WHICH CAT TOOL SHOULD YOU BUY? (Translation Software Tier List)
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In today's video, I have a CAT tool tier list for you guys. Hope I don't offend anyone with this, it is just my opinion of course 🙂 Let me know which tool you are using in the comments.
Spanish subtitles by Brian Seimandi
To subtitle my video into your native language, drop me a message to freelanceverse@gmail.com.
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Between uni and my current job I used Lilt to translate a website. Have you heard of that one? It’s a web-app and it displays an MT preview underneath the segment you’re currently working on (which is adapting to your sentence as you’re writing). So you’re not post editing per se but are given a MT “proposition” of sorts. Probably a controversial feature but I found it pretty useful. It sped up my process by a little bit, especially for shorter segments where I could just use a keyboard shortcut to insert the MT. Or I would start writing out a sentence and sometimes the MT ended up “guessing” what I was going to write anyway, so I could use it as a quick autocomplete. It was pretty neat I have to say, even though MT is the boogeyman of the translation industry it can be extremely helpful when used in the right way. But I’m sure you have a video in the pipeline on that subject.
Hi Bastian, interesting, I’ve never heard of Lilt. Will definitely check it out! Thank you! Oh yes, of course, MT implementation can be super useful. For some clients this is exactly what they need, depending on the type of texts and audiences. I have some topics planned about this, you’re right 🙂 just want to make sure I gather enough information first to make it useful for everyone. I still come across a lot of colleagues who just dismiss and ignore the progress in automated translation, which is definitely not the way to go in my opinion. Thanks again for your comment, very useful!
Thank you for the information. What about their effectiveness to work with a team, or as project manager, which one would you recommend?
Hi Claudia, in that case I’d go for one of the two top paid ones memoQ or SDL Trados. They both have seamless workflow implementation with up to 4 or even 5 steps. The PM can easily assign one task to one Freelancer and have the project autimatically go to the next step when he or she completes the previous phase. I work in both of them with team workflows and both work great.
I have been using Matecat lately to practice since I am finishing my graduation. What I find really annoying is the Tagging System, a complete nightmare for me when compared to the one on Trados.
Hi Zé, thanks for the feedback. I’ve never used Matecat before, but only ever heard rather negative things about it. Good tool to start out and practice though 🙂
Thank you very much for this video. It has helped me immensely having the most popular available CAD choices analyzed in tandem. You mentioned the spell checker problem in SDL Trados. Since I’m thinking of investing in that CAD program, is this issue really that bad? Spell checking is a standard function nowadays and it just baffles me that such a high-end product, like SDL, seems to have such a subpar implementation of this feature.
Hi there, it really is that bad, but I’ve since been informed that you can change the spell checker to the MS Word one. Haven’t tried it, but if this works, it would solve the issue of course.
@Freelanceverse – Adrian Probst Thank you for the quick and informative response. Keep it up and stay safe 🙂
A very useful video! I work as a freelance AR<>EN translator but never heard about Group Buys, and I was always looking for a free or at least some cheap and good CAT tool,. The only thing I could do was buying MemoQ with a discount for students, but that was a very good idea .. Thanks
Great, I’m glad you got value from the video!
I’m too
I do the same thing as you (translation from Ar to En) do you have any idea where can I apply for translation jobs online ?
Hello from Florida! Thanks much “Freelanceverse” for your so useful information. I am humbly trying to enter this translation universe. For years, in most of my workplace, I’ve been their “informal” translator. Never I received a dime of appreciation for this “extra task”. Now, I decided to go pro and see what my odds are. Is there still time to learn and be a professional translator? I love reading and translate is quite a natural act for me. So, here is the most silly question of this chat among professionals, and sorry for the ignorance. I’m still researching and learning…
If I understood your explanation well, I need to have CAT tool in my computer and pick up one of the softwares you mentioned here. So, if the Cat Tool is the computer assistance translation platform, why is still necessary another software? Thank you. All the best to all. Tess
Hi Tess, thanks so much for watching and your comment! Of course, there is always enough time to make something work 🙂 and don’t worry, there are no silly questions. This is what this channel is for after all. So, no you misunderstood something there. The CAT tool is the software, there’s nothing additional you need to get. But before purchasing a CAT tool, you should work on your portfolio and on finding some clients. There is no point investing in a CAT tool if you don’t have work for it yet. I’d suggest you check out last week’s video about building a portfolio and then you work from there. What is the area that you worked in for years? I’d suggest you specialize in this area as a translator since you can already show some experience and knowhow there. Feel free to ask more 🙂 -Adrian
@Freelanceverse – Adrian Probst COOLLLL Adrian, very nice. I worked in Compliance for over 15 years in the financial industry in New York for the largest international banks. English, Portuguese and Spanish translations happened every day. I guess I can say this issue is quite and expertise for me, huh? Not numbers and capital markets matters but banking regulations, legal documents, codes of ethics, frauds, companies and individuals source of wealth, etc. But, I also like other “lighter” matters and before moving to US I did translation for medical issues, marketing, travels. Someone mentioned that a good way to start and create a sort of “portfolio” is to do volunteering translations for NFP organizations. Who is going to give me credit? Unless I offer to the companies at least one free translation… Your thoughts, please. Thanks again.
