Are you blogging or running your business blog with multiple languages using WordPress or without it? Tired of installing loads of WordPress plugins? This comprehensive guide examines the top WPML alternatives available in 2025.
What is WPML?
WPML, aka WordPress Multilingual plugin, is a multilingual WordPress plugin for websites and blogs.
WPML is one of the most established and feature-rich multilingual WordPress plugins, trusted by over one million websites worldwide. It provides comprehensive tools for creating and managing multilingual WordPress sites, including complete translation management, SEO optimization, and extensive compatibility with third-party plugins.
Key Features of WPML
Automatic translation
SEO Capabilities - Integration with SEO plugins like Yoast SEO.
WooCommerce Integration
Translation Memory
String Translation
Why Look for WPML Alternatives?
WPML has several limitations that drive users to seek WPML alternatives, such as,
High Cost and Pricing Structure
WPML's pricing starts at $29 for the basic plan, with renewals at $21, while the recommended Multilingual CMS plan costs $79. For many users, especially those running multiple sites or smaller businesses, this cost can be prohibitive, particularly when combined with the need for annual renewals.
Complexity and Learning Curve
WPML's extensive feature set comes with significant complexity. New users often find the interface overwhelming, and setting up complex multilingual sites requires considerable time investment and technical knowledge.
Performance Impact
WPML's comprehensive approach can impact website performance, particularly on shared hosting or sites with limited resources. The plugin's extensive database queries and complex architecture can slow down page loading times.
Backend-Only Translation Interface
Unlike modern alternatives that offer visual front-end editing, WPML requires users to work primarily in the WordPress backend, making it difficult to see translations in context and maintain design consistency.
Vendor Lock-in Concerns
WPML uses a proprietary translation storage system that makes it challenging to migrate to other solutions or export translations for use elsewhere, creating vendor dependency.
Limited Automatic Translation Options
While WPML offers automatic translation features, they're limited compared to cloud-based solutions and often require additional configuration and costs.
Top WPML Alternatives
Here are our top 5 picks for WPML alternatives.
1. Hyvor Blogs
Hyvor Blogs is an all-in-one blogging platform that includes built-in multilingual capabilities, making it an excellent alternative for content-focused blogging and websites.
With Hyvor Blogs, you get all the blogging capabilities all in one. You do not need a separate Content Management System, a separate plugin for multi-language management, and other third-party services for SEO, etc. Hyvor Blogs comes with content management capabilities, easy hosting capabilities, built-in multi-language facilities, built-in SEO capabilities, including multi-language SEO, customizable blog themes, team collaborations, API capabilities, headless CMS for blogging, powerful markdown-supported rich text post editor, and so much more.
Key Features
Let’s key in on the features mainly for multi-language blogging in Hyvor Blogs.
Easy to get started
Native multilingual support without plugins
DeepL for translation
Right-to-left languages (RTL) are supported
Clean, modern interface optimized for content creation
Built-in SEO optimization for multiple languages
Fast loading times and performance optimization
Localization for data strings (string translation) and translation for blog posts
Cheaper Pricing
Comment system (Hyvor Talk) with multilingual support
It is easy to get started with multi-language blogging with Hyvor Blogs. You just have to create a blog and simply add the language you want, as shown below.
You can auto-translate your blog posts with just one click; no complicated steps. And you do not have to worry about multi-language SEO as it is already handled by Hyvor Blogs. Here are some of the under-the-hood things done by Hyvor Blogs to make sure your blog is search engine robots understand your multi-language pages.
Adds the lang attribute to the
<html>tag in all pages using the language code you set.Adds
hreflangalternate tags. For example, if you have three languages (en,fr,es), the en index page (/) will have these tags.
Refer to our documentation to learn more.
Pricing
Hyvor Blogs pricing is way cheaper compared to Weglot. If you are using Weglot as a plugin, you have to pay for the Weglot service as well as for other blogging costs for necessities like CMS, SEO, hosting, etc.
