If you run a WordPress website and want to reach an international audience, using a translation plug-in is essential.
These plug-ins enable websites to be translated effectively, increasing the reach and relevance of the content. In this article, we explore everything you need to know to choose and implement the best translation plug-in in 2025
What we're going to explore:
What is a translation plug-in and why should you use it?
A translation plug-in is a tool designed to make websites accessible in several languages. It allows you to translate content such as pages, articles, menus, multimedia and even dynamic elements such as buttons and forms.
Using a translation plug-in offers benefits such as:
- Expanding the audience: Reaching audiences in different regions of the world.
- Improved SEO: A multilingual website increases the chances of being found on search engines in several languages.
- User experience: Provides smoother navigation for visitors who speak other languages.
The best translation plug-ins for WordPress in 2025
There are several translation plug-ins for WordPress, each with specific features and functionalities. Here are the most recommended for 2025:
- Manual translation and integration with professional services.
- Compatible with SEO and page builders such as Elementor.
- Downloads: more than 1 million active installations
- Price: 8€ Month all features.
- Allows translation directly on the website’s visual interface.
- Support for automatic translation with Google Translate or DeepL.
- Downloads: more than 300,000 active installations.
- Price: 16€ Month all features.
- It translates automatically and allows manual editing.
- Integrated multilingual SEO and support for dynamic content.
- Downloads: more than 60,000 active installations.
- Price: 30€ Month all features.
- Free solution for manual translations.
- Ideal for simple websites.
- Downloads: more than 700,000 active installations.
- Price: 8€ Month all features.
- Based on Google Translate, it offers instant translation.
- SEO options in paid plans.
- Downloads: more than 700,000 active installations.
- Price: 40€ Month all features.
Criteria for choosing a translation plug-in
To choose the best plug-in, consider:
- Budget: Plug-ins like Polylang are free, while Weglot offers paid plans.
- Type of translation: Do you prefer manual translation, automatic translation or both?
- Compatibility: Check that the plug-in works with other plug-ins and themes already installed.
- SEO: Make sure the plug-in supports multilingual SEO practices.
Step by step: how to set up a translation plug-in in WordPress
- Installation: Go to the WordPress dashboard and install the chosen plug-in.
- Initial configuration: Configure the languages you want to add to your website.
- Content translation: Translates pages, articles and menus manually or automatically.
- Tests: Check that all translations appear correctly.
Free or paid translation plug-in: which is better?
The choice between a free or paid plug-in depends on the needs of the website, factors such as the complexity of the project, the volume of content to be translated, the technical support expected and SEO requirements.
Simpler websites can benefit from free solutions, while complex or corporate projects often require premium features to ensure quality and efficiency.
Ideal for simple websites with a limited budget. These plug-ins offer basic functionalities and allow you to translate pages and articles manually.
Although suitable for smaller projects, they can require more manual labour and have limited technical support, which can be a challenge for less experienced users.
However, they are a great option for those who are starting out or have websites with a small amount of content to translate.
They offer more advanced features, such as multilingual SEO and dedicated technical support. These plug-ins are ideal for corporate projects or websites with a high volume of content and complexity.
In addition to translating menus, articles and widgets, they allow integrations with professional translation services and manage dynamic elements more accurately.
Another advantage is support for SEO optimisation, such as custom meta tags, multilingual sitemaps and permanent links adapted for each language, which are fundamental for search engine positioning. These plug-ins also guarantee frequent updates and technical support, ensuring greater website stability and performance.
Multilingual SEO: how a translation plug-in helps with internationalisation
Plug-ins such as WPML and Weglot ensure that each language on your website has unique URLs, translated meta tags and optimised sitemaps, which are essential for improving search engine rankings.
In addition, these plug-ins create separate versions of the website for each language, which makes it easier for search engine algorithms to track and increase the chances of attracting international organic traffic.
With support for hreflang, they ensure that search engines correctly identify the language and target audience, reducing SEO conflicts.
Thus, by using a well-configured translation plug-in, your website will be better prepared to compete in international markets and cater for different audiences efficiently.
Top 5 mistakes when using translation plug-ins and how to avoid them
- Ignoring multilingual SEO: Make sure you optimise texts and images in all languages.
- Automatic translations without proofreading: Always proofread automatically generated translations.
- Incomplete configuration: Translate the menus, widgets and dynamic elements.
