XTM vs Smartcat

Why enterprises choose XTM for serious localization

Smartcat does the job if all you need is a quick translation here and there. But once your business starts growing and you need proper workflows, better context, and more control, its limitations show fast. XTM is built for teams that need real structure, automation, and visibility across their localisation efforts.

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Why XTM is the better choice than Smartcat

Real workflow automation

XTM gives you structured, logic-based workflows. Smartcat uses a crowd-based task model that’s harder to control at scale.

True visual context

XTM’s SmartContext provides full file previews for formats like HTML, InDesign, and XML. Smartcat only offers isolated string-level views.

Transparent AI, your way

With XTM, you can plug in your own AI keys and see exactly how scoring works. Smartcat doesn’t reveal which models it uses or how results are generated.

Real results. Not just promises.

Businesses using XTM see faster turnaround times, fewer errors, and consistent quality across languages and channels.

50%

Reduction in translation errors

42%

Cost saving with machine translation

90%

Faster time-to-market

XTM vs Smartcat: What’s the real difference?

It’s mostly about scale and control. Smartcat leans towards small teams and freelancers working on ad hoc projects. That’s fine at first — until you hit issues with consistency, governance, or quality control.

XTM, on the other hand, is built for serious localisation. It gives you everything you need to manage translation at scale, from custom workflows to secure deployments and detailed oversight. A lot of companies start with Smartcat but move to XTM once they need something more robust.

XTM vs Smartcat comparison

Feature

XTM

Workflow automation
Visual context
SmartContext with full file previews
AI transparency
Deployment options
Terminology management
Connector integrations
60+ native connectors
Subcontractor licensing
Security compliance
Enterprise-grade options

Smartcat

Workflow automation
Visual context
String-level only
AI transparency
Deployment options
Terminology management
Connector integrations
Fewer native options
Subcontractor licensing
Security compliance
Limited to SaaS model

XTM vs Smartcat: Workflow automation that actually works

If your translation process has grown beyond basic tasks, Smartcat might start to feel a bit too simple.

Their model relies on a freelancer marketplace, where jobs go out and translators bid on them. It works fine for small projects, but there’s not much control. You can’t easily set rules for who should handle what, and there’s no built-in system for managing sensitive or high-priority content.

XTM Cloud takes a more structured approach. You can build custom workflows that fit your business. Want to route marketing content to a specific linguist? Done. Need quality checks to kick in if an AI score drops below a certain level? That’s easy too. You can even set different approval steps for different languages — all within one platform.

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Workflow view showing translation, editing, and proofreading stages with colour-coded status labels for accepted, ready, and started

XTM vs Smartcat: Giving translators the context they need

Translators do their best work when they know what they’re looking at.

Smartcat only shows plain text — just strings with no visual cues. That might mean someone is translating “Click here” without knowing if it’s a button, a menu item, or part of a headline. It’s no surprise this leads to rework and mixed-up translations.

XTM’s SmartContext fixes that. It shows full previews of the actual content — whether it’s a webpage, an XML file, or an InDesign layout. Translators can see how everything fits together, including formatting and design. That means fewer mistakes, better consistency, and faster sign-off from your reviewers.

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Image showing SmartContext preview—side-by-side comparison of source and translated content with visual indicators, helping translators work faster and with more accuracy.

XTM vs Smartcat: AI transparency and control

AI features in translation tools should be transparent and controllable, not mysterious black boxes.

Smartcat’s AI features include things like Smartcat Translate and predictive suggestions, but the platform doesn’t explain which models it uses or how decisions get made. You can’t bring your own AI keys or control the prompts that generate suggestions. This opacity creates compliance issues for regulated industries that need to audit their AI usage.

XTM’s Advanced AI Pack provides complete transparency and control. Intelligent Score uses MQM-aligned quality scoring so you understand exactly how AI evaluates translations. Language Guard acts as a risk firewall, catching potential issues before they reach human

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Image showcasing XTM’s Language Guard feature identifying and transforming biased language into inclusive, context-appropriate phrasing for professional use.
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XTM vs Smartcat: Enterprise security and deployment flexibility

Security requirements vary hugely between organisations and deployment flexibility often determines which platforms organisations can actually use.

