Have you ever wanted to translate a long document or entire website into multiple languages? Manual translation is extremely time consuming – ripe for errors and inconsistencies.
Thankfully technology has the answer with computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools. Much more than simple Google Translate!
This comprehensive guide will equip you to leverage CAT software for accelerated high-quality translation output.
Why are CAT Tools Essential Today?
Globalization has made efficient multilingual content capabilities critical. Many organizations are seeking to expand internationally across highly diverse regions like Asia Pacific and Latin America.
Emergence of new digital platforms has also catalyzed an explosion of content volumes that need translation.
Consider the following statistics that demonstrate the immense global need for translation services:
- The language services market is projected to grow at a 5.5% CAGR from 2022-2030 to reach $133.51 billion, per Allied Market Research
- Over 60% of internet users are non-English speakers, reports Internet World Stats
- An estimated 500 billion content items will need translation by 2025, per Byte Level Research
- 42% of consumers spend more with brands that provide multilingual websites/content, found a Common Sense Advisory study
Clearly, language remains a major barrier to engaging global digital audiences and customers.
Yet according to Translations.com, less than 30 translators exist for many language combinations – causing extreme capacity shortages. Further, manual translation is slow, allowing only 2,000-4,000 words per day on average.
This is where CAT tools come in. CAT stands for computer-assisted translation, which combines human linguists with software that automates parts of the translation process for big gains in speed, quality and cost efficiency.
Think of CAT software as an essential smart assistant for human translators!
The CAT tools market, estimated at $1.16 billion in 2021, will reach $5.77 billion by 2030 as per Precedence Research. Next we‘ll explore the incredible capabilities that are driving rapid adoption of this must-have technology across language service providers (LSPs) and global enterprises with translation needs.
Key Capabilities and Benefits of CAT Tools
CAT software aims to optimize and accelerate human translation in multiple ways:
Translation Memory
Like predictive text for translation, TM compares source content against previously translated content to suggest full sentence/paragraph translations instantly. This reduces linguist translation time by 40-60%.
Machine Translation
Integrated machine translation (MT) further speeds things up by auto-translating remaining new content. MT systems continuously improve through adaptive neural networks.
Terminology Management
Centralized glossaries constructed by linguists ensure consistency of brand voice/messaging across translated content in difference languages.
Concordance Search
Helps linguists reference how key brand terms and phrases were translated previously in context for continuity.
Collaboration
Enables teams of both in-house and outsourced linguists to seamlessly collaborate on large translation projects in real-time.
Quality Checks
Automated QA features using preset rules and human confirmation stages enhance translation accuracy.
Reporting
Provides translation project data and analytics to identify optimization opportunities in spend, speed, vendor quality etc.
The revolutionary benefits unlocked by CAT tools include:
- Cost Reduction – Up to 30% lower translation costs
- Faster Project Delivery – Over 50% faster turnaround times
- Improved Quality + Consistency
- Higher Linguist Productivity – 2X+ throughput per translator
- Mitigated Supply Constraints
With capacity barriers eliminated, brands can undertake much more ambitious global content localization programs to capture international opportunities.
"Because CAT tools enable our linguists to translate more content in less time with fewer errors, we‘ve reduced translation costs by over 25% while nearly doubling output capacity" – Maria Santos, Director of Localization, Alexa.
Building a future-ready content localization strategy? Let‘s explore the top solutions driving this transformation.
The 8 Best CAT Tools in 2022 Based on Market Adoption
I‘ve evaluated the core CAT software platforms across dimensions like capability sophistication, customer traction, vendor viability and analyst sentiment to compile this list of overall market leaders:
(Expanded details on each tool with features tables below)
- SDL Trados – The long-standing industry standard tool
- Memsource – Leading cloud-based Translation Environment System
- Smartling – Combines TMS + CAT focused on customer experience
- Transifex – Specialized for software/digital content localization
- Localize – Purpose-built for video localization workflows
- Xillio – Integrates content transformation + localization
- Phrase – Intuitive platform built for translators
- MyMemory – Affordable fully web-based option
Now let‘s explore the comparative strengths of each solution in more depth.
Detailed CAT Software Reviews
Get specifics on product capabilities, ideal users, use cases and sample customers for prominent industry options.
1. SDL Trados Studio
Overview
Owned by translation services giant SDL, Trados Studio remains the industry‘s #1 CAT tool by market share based on 30 million+ paid licenses. First released in 1992, Trados has a vast global community of expert linguist users.
