WPML vs Weglot: Key Differences & Which to Choose (2026)

One of the most common questions people ask is the differences between the Translation Plugins for WordPress: WPML and Weglot.

WPML, by developers OnTheGoSystems, has been a major player in the WordPress Directory for some time now.  While we’re not here to tell you what the best WordPress translation plugin is, we will talk about an alternative solution that we think users might find easier to navigate.

Introducing Weglot 2.0: Weglot for WordPress, rebuilt around AI translations that sound like your brand from the first draft, with a redesigned translation experience and built-in multilingual visibility.

It comes with an intuitive interface, support for 110+ languages, and continuous detection and translation of your content, all without a single line of code.

For skimmers, the table below summarizes the features of each. We'll then go into more detail to help you understand which one best fits your needs.

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WPML vs Weglot: Installation and Setup Process

Hoping to get the ball rolling on your website translation project ASAP? The setup process reveals major technical differences between these plugins.

Weglot uses a one-click installation from the WordPress Directory. In contrast, WPML is a core plugin plus separate add-ons: String Translation and Media Translation, with further compatibility add-ons for plugins like WooCommerce and Advanced Custom Fields.

Installing WPML

A basic understanding of how WordPress works “under the hood” is required for installation:

1. Create WPML account.
2. Install the OTGS Installer, the small auxiliary plugin that downloads WPML and its add-ons and keeps them updated.
3. Register your site key, then install the WPML core plugin and the add-ons your site needs: String Translation, Media Translation, and compatibility add-ons such as WooCommerce Multilingual.
4. Run the Setup Wizard to pick your languages, URL format, AI engine, and translation mode.

WPML stores translations in your WordPress database. This approach creates duplicate posts for each language version. WPML requires manual configuration for each translation.

Note that installing WPML is only the first step in the process of your website translation project. What happens next depends on the translation mode you picked in the Setup Wizard: Translate Everything Automatically runs in the background, while Translate Some waits for you to send content from WPML > Translations.

Installing Weglot:

Weglot uses a one-click installation from the WordPress Directory.

1. Create a Weglot account and set up your project: your website URL, its current language, and the languages you want to translate it into.
2. Install the plugin and enter your API key given in your Weglot Dashboard.
3. Click save, and voila! Your multilingual website is up and running, complete with an automatically added front-end language switcher.

Weglot stores translations on external servers to reduce site load. This cloud-based approach means your WordPress database stays lean. Weglot’s AI Translation Model translates your entire website after installation, no additional configuration needed.

How WPML and Weglot Detect and Translate Your Content

Content detection is the process of identifying translatable text on your website.

Weglot uses full-site scanning to detect all content automatically. This comprehensive approach finds text in posts, pages, widgets, menus, and plugins. Weglot then translates everything, including dynamic content, with AI translations you can trust from the very start.

WPML uses HTML rendering which can miss dynamic elements. The plugin scans the rendered HTML of your site's front-end, potentially overlooking JavaScript-generated content. Unless you turn on WPML’s Translate Everything Automatically mode, you send each piece of content for translation from the Translation Dashboard yourself.

Another key difference involves ongoing maintenance. Weglot automatically detects and translates updates. When you add new content or modify existing text, Weglot finds and translates it immediately. With WPML, new and edited content is only picked up on its own when Translate Everything Automatically is on; otherwise you send each update from the Translation Dashboard.

The storage methods differ significantly too. WPML creates duplicate posts for each language in your database. If you have five languages, you'll have five versions of every post. Weglot uses a cloud-based translation layer without duplicating content. Your WordPress database remains clean while translations load from Weglot's servers.

Because WPML keeps every translation in your WordPress database, each extra language adds duplicate posts and more database queries, which can weigh on page speed as your site grows. We store translations on our own servers and serve them through a cloud layer, so your database stays lean and your pages stay fast however many languages you add.

Things to note about translating your WordPress site with WPML:

• You’ll need to purchase the WPML Multilingual CMS add-on or Multilingual Agency package to have the automatic translation functionality.
• Translate Everything Automatically covers posts, pages, and taxonomies; text from your theme and plugins goes through the String Translation add-on.
• There are additional costs after the included AI translation words: 22,500 with Multilingual CMS, 45,000 with Multilingual Agency.
• It uses the rendered HTML of your site’s front-end to detect the content to translate, which can result in incomplete translation.

Weglot handles the translation of your website very differently:

• It combs through your entire website, not just the rendered HTML, to detect content.
• Your whole website, including any translatable content from your theme and plugins, gets AI translations.
• No special compatibility required.
• Little manual setup work needed: once Weglot is installed, your site is translated.
• Text inside your images can be translated directly from within Weglot’s Visual Editor, keeping the original design.
• The Free plan covers up to 2,000 words, with translations that follow your Brand Voice from the start, and tiered plans to suit your needs

Want to see how Weglot would work on your website? You can test out the full capabilities of our translation plugin for WordPress through our 14-day free trial. No credit card needed.

This gives you enough time to see how the translation plugin works, and if you have any questions, you can ask the Weglot support team.

