Why Teams Switch from Smartling to Taia
Smartling is a powerful enterprise TMS—but it comes with enterprise complexity and cost. Most teams don’t need a $100K+ implementation, lengthy onboarding, or per-user licensing that scales painfully.
Taia delivers the same professional translation capabilities at a fraction of the cost, with transparent pricing, no setup fees, and you can start translating in minutes—not months.
If you’re looking for a Smartling alternative that’s faster to deploy, easier to use, and significantly more affordable, you’re in the right place.
Taia: Enterprise Features Without Enterprise Complexity
Taia’s translation management system combines AI-powered translation, professional human services, and enterprise-grade workflow tools—without the complexity or cost of traditional TMS platforms.
What Makes Taia Different
Start Immediately, No Implementation Costs
Sign up and start translating in 5 minutes. No $50K-100K implementation fees, no IT department required, no 3-month onboarding process.
Pay Per Word, Not Per User
Transparent pricing based on words translated, not user licenses. Add unlimited team members at no extra cost. Perfect for growing teams.
AI + Human in One Platform
Get instant AI translations for speed, then add professional human review with one click when quality matters. ISO 17100 certified linguists available 24/7.
189 Languages, 65+ File Types
Broader language coverage than Smartling (189 vs 150+), with support for 65+ file formats including InDesign, JSON, XLIFF, XLSX, and more.
Built-In Translation Memory & Glossaries
Automatic TM learning reduces costs by up to 70% on repeated content. No complex configuration needed—it just works.
Team Collaboration Tools
User management, project tracking, shared memories, and workflow automation—all included. No extra modules or add-ons.
True Data Security
ISO-certified encryption, GDPR compliant, and your content is never used to train AI models. EU data residency available.
Smartling: Powerful But Complex and Expensive
Smartling is a cloud-based translation management platform designed for large enterprises managing continuous, high-volume localization projects. It’s feature-rich but comes with significant trade-offs.
Smartling’s Limitations for Most Teams
❌ High implementation costs – $50K-150K setup fees typical
❌ Per-user licensing – Costs scale painfully as teams grow
❌ Complex onboarding – 2-4 months typical implementation time
❌ Requires dedicated team – Need technical resources for setup and maintenance
❌ Separate MT costs – Machine translation charged separately from platform fees
❌ Feature complexity – Steep learning curve, many features unused by small teams
❌ Contract lock-in – Annual contracts with minimum commitments
Who Smartling is for: Large enterprises (500+ employees) with dedicated localization teams, $500K+ annual translation budgets, and technical resources for implementation.
Who it’s NOT for: Growing SaaS companies, marketing teams, or businesses that need to move fast without massive upfront investment.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Taia | Smartling |
|---|---|---|
| Translation Type | AI-powered with optional ISO-certified professional review | Cloud-based TMS with integrated MT and professional services |
| Supported Languages | 189 languages | 150+ languages |
| File Support | 65+ file formats (DOCX, PPTX, PDF, XLSX, JSON, XLIFF, IDML, etc.) | Broad file support for websites, software, documents |
| Setup Time | Instant (start in 5 minutes) | 2-4 months typical implementation |
| Implementation Cost | $0 | $50,000-150,000+ |
| Translation Memory | Yes, built-in with automatic learning | Yes, with configuration |
| Glossary Support | Yes, built-in | Yes, plus style guides and visual context |
| CAT Editor | Built-in, no extra cost | Included |
| Turnaround Time | Instant AI (seconds); Professional: 24-48h for ≤3,500 words | Depends on MT provider or human translator availability |
| Quality Tiers | AI-only, AI+human review, or full TEP (translation, editing, proofreading) | MT-only, MT+review, or full human translation |
| Team Collaboration | Yes—unlimited users included | Yes, but per-user licensing |
| API Integration | REST API included | Yes, robust API |
| Pricing Model | Pay per word (no user fees, no hidden costs) | Platform subscription + MT costs + per-user licenses + services |
| Contract Terms | Month-to-month | Annual contracts with minimums |
| Best For | Growing teams needing fast, scalable translation without enterprise complexity | Large enterprises with dedicated localization departments and $500K+ budgets |
| Typical Annual Cost | $5,000-50,000 (based on volume) | $100,000-500,000+ (platform + services + users) |
Why Taia Is the Best Smartling Alternative
1. Start Today, Not in 3 Months
Smartling requires: Lengthy sales process, custom pricing negotiation, implementation project, technical setup, team training—typically 2-4 months before you can translate anything.
Taia: Sign up, upload a file, start translating. Takes 5 minutes. No implementation fees, no IT involvement, no training required.
