There is no doubt that technology has improved our lives and has worked its way into all business industries, in fact, there are at least 10 popular CAT tools that every translator should use for productive translation. The translation industry is just one of the first fields that is embracing modern hardware and software programs to ensure a quality product for its clients. And as well every Professional Translation Agency must use one of them.
CAT Tools: Assisting Professional Translation
CAT tools are software programs with many requiring the use of specific technology devices and systems that assist language experts in a big way. These programs have proven to be assets to every translator’s productivity and meeting tight deadlines. Let’s take a look at some of the CAT tools professional translators are using today.
The software received a 4.7 out of 5 stars on Proz.com’s online Software Comparison Tool. The program, highly recommended for freelance and in-house translators, has a powerful Quality Control system, an option to import or export data, and can be used with almost any technology device (Mac and PCs are fine). Reviewers say that SmartCAT 4.7 is user-friendly and compatible with various file formats making it easy to finish translating long documents quickly and accurately.
Reviewers gave the program 4.6 out of 5 stars. Professional translators especially like the high Translation Memory (TM) of the software and that it is compatible with Microsoft Word, MS Excel and MS Power Point HTML formats. It supports right-to-left, Eastern European, Asian, Cyrillic, and many other languages from around the world. Upgrades are regularly available and reviewers like the ease of mastering the program’s features independently.
The Cross-Platform translation software supports Abiword Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Office, and DITA Maps HTML file formats. Users can get a free upgrade of the reliable CAT tool that presents an easy-to use, advanced tool for even the most novice translation professionals. The tool can replace SDL Trados and is offered at a good price for the high rate of translation it can help to produce.
The program received 4.3 out of a 5-star rating for usability and advanced features. File formats supported include Adobe PDF, Bilingual Word, MS Word, and several others. The Program is compatible with standard document formats XLIFF, SDL Trados, Wordfast, TBX, and TMX and includes built-in support features that make it ideal for freelancers. Like other CAT tools with a high rating, Fluency Now is recommended by users who like the program for its easy-to-learn format and affordability.
Matecat is a popular CAT tool in the business world and received a 4.2 star rating out of 5 due to its ability to handle large translation projects quickly. It is a free software program which might explain its popularity with professional translators worldwide. It supports 70 file formats and is compatible with multiple translation management systems including XLIFF and TMX. Professional translators like the amount of control they have over the entire translation progress with this program as well as the CAT software’s usability.
The software program received a 4.1 out of 5 stars rating. The CAT tool is popular for its affordability (absolutely free) without a license term restriction. However, reviewers say that the translation memory (TM) can be better. The software is compatible with common operating systems, like Windows XP, Windows 10, Mac systems, and Linux. Reviewers say that the less-than-perfect matching (which requires more effort during manual editing) is a small price to pay for a reliable (does not crash), open source program with more than 15 features.
A lesser known, but high-quality CAT tool, Wordbee has an average rating of about 4 stars out of 5 (rating is based on several online ratings from different sources). The program works well with cloud computing, so it can be used and accessed across devices as well as having SaaS, and Web deployment. This tool is ideal for freelancers and in-house professional translators because it includes various support materials to train new users. Reviewers like that the product has project tracking, quality control, workflow management, and localization automation.
More than 250, 000 professional translators use this popular CAT tool that received a 3.9 out of a 5-star rating and has a variety of user-friendly features, including enhanced translation memory, compatibility with XLIFF standard file formats, TMX, TBX, OLIF, and is a great tool to use with other CAT tools. “Tell Me” features let professionals interact with the software and get results 4X faster. The built-in training and online support make the software program convenient for freelance translators.
The CAT tool with a 3.8 out of 5-star rating is based on STAR’s TM system and is moderately-priced. Freelance and in-house translators who use operating systems Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7. Most reviewers recommend the product and some do not feel that the features available justify the price. Although the software received mixed reviews, most users still think it is worth using to speed up the translation process from anywhere in the world.
This CAT tool also received a 3.8 out of the 5-star rating and was developed by translators. High translation memory, Muse software, LiveDocs to make digital translating faster, and compatibility with multiple translation software make this tool an asset to professional translators. The downside includes the price (the program can be downloaded free for 30 days then costs $700 for Translators Pro and $1800 for MemoQ Project Manager versions ).
Reviewers on Proz.com gave this software program a 1.9 stars out of 5. This is a free and very basic CAT tool that is available online. It is compatible with TMX formats and supports multiple languages. Translation professionals who are at the beginning of their careers or who want to spend some time practicing how to use CAT tools quickly should consider the Across Personal Edition program. The low rating comes from the programs slow speed.
In Conclusion: What it all boils down to
The more advanced the software in addition to the more control the professional has over the translation process the better the end product will be. These tools have grown rapidly in popularity and usage in the translation and language services field. It is difficult to find a top translation company that does not use one of the 10 popular CAT tools every translator should use for productive translation to speed up the translation process.
