Gengo Translation Review: Features, Pricing, and Better Alternatives

What is Gengo, and who is it for?

Gengo is an online translation platform that connects businesses with a global network of freelance translators. Owned by Lionbridge, Gengo leverages both human translators and AI tools to deliver fast, affordable translations across a wide range of languages.

The platform is popular among industries such as e-commerce, travel, and technology, where businesses often need to translate large volumes of content, including product descriptions, customer reviews, blog posts, support materials, and more. It also offers an API and bulk upload tools that allow companies to manage multilingual content efficiently.

While Gengo supports general translations, it does not offer certified translations. This makes it useful for non-official purposes such as app localisation or internal documentation, but not for legal, immigration, or regulatory purposes.

If you need to translate your documents for visa or immigration purposes, you’ll need a translation company that specialises in certified translations. That’s where Translayte comes in. Translayte offers certified translations accepted by government agencies and institutions worldwide, with guaranteed accuracy and expert review.

What are people saying about Gengo?

Here’s what customers have to say about Gengo from various review sites; 

Positive reviews

• Fast turnaround: Customers frequently mentioned Gengo’s quick delivery times. One user received a Japanese translation in less than 24 hours and described the output as “mostly perfect” after verifying it with a native speaker. Source. 
   
• Cost-effective service: Several reviews praised Gengo for offering affordable translation solutions, especially for large volumes of content. Source. 
   
• Flexible revision process: Users appreciated the ability to request edits to ensure translations align with their brand or business context. Source. 

Complaints

• Delayed payouts and poor freelancer support: Translators reported delays in receiving payments, sometimes missing scheduled payout dates by weeks. Source. 
   
• Lack of quality control: Several users claimed Gengo relies heavily on machine translation, with minimal human oversight. Source.
   
• Low translator compensation: One translator explained that the low compensation for Gengo’s standard-tier jobs often results in rushed work, which affects the quality of the translation. Source.

Gengo has received different feedback from its users over the years. On Trustpilot, it holds a 1.5-star rating based on approximately 39 reviews. While some customers highlight the platform’s cost-effective pricing, many have pointed out issues with quality, translator payouts, and customer support.

Gengo’s translation services review

Here’s a closer look at Gengo’s features that enable it to offer translation services;

Freelance translator network

Gengo relies on a global pool of freelance translators who complete jobs based on availability and skill level. This crowdsourced model enables Gengo to handle thousands of short tasks simultaneously. For example, Shopify sellers, large-scale publishers, or travel companies may use Gengo’s translators to translate product descriptions, reviews, user-generated content, and blog posts. 

API access & bulk content support

For businesses managing multilingual content at scale, Gengo offers an API that integrates directly into websites, apps, or content management systems. Users can automate translation, push and retrieve content in real-time, and upload documents in bulk. This is valuable for e-commerce platforms, SaaS tools, and marketing teams working across multiple languages.

AI integration & translation memory

Gengo uses AI tools to improve translation memory and pattern recognition. This helps speed up repetitive tasks and ensures consistent terminology across projects. This is useful for businesses with recurring translation needs.

Affordable pricing model

Gengo adopts a price-per-word model, enabling it to offer cost-effective pricing options to customers. This pricing flexibility allows businesses to allocate their budget based on content importance. 

Gengo pricing

Gengo offers transparent per-word pricing in two distinct tiers, each tailored to meet different content needs and budgets.

• Standard ($0.06 per word): Ideal for casual everyday content like emails, user reviews, and social posts. They are completed by translators who pass Gengo’s standard level test.
   
• Advanced ($0.12 per word): Ideal for business, technical, or marketing content that requires higher accuracy. They are completed by translators who pass the more rigorous, advanced-level test. 
   
• Additional services: A custom plan for documents that require translation using Gengo's business-level services. Business-level translators proofread them. 

Gengo turnaround times

Gengo offers relatively fast turnaround times, particularly for small to medium-sized translation projects. However, the exact time is not guaranteed as it depends on the number of words being translated. 

On average;

• Less than 1000 words is completed within 4 - 24 hours. 
• 5,000 - 10,000 words is completed within 2 - 7 days
• 20,000 - 35,000 words is completed within 2 - 4 weeks
• 80,000 words or more are completed within 2 months or more. 

In contrast, Translayte offers faster, more predictable, and accurate delivery. Certified translations are delivered within 12 to 24 hours, with some users receiving their documents in less time. Expedited services are also available for urgent cases. Turnaround times are clearly stated at checkout and backed by a guaranteed delivery window.

Is Gengo certified? (ISO, ATA, USCIS, etc.)

Gengo is not certified by any recognised translation organisation. It operates as an independent translation platform working with a network of freelance translators. It conducts its own quality control test for translators on its platform. 

Translayte, on the other hand, is an accredited member of the American Translators Association (ATA), Association of Translation Companies (ATC), EU Association of Translation Companies (EUATC), and Minority Supplier Diversity UK (MSDUK). These memberships enable it to offer certified translations with 100% guaranteed acceptance by authorities like USCIS, IRCC, UKVI, and various global embassies and institutions. 

Having these memberships and certifications ensures that translators meet professional standards and adhere to ethical practices. Additionally, some authorities require agencies used for immigration and legal purposes to have these credentials for translations to be officially accepted.

Gengo vs Translayte: A side-by-side comparison

In summary, Gengo provides professional translations for casual, everyday, or internal documents. This includes anything from product descriptions to website localisation, social media content, email, and more. 

Translayte, on the other hand, offers both professional and certified translations for official purposes. Whether you need to translate your e-commerce website or your birth certificate for a visa application, Translayte handles that for you with 100% guaranteed accuracy. 

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Why Translayte might be the better choice

While Gengo offers affordable translations for general content, it falls short in certified, legally accepted, or sensitive use cases. That’s where Translayte stands out.

Translayte has a network of global translators who specialise in a range of translations accepted by local and global authorities. With a 4.7-star rating on Trustpilot from more than 9,000 customers, here’s why Translayte might be the better choice when the stakes are higher.

• Certified translations: Translayte specialises in certified translations that meet the exact standards required by immigration authorities, embassies, courts, and global institutions. Every translation is handled by qualified professionals, reviewed for accuracy, and delivered with the appropriate certification or notarisation when needed.
   
• Professional translations: Translayte provides high-quality translations for legal, medical, technical, and corporate documents.
   
• Same-day delivery options: If you need translations urgently, Translayte can turn around certified documents in as little as 12–24 hours. You also have the option for expedited delivery.
   
• Transparent pricing: Translayte’s translation rates are available on the website. You receive clear, per-page and per-word pricing, starting at $25 per page. Additionally, you can request a free quote to get accurate rates, especially when you need translation for multiple documents and languages. 
   
• Human + AI-powered workflows: Translayte combines technology and human processes to streamline its workflow, delivering seamless results while maintaining quality.
   
• Expert support and document security: Each order comes with access to responsive, expert-led customer support. Translayte also prioritises data privacy and document confidentiality, ensuring your sensitive information is protected.