Searching for "website translation tools" brings up lists of product names, but what really makes the difference isn't the product name—it's the mechanism: where the translation is applied. Tools with the same mechanism can and can't do largely the same things. This article explains the four types and closes with questions to ask before signing a contract. Since pricing and features of each product change, we limit ourselves here to explaining the mechanisms; please check each vendor's website for current terms.
Type 1. JavaScript Tag (Replaced in the Browser)
You add a single line of tag code to your site, and the text is replaced with the translated language in the visitor's browser. The tag-based methods of shutto翻訳 and Weglot, and the script method of WOVN.io, are examples of this type. It is the easiest to set up and can be added to any site.
- Pros: Quick to set up. Your site's design is used as is.
- Caveats: When replacement happens in the browser, the HTML received by search engine and AI crawlers often remains in the original language. Some products offer plans that output separate language-specific URLs for SEO, so be sure to confirm whether crawlers receive the translated HTML. Because translation is applied when the page opens, there may be a "flicker" where the original text is briefly visible.
Type 2. Proxy (A Translation Server in Front of the Production Domain)
Traffic to your site is routed through a translation server, which translates the HTML passing through and returns it. Because language-specific domains or paths can be hosted on the production domain, this setup is strong for SEO. WOVN.io's proxy method is an example.
- Pros: Crawlers receive translated HTML. Language-specific URLs can be placed on the production domain.
- Caveats: Changes to the production domain's DNS or CDN settings are required, and since this affects network configuration, the work falls to the IT department or web agency. If the translation server goes down, the entire site may be affected.
Type 3. CMS Plugin (Language Versions Managed Within the CMS)
Like WPML, Polylang, and Bogo for WordPress, content for each language is stored within the CMS. Translations are entered manually or connected to a machine translation service.
- Pros: Content management is handled entirely within the CMS. The plugin outputs language-specific URLs and hreflang.
- Caveats: Few options outside of WordPress. Plugin and theme compatibility must be verified with every update. Cannot be used with hosted CMS services such as STUDIO, Wix, and Jimdo.
Type 4. Separate Delivery (Translated HTML Served on a Separate Subdomain)
Your published Japanese pages are fetched and translated, and the translated HTML pages are served on a separate subdomain such as global.example.co.jp/en/ . Sotomuke is this type. No changes are made to your Japanese site, and you can go live simply by adding one CNAME record to your DNS.
- Pros: Works regardless of CMS or hosting. Crawlers receive translated HTML. Even if the translation service has an outage, your Japanese site is unaffected. Updates to the Japanese site are detected and only the changes are retranslated.
- Caveats: Language versions are on a subdomain rather than directly under the production domain (example.co.jp/en/) (though they can be placed there by forwarding via a CDN). Pages requiring login and content rendered solely by JavaScript cannot be translated.
Comparison of the Four Types
| JS tag | Proxy-based | CMS plugin-based | Separate delivery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation work | One line of tag code | DNS/CDN changes | Plugin installation and theme compatibility | One CNAME record in DNS |
| Supported CMS | All | All | Mainly WordPress | All |
| HTML received by crawlers | Depends on configuration | Translated | Translated | Translated |
| Language-specific URLs | Depends on plan | On the production domain | On the production domain | Subdomain (root directory also possible via forwarding) |
| Impact on the Japanese site | Loading of the tag | Routing changes | Load from the plugin | None |
| Keeping up with updates | Automatic | Automatic | Manual or via integration | Automatic (re-translation of changes) |
7 questions to ask before signing a contract
- When you search Google in English, do English pages appear in search results in English? (Is the setup one in which crawlers receive translated HTML?)
- Do you output language-specific URLs and hreflang tags? What about sitemaps?
- When I update the Japanese site, what gets reflected and when? Is any manual work involved?
- Can I edit and lock translations sentence by sentence? Is there a glossary for company and product names?
- How is text inside images (banners, menus) handled?
- What determines the price (page views, number of pages, number of languages, character count)? Will I get unexpected charges if the translation volume increases?
- What remains if I cancel? Can I export my translations?
Sotomuke's answers are collected in the FAQ. For details on how it works, see Using with WordPress, STUDIO, Wix, and Shopify, and for how to communicate with search engines, see What Is hreflang?.
Try it with Sotomuke
Just paste the URL of your Japanese website, and we'll create a free translated preview of your homepage. No CMS modifications or tag installation required. Publishing starts at ¥4,980 per month, with no minimum contract period.