WPML vs. Polylang: Which WordPress Translation Plugin Is Best?

Planning to reach visitors in more than one language? A multilingual WordPress plugin can help you create translated pages, posts, menus, taxonomies, and other site content without maintaining separate websites manually.

Two of the best-known options are WPML and Polylang. Both can create multilingual WordPress websites, but they differ in pricing, translation workflows, automatic translation, WooCommerce support, and the amount of guidance available for larger projects.

In this guide, we compare WPML and Polylang so you can choose the right multilingual plugin for your website.

Pricing and product details were reviewed on September 8, 2026. Prices may change and may exclude VAT.

WPML vs. Polylang: Quick Comparison

Short answer: Choose WPML if you want a more guided multilingual workflow, built-in translation management, or an integrated WooCommerce solution. Choose Polylang if you prefer starting with a free plugin, want a WordPress-native approach, or need to build a multilingual site gradually.

What to Look for in a WordPress Translation Plugin

The right plugin depends on more than the number of languages you want to add. Before choosing a solution, review the following requirements.

1. Manual and Automatic Translation

Automatic translation can help you create a first draft quickly, but it should not replace human review. Product descriptions, legal pages, checkout text, and industry-specific terminology often need editing by someone who understands the target language and context.

Look for a plugin that supports the workflow you need:

• Manual translation inside WordPress
• Side-by-side translation editing
• Automatic translation for first drafts
• Translation memory or duplicate-and-edit workflows
• Professional translation services or translator accounts
• Translation status tracking for larger teams

2. Full Website Translation

Translating only the main page content is rarely enough. A multilingual plugin should help you manage the parts of your website visitors actually see, including:

• Posts and pages
• Custom post types
• Categories and tags
• Custom taxonomies
• Menus and navigation labels
• Widgets and block content
• Theme and plugin strings
• Custom fields
• Forms and checkout text
• WooCommerce products, attributes, emails, and store pages

Compatibility is especially important when your website uses a page builder, a block theme, custom fields, or several third-party plugins. Test your most important templates before translating the entire site.

3. Multilingual SEO

A translation plugin cannot guarantee higher rankings, but it should provide the technical structure search engines need to understand your language versions.

Check whether the plugin supports:

• Separate URLs for each language
• Language directories, subdomains, or separate domains
• Translated URL slugs
• Translated SEO titles and meta descriptions
• Correct hreflang annotations
• Language-specific XML sitemaps
• Translated image metadata where appropriate
• Canonical URLs that point to the correct language version
• Internal links between equivalent translations

Also check the user experience. A language switcher should be easy to find, preserve the visitor’s current page when possible, and avoid sending users to an unrelated homepage.

WPML Review

WPML, short for WordPress Multilingual, is a paid multilingual plugin designed for blogs, business websites, online stores, and agencies.

WPML’s current plans are Multilingual Blog at €39 per year, Multilingual CMS at €99 per year, and Multilingual Agency at €199 per year. The CMS and Agency plans include advanced translation features, translation management, page builder support, menu translation, WooCommerce support, and full-site editing support.

WPML Features

• Translate posts, pages, custom post types, taxonomies, menus, widgets, and theme or plugin strings.
• Use the WordPress editor or WPML’s advanced translation editor.
• Connect automatic translation tools, including WPML’s own translation engine and supported third-party engines.
• Manage translators, translation jobs, and translation status from the WordPress dashboard.
• Translate WooCommerce products and popular extensions with the appropriate plan.
• Translate content created with supported page builders.
• Translate headers, footers, templates, and other full-site editing content on supported setups.
• Use different domains, subdomains, or language directories for translated versions.

WPML’s automatic translation uses a credit-based system. The Multilingual CMS and Agency plans include translation credits, while additional translation can be purchased through prepaid or pay-as-you-go options.

WPML Pros

• Comprehensive translation management for larger websites and teams
• Strong WooCommerce and page builder support
• Built-in options for automatic translation
• Translation support for theme and plugin strings
• Dedicated support and documentation with an active license
• Suitable for agencies managing multiple production websites
• Supports right-to-left languages

WPML Cons

• There is no free version.
• The number of available features depends on the plan you purchase.
• Automatic translation may add a separate usage cost after included credits are used.
• The larger feature set can feel complex for a small website with only a few translated pages.
• Compatibility and performance should still be tested with your theme, hosting environment, and other plugins.

Polylang Review

Polylang is a multilingual WordPress plugin with a free core version and paid extensions. It uses WordPress’s built-in taxonomies and provides a setup wizard to help site owners configure languages and translation settings.

The free version can translate posts, pages, media, categories, tags, custom post types, taxonomies, classic menus, and classic widgets. It also supports language switchers, right-to-left scripts, language-specific URLs, and compatibility with Yoast SEO.

Polylang Pro starts at €99 per year for one site. Polylang for WooCommerce also starts at €99 per year, while the Business Pack is listed from €139 per year. Paid plans include updates and premium support for one year, with license options for multiple sites.

Polylang Features

• Start with a free multilingual WordPress plugin.
• Translate posts, pages, media, categories, tags, custom post types, and taxonomies.
• Use language codes in URLs, subdirectories, subdomains, or separate domains.
• Add a language switcher as a block, widget, or navigation menu item.
• Translate classic menus and widgets.
• Use Polylang Pro to translate additional URL slugs and improve block editor and full-site editing workflows.
• Connect DeepL for automatic translation in supported paid plans using your own API key.
• Add WooCommerce support with the separate Polylang for WooCommerce extension.

