Choosing the wrong translation plugin locks you into a workflow that either bleeds money through per-word fees or buries you in manual editing. With over 40% of internet users speaking a language other than English, going multilingual is no longer optional for WordPress sites that want to grow internationally. But the four leading translation plugins take fundamentally different approaches to solving the same problem, and the gap between them is wider than most comparison articles let on.
This comparison breaks down WPML, TranslatePress, Weglot, and Polylang across the criteria that actually matter: translation workflow, performance impact, WooCommerce compatibility, SEO handling, and total cost of ownership over three years.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | WPML | TranslatePress | Weglot | Polylang |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Version | No | Yes (1 language) | Limited (2,000 words) | Yes (full features) |
| Translation Method | Backend editor + AI | Visual front-end editor | Cloud-based automatic | Backend manual |
| Auto Translation | Add-on (DeepL/Google) | Built-in (DeepL/Google) | Built-in (proprietary + AI) | Add-on only |
| Languages Supported | 65+ | Unlimited | 110+ | 100+ |
| WooCommerce | Full (official add-on) | Full (premium tier) | Yes (all plans) | Full (with Polylang for WooCommerce) |
| SEO Features | Full hreflang + URL translation | Full hreflang + URL translation | Full hreflang + URL translation | Full hreflang + URL translation |
| Starting Price | $39/year | $99/year (or free) | $17/month | Free (Pro: $99/year) |
| Best For | Enterprise and agencies | Visual-first translators | Quick automatic setup | Budget-conscious developers |
Translation Workflow and Ease of Use
The single biggest differentiator between these plugins is how you actually do the translating.
Weglot wins on speed of setup. Install the plugin, enter your API key, and your entire site is automatically translated within minutes. Weglot uses a combination of machine translation engines and its own AI layer, and you edit translations through a cloud-based dashboard or a visual front-end editor. The downside is that you are translating through Weglot’s servers, which means your translations live outside WordPress.
TranslatePress takes a visual-first approach. You translate directly on the front end of your site, seeing exactly how translated text will appear to visitors. This is the most intuitive workflow for non-technical users and content teams. It supports both manual and automatic translation through DeepL and Google Translate. The free version limits you to one additional language, but the interface is the same across tiers.
WPML uses a traditional backend editor where you translate strings, pages, and custom fields through the WordPress admin. It is the most powerful option for complex sites with custom post types, Advanced Custom Fields, and intricate page builder layouts. WPML’s “Translate Everything” mode automates initial translation, but the backend workflow has a steeper learning curve than visual editors.
Polylang takes a minimalist approach. You create separate posts for each language and link them together. This gives you complete control but requires the most manual effort. Polylang’s free version is genuinely capable, making it the go-to choice for developers building multilingual sites on a budget. Automatic translation requires a paid add-on.
Performance Impact
Translation plugins add overhead to every page load. Independent performance testing by WP Rocket reveals meaningful differences between these four options.
Polylang and WPML are the lightest, adding approximately 0.7 seconds to load time with minimal impact on page size. WPML generates more database queries (16 versus Polylang’s 4 in benchmark tests), but both stay under 85 KB of additional page weight.
TranslatePress and Weglot are heavier. TranslatePress adds around 1.0 second and approximately 127 KB to page size. Weglot performs similarly at 0.98 seconds and 138 KB because it loads an external JavaScript file from its CDN to handle language switching and content replacement. For performance-sensitive sites tracking Core Web Vitals closely, this difference matters.
All four plugins are compatible with caching solutions like WP Rocket, which significantly reduces the performance gap on cached pages. The difference is most noticeable on uncached first-load scenarios.
WooCommerce Compatibility
Running a multilingual store adds complexity that not all translation plugins handle equally.
WPML offers the deepest WooCommerce integration. Its WooCommerce Multilingual add-on translates products, categories, attributes, variations, and checkout pages. It handles multi-currency natively and syncs product inventory across languages. WPML is the plugin most large WooCommerce stores rely on for multilingual operations.
