# TransKey vs Translator

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | TransKey | Translator |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (13K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transkey-text-translator-chat/id1021102012/reviews) | **[4.6 (8.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/translator-translate-box/id1031029942/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **13K** | 8.5K |
| Positive reviews | **76.5% of reviews** | 74.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Courtney & Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/322380460) | [Xung Le](https://appshunter.io/developer/414849435) |

## What reviewers say

### TransKey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/transkey-text-translator-chat/id1021102012)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TransKey Premium (weekly) | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| TransKey Premium (monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| TransKey Premium (yearly) | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard not working on some devices
- Translations not syncing properly

**Requested features**

- Unlimited free translations
- Improved translation accuracy
- Option to disable character limit


### Translator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/translator-translate-box/id1031029942)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version Monthly | $4.49 | per month |
| Premium Version Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium Version | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*