Pricing comparison
Real pricing based on monthly character volume. All prices in USD.
| Volume | w/ Langbly | WPML | Polylang | Polylang Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plugin license | Free plugin | $39/yr | Free | €99/yr | |
| MT for 1M chars | $3.80 | $20 (Google) | $20 (Google) | $20 (Google) | Save 81% |
| MT for 5M chars | $19 | $100 | $100 | $100 | Save 81% |
| Full WooCommerce | +$0 | +$99/yr | N/A | +€99/yr |
Feature comparison
| Feature | w/ Langbly | WPML | Polylang | Polylang Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plugin | From $39/yr | Free | From €99/yr |
| Translation approach | API-powered | Manual + MT | Manual only | Manual + MT |
| Machine translation | Advanced AI | Google/DeepL | Google/DeepL | |
| WooCommerce support | Via WPML/TP | Full (+$99) | Basic | Full (+€99) |
| String translation | ||||
| Media translation | Via plugin | |||
| SEO (hreflang) | ||||
| Multisite support | ||||
| Custom post types | ||||
| REST API | ||||
| Context-aware MT | ||||
| MT cost per 1M chars | $3.80–$1.99 | $20+ | N/A | $20+ |
WPML vs Polylang: Key differences
WPML is the most popular WordPress translation plugin with 1M+ active sites. It's a premium-only plugin starting at $39/year (Multilingual Blog) up to $159/year (Multilingual CMS + all add-ons). WPML offers deep WooCommerce integration and built-in machine translation credits.
Polylang takes a lighter approach. The free version handles basic multilingual content well, but you need Polylang Pro (€99/year) for machine translation, WooCommerce support, and slug translation.
Make either plugin cheaper with Langbly
Both WPML and Polylang Pro use Google Translate or DeepL for machine translation, at $20-25 per million characters. By using Langbly as your translation engine instead, you get:
- 81-90% lower MT costs vs Google: Langbly plans from $3.80/M (Starter) to $1.99/M (Scale) vs Google's $20/M
- Better quality: Advanced AI translations with context awareness
- Dutch expertise: custom locale rules for natural Dutch translations
Langbly integrates with both Loco Translate (free, works alongside WPML/Polylang) and TranslatePress as a translation engine.
Which should you choose?
Choose WPML if: You run a WooCommerce store, need deep CMS integration, or want a single all-in-one solution with professional support.
Choose Polylang if: You want a free starting point, prefer lightweight plugins, or have a simple blog/site that doesn't need WooCommerce translation.
Either way: Use Langbly for machine translation to save 81–90% vs Google Translate while getting better quality, especially for Dutch content.
Frequently asked questions
Is WPML worth the price over free Polylang?
For WooCommerce stores and complex sites, yes. WPML's deep integration saves significant development time. For simple blogs and brochure sites, Polylang free is often sufficient.
Can I use Langbly with WPML?
Yes! Install the free Langbly for Loco Translate plugin alongside WPML. This lets you machine-translate your .po files using Langbly's advanced AI engine, 81-90% cheaper than WPML's built-in Google/DeepL credits.
Can I switch from WPML to Polylang or vice versa?
Both plugins offer migration tools. WPML has a Polylang importer, and there are community tools for the reverse. However, migration is never perfect. Always test on staging first.
Which plugin is better for SEO?
Both handle hreflang tags, translated slugs (Polylang Pro only), and sitemap integration well. For SEO specifically, they're roughly equal. The bigger SEO factor is translation quality, which is where Langbly's advanced AI translations excel.