Google Translate vs DeepL
For spoken conversations, Google Translate is free and its Live translate mode speaks translations aloud and shows a transcript in both languages, across 70+ languages. DeepL handles typed text, photos, camera views and files and adds DeepL Write for rewording, but its free version is capped at 50,000 characters a month. DeepL's live conversation captions need a paid plan, which includes 30 minutes of DeepL Voice a month. Google says Live translate also works offline, but only on Pixel 9, 10 and 11 phones for English paired with ten languages; DeepL does not state offline support. Pick by how you will use it: talking to people favours Google Translate, while DeepL suits trips where most of the translating is written text and documents.
Which one to choose
Choose Google Translate if you want free, spoken back-and-forth translation for conversations, through your phone or any connected headphones, along with camera translation for signs and menus, or you need conversation translation offline on a Pixel 9, 10 or 11.
Choose DeepL Translator if you mostly translate written text, photos and files and want DeepL Write for rewording, and you are willing to pay for captioned conversations.
Google Translate vs DeepL Translator, side by side
| Fact | Google Translate | DeepL Translator |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free. No paid plan listed | Free + paid plan. Paid from €7.49 per month |
| Booking | No booking | No booking |
| What it translates | Typed text, speech, photos, live camera views and bilingual conversations. | Typed text, photos, live camera views and files, plus DeepL Write for rewording. |
| Conversations | Live translate speaks translations aloud and shows a transcript in both languages, a few seconds behind the speaker. 70+ languages; works through any connected headphones. | Voice for Conversations shows translated captions in real time, with a face-to-face view for passing the phone back and forth. |
| Free plan limits | Free with no paid tier; the US App Store listing shows no in-app purchases. | 50,000 characters, 1 file translation and 1 saved translation a month. No DeepL Voice. |
| What paying adds | Nothing to buy. | Higher monthly limits and 30 minutes of DeepL Voice per user a month on Individual, Team and Business plans. 30-day free trial. |
| Where it works | Web, iPhone and Android. The earpiece listening mode is Android only and was described in June 2026 as starting to roll out. | Web, Windows and Mac apps, a browser extension, iPhone and Android. Conversations work on a phone or in a web browser. |
| Offline use | The App Store listing includes offline translation; offline Live translate only on Pixel 9, 10 and 11, for English paired with ten languages. | Not stated by DeepL. |
| Status | Available | Available |
Talking to people
Google Translate's Live translate mode, powered by Gemini, handles back-and-forth speech in real time across 70+ languages, speaking each translation aloud and showing a transcript in both languages. It can play translations through any connected headphones and, per Google, runs a few seconds behind the speaker. An Android-only listening mode, which plays the translation through the phone earpiece, was described in June 2026 as starting to roll out.
DeepL Voice for Conversations translates in-person conversations from a phone or a web browser, showing translated captions in real time, with a face-to-face view for passing the phone back and forth. It is not part of the free version: the Individual, Team and Business plans include 30 minutes of DeepL Voice per user a month. DeepL's April 2026 voice launch is aimed mainly at businesses and teams.
Text, photos and documents
Both translate typed text, photos and live camera views. DeepL also translates files and includes DeepL Write for rewording. Google says Gemini improves its text translation of idioms, local expressions and slang (launched first in the US and India, for English and nearly 20 languages), and the Translate app includes an AI language-practice feature.
DeepL's free version is capped at 50,000 characters, one file translation and one saved translation a month. Its Individual plan was shown at €7.49 a month billed annually on DeepL's German pricing page, with a 30-day free trial, and the US App Store lists in-app purchases from US$10.49 to US$38.00 a month without naming the tiers. Google Translate is free, with no in-app purchases on the US App Store.
Without a signal
Google Translate's App Store listing includes offline translation, and Google says Live translate works offline only on Pixel 9, 10 and 11, for English paired with Italian, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Hindi, Russian, Swedish, Japanese or Indonesian. DeepL does not state offline support. If you expect to be without signal, download languages in the app before you rely on either.
Sources
- New AI-powered live translation and language learning tools in Google Translate (Aug 26, 2025)blog.google, checked
- Bringing state-of-the-art Gemini translation capabilities to Google Translate (Dec 12, 2025)blog.google, checked
- Fluid, natural voice translation with Gemini 3.5 Live Translate (June 9, 2026)blog.google, checked
- Google Translate on the App Store (US)apps.apple.com, checked
- Hear live speech to speech translations with live translate (Google Translate Help)support.google.com, checked
- DeepL Pro plans and pricingdeepl.com, checked
- DeepL Academy: Translate face-to-face conversations on mobiledeepl.com, checked
- DeepL unveils real-time spoken translation with Voice-to-Voice (Apr 16, 2026)deepl.com, checked
- DeepL Translate on the App Store (US)apps.apple.com, checked
- DeepL Translate on Google Playplay.google.com, checked
- DeepL for Windowsdeepl.com, checked
- DeepL for Macdeepl.com, checked
Full listings: Google Translate and DeepL Translator. Open in the comparison tool.