Polylang Pros

• A free version is available for basic multilingual websites.
• Uses WordPress’s native content structure and taxonomies.
• Offers a lightweight approach for site owners who want to control their translation workflow.
• Supports right-to-left languages.
• Provides language switchers for blocks, widgets, and navigation menus.
• Works with popular SEO tools such as Yoast SEO.
• Paid extensions add WooCommerce, automatic translation, and advanced translation features.

Polylang Cons

• WooCommerce functionality requires a separate paid extension.
• Automatic translation is not included in the free plugin.
• Some advanced features, such as translated slugs and improved site-editing support, require Polylang Pro.
• Compatibility with page builders and third-party plugins should be tested before committing to a large migration.
• Free users rely mainly on documentation and community support rather than premium helpdesk support.

WPML vs. Polylang for SEO

Both plugins can support multilingual SEO, but the quality of your implementation depends on how you configure the website.

For each language, create a dedicated URL and translate the page title, meta description, headings, image text, navigation, and internal links. Use hreflang correctly and submit the resulting language URLs through your SEO and search engine tools.

Do not translate pages mechanically and publish them without review. Thin, incomplete, or unnatural translations can create a poor experience even when the technical SEO settings are correct.

WPML vs. Polylang for WooCommerce

WPML includes WooCommerce support in its Multilingual CMS and Agency plans. This makes it a strong option for stores that need a more centralized translation workflow for products, variations, checkout pages, emails, and other store content.

Polylang supports WooCommerce through the separate Polylang for WooCommerce add-on. This can be a good fit if you prefer Polylang’s interface and want to add ecommerce translation features to an existing Polylang setup.

Before launching a translated store, test product variations, shipping methods, payment screens, transactional emails, tax settings, coupons, and account pages in every language.

WPML vs. WordPress Multisite

WordPress Multisite and multilingual plugins solve different problems.

WordPress Multisite creates a network of separate WordPress sites. It may be useful when each region needs different administrators, designs, plugins, or content structures.

WPML and Polylang keep language versions within one WordPress installation and connect translated posts or pages. This is usually easier when the same website structure, content team, and design should be shared across languages.

Choose a multisite network when regional sites need significant independence. Choose a translation plugin when language versions are closely related and should be managed together.

How to Choose Between WPML and Polylang

Choose WPML if:

• You run a multilingual WooCommerce store.
• You need translation management for a team or agency.
• You want built-in automatic translation options.
• You rely on page builders, custom fields, or complex WordPress content.
• You prefer dedicated support and a more guided workflow.

Choose Polylang if:

• You want to start with a free multilingual plugin.
• You prefer a WordPress-native approach.
• Your website has a relatively simple content structure.
• You are comfortable managing translations manually.
• You want to add paid features only as your requirements grow.

A Practical Multilingual WordPress Launch Checklist

1. Choose the languages that match your actual audience and business goals.
2. Back up your website before installing or switching translation plugins.
3. Confirm compatibility with your theme, page builder, SEO plugin, forms, and ecommerce tools.
4. Decide whether translations will be manual, automatic, or a combination of both.
5. Choose a URL structure for each language.
6. Translate menus, widgets, buttons, forms, metadata, and checkout content—not only page paragraphs.
7. Review hreflang, canonical tags, sitemaps, and internal links.
8. Test the language switcher on desktop and mobile.
9. Check translated pages for layout problems, missing strings, and incorrect terminology.
10. Monitor organic traffic, indexing, conversions, and user feedback after launch.

If your multilingual project creates a large number of pages, posts, or media files in WordPress, Premio’s Folders help guide explains how to organize content into folders and subfolders. You can also find Folders for WordPress on WordPress.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Polylang free?

Yes. Polylang has a free version available through WordPress.org. Polylang Pro, Polylang for WooCommerce, and the Business Pack are paid options that add advanced features, ecommerce support, or premium support.

Is WPML free?

No. WPML is a paid plugin with annual plans. The current plans are Multilingual Blog, Multilingual CMS, and Multilingual Agency.

Which is better, WPML or Polylang?

Neither plugin is best for every website. WPML is generally better for complex websites, multilingual stores, agencies, and teams that need built-in translation management. Polylang is often a better starting point for smaller sites that want a free plugin and a more modular approach.

Can WPML and Polylang be used together?

No. Do not activate both multilingual plugins on the same website. They manage languages and translated content differently, which can create conflicts, duplicate content, broken URLs, or lost translation relationships. Back up your site and follow the migration documentation if you are switching plugins.

Do WPML and Polylang translate everything automatically?

No. Both plugins can help translate many types of WordPress content, but the exact coverage depends on the plugin version, plan, theme, page builder, and third-party integrations. Automatic translation also requires review for accuracy, tone, formatting, and SEO.

Final Verdict: WPML or Polylang?

WPML and Polylang are both capable options for creating a multilingual WordPress website.

WPML is the stronger choice when you need an end-to-end translation workflow, built-in automatic translation, extensive WooCommerce support, or tools for a larger content team.

Polylang is a practical choice when you want to start for free, prefer a lightweight WordPress-native setup, or want to add paid features as your website grows.

Whichever plugin you choose, start with a small test environment, translate a representative set of pages, check your SEO configuration, and test your forms and checkout before publishing every language version.