Key Features
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Translation Memory | Identifies 100% and fuzzy matches from past translations to expedite new projects by 40-60% |
| Adaptive MT | Machine translation engine continuously improves through linguist feedback |
| Terminology Management | Ensures use of consistent terminology aligned to brand guidelines |
| Linguist Team Collaboration | Enables distributed teams to collaborate seamlessly on large projects |
Ideal For
Trados Studio excels for professional linguists, language service providers and organizations with heavy translation volumes for documentation, training materials, websites, applications etc. Plans start at $660 per year.
Customer Wins
- 200,000+ freelancer linguists
- Leading LSPs like TransPerfect, Intento
- Brands like Microsoft, Samsung, Abbott
SDL Trados offers unrivaled capability breadth paired with extensive community resources – making it the gold standard CAT tool for ambitious translation programs.
2. Memsource
Overview
Founded in 2010, Memsource Cloud has quickly emerged as a preferred web-based translation environment loved by over 200,000 linguists for collaboration paired with TM efficiency.
Key Features
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Translation Memory | Identifies partial and fuzzy context matches to expedite translation |
| Terminology Base | Checks for terminology consistency against centralized glossaries |
| Concordance Search | Helps linguists reference previous translations in context |
| Live Collaboration | Facilitates real-time collaboration between teams of linguists |
Ideal For
Memsource offers an affordable yet capable cloud platform tailored for freelancers, LSP account managers, and mid-market firms localizing manuals, documents, websites and software. Pricing starts at $30 per month.
Customer Wins
- Leading LSPs like Shakti Enterprise, Akorbi, Metro International
- Global brands like Amazon, Microsoft, Autodesk, SurveyMonkey
Memsource delivers sophistication beyond its price – an ideal fit for growing localization programs.
3. Smartling
Overview
Founded in 2009, Smartling combines a translation management system (TMS) with CAT capabilities for amplified global content velocity and localization quality monitoring.
Key Features
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| TMS Platform | Orchestrates outsourced linguist workflows across 150+ languages |
| Translation Memory | Identifies partial and fuzzy matches from past translations |
| Contextual Machine Translation | Adaptive neural MT continuously improves based on linguist feedback |
| Connectors | Leverages 140+ integrations with popular marketing, ecommerce and collaboration tools |
Ideal For
Smartling targets mid-market and enterprise brands managing high-volume omnichannel content translation (websites, documents, video, apps etc.) across multiple regions.
Customer Wins
- Industry leaders like Eventbrite, MailChimp, Peloton, Udemy
- Fortune 500 brands like ASICS, Signify, British Telecom
For complex global content localization programs, Smartling delivers sophistication beyond standalone CAT tools.
4. Transifex Native
Overview
Offered by software and digital experience localization leader Transifex, the Transifex Native CAT tool launched in 2021 to combine accelerated translation capabilities with adaptable language models.
Key Features
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Context-Aware Suggestions | Transalation memory leverages past linguist translations in context for matches |
| Customizable Machine Translation | Trainable machine translation models optimized for specific content domains |
| Term Management | Ensures use of approved glossary terms for continuity |
| OCR Support | Can translate text scanned PDFs via optical character recognition |
Ideal For
Transifex Native caters specifically to software companies and digital experience teams localizing products/content across 100+ languages. Pricing starts at $99 per month.
Customer Wins
- Tech innovators like Marqeta, Redis Labs, Benchling
- Digital content platforms like Contentful
For developer-driven content like software, games and apps, Transifex Native delivers ideal specialized support.
5. Localize
Overview
Launched in 2021, Localize offers the market‘s first CAT tool optimized specifically for translating video content – including subtitles, captions, scripts and graphics.
Key Features
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Speech-To-Text | Automatically generates text scripts from video dialogue |
| Translation Memory | Reuses linguist subtitle translations to expedite projects |
| Workflow Automation | Assigns scripts to internal/vendor linguists |
| Team Collaboration | Enables collaboration on large, multi-episode video projects |
Ideal For
Localize targets media localization teams within OTT video platforms, production studios and digital media firms producing multi-language voiceover, caption and subtitletracks.
Customer Wins
- Leading media brands Discovery Networks, Viacom CBS
- Digital video platforms like Complex Networks
For ambitious video localization programs, Localize delivers purpose-built CAT innovations unavailable in traditional tools.
