About 16; min
Translation management systems are the hidden engine behind every app or website that speaks more than one language. Lokalise and Phrase (formerly Memsource + Phrase) are two of the most popular platforms for development teams that need to ship localized products without drowning in spreadsheets.
Lokalise focuses on developer-first workflows with tight integrations into GitHub, GitLab, and CI/CD pipelines. Phrase takes a broader approach, combining translation management with a full translation memory and machine translation engine. Both tools aim to make localization faster and less painful, but their pricing models and feature sets serve different team profiles.
Quick Pricing Overview
| Plan | Lokalise | Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Free / Trial | 14-day free trial | 14-day free trial |
| Starter | $120/mo (5 users) | $25/mo (Strings Starter) |
| Team / Growth | $290/mo (10 users) | $125/mo (Strings Growth) |
| Business / Pro | $620/mo (15 users) | $275/mo (Strings Pro) |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom |
Lokalise Pricing Breakdown
Lokalise prices by team size and feature tier. The Start plan at $120 per month includes 5 users, unlimited projects, and core features like over-the-air (OTA) translation updates for mobile apps. The Team plan at $290 per month supports 10 users and adds task management, branching, and advanced integrations. The Business plan at $620 per month covers 15 users with custom workflows, glossary management, and priority support. Additional users cost extra on each tier. All plans include API access, GitHub/GitLab integration, and translation memory. Enterprise pricing adds SSO, dedicated infrastructure, and SLA guarantees.
Phrase Pricing Breakdown
Phrase splits its product into two modules: Phrase Strings (for developers managing key-value localization files) and Phrase TMS (for translation workflow management). Phrase Strings Starter at $25 per month covers 1 user seat and up to 5 languages. Growth at $125 per month adds 10 users, branching, glossaries, and webhooks. Pro at $275 per month includes 25 users, custom roles, and advanced workflow automation. Phrase TMS has separate pricing for translation agencies and teams managing freelance translators. The two products can be bundled at a discount. Machine translation credits (DeepL, Google Translate, Amazon Translate) are included in higher tiers or available as add-ons.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Lokalise | Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| File Format Support | 50+ formats (JSON, XLIFF, PO, etc.) | 50+ formats + bilingual files |
| OTA Updates (Mobile) | Built-in (all plans) | Available (Strings Growth+) |
| GitHub / GitLab Sync | Native integration | Native integration |
| CI/CD Integration | CLI tool + API | CLI tool + API |
| Translation Memory | Yes (shared across projects) | Yes (with TM match reports) |
| Machine Translation | Google, DeepL, AWS (add-on) | Built-in MT hub (multiple engines) |
| Branching | Team plan and above | Growth plan and above |
| In-Context Editor | Yes (visual screenshot context) | Yes (live preview) |
| Glossary | Business plan and above | Growth plan and above |
| Task Management | Built-in assignment and status tracking | Full workflow with review stages |
| API Access | All plans | All plans |
| SSO / SAML | Enterprise only | Enterprise only |
Cost Scenarios
Indie developer (1 user, 3 languages)
Phrase Strings Starter at $25 per month handles this perfectly — one seat, up to 5 languages, and all the core developer features. Lokalise’s cheapest plan is $120 per month for 5 users, which is overkill for a solo developer. Phrase: $25/mo. Lokalise: $120/mo.
Product team (8 users, 15 languages)
Lokalise Team at $290 per month covers 10 users with branching and task management included. Phrase Strings Growth at $125 per month covers 10 users but you may need additional machine translation credits at this scale. With MT add-ons, expect Phrase to land around $150-180 per month. Lokalise: $290/mo. Phrase: ~$160/mo.
Enterprise (50+ users, 30+ languages)
Both vendors move to custom pricing. Lokalise enterprise deals typically start around $2,000-4,000 per month depending on user count and support level. Phrase enterprise bundles (Strings + TMS) range from $1,500-5,000 per month. Organizations that also need TMS for managing external translators will find Phrase’s bundled offering more cost-effective. Both: $2,000-5,000/mo depending on configuration.
Setup and Integration
Lokalise connects to your code repository in minutes. Install the CLI, point it at your localization files, and push keys to the Lokalise dashboard. Developers can set up a two-way sync where translations pulled from Lokalise are automatically committed back to the repo. The screenshot-based in-context editor helps translators understand where each string appears in the actual UI.
Phrase Strings follows a similar developer-centric setup — CLI, API, and repo integrations work out of the box. Where Phrase adds complexity is in the TMS side: if you’re managing external translators or agencies, configuring workflow stages, review rounds, and translation vendor access takes more upfront planning. The payoff is a system that handles both the development and human translation sides of localization in one platform.
Who Should Pick What
Pick Lokalise if:
- Your team is primarily developers managing localization in-house
- OTA mobile translation updates are a core requirement from day one
- You want a simple per-team pricing model without worrying about module bundles
- Visual context through screenshots matters for your translation quality
Pick Phrase if:
- You’re a solo developer or small team that needs an affordable entry point
- You work with external translation agencies and need TMS workflow features
- Machine translation integration across multiple engines is a priority
- You need both developer tooling (Strings) and translator management (TMS) in one vendor
Phrase wins on pricing flexibility and breadth. Its $25 per month entry point makes it accessible to indie developers, while the TMS module gives growing teams a path to manage professional translators without switching platforms. Lokalise is a polished, developer-friendly tool with an excellent OTA feature and a clean interface, but its $120 per month starting price is steep for small teams. For mid-size product teams that want a single platform covering both code-level localization and human translation workflows, Phrase offers better value at every tier.
FAQ
Can I use Phrase Strings without Phrase TMS?
Yes. Phrase Strings and Phrase TMS are separate products that can be purchased independently. Strings alone covers everything a development team needs for file-based localization.
Does Lokalise support machine translation?
Yes. Lokalise integrates with Google Translate, DeepL, and Amazon Translate. Machine translation is available as a pre-translation step or on-demand within the editor. Usage-based pricing applies.
Which tool is better for mobile apps?
Lokalise has a slight edge for mobile thanks to its built-in OTA SDK that lets you push translation updates without an app store release. Phrase also supports OTA on its Growth plan and above, but Lokalise has offered this feature longer and it’s available on all plans.
Do both tools support right-to-left languages?
Yes. Both Lokalise and Phrase fully support RTL languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Farsi, including proper text rendering in their in-context editors.