But, you get a complete package of blogging necessities, including multi-language support starting from 12€/month.
2. Polylang
Polylang is a popular free WordPress plugin that provides comprehensive multilingual functionality without relying on automatic translation services.
Key Features
Manual translation workflow with full control
Support for unlimited languages and content types
Custom post types and taxonomies translation
SEO-friendly URLs for each language
Widget and menu translation capabilities
RTL language support for Arabic, Hebrew, etc.
Developer-friendly with extensive hooks and filters
Pricing
Free core plugin with optional Polylang Pro for advanced features like automatic translation integration.
3. TranslatePress
TranslatePress is a WordPress-focused translation plugin that offers translation for WordPress sites with compatibility with WooCommerce.
Key Features
Front-end translation editor
SEO-optimized URLs
WooCommerce compatibility for e-commerce sites
Page builder compatibility (Elementor, Gutenberg, etc.)
Translation management
Automatic translation
Pricing
Free version available with basic features; premium versions start at 16.69$/month. But, you will have to purchase add-ons if you want to manage multi-language SEO, automatic translations like DeepL, navigation (dropdown menu) based on languages: overall, it will be too expensive considering other necessary costs for blogging.
If TranslatePress is not the WPML alternative, you can try out TranslatePress alternatives.
4. Weglot
Weglot offers a cloud-based automatic translation solution that works across multiple platforms, not just WordPress. In other words, you can use Weglot out of WordPress, too.
Key Features
Automatic translation with multiple engine options
Cloud-based infrastructure for better performance
Multi-platform support (WordPress, Shopify, etc.)
Built-in SEO optimization for translated content
Professional translation services integration
Real-time translation updates
Advanced language detection capabilities
Pricing
Subscription-based pricing with different tiers based on translated words and features.
If Weglot is not your choice, you can check out Weglot alternatives.
5. GTranslate
GTranslate leverages Google Translate's powerful engine to provide automatic website translation with various customization options.
Key Features
Automatic translation in 100+ languages
Multiple language switcher designs and placements
SEO-friendly URLs in premium versions
Google Analytics integration for translation insights
Mobile-responsive language switchers
Translation editing and optimization tools
Easy integration with any WordPress theme
Caching for improved performance
Pricing
Free basic version with premium upgrades for SEO features, custom domains, and advanced customization options.
If Gtranslate is not the one, try out Gtranslate alternatives.
Feature Comparison of WPML Alternatives
Feature | WPML | Polylang | Hyvor Blogs | TranslatePress | Weglot | GTranslate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | $79/year | Free/Pro | Premium with 14 14-day trial | Freemium | Subscription | Freemium |
Visual Editor | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Automatic Translation | Limited | Pro only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
SEO Optimization | Excellent | Good | Yes: Multi-lingual SEO | Good | Excellent | Good |
Learning Curve | High | Medium | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Migration Difficulty | High | Low | Low | Medium | Medium | Low |
Conclusion
While WPML remains a powerful multilingual solution, the alternatives discussed above offer compelling advantages for different use cases and requirements. Polylang provides excellent free functionality, TranslatePress offers modern visual editing, Weglot delivers cloud-based convenience, MultilingualPress enables maximum customization, qTranslate-XT provides lightweight simplicity, ConveyThis focuses on ease of use, and GTranslate offers quick automatic translation.
The best choice depends on your specific requirements, including budget constraints, technical expertise, translation quality needs, performance requirements, and long-term scalability plans. Consider factors like ongoing costs, migration complexity, and vendor independence when making your decision.
Remember that successful multilingual websites require more than just translation technology—they need a comprehensive strategy that considers cultural adaptation, user experience, content localization, and ongoing maintenance. Choose the solution that not only meets your current needs but can also grow with your business as you expand into new markets and languages.
Take time to thoroughly evaluate multiple options, test them in staging environments, and consider the long-term implications of your choice to ensure you select the alternative that best supports your international growth objectives.
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