Localize.Today vs Localize.js
Free, self-hostable, LLM-powered translation — or a $25/mo SaaS with vendor lock-in. Here's how they compare.
| localize.today | Localize.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier, unlimited translations | From $25/mo |
| Setup time | 2 minutes — one script tag | 30+ minutes — dashboard, API keys, config |
| Translation quality | LLM-powered (native fluency) | Human + machine translation hybrid |
| Streaming output | Yes — word-by-word | No |
| Self-hosted option | Yes — open source backend | No — vendor lock-in |
| Edge caching | Global edge (Cloudflare) | CDN |
| Language persistence | Auto-remembers across visits | Yes |
| Dashboard required | No — configure in code | Yes — must manage via dashboard |
Setup
One script tag vs a multi-step SaaS onboarding.
localize.today
Paste a single <script> tag before </body>. Choose your languages. Done. No account creation, no dashboard, no API key management. Works on any site in under two minutes.
Localize.js
Create an account, set up a project in the dashboard, configure source/target languages, add your domain, install their script with a project-specific key. Minimum 30 minutes before seeing a single translation.
Translation quality
LLM-powered translation reads like a native speaker wrote it.
localize.today
Uses large language models that understand context, idioms, and tone. The output reads naturally — not the stilted phrasing typical of rule-based machine translation. Every translation preserves the intent and style of your original content.
Localize.js
Uses a mix of human translators and machine translation. Human quality is good when available, but machine fallback can be inconsistent. You pay for human review on a per-word basis, which adds up quickly at scale.
Performance
Edge-cached and streaming vs batch loading.
localize.today
Translations stream in word-by-word in real time. Cached translations load from Cloudflare's edge in under 50ms. The 12KB client library has zero dependencies and works everywhere.
Localize.js
Translations load as a batch after the page renders, causing a visible flash of untranslated content. Their client library is larger and depends on their proprietary CDN infrastructure.
Pricing and self-hosting
Free and open source vs monthly subscription.
localize.today
Free tier with unlimited translations. The backend is open source — fork it, deploy to your own Cloudflare account, swap in any LLM provider. No vendor lock-in, no surprise bills, full control over your translation infrastructure.
Localize.js
Starts at $25/month with limited word counts. Scaling to more languages or pages increases the bill. No self-hosting option — your translations live on their servers. If you cancel, you lose access to all translations.
Try localize.today
One script tag. Every language. Free.