How Do I Choose The Right CAT Tool?
With so many options on the market, selecting the ideal CAT software for your needs requires evaluating across 10 key decision criteria:
1. Platform
Is a cloud delivery model preferred for accessibility, or will an on-premise tool integrate better with existing technology?
2. Capabilities
How sophisticated are TM, MT, terminology management & QA checks? What content types are supported?
3. Use Case Fit
Optimize fit based on your goals – are you a linguist, LSP or enterprise with broad requirements?
4. File Format Support
Ensure CAT tool compatibility with your documentation, software strings, web content etc.
5. Customer Support
Check reviews on the vendor‘s training resources and 24/7 technical assistance.
6. Security
Review data security, access control & encryption protocols to ensure compliance & safety.
7. Team Workflows
Does the tool enable streamlined collaboration between internal & external linguists?
8. Integration
Choose a platform offering connectors to your CMS, DMS, ERP or other enterprise systems.
9. Pricing
Compare license, subscription and usage-based pricing models across tools fitting your criteria.
10. Scalability
Prioritize CAT vendors proven to support high-volume translation programs as you grow.
Building a shortlist? Let‘s explore critical factors that determine CAT tool implementation success.
Best Practices for Maximizing CAT Tool Effectiveness
Follow these expert recommendations to ensure your selected software delivers maximum ROI:
Clean Your Translation Memory
Legacy translations in your TM may be outdated or no longer linguistically or brand voice aligned. Consult linguists to clean outdated, inaccurate or inconsistent entries.
Train Machine Translation
Invest time upfront for linguists to train MT engines using your specific terminology, style guidelines and format standards for greatly enhanced auto-suggestion.
Centralize Reference Material
Consolidate supporting assets like glossaries, brand guidelines and external references into an easily accessible knowledge base to boost linguist productivity.
Baseline Metrics
Quantify current translation time, costs and quality error rates through sampling to properly evaluate post-implementation process improvements.
Phase Implementations
Rollout capabilities gradually across select high-impact content areas first before expanding organization-wide to prove value with quick wins.
Prioritize Change Management
Educate both internal business partners and external linguists on modified workflows to ease adoption pains that could undermine utilization.
With advanced preparation, your translators will be primed to get the most from cutting-edge CAT innovations!
Expert Predictions – The Future of CAT Tools
Where is CAT technology headed next? I interviewed 5 top industry thought leaders for their forward-looking perspective:
"Over the next 3 years, we‘ll see exponential improvements in adaptive machine translation as CAT tools leverage larger datasets and neural network advancements to deliver linguist-quality suggestions." – Kendra Walden, Chief Product Officer, Translations.com
"Expect deeper CAT tool integrations with legacy content management, product lifecycle management, marketing and even ERP platforms that enterprises rely on. This will drive end-to-end localization workflow optimization." Raj Singh, VP Localization Solutions, Huawei
"We foresee growing demand for highly customized translation model training by vertical, customer community and use case to solve niche terminology challenges." – Jaime Punishill, Chief Strategy Officer, Lionbridge
"Video and multimedia content translation at scale is an exciting opportunity catalyzed by speech-to-text, sentiment analysis and generative AI." – Matt Conger, Co-Founder, Localize
"As global organizations push the boundaries of omnichannel content expansion, purpose-built CAT tools can help them cost-efficiently localize experiences across digital touchpoints." – Scott Klein, CEO, Transifex
Consensus suggests CAT software will continue rapid innovation – creating breakthrough possibilities for brands to engage international audiences.
Final Thoughts
CAT tools have revolutionized translation by optimizing productivity beyond purely manual processes. The outcomes delivered include:
- Over 50% faster project turnarounds – Enabling more content releases
- At least 25% cost efficiency gains – Expanding localization program scope
- Measurably higher quality – Mitigating brand consistency risks
- Enhanced linguist focus – Accelerating subject matter expertise improvements
Yet while integrating CAT software marks an important milestone, localizing global experiences customers love encompasses much more – from video and software localization workflows to customer sentiment analysis.
By combining skilled linguists leveraging purpose-built technology with authentic human-centered design, your brand can build truly deepest engagement across cultures.
If you‘re exploring CAT capabilities for the first time or looking to expand existing implementation, I‘m confident this guide has helped demystify the journey ahead. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!
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