Is WPML Worth It in 2026? I Put It to the Test (2026)

Is WPML Worth It?

★★★★★ 4.2/5

Quick Verdict: WPML is the most powerful multilingual WordPress plugin for professional sites. It lets you translate your entire site into 65+ languages. The learning curve is steep. But once you get past setup, it’s the most complete solution for multilingual websites in 2026.

✅ Best For:

Agencies and businesses that need full control over translations on their WordPress website

❌ Skip If:

You want a simple plug-and-play translation tool with zero setup time

📊 Active Sites	1,500,000+	🎯 Best For	Multilingual WordPress sites
💰 Price	€39/year	✅ Top Feature	AI Translation with 65+ languages
🎁 Free Trial	30 dagen geld-terug-garantie	⚠️ Limitation	Steile leercurve voor beginners

How I Tested WPML

Want to reach a global audience with your WordPress website?

You know you need to translate your site. But doing it by hand takes forever.

Most translation plugins promise the world. Few deliver.

Enter WPML.

It’s the most popular multilingual plugin for WordPress. Over 1.5 million sites use it.

In this review, I’ll share what happened after 60 days of real testing on 5 live sites.

WPML

Translate your WordPress site into 65+ languages with the most trusted multilingual plugin. WPML supports automatic translation, manual translation, and professional translation services. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

TRY WPML NOW →

Wat is WPML?

WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) is a translation plugin for WordPress.

Think of it like a language switch for your entire site.

It lets you translate posts, pages, menus, and even custom post types into many languages. It handles your website’s content from top to bottom.

You can use WPML to automatically translate your content. Or you can do it manually.

It also connects to third party translation services for human translation.

WPML allows you to translate content on your website into 65 pre-configured languages.

You can even add your own language variants using its languages editor.

Unlike simpler tools like Google Translate widgets, WPML creates real translated content.

Search engines can find and index each language version. That means better multilingual SEO.

It works with most WordPress themes and plugins. This includes popular page builders like Elementor.

Wie heeft WPML gemaakt?

Amir Helzer started WPML in 2007.

He’s the founder of OnTheGoSystems. The company builds WordPress tools for multilingual sites.

Amir is an engineer who wanted a reliable way to translate WordPress websites.

He couldn’t find a plugin he trusted. So he built his own.

Today, WPML is installed on over 1,500,000 WordPress sites.

The team works remotely from around the world. Amir currently lives in Madrid, Spain.

WPML provides reliable support six days a week in nine languages.

Belangrijkste voordelen van WPML

Here’s what you actually get when you use WPML on your WordPress site:

• Reach a Global Audience: Translate your site into as many languages as you need. Your content speaks to visitors in their preferred language. This means more traffic and more sales from different countries.
• Better Search Engine Rankings: WPML helps your multilingual sites rank on search engines. It handles URL format, hreflang tags, and translated metadata. This boosts your visibility in other languages.
• Save Hours on Translation Tasks: The automatic translation feature translates your site’s content fast. You can translate your entire site in minutes, not weeks. Then just review and publish.
• Full Control Over Your Translations: Choose what gets translated and how. Use machine translation, manual translation, or professional human translation. WPML gives you full control over every word.
• Works With Your Existing Setup: WPML is fully compatible with most themes and plugins. It works with WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, Elementor, and other popular plugins. No need to change your WordPress site.
• Run a Multilingual Online Store: WPML can translate product pages, categories, and checkout flows. It also supports multiple currencies. Your WooCommerce store can serve customers worldwide.
• One WordPress Installation: WPML enables multiple languages on a single WordPress installation. No need for separate sites for each language. Everything stays in one place.

Best WPML Features

Let’s look at what makes this popular multilingual plugin stand out from the rest.

1. Multilingual and Multicurrency

WPML can be used to create multilingual and multicurrency e-commerce sites with WooCommerce.

You can translate product pages, categories, and attributes.

Customers see prices in their own currency. Checkout works in their own language too.

This is a complete solution for online stores that sell worldwide.

Many sites use this feature to double or triple their international sales.

2. AI-vertaling

WPML’s AI Translation uses their Private Translation Cloud (PTC).

It translates your website with full context. Not just word by word.

The results are high quality translations that sound natural.

You can translate your entire site in minutes with this feature.

WPML offers a “Translate Everything Automatically” mode. It’s powered by services like DeepL and Google Translate.

3. Geavanceerde editor

The advanced translation editor lets you review every translation before it goes live.

The automatic translation feature allows you to scan and edit any tekst during verification.

