When building a pre-translated search index for your multilingual WordPress site, choosing the right translation API is crucial. Let’s compare the top three providers.

DeepL

DeepL has earned a reputation for producing the most natural-sounding translations, especially for European languages.

Pros

• Superior quality for European languages (DE, FR, ES, IT, etc.)
• More natural phrasing – reads like human translation
• Glossary support – define custom terminology
• Free tier – 500,000 characters/month

Cons

• Limited language support (31 languages)
• No Asian languages until recently
• Higher pricing than alternatives

Google Translate API

The most widely-used translation service with the broadest language support.

Pros

• 130+ languages – widest coverage
• Neural Machine Translation – continuously improving
• Reliable infrastructure – Google-scale availability
• Good Asian language support

Cons

• Sometimes sounds “robotic”
• No free tier for API use
• Requires Google Cloud setup

Microsoft Translator

Microsoft’s Azure-based translation service offers a good balance of quality and features.

Pros

• 100+ languages – extensive coverage
• Free tier – 2 million characters/month
• Custom Translator – train on your content
• Good technical translation

Cons

• Quality varies by language pair
• Azure setup required
• Less natural than DeepL for some languages

Our Recommendation

For most WordPress sites:

• European languages: DeepL (best quality)
• Asian languages: Google Translate (best coverage)
• Budget-conscious: Microsoft (generous free tier)
• Self-hosted: LibreTranslate (open source)

Jokerist Search Supports All Three

Jokerist Search lets you choose your preferred translation provider:

• DeepL (Free & Pro)
• Google Translate API
• Microsoft Translator
• LibreTranslate (self-hosted option)

Switch providers anytime without losing your search index. Download free