Comparison

TransKey vs Translator

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TransKey

Communicate seamlessly in any language without leaving your current app. This keyboard extension translates messages in real-time, both outgoing and incoming, supporting over 100 languages. It preserves capitalization and emojis for a natural conversation flow.

Highlights
  • Translate messages in real-time within any app
  • Translate received messages instantly
  • Supports over 100 languages
  • Automatic source language detection
  • Preserves capitalization and emojis
  • Quick language switching
Features
Read full description

Chat now in any language without switching apps! TransKey translates your messages in real-time inside any app using the keyboard! TransKey is the best chat translator trusted by over 300,000 users and featured on sites like CNET, Product Hunt, Addictive Tips, and more! Over 10,000 5-star App Store reviews! "I didn't think something like this was possible, but I'm happy to say I've been proven wrong. This is a great app to have on your iPhone!" ― WHAT IS IT TransKey is a keyboard extension that translates your messages inside any app (like: WhatsApp, iMessage, Facebook, Twitter X, Email, Chat Apps, SMS, and many more). TransKey also works the other way around. Copy the text you can't understand and TransKey will show you what it means in your native language! ― HOW DOES IT WORK Write what you'd like to say, but before sending your message, tap and hold the Globe key to switch to TransKey. After selecting a target language, tap "Translate text" and watch your message get translated right in the app! If you'd like to translate a message you received, tap and hold it until an option to "Copy" appears. In TransKey tap "Translate copy", and the translation will appear in the same place! Never encounter another language barrier again when communicating with people in other countries! TransKey provides a flawless translation experience right in the messaging app of your choice unlike other translators which interrupt the flow by forcing you to switch to another app. Unlike other translator keyboards, TransKey does not have a keyboard for typing. This allows you to use the keyboard you're most comfortable with, such as the iOS, GBoard, or SwiftKey. ― How to use TransKey: 1. Type something 2. Switch to TransKey keyboard 3. Translate text 3. Tap to insert translated text Without TransKey: 1. Type your text 2. Copy the text 3. Switch to Google Translate 4. Paste your message 5. Translate the message 6. Copy the translated message 7. Exit the translation app 8. Return to your app 9. Paste the translated message ― FEATURES • Translate the last sentence of any text field directly within any app • Translate received messages directly within any app • Fast and accurate translation to and from over 100 languages • Automatic detection of source language • Copy the translation to be used anywhere • Optimized for all iPhone screen sizes in both portrait and landscape Preserves capitalization and emojis Quick language switch, saves time ― POPULAR LANGUAGES Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, German, Italian, Russian, Dutch, French, Korean, Ukrainian, Arabic, Burmese, Cantonese, Czech, Filipino, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Samoan, Swedish, Thai, Tongan, and more. Use Transkey in conjunction with languages learning apps like: Duolingo, Pimsleur, Babbel, HelloTalk, Drops, Busuu, and Rosetta Stone ― NOTICES For accurate real-time translations, TransKey relies on industry leading machine-translation engines such as Google Translate, Microsoft Translate, and Yandex Translate. AI translators are not used in this version. You will need to grant Transkey full access for it to work properly. They keyboard will need to get the text you type so it can send it to the translation service. We do not store anything you translate. See the Privacy Policy. Terms and Conditions: https://transkey.io/terms.pdf Privacy Policy: https://transkey.io/privacy.pdf PAYMENT AND AUTOMATIC RENEWAL TERMS: When first installed TransKey is in trial mode where you get 10 translations per day. For less than 50 cents per day you can upgrade to TransKey Premium, with unlimited high-quality translations. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your Apple ID account and renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. You will not be able to cancel a subscription during the active period. You can manage your subscriptions in your Account Settings after purchase. ― SUPPORT Contact us by email at hello@transkey.io.

About

Translator

Instantly translate text, voice, and photos using multiple leading translation engines. Enjoy an ad-free experience and unlimited translation length with a premium subscription.

Highlights
  • Translate photos
  • Translate voice
  • Translate text
  • Multiple translation engines
  • Ad-free premium option
  • Unlimited text length
Features
Read full description

Translate Box can: - Translate Photo - Translate Voice - Translate Text With five Translators at once: - Google Translate - Microsoft Translator - Yandex Translate - Baidu Translate - Naver Translate (Papago) This app requires an internet connection. PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTIONS √ Completely Ad-free √ No text length limit when translating ​ * You can pay once or choose from 2 subscriptions options: - monthly subscription - yearly subscription – Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. – Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. – Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. – Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase. – Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Privacy: https://xung.app/privacy-policy Terms: https://xung.app/terms

Screenshots

TransKey4 screens
Translator3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: TransKey at none against Translator's shown. Translator's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TransKey sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Translator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for TransKey against 4.6 for Translator. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13K and 8.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of TransKey's written reviews are positive against 74% of Translator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TransKey ships an update every 3 weeks, Translator every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
TransKey versus Translator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTransKeyTranslator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (13K ratings)4.6 (8.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.5% of reviews — better74.2% of reviews
Number of ratings13K — better8.5K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB56 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCourtney & CompanyXung Le

Customer experience

TransKey

All ratings12,882 ratings
Positive85.2%
Neutral5.1%
Negative9.7%
Written reviews383 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral6.5%
Negative17.0%

Translator

All ratings8,446 ratings
Positive89.5%
Neutral4.7%
Negative5.8%
Written reviews190 reviews
Positive74.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative22.6%

User reviews

TransKey

From 13K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Convenient keyboard translator
  • 🚀 Instant translations
  • 💡 Supports many languages

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Limited translations per day
  • 💰 Paid subscription required for unlimited translations
  • 🐛 Occasional translation errors

Translator

From 8.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Excellent translator
  • 💡 Multiple translation sources
  • 🚀 Fast and smooth translations
  • 🔒 Robust security features
  • 👍 Helpful for learning languages

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezing
  • 🔋 High battery consumption
  • 💸 Too many ads even with paid subscription
  • 🔇 Issues with audio/voice translation
  • 🤔 Confusing interface and instructions

Bugs and requests

TransKey

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Keyboard not working on some devices
  • Translations not syncing properly

Requested features

3 requests
  • Unlimited free translations
  • Improved translation accuracy
  • Option to disable character limit

Translator

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Force closes after being open for a few seconds
  • Translations not working properly for some languages
  • Inconsistent performance across different devices
  • Paid subscription not removing all ads

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Improve Tagalog and other language translations
  • Provide offline translation capabilities
  • Enhance text-to-speech quality
  • Add more language options

In-app purchases

3 purchases

TransKey

Subscriptions3
  • TransKey Premium (weekly)$3.997 Days
  • TransKey Premium (monthly)2 variants$9.991 Month
  • TransKey Premium (yearly)7 Days trial$49.991 Year
3 purchases

Translator

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Version Monthly$4.491 Month
  • Premium Version Yearly3 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Version$19.99

Questions

Is TransKey free?
TransKey is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Translator free?
Translator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TransKey or Translator?
Translator is rated higher. TransKey averages 4.4 out of 5 from 13K ratings, while Translator averages 4.6 from 8.5K ratings.
Do TransKey or Translator have ads?
Translator shows ads; TransKey does not.
Which is updated more often, TransKey or Translator?
TransKey ships an update every 3 weeks, and Translator every 6 weeks. Most recently, TransKey was updated on October 30, 2026 and Translator on October 28, 2026.

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