Libris Translate
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Comparison

Libris and the alternatives

There are several good ways to translate a book. Here is what each does better than Libris Translate, and what Libris Translate does differently, with the sources we read.

Sources read on 30 September 2026. Prices and conditions change: follow the links before deciding. A mistake? Write to us and we correct it.

What Libris Translate does

  • Whole books and series: EPUB books, and chapters in TXT, Markdown, HTML or DOCX, rebuilt as an EPUB with the source’s structure. A fixed-layout EPUB (comics, picture books) is refused. The AI book translator, step by step
  • Consistency: a Book Bible (characters, places, terms, tone) and a series memory that every volume reads, glossaries you can lock. Book Bible
  • Quality you can check: automatic checks and a score per passage, a review screen, and an optional judge model. Quality and validation
  • Where the texts go: your books, translations and history stay on your server; only the passages being processed go to the model provider you chose.
  • Your choice of model, hosted or on your own hardware, and its cost shown before each paid operation. Which model, and what it costs

What Libris Translate does less well

  • It has to be installed: a Linux machine with Docker, or someone who runs it for you. A hosted version is planned, not available yet.
  • Two costs: the licence and the model. A free tool with a free engine costs less. Try it free first
  • It writes a first draft for human review, not a publishable translation; a literary translator stays better on style.
  • No PDF, no fixed-layout EPUB, no office documents with their layout: DeepL does that better.

The alternatives, one by one

  • A chatbot, by hand (ChatGPT and the like)

    You paste the book, chapter after chapter, into a conversation and copy the answer back.

    What it does better
    Nothing to install, a subscription many people already pay for, and help you can question passage by passage.
    Where the texts go
    On the provider’s servers. On personal ChatGPT accounts, conversations are used to train the models unless you turn it off in the data controls.
    Price
    A monthly subscription.
    Formats
    Whatever you paste or upload, within the file limits; the book is rebuilt by hand.
    Sources
    OpenAI — ChatGPT Pro plans · OpenAI — File uploads FAQ · OpenAI — Data controls in ChatGPT

  • DeepL, document translation

    You upload a document and download it translated, with its layout.

    What it does better
    Fast, the layout of Word, PowerPoint or PDF files is kept, nothing to install, and ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II certified.
    Where the texts go
    At DeepL. For Pro plans, documents are stored temporarily, deleted after translation and not used to improve the service.
    Price
    From €7.49 a month (Individual, billed yearly: 3 files a month, 30 MB each), up to €49.99 per user a month (Business: 100 files).
    Formats
    docx, pptx, xlsx, pdf, html, txt, xliff, odt, idml and more; EPUB is not in the API’s list.
    Sources
    DeepL Pro — plans · DeepL API — document translation

  • Ebook Translator, the Calibre plugin

    A free plugin that translates a book of your Calibre library through the engine you choose.

    What it does better
    Free and open source (GPL v3), inside the Calibre library you may already use, with dozens of input formats, a translation cache and batch mode.
    Where the texts go
    At the engine you choose: Google, DeepL, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek or a custom one.
    Price
    Free; you pay the engine.
    Formats
    Calibre’s input formats plus subtitles.
    Sources
    Ebook Translator (Calibre plugin)

  • A service paid by the word (human or AI)

    A translator, an agency or an online service translates the book and bills per word.

    What it does better
    A professional literary translator brings a quality, a voice and a responsibility no model gives; you have nothing to review yourself.
    Where the texts go
    At the translator or the service.
    Price
    Per word; the rate depends on the language pair, the text and the translator.
    Formats
    Agreed with the service.
    Sources
    SFT — survey of translation rates (2022)

  • Kindle Translate (Amazon KDP)

    Amazon translates an eligible KDP ebook and publishes the translation on Kindle.

    What it does better
    Free, published in a few clicks, and the translation stays eligible for KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited.
    Where the texts go
    At Amazon. Titles are clearly labelled as translated by Kindle Translate in the store.
    Price
    Free, in a beta open by invitation.
    Formats
    KDP ebooks only; English to and from French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish.
    Sources
    Amazon — Kindle Translate · KDP Help — Kindle Translate

  • Computer-assisted translation (Trados, memoQ, Phrase, OmegaT, Matecat)

    The translator’s workbench: the translator writes, the tool suggests and checks segment by segment.

    What it does better
    Translation memories and termbases reused across jobs, segment-level quality checks, the profession’s standard; OmegaT and Matecat are free.
    Where the texts go
    On your computer (OmegaT) or at the vendor (online tools).
    Price
    Free (OmegaT, Matecat) to a paid licence or subscription (Trados, memoQ, Phrase).
    Formats
    Dozens of office and localisation formats.
    Sources
    OmegaT · Matecat

Sources

See also

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