You can also use the Free version to translate up to 2,000 words of your site into one other language for as long as you like before seeing which of the other pricing options works best for you.

WPML currently doesn’t offer a free trial period. There is, however, a 30-day money-back guarantee if the translation solution does not meet your needs.  

Already on WPML and thinking of migrating to Weglot? Check out this 2-minute video reviewing the migration process (it's easy):

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For a step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide on how to migrate from WPML to Weglot.

Managing Translations: WPML Dashboard vs Weglot Dashboard

Both multilingual plugins generate a first set of translations for your whole site: WPML through its AI translation engine, Weglot through its AI Translation Model. Either way, you may want a human eye on the result, and you can invite colleagues or your own translators into the Weglot Dashboard to review and fine-tune translations together.

Weglot provides a single unified dashboard for all translations. Every translation management feature exists in one interface for ease of use. WPML requires switching between multiple interfaces. You'll toggle between the WordPress editor and WPML's translation management screens.

The editing experience differs significantly. Weglot’s Visual Editor allows front-end editing with real-time preview. Click on any text element to edit while seeing your site's design. This is especially useful when translating to right-to-left languages to check alignment, as well as languages that naturally use more, or longer, words e.g. German.

WPML uses a back-end Advanced Translation Editor without visual context. You work with strings of text separated from your site's layout.

AI-Powered Translation Enhancement

Weglot’s AI Translation Model creates translations built on your Brand Voice (what your brand does and how it should sound), your Translation Guidelines (terms to always keep or never translate), and the context of each page, so the wording matches your company’s voice in every language.

WPML lets you pick a translation engine, its own PTC engine or a legacy one, and bills each at a different per-word rate. Weglot’s AI Translation Model instead combines leading AI models with your website’s context, so there is no engine to choose for each language pair.

To get the full benefits of WPML’s translation management capabilities, you will again need to have the Multilingual CMS or Multilingual Agency package, where Translation Management is included in the core plugin.

This is a significant difference with Weglot, as no matter what plan you’re on (even smaller websites using the Free plan of max 2,000 words), you will have access to all the translation management features and benefits in just one easy-to-use interface.

The WPML dashboard offers some of the same features as Weglot’s, such as inviting your own team of translators to work on your content. Then, you can manage and edit every translation. But managing your translations within the Weglot Dashboard is more intuitive than WPML.

Firstly, you can search for your translations by page URL, media translations, or SEO metadata. Any content displayed on your website, including text generated from different plugins, will appear together.

With WPML, you’ll need to switch between two different editors to see the content from your website and content from outside the WordPress editor.

In addition, Weglot has another, more visual way to manage your translations: the Visual Editor.

Switch to the ‘Visual editor’ view from your Translation List, or open it from your Weglot Dashboard. You’ll see a live preview of your multilingual site. Click on any text to edit its translation next to the original, and the change syncs with your real site. You can also translate the text inside your images from the same place, while keeping the original design.

Support Response Times

Run into a problem? The support experience varies greatly between plugins. WPML users sometimes experience extended wait times for support responses. Getting help can take days or even weeks in some cases.

Weglot provides support responses within one business day. Our plugin has more than 1,500 5-star reviews thanks to our reactive support, no matter what plan you’re on.

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WPML and Weglot Compatibility with WordPress Themes and Plugins

When you’re creating a multilingual WordPress site, the natural place to start is your posts and pages.  But there’s a huge amount of other content on your site that will need localization to ensure the best experience across all languages.

This will include text generated by your site’s plugins (especially store plugins like WooCommerce, or SEO plugins like Yoast), site taglines, menu items, taxonomies, sidebars, and more.

Multiple Plugins vs a Single Plugin

WPML requires multiple plugins to translate different content types. Each component handles specific elements of your WordPress site. The WPML Multilingual CMS plugin handles posts and pages. This core component manages your main content translations.

WPML String Translation (included in the Multilingual CMS package) is needed for theme and widget text. Without it, your theme elements remain in the original language. For online stores, WooCommerce Multilingual is required for ecommerce content. Product descriptions, checkout pages, and cart text need this add-on. ACF Multilingual translates custom fields. Sites using Advanced Custom Fields require this additional component.

In contrast, Weglot translates all content types with a single plugin. Everything from posts to widgets to custom fields gets detected and translated for you. Using a free plugin like Weglot takes the hassle out of doing each of these by yourself: it translates the content in each component and gives you a fully usable multilingual site to review and publish.

Theme and Plugin Compatibility

WPML requires compatible themes and plugins for full functionality. Check compatibility lists before purchasing themes or installing plugins. Weglot is designed to work with any WordPress theme or plugin. No compatibility checks needed – it works universally.

When you use WPML, you can automatically translate and display the content of your WordPress site. A key difference between Weglot’s translation capabilities and WPML’s, however, is that WPML cannot translate any content that falls outside of the WordPress editor.

The way this is handled by WPML is through a separate interface where you can manage this type of content, which requires the purchase of the Multilingual CMS package or higher. You will need to manually translate these elements of your website and mark each translation as complete.