- Wrong choice of plug-in: Use a plug-in suited to the complexity of the website.
- Lack of testing: Check the website in the different languages before publishing it.
How AI-based machine translation works in plug-ins
Plug-ins such as Weglot and GTranslate use artificial intelligence to translate content in seconds. These tools employ sophisticated algorithms that identify the context of the text, offering fast and generally accurate translations.
However, to ensure a professional level of quality, manual adjustments are recommended, especially in sectors that require technical terminology or specific cultural expressions.
What’s more, human review helps to avoid errors that could jeopardise the user experience or compromise the credibility of your pages and your business.
Integration of translation plug-ins with WooCommerce
Translating an online shop requires compatibility with WooCommerce, since this type of website features specific elements such as products, descriptions, categories, shopping carts and transactional emails.
Plug-ins such as WPML and Weglot make it possible to translate all these elements, guaranteeing a fluid and coherent experience for the end user.
They also support integration with additional e-commerce plug-ins and optimise the presentation of languages according to the target audience, ensuring that navigation is intuitive and adapted to the customer’s location.
These solutions also include settings for multilingual SEO, essential for increasing the shop’s visibility on international search engines.
TranslatePress or WPML? Which is the best plug-in?
It’s best for simple websites that need visual translation.
This plug-in is highly intuitive, allowing users to translate the website directly in the visual interface, which makes the process more accessible, even for those with little technical experience. What’s more, it supports automatic translation with Google Translate or DeepL, offering speed without compromising accuracy.
However, it is more suitable for small websites or those with fewer customisation needs, as the functionalities can be limited compared to other plug-ins such as WPML.
Ideal for complex websites and SEO-focused projects.
This plug-in is widely recognised for its ability to manage multiple languages efficiently, enabling detailed manual translations and integration with other professional translation services.
In addition, WPML supports the customisation of meta tags, sitemaps and permalinks for each language, which is crucial for advanced SEO strategies.
It also stands out for being compatible with various page builders and plug-ins, such as Elementor and WooCommerce, making it a robust choice for corporate websites or e-commerces that require maximum performance and flexibility.
The benefits of using a translation plug-in to expand internationally
Having a multilingual website is essential for companies wishing to expand internationally. This type of website not only increases the geographical reach of your brand, but also creates a feeling of closeness and trust with customers in foreign markets.
A translation plug-in facilitates communication by adapting content to the local language, respecting cultural and linguistic specificities. It also provides a more fluid and personalised user experience, which has a direct impact on the conversion rate and the loyalty of global customers.
With the right tool, and the help of a translation company specialising in website translation and multilingual seo, your company can conquer international markets more effectively.
Conclusion
If you are planning to expand your business to international markets, choosing an effective translation plug-in is a fundamental step. However, to ensure that your website is translated accurately and respects SEO best practices, relying on an experienced partner can make all the difference.
Dokutech Translations is the ideal partner to support the internationalisation of companies. With over 10 years’ experience in website translation and working with some of the plug-ins mentioned in this article, we offer customised solutions that combine technology and high-quality human translation.
Trust us to turn your website into a truly global portal, attracting customers from anywhere in the world.
Frequently asked questions about WordPress translation plug-ins
The best plug-in depends on your needs. For simple projects, TranslatePress or Polylang are good options. For complex sites, WPML and Weglot stand out for their compatibility and advanced features.
Yes, but with limitations. Free plug-ins like Polylang offer basic functionality. For advanced SEO, we recommend paid plug-ins such as WPML or Weglot.
Not necessarily. Plug-ins like TranslatePress have intuitive interfaces. However, more advanced configurations, such as SEO or integrations, may require specialised support.
Yes, many plug-ins such as WPML and Weglot offer full support for WooCommerce, allowing you to translate products, categories and shopping carts.
Not completely. Machine translations are fast, but fall short on accuracy. Human proofreading guarantees professional quality and cultural appropriateness.
Yes, translation plug-ins allow you to translate practically every element of your site, including pages, articles, menus, widgets, strings and even dynamic content such as buttons and forms. However, to ensure a high-quality experience, it's important to review automatic translations and make manual adjustments where necessary.
Yes, most translation plug-ins, such as WPML, TranslatePress and Weglot, allow you to manually edit translations. This is essential for correcting errors or adapting content to the language and cultural context of the target audience, ensuring greater accuracy and impact.
