Best image translators in 2026: 7 tools compared by what they output
There is no single best image translator, because the tools do not return the same thing. Camera apps show a translation over what you see, assistants and desktop apps give you text, and a few tools produce a new image. This comparison sorts seven tools by output, free use, batch and API support, using each vendor's documentation as of October 2026.
In short
- Reading something on the go: Google Translate or the tools already on your iPhone; Papago for Korean.
- Getting the text out of an image: DeepL, ChatGPT or Live Text.
- Publishing the image in another language: a tool that rebuilds the image, such as TranslateMyImage, or Canva if the design is still editable there.
How this comparison was made
This page is published by TranslateMyImage, which is one of the seven tools listed. Each entry is based on the vendor's own documentation or app store listing as of October 2026, linked in the entry. We did not run an accuracy benchmark, so nothing here ranks translation quality. "Best for" labels describe what each tool is designed to do, and "not documented" means we could not find the information in the vendor's documentation.
Three kinds of output
- Text. You get the translation as words to read or copy. DeepL's apps, ChatGPT and Live Text work this way. Good for understanding and quoting; the image itself is unchanged.
- Overlay. The translation is shown on the photo or camera view itself. Google Translate, Apple's Translate app and Papago work this way. Good for reading on the spot; none of these vendors presents the result as a publishable design.
- Rebuilt image. You get a new image file in which the translated text replaces the original. TranslateMyImage does this, DeepL's document translation does it for JPEG and PNG files (in beta), and ChatGPT Images can generate an edited version on request. Good for publishing; every result needs a review.
What each tool returns, and where it runs
| Tool | Output | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Google Translate | Overlay (camera, website); copyable text; downloadable translated image on the website | Android, iOS, web |
| Apple Live Text and Translate | Text and overlay; the Translate app can save the translated image | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| DeepL | Text in the apps; a translated image file through document translation (JPEG, PNG; beta) | Windows, macOS 14+, iOS, Android; image files also through the API |
| Papago | Translation of the text in a photo; translated images can be saved | iOS, Android (a web version also exists) |
| Canva Translate | Translated editable text inside a Canva design | Web and Canva apps |
| ChatGPT | Text; an edited image from ChatGPT Images if you ask for one | Web, iOS, Android |
| TranslateMyImage | A new image with the translated text in the original layout | Web browser (desktop and phone), API |
Free use, scale and privacy
| Tool | Free option | Several images at once | API for images | Privacy note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Translate | Free | Not documented | Not covered here | Camera translation works offline once languages are downloaded |
| Apple Live Text and Translate | Built into iOS and macOS | Not documented | Not covered here | On iPhone, On-Device Translation can be set to Always |
| DeepL | Free plan: 1,500 characters a day for image text in the apps | Not documented | Images listed as a beta format in document translation | Not covered here |
| Papago | Free app | Not documented | Not covered here | Not covered here |
| Canva Translate | Free accounts can try it once | Translates several pages of a design, one language at a time | Not covered here | Not covered here |
| ChatGPT | Free plan, with usage limits | Several images per conversation | OpenAI's API offers vision and image models, not a dedicated image translation feature | Data controls let you opt out of model training |
| TranslateMyImage | 2 translations per 24 hours without an account, result sent by email; Basic plan: 3 credits a month, personal use | From the Pro plan up: 10 images and 50 outputs per run | Yes, from the Pro plan up | Images are uploaded and processed with third-party image-processing and AI providers, as described in our privacy policy |
The seven tools
1. Google Translate — best for quick, free translation on any device
What it does. In the Android and iPhone apps, tap Camera to translate text live, capture it with the shutter, or pick a saved image (All Images on Android, Gallery on iPhone). Languages can be downloaded for offline camera translation. On a computer, the website's Images tab translates an uploaded picture, with Copy text and Download translation buttons (Google Translate Help).
Limits. Google says small, unclear or stylized text may not translate accurately, and its help page does not list file types or size limits for the Images tab. The help page calls the download the translated image and does not describe how it is built. More detail in our Google Translate comparison.
2. Apple Live Text and Translate — best for iPhone and Mac users who want nothing to install
What it does. In Photos, tap the Live Text button, then Translate (Apple Support); Apple lists iPhone XS, iPhone XR or later with iOS 15 or later. The Translate app's Camera translates live and can translate, then save or share, a photo from your library (iPhone User Guide). On a Mac, Preview and Photos translate selected text from the Control-click menu (Preview guide).
Limits. Live Text and translation are not available in every language or region. Apple's guides cover reading, copying, saving and sharing translations, not editing them into a design.
3. DeepL — best for getting translated text from an image if you already use DeepL
What it does. The Windows app has an Images tab; the Mac app (macOS 14+) accepts dragged images; the mobile apps have a Camera button. The output is translated text, from BMP, PNG, JPG, TIF or GIF files (DeepL). Separately, DeepL's API reference lists JPEG and PNG images as a beta format for document translation, and DeepL's documentation says a translated document comes back in the same format as the input, so the result is a translated image file.
Limits. The free plan allows 1,500 characters a day for image translation in the apps, and DeepL says handwriting may not translate accurately. See our DeepL image translation comparison.