Hi Tess, wow yes that’s definitely going to be your specialization. 15 years in that field gives you a huge advantage. You can even make it without language degree then (check my video on degrees for that). Having a specialization doesnt mean you will only be working on these texts, you can always do other stuff as well. Yes, nonprofit is a great resource for portfolio building. I made a video on that last week (Permission Paradox). Make sure to check that out.
Yes, I will, Adrian. I’m now following you. Thank you so much for inspiring and somewhat guide me in this maze… Lol! I’ll keep you posted. Be well.
Good luck! 🙂
Thank you for the great review. i am searching for a solution for translation project management tools for videos that I can get translators from different countries to work on, even simultaneously. The idea is to save on project management time and money. With this in mind, would you still recommend your tier 1 or 2 choices? I also wanted to know do you (or anybody else) have any knowledge or experience with Ooona? I checked their website and saw they work with some big names companies.
Hi there, I’m not familiar with Ooona. I would definitely still recommend memoQ, SDL or SmartCAT for simultanuous project work.
Wow I volunteered as a translator for over a decade in a church. Translated loads of material and never knew or even thought to investigate about tools to make it easier on myself. PDFs were my worst nightmare without being able to convert them. I only used Word and split the screen half side with the original and other side the translation and just typed typed typed Lol Good thing I enjoy translating otherwise I would’ve gone crazy.
PDF are still a nightmare even with CAT tools 🙂 but it gets easier, that’s true. Especially once you’ve been working with one for a year or so and you have a large backlog of translated material, you can reuse a lot of stuff, that’s nice.
@Freelanceverse – Adrian Probst Yes, backlog sounds extremely helpful. Thanks for making such informative videos
Very detailed. Thank you for the comprehensive comparison 💐
My pleasure 😊
Im loving your videos! Im an aspiring freelance translator and all your videos have been so helpful so far. Thank you and keep up with the great work
♥️♥️♥️
Another amazing content, as usual.
Thank you Yago!
In relation to machine translation..have you ever tried DeepL? If so, would you recommend it in order to ease the translator tasks?
Yes I use it sometimes. Can definitely recommend, but make sure to buy a license to have data security.
I’ve recently created a Smartcat account and I’m really enjoying the features and resources of the Agency mode, especially the ability to create rate cards for different projects and clients, and…
1. Invite my colleagues or friends to the account
2. Create project, calculate cost, assign task for my customers
3. Pay my collaborators and receive payments from my customers.
Thank you for such an informative video, becoming immensely easier for us to have an idea of where to begin searching.
That is what the channel is all about 🙂
So many good programs in general break down horribly when they are exposed to CJK, so I wish there’s a video like this that includes experience on using the programs for these languages.
But that requires someone who speaks one of these languges, is an established translator, cares about sharing their experience online like what you are doing, and importantly, sharing for anyone not just people of the same nationality. I don’t think it’s common to share experience, in the corresponding cultures… 😔
This video was very helpful. It saved me much time from finding good videos to learn more about other CAT tools different from those I have already used or learned of. Thank you so much. I seem to agree with you on MemoQ and SDL Trados. I love Trados, but it can turn out to be very complex and expensive, depending on your CAT skills or translation inflow. I have tried MemoQ and I like it very much. Wordfast classic6 may look too busy on the eye, to me, with unnecessary symbols between words, and it does not use the 2-vertical columns interface, which is what I prefer. OmegaT does not use the 2-vertical columns interface, either, but its interface looks clean and clear, with the fuzzy matches and glossary (TB) sections on the right half side. CafeTran Espresso 2015 appears too confusing to me, with too many features shown on the interface, using a symbol at the beginning of each segment can be helpful for some translators, though. I hope these comments do not offend nay one and help translators moving into using the right CAT tool for them.
Thank you so much for the insights, Eva! Very useful