Perfect for teams that need to move fast without massive upfront investment.
2. Transparent Pricing—No Hidden Costs
Smartling pricing: Complex quote with platform fees + MT costs + per-user licenses + professional service rates + annual minimums. Final cost unclear until you’re deep in negotiations.
Taia pricing: Simple, transparent pay-per-word:
- AI translation: From $0.01/word
- Professional translation: $0.08-0.15/word (40-60% cheaper than agencies)
- Translation memory discounts: Automatic savings on repeated content (up to 70% off)
- Unlimited users: No per-seat fees
3. Add Unlimited Team Members at No Extra Cost
Smartling: Per-user licensing means every new team member increases your monthly bill. Adding 5 users? Expect $500-2,000+/month in extra costs.
Taia: Unlimited users included. Add your entire marketing team, product managers, developers—no extra fees. You only pay for words translated.
Perfect for growing teams and cross-functional collaboration.
4. AI + Human Flexibility
Need speed? Use AI translation for instant results at $0.01/word.
Need quality? Add professional review with one click—translation, editing, proofreading (TEP), all ISO 17100 certified.
Mix and match per project: AI for internal docs, human review for marketing, full TEP for legal. Smartling requires choosing upfront and managing multiple workflows.
Learn about our professional services →
5. Built-In TM & Glossaries—No Complex Setup
Smartling: Translation memory and glossaries require setup, configuration, and ongoing management. Technical knowledge helpful.
Taia: Translation memory learns automatically from every translation. Glossaries import from standard formats (TBX, CSV). No configuration needed—it just works.
Result: Reduce translation costs by 70% on repeated content, with zero technical overhead.
6. 65+ File Types, Including Developer Formats
Taia handles everything Smartling does, plus more:
- Design files: InDesign (IDML, ICML)
- Development: JSON, XLIFF, PO, RESX, YAML
- Business docs: Excel with formulas, PowerPoint with animations
- Websites: HTML, XML for ecommerce localization
- Software: String files for SaaS localization
- Marketing: PDF, DOCX for marketing content
All formatting preserved automatically.
Real Cost Comparison
Typical Mid-Size Company (50 employees, 1M words/year)
Smartling Total Cost:
- Platform license: $30,000/year
- 10 user licenses: $24,000/year ($200/user/month)
- MT costs: $10,000/year
- Professional services: $100,000/year ($0.10/word average)
- Implementation: $75,000 (one-time)
- Year 1 Total: $239,000
- Annual recurring: $164,000
Taia Total Cost:
- Platform fee: $0
- User licenses: $0 (unlimited users)
- AI + professional mix: $60,000/year ($0.06/word average)
- Implementation: $0
- Year 1 Total: $60,000
- Annual recurring: $60,000
Savings: $179,000 in Year 1, $104,000 every year after
Perfect For Teams That Need
✅ Fast deployment (start today, not in 3 months)
✅ Transparent pricing (no hidden fees or complex quotes)
✅ Flexible quality (AI when you need speed, human when you need perfection)
✅ Growing teams (unlimited users, no per-seat fees)
✅ Easy collaboration (intuitive interface, no training required)
✅ Budget control (pay per word, not per user)
Not ideal for:
- Enterprises requiring on-premise deployment
- Teams with highly specialized localization workflows requiring deep customization
- Organizations with 50+ translators needing advanced workflow orchestration
For most businesses, Taia delivers 90% of Smartling’s capabilities at 10% of the cost.
Migration from Smartling Is Easy
Switching from Smartling to Taia takes hours, not months:
- Export your translation memories (TMX format)
- Import into Taia with one click
- Export glossaries (TBX or CSV)
- Import into Taia
- Start translating immediately
No data loss, no downtime. Most teams complete migration in 1-2 days.
Book a migration consultation →
Try Taia Free—No Credit Card Required
See why teams choose Taia over Smartling. Start translating professional-quality content in minutes.
Your free account includes:
- ✅ 5,000 words per month
- ✅ 50 languages
- ✅ 15 file types
- ✅ Translation memory & glossaries
- ✅ Unlimited team members
- ✅ Project management tools
Start Free—No Implementation Fees
No credit card • No setup costs • Start translating in 5 minutes
Or book a demo to see how Taia can replace Smartling at 1/10th the cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Smartling?
Taia is the best Smartling alternative for growing teams and mid-market companies. While Smartling targets large enterprises with $500K+ budgets and dedicated localization teams, Taia delivers the same core capabilities—AI translation, professional services, TM, glossaries, team collaboration—without the $100K+ implementation costs, per-user licensing, or multi-month onboarding.
