Phrase Localization Platform Reviews & Product Details

Phrase is one of the online CAD and translation management tools. It takes time to get used to the complex project interface. But once I was used to it, it became relatively easy to upload my document and start translating. They were quick to adapt various machine learning and artificial intelligence tools. But you still need to learn basics such as getting an API and finding the right place to put it. I think the translation memory and term base management features are very basic, without more cutting edge semantic alignment tools. Depends on what you are looking for really. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

For me the most annoying thing was their unexpectedly strict customer retention policy: If you are like me and you review your subscriptions at the last minute, I have some bad news for you. Phrase will charge you for the next years subscription, if you do not cancel it at least 30 days prior to the date of the renewal of your subscription. 30 days! I have been using numberless subscription services in the last decade, but this one was the most hideous. And when I wrote the Phrase team to request for a good will cancellation, they just repeated the Terms of Service and its relevant articles in their emails. I am very disappointed.

Another problem has been the very basic AI integration: In my experience current LLMs such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude usually work better than DeepL and Google Translate. At least on certain documents they are able to come up with better alternative translations or wordings. But Phrase won't allow me to use my tailored prompts for the translation. Which means I have to copy and paste between my windows which is very time consuming if you rely on AI tools rather than machine translation. And the solution they offer through Custom AI won't cut it.

Another problem is the translation memory tool which is very basic. I had some documents I translated years ago but with Phrase it is not easy to turn them into translation memories. Phrase's "align" tool is basically a sentence splitter and I found it very frustrating to use when working on long documents in particular.

Phrase is not practical for people like me who has to work on a lot of footnotes. I lost count of times when I had to go back to the translation interface to find the missing footnote. This is because the footnotes are indicated with a number in a small blue box and I tend to overlook them when I am in a translation flow. And once I complete the translation and export it, I am definitely sure that I will come across to some missing footnotes. It wasted a lot of time for me. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The simplicity and the fact that it learns and predicts what I need to translate and what just copy Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

it sometimes splits segments where it shouldn't and also won't let me translate part of document and then download it whole Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I greatly appreciate that the Phrase Localization Platform reduces the initial sunk cost into a translation platform, making it economically feasible for freelance translators like me. I admire how the Translation Management System (TMS) allows me remote access to my translations, including on mobile devices, making workflow seamless and convenient. The platform is characterized by its simple and straightforward user interface, following the 'Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS)' design principle, which minimizes complexity and makes it easy to use. I value its reasonably priced first usage tier for freelancer accounts, which enables accessibility without a heavy financial burden. Additionally, the web-browser access is browser-agnostic enhancing usability; while Comet Browser works best for me, it performs well across various browsers. The option to import and export translation memories (TM) and glossaries is particularly neat and straightforward, facilitating flexibility and preventing user lock-in. I have found the setup process remarkably intuitive despite coming from various other tools. The platform's ability to compartmentalize and deploy accumulated assets across platforms is extremely beneficial for my work. Although it has its challenges, I am inclined to recommend it highly due to its overall functionality and practicality, having already recommended it to numerous students and colleagues. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I find it frustrating when the loading screen gets stuck sometimes at login or when trying to open an uploaded file to begin translation. This issue often occurs on WiFi, but it seems to resolve when I switch to mobile data tethering, although identifying the exact cause is difficult. Additionally, I think the platform could benefit from a more intelligent use of color-coding outside the translation UI to enhance overall design and make it more informative for users. Moreover, while I found the initial setup intuitive due to my experience with similar tools, my students, who are aspiring linguists and translators, find it confusing and non-intuitive, possibly due to its deviation from the design languages of their familiar operating systems (MAC/WIN). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like how the Phrase Localization Platform brings everyone involved in localization into a smooth workflow. It really stands out in how it removes a lot of the friction that usually comes with localization. Instead of having developers, project managers, and translators working in separate tools and passing files back and forth, everyone works in the same platform with clear roles and visibility. I also appreciate how we could decide to import things gradually, and that transition was smooth. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Some workflows around bulk actions can require a lot of clicks, that could be simplified. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really appreciate how the Phrase Localization Platform simplifies the process of localization for our app. It significantly streamlines our workflows, making tasks quicker and more efficient. I love that it’s easy to use, which saves time and reduces complexity for our team. The ease of integration into existing workflows is another standout feature, allowing a seamless transition and adaptability with our current processes. Additionally, setting it up initially was a breeze, indicating an intuitive interface and user-friendly design. This usability, combined with the fact that it offers a more straightforward workflow than our previous tool, Google Sheets, makes it a valuable asset. Overall, my experience with the Phrase Localization Platform has been highly positive, and I am very likely to recommend it to others, as evidenced by my high recommendation rating. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I find the navigation of the web app challenging. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The interface is easy to use, and the commands are clear. The dictionary is rich and well-organized. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The abiblity to edit and modify is not available all the time Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I find the Phrase Localization Platform to be practical and reliable for my translation work. The initial setup was very easy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

nothing at all Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I love how intuitive the Phrase Localization Platform is, as it allows us to manage our projects efficiently and have a clear view of their status. The ease of use has really made our lives easier. I greatly value how it optimizes costs and ensures consistency in the quality of translations. Additionally, the customer service team is very quick to resolve issues, which is invaluable when problems arise. The initial setup was also quite simple, making the transition to using the platform seamless. Despite some challenges, I am so satisfied with its features that I give it a rating of 10 out of 10 in terms of the likelihood of recommending it to a friend or colleague. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Multilingual files often present problems, forcing us to spend a lot of time uploading them. Sometimes we give up and leave them as regular files due to errors when uploading them. We also face difficulties downloading them because of errors in the tags. There are many global issues that complicate our operations. There used to be an app that worked well on mobile, but now it no longer works. Additionally, if there is no internet connection, the tool cannot be used, which is a major inconvenience. Finally, it is a very expensive tool. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Compared to other CAT tools, Phrase is very straightforward to use. Additionally, since there is nothing to download, it saves a lot of time—you don't have to worry about updates or waiting for installations. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Trying to add a plug-in that isn't part of your subscription can be difficult, and sometimes it may not even be possible. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really like how easy it is to organize and track translation projects in Phrase. The UI is clean, and it’s simple to onboard new team members. The integrations with tools like GitHub and Figma save a lot of time, and the translation memory and term base features help keep things consistent across languages. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The platform can feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you're new to CAT tools. Some of the advanced features take time to learn, and the UI can lag a little when handling large files. But once you're familiar with it, those issues don’t really get in the way. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.