Translating PDF documents is essential for global teams, but most traditional PDF translators make it harder than it should be—breaking layouts, skipping content, or fumbling over complex files. Fortunately, an AI PDF Translator can help address these obstacles for smooth and seamless PDF localization. This guide will cover the top 10 free PDF translator tools, best practices, and more.
How to use PDF Translators: The Top 10 free tools
Here are ten leading PDF translator tools and platforms.
1. Smartcat
Smartcat is an AI platform for multilingual content creation, translation, localization, and publishing. Our Document Translation Agent is a PDF translator that extracts text from static PDFs, translates it, and rebuilds the document with your original layout and design. Smartcat AI Agents are trained and enabled by your expert employees, automating the entire content lifecycle and continuously learning from human feedback to deliver consistent, compliant, and high-quality content in every language and market.
Supported Languages
280+ depending on the translation engine chosen.Technology
AI Agent with automatic PDF translator, human editing, OCR.Ease of Use
Create a new project, provide the file to the Document PDF Translator Agent, and simply select the languages you need.Accuracy
Starts at around 85% accuracy, increasing to over 95% as the AI learns user preferences.Best Suited For
The combination of enterprise-grade quality, high speed of turnaround time, and cost efficiency. Smartcat serves 1,000+ organizations of all sizes across industries that require accurate, timely translations. This includes 20% of the Fortune 500 list of companies.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
2. Google Translate
Google Translate is accessible and free, making it a go-to translation tool for speed. It's a PDF translator for files up to 10MB. You can upload your PDF file to Google Translate, choose your languages, and Google will generate the translation.
Supported Languages
133 languages.Technology
Machine learning algorithms, community contributions.Ease of Use
Simply select your source and target languages, drag and drop the file, and wait for it to upload.Accuracy
Ranges from 55% to 94%, with the overall meaning preserved in around 82% of translations.Best Suited For
Fast translation of non-confidential documents where 100% accuracy is not required.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
3. DeepL Translator
DeepL Translator is known for its high-quality translations and is a popular choice among PDF translators.
Supported Languages
31 languages.Technology
Neural network-based machine translation.Ease of Use
Drag and drop your file or paste the text into the translator.Accuracy
Highly accurate, especially for European languages.Best Suited For
Professional translations with high accuracy.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
4. iLovePDF
iLovePDF offers a suite of tools for PDF management, including an online PDF language translator.
Supported Languages
Multiple languages via integration with Google Translate.Technology
Integration with Google Translate.Ease of Use
Upload your file and select the translation option.Accuracy
Depends on Google Translate's accuracy.Best Suited For
Quick translations with additional PDF editing needs.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
5. DocTranslator
DocTranslator uses the Google Translate API to offer a straightforward document translator service.
Supported Languages
100+ languages.Technology
Google Translate API.Ease of Use
Upload your document, select source and target languages, and download the translated file.Accuracy
Similar to Google Translate, ranges between 55% and 94%.Best Suited For
Translating shorter documents quickly.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
6. Canva’s Free PDF Translator
Canva’s Free PDF Translator offers a user-friendly design tool with powerful translation capabilities.
Supported Languages: 134 languages.
Technology: Uses advanced machine learning technology.
Ease of Use: Canva prioritizes the user experience, offering a seamless and delightful interface that is easy to navigate and helps users reach their goals quickly.
Accuracy: Believed to be high.
Best Suited For: Professional teams needing easy-to-use PDF translation with design tools.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
7. TransPDF
TransPDF converts PDF files into XLIFF for translation and then back to PDF, ensuring the original format is maintained.
Supported Languages
Multiple languages via integration with various CAT tools.Technology
Uses XLIFF and integrates with CAT tools.Ease of Use
Convert to XLIFF, translate using a CAT tool, and convert back to PDF.Accuracy
Depends on the CAT tool used for translation.Best Suited For
Professional translators who need to maintain document formatting.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
8. Smallpdf
Smallpdf provides a suite of PDF tools, including translation via integration with other services.
Supported Languages
Multiple languages through integration with Google Translate.Technology
Integration with Google Translate.Ease of Use
Upload your file, choose translation, and download the result.Accuracy
Depends on Google Translate's accuracy.Best Suited For
Basic translations with additional PDF editing tools.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
9. PDFElement
PDFElement by Wondershare offers a comprehensive PDF solution with translation capabilities.