4. Papago — best for Korean, Japanese and Chinese on a phone
What it does. Naver's free app (App Store) recognizes and translates the text in a photo you snap, and its listing mentions saving translated image files. The listing names 14 languages, including Korean, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and English. Papago is made by NAVER Corp., a South Korean company.
Limits. The listing does not describe how a saved translated image looks, so check one before reusing it. The App Store listing describes offline translation for text; do not assume photos work offline without testing. For keeping a translated copy of a Korean image, see the Korean image translator guide.
5. Canva Translate — best for designs you built in Canva
What it does. Canva Translate translates the text in a Canva design, whole pages or selected text, into one language at a time within a 2,000-character limit (Canva Help Center). Canva's Translate page lists 134 languages and presents Translate as a Pro feature that free accounts can try once. Canva's AI usage page says that on paid plans other than Pro Lite, Translate does not count toward the monthly AI allowance (fair use limits apply).
Limits. Text baked into a photo or a flattened image is not editable text. For photos, Canva's image translator page describes first turning the text into editable text boxes with Grab Text, presented there as part of Canva Pro, and Canva's Grab Text help says it only works with Latin-alphabet text. Our guide on how to translate Canva designs covers both cases.
6. ChatGPT — best for understanding an image's text with context
What it does. Attach an image in a conversation and ask for a translation; the answer is text, and you can ask follow-up questions about meaning or context. OpenAI's help center says image inputs are available on Free and paid plans, subject to usage limits. If you ask for a translated image, ChatGPT Images generates an edited version of the picture (OpenAI Help Center).
Limits. OpenAI's vision documentation says its models may not perform optimally on non-Latin text such as Japanese or Korean, or on rotated text. OpenAI also notes that image edits may extend beyond the area you select, so check logos, fonts and details in a generated image. Details in Can ChatGPT translate images?
7. TranslateMyImage — best when you need the finished image in another language
This is our product. What it does. You upload a JPG, PNG or WebP image (up to 10 MB) and get a new image with the translated text in the original layout. Modes adapt the translation to marketing visuals, manga and comics, or technical documentation. The uploader translates into 9 languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese), and the language pages cover 45 target languages. Plans from Pro up add batch translation (10 images and 50 outputs per run, ZIP download) and the image translation API.
Limits. It also uses an AI image model: digits, small text and logos can change, so review every result. One image per translation in the uploader, no live camera or offline mode, no text export, no way to edit the translated text in the browser, and no PDF, Word or PowerPoint input. Commercial use requires the Pro plan or higher (Pro is $9.90 a month for 100 credits).
How to choose
| If you need to… | Start with |
|---|---|
| Read a sign, menu or label in front of you | Google Translate or Apple's Translate app camera; Papago for Korean |
| Translate without a data connection | Google Translate or Apple's Translate app, with languages downloaded beforehand |
| Copy the translated text into a document or email | DeepL, ChatGPT or Live Text |
| Understand context, idioms or cultural references | ChatGPT |
| Translate a design you made in Canva | Canva Translate |
| Publish an image (ad, product photo, slide visual, comic page) in another language | TranslateMyImage, or test DeepL's document translation (beta) on JPEG or PNG files |
| Translate dozens of images into several languages | A tool with batch or API support |
| Translate a confidential image without server processing | An on-device option, such as Apple's Translate app with On-Device Translation set to Always |
Free options at a glance
- Google Translate: free on the web and in its apps.
- Apple Live Text and Translate: included with iOS, iPadOS and macOS on supported devices.
- DeepL: free plan with 1,500 characters a day of image text in the apps.
- Papago: free app.
- Canva: free accounts can try Translate once, according to Canva's Translate page.
- ChatGPT: image inputs on the Free plan, with usage limits.
- TranslateMyImage: 2 translations per 24 hours without an account (the result is sent by email), then 3 credits a month on the free Basic plan, for personal use.
Need the finished image in another language?
Upload an image, pick a language and a mode, and download a new image with the translated text in the original layout. Review it before you publish.
Frequently asked questions
How can I translate an image for free?
Google Translate is free on the web (Images tab) and in its phone apps, and iPhone and Mac users have Live Text and Translate built in. DeepL's free plan covers 1,500 characters a day of image text in its apps. If you need a translated image file, TranslateMyImage allows 2 translations per 24 hours without an account and sends the result by email.
How do I translate an entire image?
For reading, upload it to Google Translate's Images tab, which translates the text it detects across the picture. For a new image in which all the text is replaced in the same layout, use an image translator that rebuilds the image, then check it line by line.
Can ChatGPT translate an image?
Yes: attach the image in a conversation and ask for a translation. The answer is text. Asking for the image with translated text uses ChatGPT Images, which generates an edited image. OpenAI notes that edits may extend beyond the area you select, so check the details.
What is the best image translator app for a phone?
For reading signs and menus, start with the free camera modes in Google Translate or Apple's Translate app. Papago, from the Korean company Naver, is another free option that supports Korean, Japanese and Chinese. We have not benchmarked accuracy, so try two apps on the language you need before a trip.
Can I take a picture of something and get it translated?
Yes. Google Translate, Apple's Translate app and Papago translate text through the phone camera, and Google Translate can also work offline once you download the languages.