AI or Translation Agency? Pros and Cons at a Glance

Soon, wpMula will offer the ability to connect favorite translation tools, such as DeepL, via the API. This allows users to quickly and easily translate texts within one environment. Until this feature is available, various tools or a translation agency can be used. Which option suits best? In this blog, we compare different translation methods and their pros and cons.

AI-powered translation

AI tools, such as DeepL, ChatGPT, and other advanced language models, can translate texts at lightning speed. They understand nuances better than traditional translators but sometimes make mistakes with technical terms, interpretations, or complex sentence structures.

An example: ‘She’s as cool as a cucumber’ means in English that someone is calm and collected. A literal translation into Dutch (‘Ze is zo cool als een komkommer’) sounds strange to a Dutch-speaking reader, right? 😉 Translation agencies translate such expressions into something that better fits the culture and language.

Advantages:

• Fast and immediately available
• Better understanding of context than traditional machine translation
• Affordable (if the user’s own time is not counted)

Disadvantages:

• Not always completely accurate
• Struggles with idioms and specific jargon
• There may be delays if the server is overloaded or if there are technical issues
• There may be limits to the amount of text that can be processed
• Human proofreading remains necessary

DeepL and Google Translate

DeepL and Google Translate are well-known automatic translation tools. DeepL is known for its high quality and natural translations, while Google Translate offers broad language support.

Advantages:

• Very fast and easy to use
• DeepL often provides more natural sentences
• Google Translate supports many languages

Disadvantages:

• DeepL supports fewer languages than Google Translate
• Both tools struggle with creative or context-dependent texts
• Higher chance of grammatical errors

Hiring a translation agency

For professional and error-free translations, a translation agency, such as Translation Agency Perfect, can be hired. They work with experienced translators who take context, culture, and target audience into account. Moreover, translation agencies nowadays also use smart tools and translation memories, allowing translations to be completed faster and more efficiently.

Advantages:

• Highly accurate and professional translations
• Suitable for legal, technical, and creative texts
• Proofreading by native speakers
• Consistent tone of voice
• Users are fully supported

Disadvantages:

• More expensive than AI tools or automatic translations
• Although translation agencies deliver faster nowadays, it still takes more time

Which option do you choose?

The choice of translation method depends on users’ needs and budget. Is a (small) text needed quickly, and is a small mistake acceptable or easy to correct? Then an AI tool or DeepL is a great option. Is an error-free and professional translation required? Then a translation agency is the best choice. Soon, wpMula can be easily connected with DeepL, allowing translations to be completed faster and more efficiently within one environment. Keep an eye on our socials for the latest updates!