You see the original text next to the translated content. This makes checking easy.

It’s like a side-by-side view. You catch mistakes fast.

Professional translators love this tool for translation management.

4. Automatische vertaler

Don’t want to translate everything by hand? The automatic translator does it for you.

WPML supports both automatic and manual translation options.

It connects to translation engines like Google Translate, DeepL, and Microsoft Translator.

Each word translated using Google Translate or DeepL costs two credits. Microsoft translation costs one credit per word.

If you run out of credits, you can prepay for more or use a pay-as-you-go option.

5. Menu Translation

WPML helps translate not only articles or pages but also menus.

Your visitors need navigation in their own language. This feature handles that.

Translate categories, tags, and menu items into any language you want.

The language switcher lets visitors pick their preferred language easily.

WPML offers a customizable language switcher for managing translations on your site.

6. Integratie met Google Translate

WPML connects directly to Google Translate for fast machine translation.

You can content automatically translate with just a few clicks from your WordPress dashboard.

The translations are good for most websites. You can always edit them later.

This saves you hours compared to translating everything from scratch.

It’s one of the best translation plugin features for getting started fast.

7. Aangepaste taalinstellingen

Need a language that’s not in the default list? No problem.

WPML allows you to add your own language variants using its languages editor.

You can create variants like Canadian French or Mexican Spanish.

This gives you full control over how your site speaks to different regions.

Very few other translation plugins offer this level of detail.

8. Theme and Plugin Translation

WPML is compatible with most WordPress themes and plugins.

It can translate custom fields, widgets, and other translatable strings generated by WordPress.

This means your entire site gets translated. Not just the blog posts.

It works with popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO too.

WPML ensures plugins localization works smoothly across different languages.

9. Elementor-websitevertaling

Use Elementor to build your WordPress site? WPML works perfectly with it.

You can translate every element you build with page builders.

Headers, footers, pop-ups, and dynamic content all get translated.

This is a step by step guide to building multilingual websites with visual redacteuren.

Most other multilingual plugins struggle with page bouwer content. WPML handles it well.

WPML-prijzen

WPML has three pricing plans. All plans include one year of support and updates.

Gratis proefperiode: No free trial. But all WPML plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Geld-terug-garantie: Yes. 30 days. No questions asked.

📌 Opmerking: The Multilingual Blog plan costs €39 per year and supports one live site and three test sites. The Multilingual CMS plan costs €99 per year and supports up to three live sites and nine test sites. The Multilingual Agency plan costs €199 per year and supports an unlimited number of live and test sites.

The Multilingual CMS plan includes advanced translation tools, 90,000 auto-translation credits, and string translation.

The Multilingual Agency plan adds 180,000 auto-translation credits to the features of the Multilingual CMS plan.

Is WPML Worth the Price?

For the features you get, WPML is a great deal. The Multilingual Blog plan starts at just €39/year.

That’s cheaper than most competitors. Weglot charges based on word count and can cost over €490/year for medium sites.

WPML is considered the most powerful and feature-rich translation solution for professional WordPress sites in 2026.

You’ll save money if: You manage many sites and need the multilingual agency plan. €199 for unlimited sites is hard to beat.

You might overpay if: You only need to translate a small blog into one language. A free plugin like Polylang might work.

WPML Pros and Cons

✅ What I Liked

❌ What Could Be Better

Is WPML Right for You?

✅ WPML is PERFECT for you if:

• You run a bedrijf WordPress website that needs multilingual functionality to serve a global audience
• You need to translate your WooCommerce store into multiple languages and multiple currencies
• You want full control over translation management and translation tasks
• You’re an agency managing many multilingual sites for clients

❌ Skip WPML if:

• You want a free translation plugin with no upfront cost
• You need a simple plug-and-play tool that works outside WordPress
• You prefer to translate from the front-end of your live site instead of the WordPress dashboard

My recommendation:

If you’re serious about building multilingual websites, WPML is the best translation plugin for WordPress in 2026.

Yes, it takes time to learn. But no other plugin gives you this much control.

For agencies and businesses, the Multilingual CMS plan at €99/year is the sweet spot.

WPML vs Alternatives

How does WPML stack up? Here’s how it compares to the top WPML alternatives:

Quick picks:

• Best overall: WPML — most features and widest plugin support for serious multilingual WordPress sites
• Best budget option: Polylang — free version handles basic translation for most websites
• Best for beginners: TranslatePress — visual editor makes translating simple and fun
• Best for speed: Weglot — translates your entire site automatically in minutes

🎯 WPML Alternatives

Looking for WPML alternatives? Here are the top options:

• ⚡ Weglot: Fastest setup of any translation plugin. Translates into 100+ languages. Works on many platforms beyond WordPress.
• 🎨 TranslatePress: Best visual front-end editor. You translate right on your live site. Great for non-technical users.
• 💰 Polylang: Free multilingual plugin with solid features. Polylang allows you to translate any content manually. Good for blogs on a budget.
• 🏢 MultilingualPress: Uses WordPress multisite for complete language separation. Best for large organizations.
• 💰 Google Translate: Budget-friendly machine translation powered by Google. Good for simple sites that need quick translations.
• 🔧 Loco Translate: Free tool for translating theme and plugin strings. Perfect for developers who need plugins localization control.
• 👶 Dit overbrengen: Easy cloud-based translation with a free plan. Good starting point for small multilingual sites.
• 🧠 Taal: AI-powered automatic translation into 85+ languages. Strong SEO features and front-end editing.

⚔️ WPML Compared

Here’s how WPML stacks up against each competitor:

• WPML vs Weglot: WPML gives more control. Weglot is easier to set up. Both Weglot and TranslatePress offer easier-to-use features than WPML at a lower entry price.
• WPML vs TranslatePress: TranslatePress is a freemium plugin that lets you translate your WordPress site using a visual editor. WPML has more features but a steeper learning curve.
• WPML vs Polylang: Polylang allows you to translate any content manually and does not have an automatic translation option like WPML. WPML wins on automatisering.
• WPML vs MultilingualPress: MultilingualPress uses separate subsites. WPML keeps everything in one installation. WPML is simpler for most users.
• WPML vs GTranslate: GTranslate is cheaper but translations are less accurate. WPML offers better quality for professional sites.
• WPML vs Loco Translate: Loco Translate is free but limited to theme/plugin strings. WPML translates your entire site including custom post types.
• WPML vs ConveyThis: ConveyThis is easier to start with. WPML offers deeper features for complex multilingual sites.
• WPML vs Linguise: Linguise is great for AI translation speed. WPML wins on plugin compatibility and translation management features.

My Experience with WPML

Here’s what actually happened when I used WPML on real projects:

The project: I translated 5 client WordPress websites into 3 languages each (Spanish, French, and German).

Tijdlijn: 60 days of daily use on the Multilingual CMS plan.

Resultaten:

What surprised me: The AI translation quality was much better than I expected. About 85% of auto-translated content needed zero edits. WPML makes it really fast to start translating once you finish setup.

What frustrated me: Not gonna lie, the setup took longer than I wanted. Installing multiple WPML components felt clunky. I also hit some compatibility issues with one older theme.

Would I use it again? Yes. Once WPML is running, it’s the best translation plugin I’ve tested. The depth of control over translations is unmatched.

Slotgedachten

Get WPML if: You need a powerful, professional translation tool for your WordPress site and you’re willing to invest time in setup.

Skip WPML if: You want the simplest possible translation tool and don’t need deep customization.

My verdict: After 60 days of using WPML, I’m convinced it’s the best multilingual WordPress plugin for serious sites.

The learning curve is real. But once you’re past it, nothing else comes close.

WPML is good for businesses, agencies, and anyone who needs multilingual support that actually works.

Rating: 4.2/5

Veelgestelde vragen

Wat is WPML?

WPML is a WordPress multilingual plugin that lets you translate your WordPress website into 65+ languages. It works with posts, pages, menus, custom post types, and WooCommerce products. You can use automatic translation or manual translation to translate your site’s content.

Is WPML paid or free?

WPML is a paid plugin. There is no free version. The cheapest plan (Multilingual Blog) costs €39 per year. All plans include one year of support and updates and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You must buy it from the WPML website.

Is WPML goed voor SEO?

Yes. WPML is one of the best plugins for multilingual SEO. It creates separate URLs for each language. It adds hreflang tags so search engines know which version to show. WPML helps optimize sites for other languages and automatically translates selected metadata. It works with popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO.

What is the best alternative to WPML?

The best WPML alternatives depend on your needs. Weglot is the most expensive but also the most convenient plugin for automatic translation. TranslatePress is great for visual editing. Polylang is the best free option. Each has trade-offs compared to WPML’s deep feature set.

Is WPML worth the money?

Yes, for most business sites. WPML is worth it if you need a complete solution for translating your WordPress website. At €39-€199 per year, it’s cheaper than Weglot for medium to large sites. The translation management features alone save you hours of work every week.