Localizely

Localizely is a translation management system for mobile apps, games and websites, intended for developers, localization and project managers, and translators. It is best suited to teams that want translation work connected to software development, particularly through Git integrations or Flutter updates. Its broad workflow and format support are balanced by hosted-string and project caps, and it cannot be self-hosted.

Overview

Localizely brings translation work and localization files into a shared workflow, with options ranging from machine and AI translation to professional translation orders. Translation memory, glossaries, QA checks, screenshots, tasks, reports and branching make it useful for teams coordinating both language work and software changes. That breadth can be more than a small project needs, but it gives mixed developer and language teams room to manage review and delivery in one service.

It is SaaS only, so organizations requiring self-hosted software should look elsewhere. Localizely says customer care agents are available by email every workday from 7AM to 2AM CET.

Key features

Format support covers Flutter ARB, Android XML, Apple strings, JSON, YAML, PO, XLIFF, .NET RESX, CSV, Excel and TMX. Connections to GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Figma and AWS S3, plus an API and CLI, give teams several ways to fit localization into development workflows. The CLI runs on Linux, macOS and Windows and is also available as a Docker image.

The GitHub integration can pull localization files manually or through a webhook, then push translations back as a pull request. That makes it a good fit for teams that want to review localization changes alongside code. Localizely says GitHub access tokens are encrypted and not shown in full after saving. For Flutter teams, the SDK supports over-the-air translation updates and in-context editing, reducing the need to treat each text change as a separate app release.

Translation memory, terminology management, vendor management and workflow automation support repeat work and team coordination. Unlimited languages and users on the listed plans are useful for multilingual collaboration, but hosted string keys and project counts remain the practical scaling constraints.

Pricing

The free plan costs nothing, requires no credit card, and includes 250 hosted string keys, 1 project, unlimited users and languages, machine translation, AI translation and translation orders. It is a capable way to start, but a single project and 250 keys can constrain ongoing or multi-product use.

Paid plans retain unlimited users and languages while increasing string-key and project allowances. Starter costs $16 a month billed annually, or $19/mo if billed monthly, and includes 500 keys and 1 project with standard features. Advanced is $32 a month billed annually, or $39/mo monthly, for 1,000 keys and 2 projects. Pro is $65 a month billed annually, or $79/mo monthly, for 2,500 keys and 3 projects. These tiers suit teams growing beyond the free cap, though they still limit the number of projects.

Bronze costs $125 a month billed annually, or $150/mo monthly, with 5,000 keys and 5 projects; Silver costs $250 a month billed annually, or $300/mo monthly, with 10,000 keys and 10 projects; Gold costs $475 a month billed annually, or $570/mo monthly, with 20,000 keys and 20 projects. All three include advanced features, making them the step-up for larger portfolios that need more capacity. Organizations needing more keys can request custom pricing.

The over-the-air add-on costs nothing for 30K monthly active users or $50 a month for 200K monthly active users. Localizely also offers a 15-day trial. Compare the annual and monthly billing terms before choosing a paid tier, since monthly billing carries a higher stated rate.

Platforms

Localizely is available on the web and through an API, with Linux, macOS and Windows support for its CLI. Its Flutter SDK adds over-the-air update and in-context editing support for Flutter projects. The SaaS-only model rules it out for teams that need to host the system themselves.

Who it's for

Localizely is a strong fit for development and localization teams working across multiple languages and software formats, especially those using GitHub or Flutter. Its workflow tools can serve developers, project and localization managers, and translators in the same process. Solo users or teams with one small project may find the free plan sufficient, while organizations with high key counts or many projects should assess the paid caps before committing.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Wide file-format and integration coverage accommodates varied app and website localization workflows.
• Pros: GitHub pull-request flow and Flutter over-the-air updates connect translation changes to development and delivery.
• Pros: The free plan includes AI and machine translation, orders, unlimited users and languages, with no credit card needed.
• Cons: Hosted string-key and project limits apply across plans, so capacity increases require moving up tiers.
• Cons: Self-hosting is not an option, which excludes organizations that require on-premises deployment.

Alternatives

Crowdin is another freemium option with a free plan and support across Android, iOS, web, desktop and API platforms.

Lara Translate is worth comparing for document translation: its free plan includes 60,000 characters per month and one user.

OneSky offers AI-driven quality estimation and multi-agent translation as paid options, which may suit readers focused on those capabilities.

locize has a free plan with 2,000 words, 2 languages, 5 namespaces and one user, plus a stated 100K standard CDN downloads per month.

Tolgee is an alternative with a free plan for 30,000 words and 3 seats, and offers self-hosted support.

Weblate supports self-hosted use; its Premium Cloud 10k plan costs €47 a month for 10,000 hosted strings and unlimited languages, projects and components.

Google Cloud Translation is an API-only alternative with a free allowance of 500,000 characters per month for neural machine translation.

wxrks (formerly Bureau Works) is another freemium, API-and-web option for translation work.

Browse the Translation Software and Translation Management Software directories for more options.

Verdict

Choose Localizely if your development or localization team needs broad format support, collaborative translation workflows, and close ties to GitHub or Flutter delivery. Its free tier is unusually capable for a single small project, and paid tiers scale users and languages without per-seat limits. Look elsewhere if self-hosting is essential or your project and string-key needs do not fit the tier caps.