Comparison

Visual Hear vs Microsoft Translator

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

Head to head
About

Visual Hear

Instantly see spoken words appear on your screen and translate them into over 40 languages. This tool is designed for clear communication, allowing real-time transcription and translation for individuals and in one-on-one conversations. It also offers text-to-speech functionality and sharing options.

Highlights
  • Real-time voice recognition
  • Translate to 40 languages
  • Text-to-speech output
  • Edit translated text
  • Share text easily
  • Accessibility features
  • Monochrome theme
Features
Read full description

Visual Hear is a communication assistant built for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. When someone speaks near your device, Visual Hear turns speech into readable text in real time, helping you follow everyday conversations more easily. It is made for direct, practical communication: at work, in stores, during appointments, while traveling, or whenever speech needs to become text quickly. FEATURES • Real-time speech recognition • Multiple recognition methods for different situations • Conversation history to review what was said • Improved translation for multilingual conversations • Conversation mode for face-to-face communication • Clean interface focused on daily conversations • Built specifically for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users BUILT FOR DAILY LIFE • Workplace conversations • Customer interactions • Meetings and appointments • Travel and public spaces • Family and everyday talks • Situations where writing everything down is too slow Visual Hear is not a generic chatbot or casual translator. It is a focused communication helper built with respect for the Deaf community. Subscription unlocks unlimited usage and selected premium features. Privacy Policy: https://www.kovallux.com/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use: https://www.kovallux.com/imprint/

About

Microsoft Translator

Break down language barriers with this app that translates text, speech, images, and group conversations in over 100 languages. It's ideal for travelers, students, and professionals needing to communicate across cultures.

Highlights
  • Translate text, speech, and images
  • Supports over 100 languages
  • Real-time group conversation translation
  • Navigate conversations with transcripts and chapters
  • Intuitive interface
Read full description

Break language barriers instantly with Microsoft Translator. Translate text, speech, and images in over 100 languages — for free. Whether you're traveling, navigating daily life, or working across languages, Microsoft Translator helps you communicate quickly and confidently. Key features: • Translate text in 100+ languages • Real-time speech translation • Translate text in images Note: The multi-device conversation feature has been retired. With a simple, intuitive interface and high-quality translations, Microsoft Translator makes it easy to connect with people anywhere in the world. Get started today and communicate without limits. Explore supported languages at https://aka.ms/applanguages

Screenshots

Visual Hear4 screens
Microsoft Translator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Microsoft Translator at none against Visual Hear's 3. Microsoft Translator also leads on review sentiment (44% vs 22%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Visual Hear sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Microsoft Translator asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Visual Hear ships an update every 2 months, Microsoft Translator every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 2, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Visual Hear versus Microsoft Translator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVisual HearMicrosoft Translator
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.8 (158K ratings) — better
Positive reviews22.2% of reviews44.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—158K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSergii KovalMicrosoft Corporation

Customer experience

Visual Hear

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews27 reviews
Positive22.2%
Neutral11.1%
Negative66.7%

Microsoft Translator

All ratings158,207 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral3.0%
Negative2.4%
Written reviews572 reviews
Positive44.2%
Neutral9.8%
Negative46.0%

Bugs and requests

Visual Hear

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Microsoft Translator

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when translating certain types of content
  • Issues with camera-based translation feature
  • Problems with text-to-speech functionality

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more language options, including less common ones
  • Improve translation accuracy for specialized vocabulary and idioms
  • Provide more customization options (e.g. translation speed, font size)
  • Integrate with more third-party apps and services
  • Enhance offline capabilities for all supported languages

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Visual Hear

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Live Captions — Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Unlimited Transcription — Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Whisper AI Lifetime$59.99
None

Microsoft Translator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Visual Hear free?
Visual Hear is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Microsoft Translator free?
Microsoft Translator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Visual Hear or Microsoft Translator have ads?
Neither Visual Hear nor Microsoft Translator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Visual Hear or Microsoft Translator?
Visual Hear ships an update every 2 months, and Microsoft Translator every 6 weeks. Most recently, Visual Hear was updated on August 2, 2026 and Microsoft Translator on September 26, 2026.

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