Why Consider Language Ops Over Smartling?
Smartling is a solid cloud TMS with good developer integrations and a translation proxy approach that appeals to many tech companies. But if you’re finding their format support limiting, their quality assurance too basic, or their enterprise pricing prohibitive, Language Ops is worth exploring.
We offer broader format support, more sophisticated quality assurance, and capabilities in multimedia localization that Smartling doesn’t touch. For teams whose needs have grown beyond Smartling’s sweet spot, we’re a natural next step.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Smartling | Language Ops |
|---|---|---|
| File Format Support | Good (web-focused) | 80+ formats (all types) |
| Translation Proxy | Yes (key feature) | Via integration |
| XLIFF Import/Export | Yes | Full support |
| Cross-Lingual LQA | Basic | Advanced cross-lingual |
| LLM Integration | Some | Native hybrid approach |
| Translation Memory | Yes | Advanced with optimization |
| Terminology Management | Yes | Full TB support |
| Dubbing & Lip Sync | No | Best-in-class |
| Pricing Model | Enterprise | Flexible usage-based |
What Makes Language Ops Different?
Format Flexibility
Smartling excels at web and app content. But what about your InDesign marketing materials? FrameMaker documentation? Legal documents? Video content? Language Ops handles 80+ formats, covering the full breadth of enterprise content.
Cross-Lingual Quality Assurance
Smartling’s quality checks are useful but basic. Our cross-lingual LQA goes deeper, analyzing translations against source text to catch mistranslations, omissions, and consistency issues before they reach production.
LLM + MT Hybrid Approach
We don’t just bolt AI onto existing workflows. Language Ops intelligently routes content to the right translation technology: LLM for creative content, MT for high-volume repetitive content, human for critical materials. Optimized for quality and cost.
Multimedia Localization
Smartling is text-focused. If you’re localizing video content—tutorials, marketing videos, training materials—you need dubbing and lip-sync capabilities they don’t offer. Language Ops provides complete multimedia localization in one platform.
Pricing Transparency
Smartling’s enterprise pricing can escalate quickly. Language Ops offers transparent, usage-based pricing that scales sensibly with your actual needs.
When Smartling Isn’t Enough
Teams typically look beyond Smartling when:
- Content types expand beyond web/app strings
- Quality requirements exceed automated checks
- Video localization becomes important
- Enterprise pricing doesn’t fit budget
- Vendor lock-in concerns grow
If any of these sound familiar, let’s talk.
Migration Path
Moving from Smartling to Language Ops:
- TM Migration - Export your translation memory data, we import directly
- API Compatibility - Similar automation patterns for developer workflows
- XLIFF Exchange - Continue in-progress projects seamlessly
- Parallel Operation - Run both systems during transition if needed
Pricing
Usage-based pricing without enterprise complexity. Know what you’ll pay before you commit.
For detailed pricing, view our pricing page or schedule a consultation.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
No pressure, no hard sell. Let’s discuss your specific needs and see if Language Ops is the right fit for your team.