Polylang pairs with its dedicated Polylang for WooCommerce add-on (premium) to translate products, cart, checkout, and account pages. It also supports multi-currency through third-party plugins. The integration is solid but requires more manual configuration than WPML.
TranslatePress translates WooCommerce content through its visual editor, including product pages, cart, and checkout. It works well for simpler stores but can struggle with highly customized WooCommerce setups that rely on dynamic AJAX content.
Weglot translates WooCommerce stores automatically, including dynamic cart and checkout elements. Its cloud-based approach handles JavaScript-rendered content that file-based plugins sometimes miss. However, Weglot’s word-count pricing model can become expensive for stores with large product catalogs. For tips on optimizing the checkout experience regardless of which translation plugin you use, see our guide to reducing WooCommerce cart abandonment.
SEO and Multilingual Search Visibility
All four plugins implement the essential multilingual SEO requirements: hreflang tags, translated URL slugs, translated meta titles and descriptions, and separate XML sitemaps per language. The differences are in execution.
WPML and Polylang store translations in your WordPress database, creating true separate URLs for each language version. This gives search engines distinct, crawlable pages and keeps your content under your domain’s authority. Both integrate with major SEO plugins like Yoast and Rank Math for per-language meta optimization. For a deeper comparison of SEO plugins, see our WordPress SEO plugins comparison.
TranslatePress similarly stores translations locally and generates proper language-specific URLs. Its visual editor makes it easy to preview and optimize translated meta descriptions and titles before publishing.
Weglot handles SEO through server-side rendering of translated pages, which search engines can crawl effectively. Translated content is served from subdirectories (e.g., yoursite.com/fr/) or subdomains. The key consideration is that Weglot’s translations live on their servers, meaning your SEO depends partly on Weglot’s infrastructure remaining available.
Total Cost of Ownership (3-Year Comparison)
Upfront pricing tells only part of the story. Here is what each plugin costs for a typical business site translating into three additional languages over three years.
| Cost Factor | WPML | TranslatePress | Weglot | Polylang |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 License | $99 (CMS plan) | $199 (Business) | $588 ($49/mo Advanced) | $99 (Pro) |
| Year 2-3 Renewal | $79/year | $199/year | $588/year | $99/year |
| WooCommerce Add-on | Included (CMS plan) | Included (Business) | Included | +$99/year |
| Auto Translation Costs | ~$50-200 (credits) | External API costs | Included | External API costs |
| 3-Year Total | $307-$457 | $597 | $1,764 | $297-$594 |
Weglot’s monthly pricing adds up significantly over time. A site that seems affordable at $17 per month on the Starter plan quickly escalates to $49 or $79 per month as word count and page view limits are reached. Over three years, Weglot can cost three to six times more than WPML or Polylang.
Polylang offers the lowest entry point with its genuinely useful free version, though adding WooCommerce support and automatic translation closes the price gap with WPML.
Verdict: Which Should You Choose?
Choose WPML if you run a complex WordPress site with custom post types, Advanced Custom Fields, or a large WooCommerce store. WPML’s ecosystem of add-ons and its deep integration with page builders and e-commerce tools makes it the safest choice for enterprise-level multilingual sites. The learning curve is steeper, but the flexibility is unmatched.
Choose TranslatePress if your team includes non-technical translators or content editors who need a visual, intuitive workflow. The front-end editing experience is the best in class, and the free version is sufficient for simple bilingual sites. It strikes the best balance between ease of use and feature depth.
Choose Weglot if you need a multilingual site running within the hour and are willing to pay a premium for convenience. Weglot is ideal for marketing teams that need to launch localized versions fast without developer involvement. Just budget carefully, because costs scale with your content volume.
Choose Polylang if you are a developer or technically confident user who values performance and control above all else. Polylang’s free version is the most capable free multilingual plugin available, and its lightweight architecture produces the best PageSpeed scores. It requires more hands-on work but rewards you with a lean, fast multilingual implementation.
For most WordPress business sites that need reliable multilingual support with WooCommerce, WPML remains the safest all-around choice. For non-technical teams, TranslatePress delivers the best editing experience. Budget-conscious developers should start with Polylang and only upgrade when its limitations become real.
