Pricing comparison
Real pricing based on monthly character volume. All prices in USD.
| Volume | Azure Translator | Langbly | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500K chars/mo | $5 | Free | 100% off |
| 1M chars/mo | $10 | $19 | Azure cheaper |
| 5M chars/mo | $50 | $19 | Save 62% |
| 25M chars/mo | $250 | $69 | Save 72% |
| 100M chars/mo | $1,000 | $199 | Save 80% |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Azure Translator | Langbly |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1M characters | $10 (S1 tier) | $3.80–$1.99 |
| Free tier | 2M chars/mo | 500K chars/mo |
| Translation engine | NMT | Next-gen AI |
| Context-aware translation | ||
| Languages supported | 130+ | 100+ |
| Cloud subscription required | Azure account | |
| Setup complexity | Resource group + keys | One API key |
| Pricing tiers | S1/S2/S3/S4/C2/C3/C4/D3 | 4 simple plans |
| Custom Translator | ||
| Document translation | ||
| Container deployment | ||
| Built-in caching | 7-day TTL | |
| API format | Proprietary (Azure) | Google Translate v2 |
| Annual discount | Reserved instances | 20% off |
Azure Translator: enterprise translation
Microsoft’s Azure Translator is part of the Azure Cognitive Services suite. It supports 130+ languages, offers a generous 2M character/month free tier, and is the cheapest major pay-per-use API at $10 per million characters on the standard S1 tier.
Azure Translator also provides enterprise features that smaller APIs cannot match: Custom Translator for training domain-specific models, document translation for batch processing entire files, and container deployment for on-premises use. For organizations already on Azure, the integration with existing billing and identity management is seamless.
The downside is complexity. Azure requires a subscription, resource group creation, key management through the Azure Portal, and navigating a pricing structure with eight tiers (S1, S2, S3, S4, C2, C3, C4, D3) that differ in rate limits, features, and pricing. For developers who just need a translation API, the overhead is significant.
Langbly: simple pricing, better quality
Langbly takes the opposite approach to Azure: minimal setup, transparent pricing, and a focus on translation quality over infrastructure features. Sign up, get an API key, and start translating. There is no cloud subscription, no resource group to configure, and no pricing tier matrix to decode.
Four plans cover every use case: Free (500K chars/mo), Starter at $19/mo (5M chars), Growth at $69/mo (25M chars), and Scale at $199/mo (100M chars). If you exceed your plan, overage is $4/M, still cheaper than Azure’s standard rate. The 20% annual discount brings effective costs even lower.
On translation quality, Langbly’s advanced AI engine produces context-aware output that understands meaning across sentences. Azure’s NMT system translates sentence by sentence without broader context, which can lead to inconsistent terminology and unnatural phrasing in longer texts.
Azure vs Langbly: when to choose which
Choose Azure Translator if your organization is already deeply invested in the Azure ecosystem, needs Custom Translator for domain-specific models, requires document-level batch translation, or needs on-premises deployment through containers. Azure’s 2M free tier is also the most generous if you are just getting started.
Choose Langbly if you want the simplest possible integration, predictable flat-rate pricing without navigating cloud billing, advanced AI-quality translations, or Google Translate v2 API compatibility. Langbly is particularly strong for startups and SaaS companies that need high-quality translation at scale without the overhead of managing an Azure subscription.
At volumes above 5M characters per month, Langbly is significantly cheaper despite Azure’s low per-character rate. The plan-based model with built-in volume discounts outperforms pay-per-character pricing at scale: $69/mo for 25M characters at Langbly vs $250 at Azure.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Translator API free?
Azure Translator offers a free tier of 2 million characters per month, which is the most generous permanent free tier among major providers. However, it requires an Azure subscription and credit card to set up. Langbly offers 500K free characters per month with no cloud subscription or credit card required.
How much does Azure Translator cost?
Azure Translator’s standard S1 tier costs $10 per million characters. Higher tiers (S2–S4, C2–C4, D3) offer increased rate limits and features at different price points. Langbly’s plan-based pricing ranges from $3.80/M (Starter) to $1.99/M (Scale), which is 62–80% cheaper at volume.
Is Azure Translator better than Google Translate?
Azure Translator is cheaper ($10/M vs $20/M) and has a better free tier (2M/mo vs $300 trial credit). Translation quality is comparable for most languages. Azure offers more enterprise features like Custom Translator and container deployment. Google supports more languages (249 vs 130+).
Can I use Azure Translator without an Azure subscription?
No. Azure Translator requires an active Azure subscription and the creation of a Translator resource within a resource group. This involves credit card verification and Azure Portal setup. Langbly requires only an email address to create an account and get an API key.
What is the simplest translation API?
Langbly is the simplest translation API to set up and use. Sign up with an email, get an API key, and make your first request in under a minute. The API follows the widely-known Google Translate v2 format. No cloud subscriptions, resource groups, or billing configurations required.