---
title: App Localization Services for iOS & Android | Smartcat
description: Localize iOS and Android apps with AI and native reviewers. Connect your strings workflow, preserve terminology, and prepare each language for release.
canonical: https://www.smartcat.com/software-localization/mobile-apps/
language: en
updated: 2026-11-03
---

# App Localization Services for iOS & Android | Smartcat

## Mobile App Localization Services for iOS and Android

Mobile app localization in Smartcat connects your app strings to AI translation and native reviewers, then returns localized resources to your build. Keep interface copy, in-app content and store listings moving with your release.

- [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?main-cta1-software-localization-mobile-apps)

- [Start free trial](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?main-cta2-software-localization-mobile-apps)

## What is mobile app localization?

Mobile app localization adapts an app’s interface, content and store listing to a language and market. It covers translated strings, regional formats, culturally appropriate content and the way text works on a real screen.

App translation changes the language. Localization also asks whether a button label fits, a price is formatted correctly and an instruction makes sense at the moment someone reads it. Your engineering team prepares the app for those differences; translators and reviewers adapt the language within that framework.

Smartcat brings the language work into your wider [software localization workflow](https://www.smartcat.com/software-localization/). You keep control of your app architecture, release process and final approval.

## What we localize

Localize the complete journey from discovering your app to using its most important features. Give each content type the context and review it needs instead of treating everything as an isolated list of words.

| | Content | Examples | How to bring it into the workflow

| Interface strings | Buttons, menus, onboarding, empty states and errors | Supported resource files, configured Git integrations, API or CLI

| Variables and plural messages | Names, counts and quantity-dependent text | Supported resource structures, with developer validation on export

| In-app and support content | Help text, notifications and message templates | File upload or an appropriate content integration

| Store listings | Titles, descriptions, release notes and screenshot text | A scoped content project; your team publishes in the store console

| Design content | Labels and copy before development | [Figma workflow](https://www.smartcat.com/figma/) and design context

| Legal and customer information | Terms, privacy explanations and support instructions | Specialist review with your designated legal or product approver

One word can appear in several places with different meanings. Add a description to a key such as account.close : does it close a panel, sign someone out or delete an account? That context helps reviewers make the right decision before the text reaches a user.

## How app localization works in Smartcat

The process connects source resources, language review and your build. Configure the handoffs once, then use the same agreed workflow for updates.

- Bring in the source

Use an appropriate Git integration or import supported files. For a custom workflow, connect through the API or CLI. Identify the source language, target locales and release owner.

- Organize the keys

Software localization projects group keys into collections. Include descriptions, screenshots and constraints where available so a short label does not lose its meaning outside the interface.

- Translate with your language assets

Use AI translation with a glossary and translation memory. Supply tone guidance and protected product names. LocJSON can carry comments and maximum-length metadata for keys.

- Review the language

Your in-house reviewers or [Marketplace specialists](https://www.smartcat.com/marketplace/lqa-services/) check meaning, terminology and context. The [QA Coworker](https://www.smartcat.com/ai-coworkers/quality-assurance-coworker/) can assess issues and produce a quality score; it does not edit translations or replace release approval.

- Export and validate

Return localized resources to your development workflow. Check placeholders, plurals, encoding and file structure, then build and test the localized app. Confirm the export behavior for your chosen format during setup.

- Repeat for updates

Configure when new and changed content enters translation and when approved output returns. Define how source changes affect previous translations and approvals so an old sign-off does not silently apply to new text.

Read the [software localization setup guide](https://help.smartcat.com/create-a-software-localization-project/) and the [developer workflow documentation](https://help.smartcat.com/software-localization-projects-in-smartcat-developer-portal/).

