Machine translation has improved dramatically, but quality varies significantly by tool and language pair. After testing 500 translations across 10 language pairs, here's what actually works.
DeepL maintains its lead for European languages. German, French, Spanish translations are noticeably more natural than competitors. The glossary feature for consistent terminology in technical documents is a killer feature for business use.
Google Translate improved substantially with Gemini integration. It's now competitive with DeepL for major languages and better for languages DeepL doesn't support well. The integration with Google Workspace makes it convenient for casual use.
ChatGPT/Claude translations offer something different: context-aware translation that preserves tone and adapts for audience. Tell the AI who will read the translation and it adjusts formality, terminology, and style. For marketing content and creative writing, this contextual approach often beats literal accuracy.
Priya Sharma
Contributing writer at MoltBotSupport, covering AI productivity, automation, and the future of work.