Smartcat is a SaaS-only platform. Your translation data lives in their cloud infrastructure with limited options for data residency or private deployment. This is a problem for regulated industries like healthcare, finance or government contractors that need specific security controls.

XTM offers multiple deployment options including SaaS, private cloud and on-premise installations. Financial services companies can keep sensitive data within their own infrastructure. Healthcare organisations can ensure HIPAA compliance with private deployments. Government contractors get the security controls they need for classified content.

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XTM vs Smartcat: Translation memory governance that scales

Translation consistency depends on proper memory management but not all platforms handle this equally well.

Smartcat treats translation memories as crowd-sourced resources that get shared across users and organisations. This sharing model reduces consistency because your approved terminology gets mixed with translations from other companies. You lose control over linguistic quality as your TM gets diluted with external contributions.

XTM has enterprise-grade translation memory governance. Your TMs are completely separate from other organisations. You control who can contribute to your linguistic assets and maintain consistent terminology across all content types. The platform supports multiple TM hierarchies so different product lines or regions can have their own linguistic standards whilst sharing common corporate terminology.

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Image displaying translation memory usage—highlighting reuse of existing translations to improve speed, consistency, and quality across multilingual content.

XTM vs Smartcat: Connector ecosystem for real integration

Modern enterprise localisation requires deep integration with existing business systems, not just file upload and download.

Smartcat has basic integrations but lacks the depth needed for automated workflows. You can connect to a few common platforms but complex scenarios require manual intervention or custom development work.

XTM’s connector ecosystem has over 60 native integrations with CMS platforms, development tools, marketing automation systems and business intelligence platforms. Content flows automatically from Drupal, WordPress or custom CMSs into translation workflows. Developers can push code strings directly from Git repositories. Marketing teams can translate campaign assets without leaving their automation platforms.

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XTM integration capabilities graphic

Try XTM, the smarter alternative to Smartcat

When translation quality and enterprise control matter more than crowd-sourced convenience, XTM delivers the advanced capabilities that Smartcat simply cannot match.

XTM gives you what other platforms can’t – intelligent automation, visual in-context translation, deployment flexibility, and security built for regulated industries. With full control over translation memory and enterprise-grade governance, it’s everything you need to manage localization at scale—without the compromise.

Stop settling for crowd-sourced translation management when you need enterprise-grade localization control. See how XTM transforms your translation workflows.

FAQs

XTM provides transparent enterprise pricing without hidden fees for essential features like advanced AI or premium connectors. Smartcat’s marketplace model can create unpredictable costs as project complexity increases and you need more control over linguist selection and quality assurance processes.

Yes, XTM supports all major file formats that Smartcat handles, plus provides superior visual context through SmartContext technology. Unlike Smartcat’s string-level approach, XTM shows translators how content appears in its final format, reducing errors and revision cycles for complex documents.

XTM provides complete AI transparency with features like Intelligent Score, Language Guard, and support for bringing your own AI keys. Smartcat’s AI remains largely opaque with limited documentation about which models are used or how quality decisions get made, creating compliance challenges for regulated industries.

XTM provides advanced collaboration tools within a controlled enterprise environment rather than Smartcat’s open marketplace approach. You get structured workflows, role-based permissions, and audit trails whilst maintaining complete control over who accesses your content and translation memories.

XTM offers over 60 native integrations compared to Smartcat’s more limited connector ecosystem. The integrations marketplace includes deep connections to CMS platforms, development tools, and marketing systems that automate content flow without manual intervention.

XTM provides enterprise-grade TM governance with complete separation between organisations and controlled contribution processes. Smartcat’s crowd-sourced TM sharing model can dilute your linguistic consistency as approved terminology gets mixed with translations from other companies and projects.

Yes, XTM offers flexible deployment options including SaaS, private cloud, and on-premise installations. Smartcat operates as SaaS-only, which creates compliance challenges for regulated industries that need specific data residency or security controls for sensitive content.

XTM’s business intelligence dashboards provide comprehensive visibility across all connected systems and translation workflows. You can track progress, identify bottlenecks, and measure localization impact through unified reporting that Smartcat’s marketplace-focused approach cannot match.