In contrast, with Weglot:

• All third-party plugin content gets brand-aligned AI translations, with the option to make manual edits.
• Additional translations are handled the same way as your website copy – no manual work required.
• All translations are managed together on the same interface.
• Weglot also displays your content under language subdirectories for better SEO.
• Ensures your content remains organic search friendly with translated metadata and automatically added hreflang tags.

Language Support Comparison

Language availability differs between the plugins. WPML supports 65 languages. This covers most major world languages. Weglot supports over 110 languages, including regional variations like Brazilian Portuguese.

You can view the full list of Weglot-supported languages, and if you don't see the language you require, you can always contact us.

WPML vs Weglot Pricing: Understanding the Costs

WPML requires a yearly license fee plus AI translation words once you go past the allowance included in your package. It's not a one-time purchase: the license renews annually for continued support and updates.

WPML now counts AI translation in words. Its Pay-As-You-Go option gives you 500 free AI translation words each month, then bills per 1,000 words at a rate that drops as your monthly volume grows, starting at €3.00 per 1,000 words. Prepaid packages start at €50 for 10,000 words. The rate also depends on the engine you choose:

• PTC, WPML’s own AI engine: standard rate
• Legacy third-party engines: 50% to 75% off the PTC rate

Alternatively, you can estimate the number of words you need to translate with the cost calculator on WPML’s pricing page.

Weglot’s Simpler Pricing Model

Weglot has a simpler model: free plans have a 2,000-word allowance, the starter plan has a limit of 10,000 words, and so on. You don’t need to keep track of per-engine rates or monthly volume tiers, making it easier to manage your usage.

Learn more about our pricing to find a plan that works best for your needs, with additional features like more team members and languages.

To check your current word usage, open the Weglot tab in your WordPress admin: the plan box in the lower left of the sidebar shows how many words Weglot has translated on your website. Your Weglot Dashboard shows the same figure, and its word count tool scans your site to recommend the right plan before you upgrade.

Trial and Guarantee Differences

WPML offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. You pay upfront and can request a refund if unsatisfied. Weglot provides a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, so you can test all features before committing to a paid plan.

What’s more, we offer immediate support for all types of content. Whether it’s content from pop-ups, plugins, or SEO metadata, you won’t have to worry about compatibility issues when choosing a multilingual plugin.

Language Switcher

This is what’s displayed on the front-end of your site and the way a user will switch between different languages.

One of the key differences between WPML and Weglot is that Weglot automatically adds a language switcher to your website once you’ve installed the plugin. With WPML, you’ll need to use your own custom code or hire a developer to add a language switcher to your WordPress theme.

While with Weglot, you can choose the order in which you want the languages displayed in your language switcher. You can also select where you want it displayed: in a menu, in a widget, with a shortcode anywhere in your content, or in your page’s source code.

By default, with Weglot as your translation plugin for WordPress, you’ll have a fully functioning language switcher automatically added to your site. You can even customize your language switcher without any technical knowledge or any code.

When you first install Weglot, your language switcher will be automatically placed on the bottom right of your site. Placement is set in your WordPress admin, under Weglot > Settings > Language switcher. To change its design, open the Visual Editor from your Weglot Dashboard and click the language switcher: the Switcher Editor opens with a live preview of your site and lets you set the following options:

• To have it displayed as a dropdown menu.
• To display country flags.
• To display the language name beside the country flag.
• To display the full language name or just the two-letter code, e.g., English vs. EN.
• To add your own custom CSS (click the Custom CSS field to reveal it).

Easy! Now, compare this to WPML’s language switcher setup for a better overview.

Recommended reading: 9 Best WordPress Translation Plugins for Multilingual Success

Which Is Right for You?

Both plugins translate WordPress sites well, so the right choice comes down to how you like to work.

Weglot is a good fit if you want a no-code setup, AI translations you can publish without a rewrite thanks to your Brand Voice and Translation Guidelines, and new content translated as you add it. It also helps if a lean database and page speed matter to you, or you need 110+ languages with multilingual SEO built in.

WPML may suit you better if you’re a developer or agency who wants translations stored in your own WordPress database, prefer granular manual control over every string, or want a single annual licence rather than a subscription.

Not sure? Both let you test first: we offer a 14-day free trial (no credit card needed), and WPML offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Your Next Step: Choosing Your Translation Plugin

Hopefully, the above information has answered your question about the differences between these two translation plugins for WordPress.

WPML’s main disadvantages include its greater complexity, lack of front-end editing, and multiple plugin requirements. The need for more manual configuration, slower support response times, and database storage impact can make WPML challenging for users seeking quick implementation.

Weglot provides a streamlined WPML alternative that addresses these pain points. The single-plugin setup, automatic detection, and cloud-based architecture simplify multilingual site creation.

If Weglot sounds like the right translation plugin for your WordPress site, we offer a 14-day free trial, which gives you access to all the features of the paid package. Try it yourself and see how your multilingual website reads in every language as if your own team had written it, ready to be found on search engines and AI-powered discovery experiences from day one.