# zen-Babel — Private On-Device Translation

> Offline, private on-device translation for text, documents, and images. (iPhone/iPad app by Taiyo Fujii.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-babel/id6761398433 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Taiyo Fujii](https://appshunter.io/developer/1889371389)
- Category: Reference, Travel
- Price: $0.99
- Age rating: 12+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 6 MB
- Languages: Ukrainian, Russian, Hindi, Indonesian, Turkish, German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, French (France), Polish and 10 more
- Released: 2026-04-08
- Data updated: 2026-09-20
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-babel/id6761398433/reviews.md

## What is zen?

zen-Babel is a translation app that works entirely offline.
All translation is performed on your device—your data is never sent to the cloud.

Simple to use: type, paste, or import text from files and images to translate.
No ads. No subscriptions. A one-time purchase of 0.99 USD unlocks all features.

With language packs from the standard Translate app, you can translate even without mobile data or Wi-Fi.
zen-Babel supports text files, Word documents, PDFs, and text extraction from images.

Even when connected to the internet, your documents never leave your device.
This makes it ideal for translating sensitive business materials and privacy-critical content.

Choose between fast, reliable machine translation and more natural AI-powered translation using Apple Intelligence.
Use machine translation for speed, or AI translation for more fluent, context-aware results.

The app also features Translation Clutch, which highlights the original text and translation side by side.
You can quickly compare, understand, and refine translations—especially useful for long texts or fragmented conversations.

## Key features

- Offline translation
- On-device processing
- Text and image translation
- Supports various file types
- Machine and AI translation options
- Side-by-side comparison

## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-babel/id6761398433/reviews.md

### 5/5 — オフライン完結の翻訳アプリ

*2026-04-19*

デバイスクローズを徹底されている、でも、機能はしっくりくる翻訳アプリです。

翻訳対象に画像やPDFも選べるので、技術書やデータシートの部分翻訳にも便利です。

翻訳対象にURLが含まれていても、そこにリンクしない。
そんな気配りもあって、安心できます。

### 5/5 — シンプルイズベスト

*2026-04-10*

余計な機能がなく、オフライン翻訳に特化したアプリ。

広告や余計な設定が一切ないため、シンプルなUIながら軽妙な動作が機能美に満ちています。

出張中などkindleで洋書を読むことが多いのですが、電波繋がらないと翻訳できず続きが読めないストレスはなくなりました。

オフライン翻訳となっていますがApple intelligenceも使えるため、AI翻訳としての精度も高いです。
実際にネットワーク遮断して使ったりもしたところ、宣伝文句に偽りなく、ネットワークにデータが流れることはありませんでした。

買い切りアプリなので、インストールしておけばちょっとした文章の検索などで手間取ることがなくなると思います。

## Frequently asked questions about zen

### Does zen-Babel have ads?

No, zen-Babel is ad-free. The app is designed with user privacy in mind and does not display any advertisements.

### How much does zen-Babel cost?

zen-Babel is a one-time purchase for $0.99 USD. This unlocks all features without any ongoing subscription fees.

### What devices is zen-Babel available on?

zen-Babel is available on iPhone and iPad devices. It is designed to leverage Apple's ecosystem for on-device processing.

### Can I translate text from images with zen-Babel?

Yes, zen-Babel supports text extraction from images. You can import images to translate the text contained within them.

### What translation modes does zen-Babel offer?

zen-Babel offers two translation modes: fast, reliable machine translation and more natural AI-powered translation using Apple Intelligence for context-aware results.

### How does zen-Babel ensure privacy?

All translation is performed entirely on your device. Your data is never sent to the cloud, making it ideal for sensitive business materials and privacy-critical content.

### What file types can zen-Babel translate?

zen-Babel supports translating text files, Word documents, and PDFs. It can also extract text from images.

### Is zen-Babel suitable for long texts or conversations?

Yes, zen-Babel features 'Translation Clutch,' which highlights the original text and translation side by side. This is particularly useful for quickly comparing, understanding, and refining translations of long texts or fragmented conversations.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 0.9.2 — 2026-09-05

- Introducing Lens Translation!
- You can now launch the camera directly from zen-Babel.
- Choose Lens Translation using the camera icon in the centre or the album icon to its left, and translated text will appear over your photo.
- Of course, this feature works offline too. Use it on a plane or in places where you cannot get online to translate unfamiliar menus and descriptions of souvenirs.

### 0.9.1 — 2026-04-24

- Updated the app icon to a zen style.
- Menus and warning messages are now localized in 21 languages.
- Added guidance when required machine-translation languages are not downloaded.
- Improved layout to align source and translated text on both sides.

### 0.9.0 — 2026-04-17

【Interface Refresh】

Updated the overall style to match the “zen” name
On iPhone, controls are now centered for easier one-handed use and better accessibility for smaller hands
Updated the flow so source text is cleared before entering the next text
Added a share button for translated output
Kept the copy action for translated output at the bottom-left of the screen
Made recently used target languages easier to access
【New Features】

PDF text import now records page number / total page count
AI translation style is now optimized based on device language settings
Uses Traditional Chinese output in Traditional Chinese environments
Uses British English style in UK English environments
When the target language matches the source language, the target is automatically switched to the previous source language
Localization rollout has started; currently supports en, ja, ko, zh-Hans, and zh-Hant
【Bug Fixes】

Fixed an issue where blank lines from PDF text import were incorrectly registered as translatable segments

### 0.8.1 — 2026-04-15

Renamed the app from Pre-Babel Lens to zen-Babel.
Added image paste-to-OCR support in the Source field.

### 0.8.0 — 2026-04-13

Added Translation Clutch to highlight original text and translation side by side
Added support for importing text from Word documents and PDFs
Added text extraction from images
Added pinch-to-zoom text size adjustment
Added access to files and photo library from the import button
Language menu now shows availability of language packs

## More apps by Taiyo Fujii

- [with to go](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/with-to-go/id6769787604)

All apps by Taiyo Fujii: https://appshunter.io/developer/1889371389

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-20.*