---
title: Lokalise vs Smartcat: Localization Compared
description: Compare Lokalise and Smartcat for enterprise localization: AI translation, user seats, file format coverage and workflow automation. Book a demo.
canonical: https://www.smartcat.com/lokalise-vs-smartcat/
language: en
updated: 2026-09-17
---

# Lokalise vs Smartcat: Localization Compared

## A Smarter Alternative to Lokalise for Enterprise Localization

Lokalise handles software localization. Smartcat handles everything — adaptive AI, video and image translation, a built-in linguist marketplace, and unlimited users, all without the add-on fees.

- [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?main-h-lokalise-vs-smartcat)

- [Start free trial](https://www.smartcat.com/sign-up?main-h-lokalise-vs-smartcat)

## 3 Reasons to Choose Smartcat for Content Localization

### AI That Learns From Your Team and Gets Better Over Time

Smartcat includes adaptive AI in every subscription — unlike Lokalise's paid add-on, it learns from your edits and improves with use.

### Direct Access to Human Reviewers — No Agency Fees, No Onboarding

Unlike Lokalise's agency-dependent model, Smartcat gives you direct access to 500,000+ AI-matched freelance linguists — one contract, payments handled, no overhead.

### Built for Global Scale Across Every Content Type

Where Lokalise covers 29 software-focused file types, Smartcat handles 80+ — including scanned documents, AI video dubbing, and subtitles — with unlimited users and no extra cost as your needs expand.

## Smartcat Empowers Enterprise Teams to Create Scalable Global Content

### Expert-Informed AI That Compounds Quality Over Time

Every edit in Smartcat trains the AI — glossaries, translation memory, and adaptive learning improve quality continuously. Lokalise charges extra for AI that stays static no matter how much your team corrects it. Smartcat's is included and gets measurably better over time.

### Every File Type Your Enterprise Works With, Handled Natively

Lokalise is built for software file formats. Smartcat handles everything — PDFs with OCR, PowerPoints, images, audio, and end-to-end video translation with subtitles and AI dubbing. One platform for marketing, L&D, legal, and product teams, no workarounds needed.

### The Linguist Marketplace That Replaces Your Agency Relationships

Skip the agencies. Smartcat connects you directly to 500,000+ freelance linguists — AI-matched to your project, paid under a single contract with no intermediary fees or vendor onboarding.

## How Smartcat Compares to Lokalise for Enterprise Localization

### Adaptive AI translation — learns from edits over time

### File type support

### Video translation with subtitles and AI dubbing

### Image translation with advanced OCR

### Built-in linguist marketplace

### Unlimited users / seats

*Image: Smartcat*

### ✓ Included in subscription

### ✓ 80+ types including PDFs, images, video, audio

### ✓ Automated transcription, subtitles, voiceover

### ✓ 12 image file types supported

### ✓ 500,000+ freelancers, AI-matched, no onboarding

### ✓ No per-seat charges

*Image: Lokalise*

### ✗ Static AI; available as paid add-on only

### ~ 29 types; focused on software; no PDFs, images, or audiovisual

### ✗ Not supported

### ✗ Not supported

### ✗ External agency partners only; intermediary fees apply

### ✗ Per-seat pricing; costs scale with team size

### Custom integrations

### ✓ Custom builds available

### ✗ No custom integration options

Smartcat AI helped us deliver high-quality content faster, with fewer manual steps and better collaboration.

Theresa Hein

Content Strategy and Localization Lead at Babbel

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/babbel/)

Smartcat AI gave us the consistency and scalability needed to grow our global content operations.

Julia Emge

Director of Content Creation at expondo

- [Read the customer story →](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/expondo/)

Smartcat AI helped us to reduce manual work and ensure equitable access to our communications for all communities.

Peggy Liao

Language Access Program and Policy Specialist at City of Seattle

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/stanley-black-and-decker/)

We achieved total visibility into every translation stage and centralized all the linguistic assets we need.

Barbara Fedorowicz

Translation Department Manager at Smith&Nephew

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/smith-nephew/)

We were able to transform our localization workflow—now we deliver more content, faster, and at a lower cost.

Stanley Black & Decker eCommerce Team

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/stanley-black-and-decker/)

Our team achieved a unified view across all platforms, enabling us to uphold quality standards while eliminating redundant work.

Dawn Powell

Ecommerce Supervisor at Kids2

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/kids2/)

Our Marketing team was able to cut time to market in half, —and saw bookings rise across every new language launch.

Nadia Anagnostopoulou

Digital Marketing Manager

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/welcome-pickups/)

Thanks to Smartcat, we are able to translate faster, stay on-brand, and collaborate across markets with full visibility.

Claire Delouis

Director of Learning Innovation and Digital Training at Clarins

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/clarins/)

Our small team now has the power to deliver multilingual content at scale —with consistency, speed, and control.

Gina Groß

eCommerce Team Lead at Wunderman Thompson

- [Read the customer story](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/wunderman-thompson/)

## Rated Higher for Ease of Use, Setup, and Enterprise Value

It is very easy to use. The customer support is great. I finish my projects way faster than before. I use it at least once a week.

MediaPlus S.

02-12-2025

Honestly, it was and still is a tool that streamlines the translation processes we request in the company. The translations are fast and 99% accurate because the remaining 1% is a literal translation that can be fixed in the same Software, which the AI will remember and use in future translations.

Alexia Jhoanna E.

03-08-2023

It is very easy to use. The customer support is great. I finish my projects way faster than before. I use it at least once a week.

Heather M.

02-15-2023

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is the difference between Lokalise and Smartcat?

Lokalise focuses on software localization, covering about 29 software-oriented file types. Smartcat covers the full enterprise content stack — 80+ file types including scanned PDFs, PowerPoints, images, audio, and end-to-end video translation — with adaptive AI included in every subscription and unlimited user seats.

### Does Smartcat charge extra for adaptive AI?

No. Adaptive AI is included in every Smartcat subscription. It learns from your team's edits, glossaries, and translation memory, so quality improves continuously with use rather than being a paid add-on.

### How does human review work in Smartcat compared to Lokalise?

Instead of an agency-dependent model, Smartcat gives you direct access to 500,000+ AI-matched freelance linguists in the built-in Marketplace — one contract, payments handled on the platform, no agency fees or vendor onboarding.

### Can Smartcat handle video and multimedia, not just software strings?

Yes. Smartcat natively handles AI video dubbing, subtitles, images with OCR, audio, and design files alongside software formats — so one platform covers every content type your teams localize.

### How many users can I add in Smartcat?

Smartcat offers unlimited user seats at no extra cost, so your whole organization — plus external reviewers — can collaborate without per-seat fees.

### Is Smartcat affiliated with Lokalise?

No. Smartcat is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise associated with Lokalise or Lokalise, Inc. Lokalise® is a trademark of its respective owner.

All product names, logos, and trademarks referenced on this page are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification and comparison purposes only.

Ready to Localize Without Limits?

Join enterprise teams who've moved from niche software localization tools to Smartcat's AI platform — expert-informed AI Agents, every file type, a built-in linguist marketplace, and unlimited users, all under one contract.

- [Book a Demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo)