Supported Languages
Multiple languages via integration with translation services.Technology
Uses OCR and translation services.Ease of Use
Edit the PDF, use OCR for text recognition, and translate.Accuracy
High, especially with clear text documents.Best Suited For
Detailed editing and translation of complex PDF documents.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
10. Foxit PDF
Foxit PDF offers robust PDF translation and editing features for professional use.
Supported Languages
Multiple languages through integration with translation services.Technology
Uses OCR and integrates with various translation services.Ease of Use
Edit, recognize text with OCR, and translate.Accuracy
High with clear text documents.Best Suited For
Professional users needing robust editing and translation features.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
|
|
How to quickly translate a PDF document?
AI-powered translation software like Smartcat can speed up translations and make the process easy from any device. Here's how:
Go to Smartcat’s website and sign up for free.
Start a new project and choose your languages. Then, drag and drop your PDF file into Smartcat for AI PDF file translation.
Review and edit the translated text in Smartcat Editor. You can also export your file without review.
Assign someone from your team to review. Another option is to hire a subject matter expert reviewer from the embedded Smartcat Marketplace.
Export your translated PDF file.
Can I translate a PDF via AI?
Smartcat's AI translation software can quickly translate PDF files into 280 languages with high-quality results in seconds. You can also translate your PDF documents into multiple languages at the same time in Smartcat.
How to translate a scanned PDF?
OCR technology scans and extracts text from PDFs and converts it into editable text for translation. Smartcat performs the full process from end to end. This covers PDF file upload, scan and text extraction, AI translation, review and edit, and translated file export.
Wrapping up: Translate PDF files with AI powered translation software
Whether you need a quick or detailed, accurate translation for professional purposes, you have a range of AI translation software from which to choose. By understanding the features and limitations of each tool, you can choose the best one for your specific requirements.
Start translating your PDFs with Smartcat AI PDF translator today for unrivaled, seamless workflow efficiency and results.
FAQ
Can AI translate a PDF file?
Yes, you can use AI to translate your PDF document by getting a free trial with Smartcat. Smartcat AI is a comprehensive document translator that can read all types of PDF and extract the text inside for translation. Just upload your PDF, choose your language(s) and Smartcat will AI translate your PDF file for you and keep the formatting.
What is the best AI for translating PDF documents?
Smartcat is the best AI PDF translator for business use. It offers secure end-to-end localization capabilities that include being able to read all the content in your PDF and keep the formatting intact. In Smartcat Editor, you’ll be able to edit both the original content and the translation. By using translation memory and glossaries, you can train the AI to achieve 95%+ accuracy, which leads to significant time and cost savings.
But remember: Smartcat is much more than a simple PDF translator. As an enterprise AI language platform, it can help you automate localization of all your documents and multimedia content, including taking care of video translation.
How do I translate an entire PDF?
Start your Smartcat free trial and log in to your space on the platform. From the dashboard, upload the PDF you want to translate and select your target language(s). Smartcat AI will automatically translate the entire PDF for you while keeping the design intact. You can check the translation in Smartcat Editor before you download your translated file.
Can I translate a scanned PDF document with Smartcat?
Scanned PDF document formats can cause problems for many translation tools. This is because the text is embedded in the scan and the tools can’t identify it properly. With Smartcat, you’ll find it easy to translate scanned PDF documents. When you upload your document, Smartcat’s advanced optical character recognition (OCR) technology will recognize the text and extract it into the Editor. You can then view the extracted text and make any edits you want before the AI translator takes care of the translation for you.
How secure is the Smartcat AI PDF translator for enterprise use?
Smartcat has all the security protocols you’d expect of a highly reputed AI platform for enterprise. Not only is its AI translation secure (it never uses your data to train its AI), but you also have secure cloud storage, payment protection, and encrypted data in transit. You and the people you choose are the only ones who can access your content. Find out more about how Smartcat keeps your company safe.
Can I translate a PDF for free? Which is the best free PDF translator?
Smartcat can be your free PDF translator if you sign up for a free trial. During your trial, besides translating all the PDFs you want, you’ll get the chance to test out Smartcat’s other features. These include video translation, AI dubbing, and content generation.
Subscribe to our newsletter
