I have spoken about the need to internationalize your WooCommerce store before. There are all-in-one, country-based plugins that let you ensure your store is ready for a specific country’s audience (e.g. Germany, Japan, Brazil, Italy and the Czech Republic).
But this isn’t exactly the right type of plugin for the merchant who is trying to service a truly international audience spread across various countries or continents. For this type of merchant, the first two steps are to add multi-currency and multilingual support.
Fortunately, just as there are many multi-currency plugins out there, there are quite a few WooCommerce-dedicated multilingual plugins to choose from. One of the plugins mentioned below even lets you do both!
In this listicle, we are going to compare the most popular multi-language plugins available for WooCommerce stores. Let’s jump right in.
1. WPML + WooCommerce Multilingual (OnTheGoSystems)
This plugin sits on top of WPML (WordPress Multilingual) and so it is referred to as a “glue” plugin, linking WPML to WooCommerce.
Not only does WooCommerce Multilingual translate WooCommerce products, it lets you easily manage translations for product categories and attributes; maintains the same language during the checkout process and post-checkout process (in emails); synchronizes inventory stock management; supports different payment gateways based on a customer’s location; and, last but not least, provides multi-currency support. Credit where credit is due: this plugin is the only one in this listicle to provide multi-currency support.
You can find step-by-step instructions for setting up WooCommerce Multingual here. After that, a setup wizard will let you translate your store pages, configure category and attribute translation settings, enable multi-currency and payment gateway support, and more.
It boasts compatibility with every major WooCommerce extension, including WooCommerce Bookings, Table Rate Shipping, Subscriptions, Product Add-ons, and Tab Manager. You can find the full list here (I love when plugins do this!).
2. Polylang + Polylang for WooCommerce (WP SYNTEX)
Although we don’t know the exact number of WooCommerce merchants using Polylang (the plugin available on the WordPress repository is not specific to WooCommerce), we can safely say it is also a very popular pick.
Polylang also lets you translate products, categories, and attributes with ease; maintains the same language during the checkout process and post-checkout process (in emails); synchronizes inventory stock management; and, lastly, it is compatible with CSV import and export tools. To reiterate: no built-in currency switcher, though.
It is compatible with WooCommerce Bookings, Table Rate Shipping, Subscriptions, Product Bundles, Dynamic Pricing, Follow-Ups, Min/Max Quantities, Variation Swatches, and Photos.
3. Translate WordPress with GTranslate (Translate AI Multilingual Solutions)
Also a popular option but once again, when looking at active installations, we can’t tell who’s a WooCommerce merchant and who’s simply a WordPress user.
The plugin brands itself as a “budget multilingual WordPress solution” that combines natural language processing with human translations to cost-cut. Unlike some other plugins, it uses a cloud-based approach that does not take a toll on website performance. SEO is another factor to consider if you go with the paid version of GTranslate. It will make your store automatically appear in different languages across different search engines, thereby helping you rank in foreign localities.
Other than that, you can expect most of the same WooCommerce-tailored features as the other two plugins listed above (product translation, checkout, and post-checkout translation, etc.).
The free version limits the number of words/pages translated, whereas the paid version does not.
Interestingly, in what appears to be a demonstration of business savvy not seen nearly enough in our ecosystem, the team behind this plugin also bought out a rival plugin that offers WooCommerce compatibility in its own right. It doesn’t appear to do much differently but it might be worth trying out. Sometimes, it’s the little things.
4. TranslatePress (Cozmoslabs)
Like every other plugin in this list, it’s geared toward WordPress and WooCommerce users alike.
TranslatePress prides itself on being simple, easy, and fast. What I love about is its front-end, real-time user interface. You can see translated pages as you edit them.
For a WooCommerce-focused set-up, follow the instructions in this helpful guide.
Lastly, compatibility is a selling point for TranslatePress. Expect most major plugins and themes to be compatible with it.
5. Weglot Translate (Weglot Translate team)
Like GTranslate, Weglot lets you optimize for multilingual SEO. And like TranslatePress, it lets you get set up within minutes. Like various other plugins in this list, it prides itself on compatibility. However, unlike anyone else, it charges on a per-word and per-language basis.
Your translations will come from a potential combination of natural language processing and professional translators.
With this plugin, it’s about the quality and not the quantity. It’s got some big stores using it, even if the install-base is the smallest out of everyone in the list.
6. WooMultistore
WooMultistore is not designed as a translation plugin; it’s meant to manage and synchronize inventories and orders across multiple WooCommerce stores. Which means it can be used as a part of a multi-site strategy where each store targets a different language market.
Here’s how you can leverage WooMultistore to effectively manage and translate your multiple WooCommerce stores:
Create Separate Stores for Different Languages
Set up individual WooCommerce stores for each language or market you’re targeting. This approach allows you to customize each store’s content, product titles and descriptions, and SEO for specific languages and cultural contexts.
Sync all product data between the sites
After syncing you can translate the required text, title, description, price etc. WooMultistore can still synchronize stock levels and orders across your different stores. You can easily choose what to sync:
