Loco Translate
by Tim Whitlock
Edits theme and plugin translation files directly in the admin.
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What Loco Translate does
Edits theme and plugin translation files directly in the admin.
It sits in the translation part of a WordPress stack and is sold by Tim Whitlock on a freemium basis. We recommend it in our translation guides because it does that one job well without asking you to rebuild the rest of the site around it.
Every plugin adds work to a page request, so treat this as a decision with a cost. Record a speed test before you install it and run the same test afterwards, on the same page, so you know exactly what it charged you.
Real user ratings
Score
4.8/5
Reviews
452
Active installs
1,000,000+
Downloads
38.0M
Latest version
2.8.8
Last updated
2026-08-01
These figures come straight from the public WordPress.org plugin directory API for version 2.8.8, not from us. Check them yourself on the WordPress.org listing. Our own editorial score is 4.8/5.
Where Loco Translate ranks elsewhere
Loco Translate does not appear in the published "best of" lists we track from WPBeginner, TechRadar, Kinsta, Themeisle and similar sites. That is not a mark against it - those roundups are short and skew towards the biggest names.
What changed in the latest version
- Disabled links in all editor notes and error fields; fixes CVE-2026-15066
- Identified one fix required for PHP 8.5
- Bumped WordPress compatibility to 7.0.2
- Critical fix for Windows file paths
- Fixed incorrect Ace editor script reference.
- Translator role is only created when explicitly granted loco_admin .
- Users with manage_options no longer inherit loco_admin unless super user.
- Fix for CVE-2026-15005: Thanks mikemyers.
Release notes are the developer's own words, published on WordPress.org. Read the full changelog
Pros and cons
- Best tool for fixing bad strings
- A free tier you can trial before paying
- Actively maintained and used on production sites we test
- Not a multilingual site builder
- The features most sites need sit in the paid tier
How to use it
- 1Decide whether you need full translations or machine translation with review.
- 2Set the language switcher position and URL structure before translating.
- 3Translate menus, widgets and plugin strings, not just posts.
- 4Check hreflang tags are output for every language.
- 5Re-test speed, since extra languages add database work.
How it compares
Other translation plugins we recommend, with their rating and pricing model.
| Plugin | Our rating | WordPress.org | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loco Translate | 4.8 | 4.8 (452) | Freemium | Best tool for fixing bad strings |
| MultilingualPress | 4.3 | n/a | Premium | No performance penalty per language |
| Polylang | 4.6 | 4.7 (2,984) | Freemium | Capable free multilingual setup |
| TranslatePress | 4.7 | 4.7 (1,654) | Freemium | Visual, front-end translating |
| WPML | 4.4 | 5 (20) | Premium | Widest compatibility and support |
Guides that cover Loco Translate
Alternatives
Other translation plugins
MultilingualPress
Inpsyde
Runs each language as its own site in a multisite network, keeping databases separate and fast.
Polylang
WP SYNTEX
Creates a translation of each post and term, with a free core that covers most multilingual sites.
2,984 reviews · 29.0M downloads · v3.8.9
TranslatePress
Cozmoslabs
Translate from a live visual editor, including text output by plugins and themes.
1,654 reviews · 20.7M downloads · v3.3.5