	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Slovak to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Slovenian to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Spanish to English	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	Swedish to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	Tagalog to English	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
	Thai to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Turkish to English	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Ukrainian to English	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Welsh to English	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Language		IBM Watson	Apertium	OpenLogos	Google Translate	Moses	Babel Fish	Bing Translator	GramTrans	SYSTRAN	IdiomaX
Chinese (Simplified)	English to Chinese (Simplified)	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	German to Chinese (Simplified)	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Chinese (Traditional)	English to Chinese (Traditional)	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	German to Chinese (Traditional)	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Dutch	English to Dutch	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
	French to Dutch	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
To French	English to French	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	German to French	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Spanish to French	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Catalan to French	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Russian to French	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
	Dutch to French	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Italian to French	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	Yes	Yes
	Breton to French	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
To Galician	English to Galician	No	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Portuguese to Galician	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Spanish to Galician	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
To German	Chinese (Simplified) to German	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Chinese (Traditional) to German	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
	English to German	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	French to German	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Spanish to German	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Russian to German	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
	Italian to German	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	Yes	Yes
To Italian	English to Italian	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	Spanish to Italian	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	Yes	Yes
	French to Italian	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	Yes	Yes
	German to Italian	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	Yes	Yes
To Japanese	English to Japanese	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	German to Japanese	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Korean	English to Korean	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
To Portuguese	English to Portuguese	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Russian	English to Russian	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
	French to Russian	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Spanish to Russian	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	German to Russian	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Italian to Russian	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Spanish	English to Spanish	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	Russian to Spanish	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	French to Spanish	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
	German to Spanish	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	Italian to Spanish	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	?	No	Yes
To Welsh	English to Welsh	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
Language		IBM Watson	Apertium	OpenLogos	Google Translate	Moses	Babel Fish	Bing Translator	GramTrans	SYSTRAN	IdiomaX
To Arabic	English to Arabic	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Catalan	English to Catalan	No	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	French to Catalan	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Italian to Catalan	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	Occitan to Catalan	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Spanish to Catalan	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Czech	English to Czech	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	German to Czech	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Danish	English to Danish	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
To Esperanto	Catalan to Esperanto	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Danish to Esperanto	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
	English to Esperanto	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
	French to Esperanto	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Spanish to Esperanto	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
To Finnish	English to Finnish	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Greek	English to Greek	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Haitian Creole	English to Haitian Creole	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Hebrew	English to Hebrew	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Hindi	English to Hindi	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Hungarian	English to Hungarian	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Norwegian (Bokmål)	English to Norwegian (Bokmål)	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No
	Norwegian (Nynorsk) to Norwegian (Bokmål)	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
To Norwegian (Nynorsk)	Norwegian (Bokmål) to Norwegian (Nynorsk)	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
To Occitan	Catalan to Occitan	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
	Spanish to Occitan	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
To Persian	English to Persian	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Polish	English to Polish	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
	German to Polish	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Romanian	English to Romanian	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Serbo-Croatian	English to Serbo-Croatian	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No
To Slovenian	English to Slovenian	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
	German to Slovenian	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No
To Swedish	English to Swedish	Yes	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Turkish	English to Turkish	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
To Ukrainian	English to Ukrainian	No	No	?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	No
Total (confirmed)		92	28	9	110	31	89	103	15	65	59

See also

• Machine translation
• Machine translation software usability
• Hindi to Punjabi Machine Translation System

External links

• Apertium wiki (list of language pairs and licence information)
• Xerox Easy Translator Service (list of language pairs)
• Bing Translator Language List
• Haitian Creole support in Bing/Microsoft Translator
• Microsoft Research: Syntactically Informed Phrasal SMT
• List of supported languages in Google Translate

References

1. "Translations Made Simple: The Usefulness of Translation Apps". April 8, 2020. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
2. "Watson Language Translator". www.ibm.com. 2016-11-28. Archived from the original on 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
3. language-translator-nodejs: Sample Node.js Application for the IBM Language Translation Service, Watson Developer Cloud, 2017-11-08, retrieved 2017-11-08
4. http://www.statmt.org/moses/?n=Moses.Releases
5. http://blog.translate.ru/2019/04/nejronnye-seti-oflajn-perevodchiki-i-konkurenciya-nikita-shablykov-o-texnologiyax-mashinnogo-perevoda/
6. Remove FBI & Babylon Zombie Virus PCPitstop.com, author Steve Hogan, October 11, 2012
7. How To Uninstall The Babylon Toolbar Completely Martin Brinkmann, ghacks.net, August 17, 2011