See the workflow with your app strings

- [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?main-cta3-software-localization-mobile-apps)

## Supported formats and integrations

Choose the workflow around the resources your app actually uses. Smartcat documents the following software-project formats; test a representative round trip before connecting production releases.

| | Resource | Typical use | Setup consideration

| JSON, including nested keys | Web and cross-platform interface resources | Check your library’s key, placeholder and plural conventions

| YAML | Structured application text | Preserve key structure and test the exported file

| Android XML | Android string resources | Validate Android-specific constructs and plural output in your build

| iOS .strings | Localized iOS interface text | Check escaping, format arguments and the Xcode import workflow

| LocJSON import | Keys with descriptions and length metadata | Use the documented import structure and a supported export format

PO/POT workflows are also described on the [software localization page](https://www.smartcat.com/software-localization/). Scope them separately from the software-project format list rather than assuming every import path supports the same options.

Explore [available integrations](https://www.smartcat.com/integrations/) for Git, design and content workflows. An integration reduces repeated file handling, but the details matter: agree whether the configured process commits changes, creates a reviewable handoff or requires a manual export. Your team should be able to explain how a translation reaches a release branch.

## iOS, Android and cross-platform apps

iOS localization

iOS localization starts with the resources and locale configuration in your Xcode project. Smartcat supports .strings in software localization projects. Your developer owns resource extraction, integration and testing; reviewers own language decisions. Check [Apple’s localization guidance](https://developer.apple.com/localization/) when choosing resource formats and testing the localized experience.

Android app localization

Android app localization commonly uses strings.xml and locale-specific resources. Translate the text while preserving resource identifiers and format arguments. Your app must provide fallback resources and use the correct plural and formatting APIs. See [Android localization services](https://www.smartcat.com/android-localization-services/) for the language workflow.

Cross-platform localization

Cross-platform localization depends on the framework and libraries you use. JSON-based resources can fit a supported JSON workflow once you validate their conventions. Flutter uses ARB resources and generated localization code; agree and test the translation handoff before assuming ARB files can be imported directly. The [Flutter localization guide](https://www.smartcat.com/flutter-localization/) explains that implementation boundary.

## Localize the store page as carefully as the app

App store localization adapts the copy people read before downloading: titles, descriptions, release notes and screenshot text. It should use the same product terminology as the app while answering the questions that matter in each market.

Your ASO team researches local search terms and chooses the store strategy. Smartcat supports the translation and review of the selected content; keyword research, store-console submission and experiment design stay with the people responsible for those decisions.

Review screenshot text after it is placed in the image. A good translation can still become unreadable when compressed into a fixed layout. Keep claims, pricing and feature availability consistent with the localized app. Explore [Google Play localization](https://www.smartcat.com/google-play-localization/).

## Quality checks that protect the app experience

Good app localization preserves meaning and resource integrity. Review both before accepting a language for release.

Length

Provide constraints and inspect the actual screen. A character limit is useful guidance, but it cannot predict every font, device width or accessibility setting.

Placeholders

Preserve arguments such as %1$s and verify that the rendered sentence places them naturally. Do not translate a resource identifier as if it were visible copy.

Plurals

Choose forms according to the target locale and your framework. Validate representative quantities instead of checking only one and two.

Terminology

Use the glossary across onboarding, settings, support and store copy. Record intentional exceptions so reviewers do not “fix” them repeatedly.

Context

Give native reviewers screenshots or a test build for important flows. Ask them to check whether a label describes the action users will actually take.

[Localization testing](https://www.smartcat.com/software-localization/testing/) combines those checks into a release procedure. Smartcat supports language assessment and review; your app QA process covers devices, functional behavior and accessibility.

## App localization services vs tools

A service provides people and delivery support. A localization tool provides a workspace and workflow. Many teams need both, particularly when the release cadence is faster than their internal language coverage.

| | Model | What you manage | Where it fits

| Agency or language service provider | Scope, briefs, approvals and the agreed delivery process | Teams buying managed language work

| Localization tool or TMS | Language resources, integrations and the people doing review | Teams with an established translation operation

| Smartcat platform with AI and reviewers | A connected workspace, AI translation and your choice of internal or Marketplace reviewers | Teams that want tools and language specialists in the same workflow

Choose the model by responsibility, not by the label on the vendor’s website. Ask who resolves source ambiguity, who checks the app build and who approves a release when a translation changes late.

