Pricing comparison
Real pricing based on monthly character volume. All prices in USD.
| Volume | Langbly | Amazon | Microsoft | ModernMT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1M chars/mo | $19 | $20 | $15 | $10 | $20 | |
| 5M chars/mo | $19 | $100 | $75 | $50 | $100 | Save 62–85% |
| 25M chars/mo | $69 | $500 | $375 | $250 | $500 | Save 72–86% |
| 100M chars/mo | $199 | $2,000 | $1,500 | $1,000 | $2,000 | Save 80–90% |
Feature comparison
| Feature | Langbly | Amazon | Microsoft | ModernMT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price per 1M chars | $3.80–$1.99 | $20 | $15 | $10 | $20 |
| Translation quality | Next-gen AI | NMT | NMT | NMT | Adaptive NMT |
| Context-aware | Limited | ||||
| Formality control | |||||
| Languages | 100+ | 249 | 75 | 135 | 200+ |
| Free tier | 500K/mo | $300 credit | 2M/mo (12mo) | 2M/mo | |
| Glossary support | |||||
| Built-in caching | 7-day | ||||
| API compatibility | Google v2 | Google v2 | AWS SDK | Azure | Custom |
Why look for DeepL alternatives?
DeepL produces excellent translations for European languages, but there are valid reasons to explore alternatives:
- Cost: At $25/M characters, DeepL is the most expensive major translation API
- Language coverage: Only 33 languages (vs 100-249 for alternatives)
- API format: Proprietary format, migration requires code rewrite
- No caching: Every identical request is billed again
Best overall alternative: Langbly
Langbly uses advanced AI translation that matches or exceeds DeepL quality for European languages, at a fraction of the cost. The Scale plan ($199/month for 100M chars) works out to just $1.99 per million, 92% cheaper than DeepL. Even on the Starter plan, you pay $3.80/M, still 85% cheaper.
Unlike DeepL, Langbly is fully context-aware and uses custom locale rules for Dutch, German, French, and Spanish translations.
Best for budget: Microsoft Translator
Microsoft offers the cheapest pay-per-use rate at $10/M characters with a permanent 2M free tier. Quality is good for general content, though not as refined as DeepL or Langbly for European languages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Langbly better than DeepL?
For Dutch and context-dependent content, Langbly often produces more natural translations due to advanced AI context awareness and custom locale rules. Langbly is also 85–92% cheaper depending on your plan. DeepL has a slight edge for some German literary translations.
Can I migrate from DeepL to Langbly easily?
DeepL uses a proprietary API format, so some code changes are needed. However, Langbly's Google Translate v2 compatible API is simpler, and many developers find it easier to work with. Migration typically takes 1-2 hours.
Which DeepL alternative has the most languages?
Google Translate supports 249 languages. Langbly supports 100+. Microsoft supports 135. DeepL only supports 33 languages.