Polylang
by WP SYNTEX
Creates a translation of each post and term, with a free core that covers most multilingual sites.
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What Polylang does
Creates a translation of each post and term, with a free core that covers most multilingual sites.
It sits in the translation part of a WordPress stack and is sold by WP SYNTEX 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
4.7/5
Reviews
2,984
Active installs
800,000+
Downloads
29.0M
Latest version
3.8.9
Last updated
2026-09-08
These figures come straight from the public WordPress.org plugin directory API for version 3.8.9, not from us. Check them yourself on the WordPress.org listing. Our own editorial score is 4.6/5.
Where Polylang ranks elsewhere
Polylang 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
- Fix wrong redirect on home when the URL includes a query var #1998
- Security: Fix exposure of some draft posts metadata to non-authorized users. Reported by Patchstack.
- Pro: Allow plugins requiring Polylang to be installed when Polylang Pro is active #3051 #3116
- Pro: Fix warning WP_Post conversion to int with WooCommerce #3101
- Pro: Fix creation of translation in block editor for WP < 6.7 #3105
- Fix duplicated posts page #1992
- Pro: Add the translation of new blocks introduced by WP 7.1 #3048
- Fix quick edit parent page dropdown for hierarchical custom post types #1947
- Fix wp-editor script enqueued together with the new widgets editor #1968
Release notes are the developer's own words, published on WordPress.org. Read the full changelog
Pros and cons
- Capable free multilingual setup
- A free tier you can trial before paying
- Actively maintained and used on production sites we test
- String translation needs the pro build
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polylang | 4.6 | 4.7 (2,984) | Freemium | Capable free multilingual setup |
| 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 |
| 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 Polylang
Alternatives
Other translation plugins
Loco Translate
Tim Whitlock
Edits theme and plugin translation files directly in the admin.
452 reviews · 38.0M downloads · v2.8.8
MultilingualPress
Inpsyde
Runs each language as its own site in a multisite network, keeping databases separate and fast.
TranslatePress
Cozmoslabs
Translate from a live visual editor, including text output by plugins and themes.
1,654 reviews · 20.7M downloads · v3.3.5