DeepL: The Best Alternative Translator to Google, Now with Its Own App

Anyone who needs to translate something on the Web knows that Google Translate is a couple of clicks away, but also knows that its results can range from comical to disastrous. It is very likely that DeepL is the best alternative translator to Translate, and it has a fairly robust online version; however, all those interested in bringing that benefit to their desktops will be able to do so thanks to a new app in beta phase.

If English is a major barrier or you need to process an excerpt in another language to get even a basic idea of what it says, the number one online option remains Google Translate. In fact, the Chrome browser itself will offer to translate entire pages, but I've noticed that users end up disabling that option. Why? First, to have greater control over what gets translated and what doesn't, and second, there are times when Translate gets it wrong... a lot.

So what other options are there? The old Babel Fish is as dead as most of Yahoo's services (there is a portal with translation services that bears that name), and Bing's translator doesn't really surpass Translate. This is when DeepL appears. Not a few people see DeepL as the best online translator, but now the possibility arises to access its functions through an app.

DeepL: The best translator on the Web, now in an app

It all starts with downloading its installer, which weighs just over 130 megabytes in its Windows version. DeepL will place an icon in the system tray, on which we can double-click to open the main translation window, or access the settings menu. DeepL's advantage lies in its handling of keyboard shortcuts and the clipboard. If you want to translate text on a Web page, it's enough to select it, press Ctrl+C to send a normal copy to the clipboard, and press Ctrl+C a second time to let DeepL know you want to translate it.

If you don't like that behavior, you can replace the second Ctrl+C with a click on the notification. Other options include disabling notifications for an hour, disabling them until the next system restart, changing how long notifications are displayed, and something very important: creating a 'blacklist' of applications that DeepL must completely ignore (text processors and spreadsheets are good candidates).

The DeepL app is compatible with Windows and macOS, but I imagine it shouldn't be hard for its developers to publish a Linux build or offer some compatibility via Wine. Now, there are still some doubts about the usefulness of the program. If the vast majority of translations are done in the browser, I imagine a tab with DeepL loaded is enough. Still, don't let that stop you. Download a copy and share a comment with us. What do you think of the DeepL app?

Official site and download: Click here