Weblate
Open-source localization platform with Git integration and community translation workflow support.
Key Features
Git/source control sync, collaborative translation, consistency checks, translation memory, automated updates
Pricing
Free self-hosted, Cloud from €25/mo
Weblate Overview
Weblate is the leading open-source localization platform with continuous Git-based workflow — self-hostable, free for public projects, and the standard choice for open-source software translation.
How Weblate Works
Weblate hooks directly into your Git repository: source strings are watched continuously, translations happen in a web UI with automatic suggestions from TM/MT, and completed translations are committed back as regular commits or pull requests. Because it lives in Git, translation flows like code — branches, reviews, and CI apply naturally.
Key Capabilities
- Fully open source (GPL) with paid cloud/hosted plans
- Native Git integration: translations arrive as commits/PRs
- 90+ file formats and VCS backends
- Built-in checks, glossary, TM, and MT (DeepL, LibreTranslate etc.)
- Self-host on your own infrastructure or use Weblate Cloud
Best Use Cases
- Open-source software localization (free for public repos)
- Privacy/sovereignty-sensitive teams self-hosting their TMS
- Dev teams wanting translation to follow Git workflow exactly
- Community translation projects with per-component permissions
Weblate Pricing
Weblate Cloud from $49/month per project. Self-hosted is free (GPL) — costs are your hosting time; Weblate sells support subscriptions and the hosted service. Libre-hosted instances exist for FOSS projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Weblate really free?
Yes for self-hosting (GPL open source) and for public open-source projects on their hosted service. Commercial plans (from $49/month) buy you the hosted convenience and support.
Weblate vs Crowdin for open source?
Both are free for OSS. Weblate is Git-native and self-hostable (some projects require this); Crowdin has a glossier UI and bigger integration marketplace. Many FOSS projects run Weblate for ideological and infrastructure reasons.
Can Weblate commit translations back to my repo?
Yes — it pushes translations as regular commits (or opens PRs) on your configured schedule or immediately, honoring branch protection if you route through PRs.
Verdict
Weblate is unbeatable at its intersection: open source, Git-native, and self-hostable. FOSS projects get everything free; companies that want their localization pipeline inside their own infrastructure get it with GPL transparency. Trade-offs: the UI is more utilitarian than Lokalise, and enterprise features (vendor portals, SLA reporting) are absent — that is not its game.