Linguise vs Polylang
Updated 6 Oct 2026. 27 features compared side by side.
Cloud AI translation service for WordPress with SEO-friendly translated URLs, a live front-end editor and word-based yearly plans after a free month.
Lightweight free multilingual plugin for manual translation of posts, terms, menus and strings, with Pro and WooCommerce add-ons from WP SYNTEX.
Choose Linguise if…
- You need visual front-end editor and side-by-side editor
- You also want AI translation and auto-translate new content
- You want the more complete feature set (88/100 vs 74/100)
- You weigh user ratings (4.9 vs 4.7 on WordPress.org)
Choose Polylang if…
- You want to start with a free version
- You prefer the more widely used option
Linguise includes 6 features that Polylang lacks, including Visual front-end editor, Side-by-side editor and AI translation. Both include 19 of the 27 features we track. 1 feature is not yet verified for one or both plugins.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
Linguise PolylangTranslating content9/94/9
Live front-end editor for admins and translators on every plan.
Translations are edited as separate posts in the standard WordPress editor, not on the live page.
Dashboard lets you edit translations per language, not per post in wp-admin.
No side-by-side view; Pro can duplicate the original into the translation for editing.
Google Cloud AI translation is included in all plans.
DeepL machine translation using your own API key, one item at a time.
LLM-based Linguise AI with topic/tone handling, sold as prepaid credits.
No LLM translation service; machine translation is limited to DeepL with your own key.
New and updated pages, including AJAX content, are translated automatically.
DeepL output is not refreshed automatically when the original content changes.
Global rules exclude or replace terms by language, URL or CSS class.
Since 3.8 you can choose a DeepL glossary for machine translation; there is no translation memory.
Invite your own translators; a 'Find a translator' resource but no ordering.
No translation-agency integration; XLIFF files (Pro) can be exchanged manually.
Translates the full rendered page, including theme and plugin text.
String Translation panel for theme, plugin and widget text in the free plugin.
Replace images and links per language from the dashboard.
Media items can be translated with per-language titles and alt text; translations share the same file.
Languages & URLs5/55/5
Every plan includes unlimited languages (85+ available).
No limit on the number of languages in the free version.
WordPress uses language sub-folders (/es/) only.
Language code in the URL, a subdomain or a separate domain per language, all free.
Popup, dropdown, side-by-side or floating switcher; menu and shortcode.
Language switcher block, navigation block and widget are free since version 3.8.
Optional redirect based on browser language (vendor advises caution).
Free setting redirects first-time home page visitors based on browser language.
Supports Arabic and Hebrew; changelog includes RTL switcher fixes.
RTL scripts are supported in the free plugin.
Multilingual SEO4/44/4
Each language gets its own translated URL.
Translating post, page, CPT and taxonomy slugs requires Polylang Pro.
Adds alternate hreflang and x-default tags plus canonical URLs.
Outputs hreflang tags for translated content.
Translated XML sitemaps per language (e.g. /fr/sitemap.xml).
Translated content is included in sitemaps, including via Yoast SEO.
Compatible with Yoast, Rank Math and AIOSEO meta.
Free plugin is compatible with Yoast SEO for translated titles and meta.
Compatibility4/53/5
Products, cart fragments, checkout and order emails in the customer's language.
Requires the paid Polylang for WooCommerce add-on (€99/year) for products, emails and stock sync.
Translation only; no currency switching.
Neither Polylang nor its WooCommerce add-on offers multi-currency pricing.
Lists Elementor Pro, Divi, Avada, Bricks, JetEngine and WP Grid Builder.
Works with the block editor, Elementor, Divi and Bricks; Pro adds deeper block and Site Editor integration.
Elementor Pro forms and WPForms redirects and notification emails.
No official form integrations; form plugins rely on their own or community Polylang bridges.
ACF values are translated as rendered dynamic content.
Polylang Pro adds an integration with ACF Pro for translating and syncing fields.
Workflow & hosting3/44/4
Translations live in Linguise's cloud with an optional local cache.
Translations are stored as linked WordPress posts and terms in your database.
START and PRO have word quotas; LARGE is unlimited under fair use.
No word or page-view quotas; DeepL usage depends on your own DeepL plan.
Admin, manager and per-language translator accounts.
Per-language translate capabilities and string-translation access since Pro 3.8.
No translation export or import documented.
XLIFF import and export for working with external translators.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
Linguise Premium
| START | $165 per year, 1 site |
|---|---|
| PRO | $275 per year, 1 site |
| LARGE | $495 per year, 1 site |
| Linguise AI credits | $20 one-off, 1 site |
Polylang Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Polylang Pro (1 site) | €99 per year, 1 site |
| Polylang Pro (5 sites) | €297 per year, 5 sites |
| Polylang Pro (25 sites) | €495 per year, 25 sites |
| Polylang for WooCommerce | €99 per year, 1 site |
| Business Pack (Pro + WooCommerce) | €139 per year, 1 site |
Downloads trend
Linguise
2,392 downloads last week
Polylang
105,782 downloads last week
Verdict
Linguise scores higher on our feature checklist (88/100 against 74/100) and includes visual front-end editor, side-by-side editor and AI translation that Polylang does not. Only Polylang has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Biggest differences
Linguise: included. Polylang: not included. Live front-end editor for admins and translators on every plan.
Linguise: partial. Polylang: not included. Dashboard lets you edit translations per language, not per post in wp-admin.
Linguise: paid version (Prepaid AI credits). Polylang: not included. LLM-based Linguise AI with topic/tone handling, sold as prepaid credits.
Linguise: included. Polylang: not included. New and updated pages, including AJAX content, are translated automatically.
Linguise: partial. Polylang: not included. Invite your own translators; a 'Find a translator' resource but no ordering.
Linguise: included. Polylang: third-party. Elementor Pro forms and WPForms redirects and notification emails.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
Which would you choose?
0 votes so far. Vote to see the results.
Compare something else
FAQ
Which is better, Linguise or Polylang?
Linguise scores higher on our feature checklist (88/100 against 74/100) and includes visual front-end editor, side-by-side editor and AI translation that Polylang does not. Only Polylang has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
Linguise includes 25 of the 27 features we track, against 20 for Polylang. Feature count is only part of the picture; check which of the differences matter to you.
Is Linguise free?
Linguise is premium only. Paid plans start at $20.
Is Polylang free?
Polylang has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at €99/yr.
Feature data last changed 6 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to Linguise or Polylang. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.