One of the scariest parts of traveling abroad is the language gap. The fear that you may not be able to read the local language or communicate with people keeps many potential travelers from ever leaving their home country. Luckily, with the rise of translation apps, you can rely on the cutting-edge technology found in your cell phone to communicate the entire time you’re traveling internationally.
We’ve tested multiple translation apps to figure out which ones top the list for international travel. Apps like Google Translate, Apple Translate, and iTranslate are fantastic options for any trip. They can translate live speech, allow you to type phrases in your native language, and use AI to translate written text like signs and menus.
Read on to learn our top picks for the best translation apps for international travel so you’re prepared for your next trip.
1. Google Translate: Best overall
- Devices: iOS and Android
- Cost: Free
- 133 languages
Google Translate is our pick for the best overall translation app. It is incredibly easy to use and supports 133 languages. You can easily download it from your phone's respective app store and it’s included standard on Google Pixels.
The app offers three different translation methods. There’s a typing feature that lets you translate words through text. There’s also a conversation feature that allows you to speak into the app in your native language and Google Translate will repeat what you said in the desired language. Finally, there is an AI feature that uses your device’s camera to take an image of text and translate it in the resulting photograph.
We ranked Google Translate as the best overall app because it is both free and easy to use. The interface is simple to understand and consistently provides accurate translations. I used Google Translate for a two-week jaunt in Europe passing through Belgium, Spain, Germany, and Austria. I had a great experience with it. The app easily translated menus and signs, and helped me ask for directions in every language I encountered.
2. Apple Translate: Best for iPhones
- Devices: iOS
- Cost: Free
- 11 languages
Apple Translate is our selection for the best translation app for iPhones. It’s automatically included on all Apple devices. Currently, the app offers translations in 11 languages, but some languages like English, Chinese, and Spanish offer multiple dialects.
It offers three different ways to translate. You can enter text directly into the app, there’s a conversation feature allowing you to directly talk to people, and an image feature for written text.
Apple Translate is a standard feature for iOS devices, so it’s free and easily accessible. That said, it doesn’t offer as many languages as some of the other translation apps on this list. It does, however, include some of the most spoken languages on earth. It should cover you well in many of the most popular vacation destinations.
3. iTranslate: Best paid app
- Devices: iOS and Android
- Cost: Free with premium features
- 100+ languages
iTranslate is one of the most popular language translation apps in the world. It’s highly rated and has almost 500,000 reviews on the Apple app store alone. It offers translation options for over 100 languages and is free to download.
This is our pick for the best-paid translation app because of all the premium features it includes. iTranslate offers text-based translation for free, but the voice translation and camera translation features are only available with a premium account. Premium subscribers can also get access to an offline mode–so you can save your international data–and a phrasebook with dozens of collected phrases for specific locations like airports, hotels, and hospitals.
Full access to iTranslate and its premium features costs $5.99/month or you can snag a whole year for $69.99 and save a few dollars. For a vacation, we recommend purchasing just a month. If you’re doing something like studying abroad or working to learn a new language, the year-long subscription is a better choice.
Save data when traveling abroad
iTranslate offers an offline feature, but most translate apps need a constant mobile data connection to work. This can really eat into your data allotment and get expensive fast if your plan doesn’t include international roaming.
Check out the phone plans with international roaming in the next section to find a plan with data you can use abroad. If you do have international data, it may not be a massive amount, so we recommend connecting to Wi-Fi as much as possible to ensure you don’t go over your limit. You can also turn off background tasks and pre-download items before your trip like maps, music, and movies.
4. SayHi: Best for live translation
- Devices: iOS and Android
- Cost: Free
- 101 languages
SayHi has rapidly become one of the top choices for live conversations and instant translation. It’s free on both iOS and Android devices and offers translations in 101 languages.
When it comes to live conversation, SayHi tops the list. There are two different modes: push-to-talk and live-conversation. In push-to-talk mode, you and your partner take turns pressing the button and speaking into your phone while the app translates. In live-conversation mode, you simply speak and the app automatically translates. This mode can be a bit finicky. If you’re a slow speaker like me, the app can cut off the end of your sentences.
We’ll also point out that SayHi is a one-trick pony. You can’t type out phrases and the camera feature feels a bit clunky. Still, if you need a live translation, it’s an excellent choice.
You should note that SayHi is owned by Amazon. In exchange for translating everything for free, the app stores your conversation in the Amazon Cloud and uses it to train its other products. This is not unusual and it’s something that most of the apps on this list do. Plus, this is already happening if you own an Alexa device. That said, you do have to poke around in the background of the app to discover it is owned by Amazon.
5. Microsoft Translator: Best for professionals
- Devices: iOS and Android
- Cost: Free
- 129 languages
Microsoft Translator is a popular choice for business professionals. It’s free and includes translation options for 129 different languages.
Like many of the other apps on this list, it offers translating through text, speaking, and images. Where Microsoft Translate stands out are the translation options for larger groups. You can use the app’s Converse feature to create and join groups with multiple devices and languages. This cross-functionality feature is missing on many other apps. Instead of relying on one phone, everyone in your group can use their own device to speak and read the conversation. This makes it perfect for settings like business meetings.
The app also has other fun features like a phrase book and even a profanity filter for your salty-mouthed colleagues.
6. Naver Papago: Best for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean
- Devices: iOS and Android
- Cost: Free
- 13 languages
Truthfully, some languages are more difficult than others. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean are notorious for being some of the most complicated to learn. Naver Papago has established itself as one of the best apps for these languages. In fact, it’s used more than Google Translate in South Korea.
Naver Papago is free and supports translation for 13 languages. As the Naver company is based in South Korea, it primarily focuses on Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese. It also supports English, French, and Spanish among other languages. The app offers text, voice, and image translation, plus there’s a nifty handwriting-translation feature if the writing is clear enough for the app to read.
Best international phone plans
Once you’ve picked the perfect translation app for your trip, you’re going to need an international data plan to go with it. Virtually all of these apps require an internet connection to work, with SayHi’s premium feature being a notable exception.
Luckily, the days of purchasing a foreign SIM card are pretty much over. Many plans from large carriers and smaller MVNOs offer international data options. If you picked the right plan, you may already have an allotment of international data for free!
MVNO international data plans
MVNOs (also known as flanker brands) offer great savings on domestic plans. Unfortunately, their international data options are limited to daily roaming plans.
MVNO plans with international data
| Carrier | Plan | Cost | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fido | Fido Roam International | $15/day | See plan |
| Koodo Mobile | Easy Roam International | $15/day | See plan |
| Virgin Plus | Roam Sweet Roam | $16/day | See plan |
The Fido Roam International option is one of the best phone plans for international travel. It costs $15/day and allows you to use your phone as you would if you were back at home with the same minutes, data, and texts your plan always provides.
Options from Koodo Mobile and Virgin Plus are similar, giving you the ability to travel without service interruption, although it comes at a steep cost.
Bell, Rogers, and Telus international data
Canada's major carriers offer similar international roaming packages as the MVNOs, with day rates that allow you to use your normal cell phone plan. Bell's Roam Better international option costs $15/day, as does Rogers' Roam Like Home. Telus' Easy Roam costs $16/day.
Best translation apps for international travel: FAQs
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