## Less coordination, with evidence you can inspect

### 298

### projects across 29 countries

Topcon’s team delivered 298 translation projects in two years, covering 31 languages, after consolidating eight translation vendors into one Smartcat workspace.

- [Case study](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/topcon/)

Topcon’s published case describes consolidating eight translation vendors into one platform. That shows how a shared translation operation can reduce fragmentation; it is not a promise about app downloads, conversion rates or release speed. [Read the Topcon case study](https://www.smartcat.com/cases/topcon/).

For your own pilot, measure review effort, unresolved issues and the time between a source change and an approved resource file. Compare the same languages and content types before deciding how broadly to adopt the workflow.

## Pricing and your first localized release

What drives the cost

App localization costs depend on content volume, languages, review depth and integration needs. Platform usage and external reviewer work are separate parts of the scope. Check [current plans](https://www.smartcat.com/pricing/) and request a quote for the specialist work you need.

How to start

Start with one important user journey, its supporting messages and its store description. Include long strings, variables and plural examples in the sample. A representative pilot tells you more than a large batch of simple labels.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is mobile app localization?

Mobile app localization adapts an app for a language and market. It includes interface text, content, regional conventions and store listings. Developers prepare the app to support those variations, while translators and native reviewers make the language clear and appropriate. The localized build still needs application testing before release.

### How is app localization different from app translation?

Translation changes the language of the text; localization also considers its use in a particular market and interface. That includes text expansion, plural forms, local formats, images and store content. A translated sentence can be accurate but still need adaptation to fit a button or match the action behind it.

### Which file formats does Smartcat support for apps?

Documented software-project formats include JSON, YAML, Android XML and iOS .strings, with LocJSON available for imports containing additional key metadata. Confirm the workflow for your exact resource structure. Do not assume support for every Xcode, Flutter or framework-specific format because it contains text or resembles JSON.

### How do translations get back into my app?

Export translated resources or configure an integration, API or CLI workflow that returns them to your development process. Your engineers validate and build those resources. Agree on the approval and version-control steps during setup, including what happens when the source changes before a translation is ready.

### How are plurals, placeholders and length limits handled?

Use supported resource structures, context and available metadata, then validate the output in your app. Smartcat documents plural handling and LocJSON maximum-length metadata, but export behavior must match your framework. Native review and a build check help catch problems that cannot be resolved by a string-level limit alone.

### Can you localize App Store and Google Play listings?

You can use Smartcat to translate and review listing copy, release notes and screenshot text. Your ASO team supplies market-specific keywords and positioning, and your team manages store-console publication. Keep the listing aligned with the features, terminology and offers available in each localized app version.

### How much does app localization cost?

The total depends on source volume, target languages, repeated content, review requirements and the delivery workflow. Check the platform plan and quote human review separately. Include engineering validation and app testing in your overall project estimate, even when those tasks are handled by your own team.

### Can I use Smartcat with Flutter or React Native?

The right workflow depends on your resource format and localization library. Validate JSON conventions for a React Native project and agree a tested ARB handoff for Flutter. Smartcat handles the language workflow; your developers retain responsibility for locale selection, generated code, resource loading and application testing.

Didn’t find your answer? [Talk to a localization specialist](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?main-cta4-software-localization-mobile-apps)

Give your next release a repeatable localization process

Bring your strings, target markets and release requirements. See how AI translation and native review can fit your existing development workflow.

- [Book a demo](https://www.smartcat.com/book-a-demo/?main-cta5-software-localization-mobile-apps)

- [Start free trial](https://smartcat.com/sign-up?main-cta6-software-localization-mobile-apps)