Try Taia free to see the difference.
Smartling vs Lokalise: Which is better?
Both are TMS platforms, but serve different needs:
Smartling: Enterprise-focused, high cost, complex implementation, best for very large companies with dedicated localization departments.
Lokalise: Developer-focused, primarily for software/app localization, GitHub integration, better for product teams.
Taia: All-in-one solution for business documents, marketing, software, and websites. Easier to use than Smartling, broader file support than Lokalise, and more affordable than both. Perfect for growing teams that need professional translation without enterprise complexity.
Compare Taia with other solutions →
What are some other Smartling alternatives?
Top Smartling alternatives for enterprise translation include:
- Taia - Best for growing teams needing AI + human flexibility without high costs
- Crowdin - Good for developer-centric software localization
- Lokalise - Strong for mobile app and software translation
- Phrase (Memsource) - Traditional TMS with API integrations
- memoQ - Desktop TMS popular with translation agencies
Taia stands out with zero setup costs, unlimited users, and pay-per-word pricing making it ideal for teams that find Smartling too expensive or complex.
How much does Smartling cost?
Smartling doesn’t publish pricing publicly. Based on market research and user reports:
- Platform license: $25,000-75,000/year (varies by features)
- Implementation: $50,000-150,000 (one-time)
- Per-user licenses: $150-300/user/month
- MT costs: Separate charges per word
- Professional services: $0.12-0.25/word
- Annual minimums: Typically $100,000+ total commitment
Total cost for mid-size company: $150,000-500,000/year
Taia pricing: Transparent pay-per-word starting at $0.01/word AI, $0.08-0.15/word professional. No platform fees, no user licenses. View pricing →
What is Smartling AI?
Smartling AI refers to their integrated machine translation capabilities. Smartling doesn’t build its own MT engine—instead, it connects to third-party providers (Google Translate, DeepL, ModernMT, etc.) and charges for MT usage separately from platform fees.
Taia’s AI is built-in with context-aware document translation, automatic translation memory learning, and glossary enforcement—all included in simple per-word pricing. No separate MT charges.
Who are Smartling’s competitors for enterprise localization?
Enterprise TMS competitors:
- Taia - AI + human hybrid, fastest deployment, most affordable
- Phrase (Memsource) - Traditional TMS with strong API
- Transifex - Developer-focused, good for agile teams
- Lokalise - Modern interface, software localization focus
- memoQ - Desktop/server TMS, popular with LSPs
- XTM Cloud - Enterprise TMS with workflow customization
Traditional LSPs (Language Service Providers):
- Lionbridge, TransPerfect, LanguageLine - Full-service agencies with proprietary TMS
Taia’s advantage: Enterprise features without enterprise complexity or cost. Perfect for teams that find Smartling overkill but need more than basic MT tools.
What is the most accurate translation management system?
Translation accuracy depends on the translation method (AI vs human), not the TMS platform. All TMS platforms can deliver high accuracy when using professional human translators.
For AI translation accuracy:
- Taia uses context-aware AI that analyzes full documents (not sentence-by-sentence)
- Translation memory improves accuracy over time
- Glossaries enforce terminology consistency
For maximum accuracy:
- Use Taia’s ISO 17100 certified professional services
- TEP workflow (Translation + Editing + Proofreading)
- Native linguists with subject matter expertise
Learn about our quality tiers →
Which TMS is best for cross-team translation management?
Taia is ideal for cross-team collaboration because:
- Unlimited users at no extra cost (vs Smartling’s per-user fees)
- Intuitive interface requires no training (vs Smartling’s complexity)
- Role-based permissions for different team functions
- Shared translation memories across teams and projects
- Real-time collaboration on translations
- Project tracking with deadlines and assignments
Perfect for marketing, product, sales, and support teams collaborating on localization without a dedicated localization department.
Does Smartling have translation memory?
Yes, Smartling includes translation memory (TM) functionality. However, it requires setup, configuration, and management.
Taia’s translation memory is:
- Automatic - Learns from every translation without configuration
- Private - Your TM is yours alone, never shared
- Smart - Context-aware matching for better suggestions
- Cost-saving - Automatic discounts up to 70% on repeated content
- Portable - Export in standard TMX format anytime
Which tools integrate with developer workflows?
Both Smartling and Taia offer developer-friendly integrations:
Taia integrations:
- REST API for custom integrations
- GitHub/GitLab webhook support
- CI/CD pipeline integration
- JSON, XLIFF, PO file support
- Command-line tools
- Zapier for no-code automation
Bonus: Taia’s API is included free, while many TMS platforms charge extra for API access.