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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Google Translate vs Google

Google Translate 4.3★ · Free + IAP 70
Winner Google Translate
Google 4.6★ · Free to download 60

Google Translate is the better choice for dedicated translation needs, despite its recent usability issues, while the Google app serves as a broad search engine with integrated AI features that some users find intrusive.

Full reviews: Google Translate · Google

Google Translate offers robust translation capabilities, though recent updates have introduced frustrating bugs and usability concerns for many users. The Google app, while highly rated for its comprehensive search, faces criticism for its aggressive AI integration and advertising practices.

Head to head

Translation Accuracy & Features edge: Google TranslateR9R10R11R12
Google Translate Google Translate users generally find the app useful for translations, with some praising it as the 'best translator to ever exist' R17. However, many recent reviews highlight issues with translation accuracy, particularly for specific languages like Japanese or when differentiating between dialects R9R10R12. Users also request features like synonyms, noun gender, and more specific language options R11.
Google The Google app is primarily a search engine and does not offer dedicated translation features. Users mention using Google search to find correct translations when Google Translate fails .
Ease of Use & Interface tieR2R13R22R30
Google Translate Many Google Translate users report a decline in ease of use following recent updates, citing changes that made the app 'worse and harder to use' R22, removed basic functionality like the 'new translation button' R30, or made the interface 'childish' and spaced out . Some find the reverse translation feature less intuitive R2 and struggle with text color readability in dark mode R13.
Google The Google app's interface is generally well-understood as a search engine. However, some users dislike recent changes, asking how to revert to 'the old version' . Others find it 'too intrusive' with constant sports scores or prefer other search engines that don't track information or change screens .
Reliability & Performance edge: GoogleR3R16R18R19
Google Translate Google Translate suffers from significant reliability issues, especially with its live features. Users report 'Conversation Mode is broken' due to aggressive auto-detection R3, live translate 'never works' R19, and the microphone only works 'sometimes' R18. Camera translation is also reported as non-functional or unclear R16. Many describe the app as 'unusable' or 'getting worse' with updates R43.
Google The Google app generally performs well as a search engine, with users praising its ability to find 'truth about things' and provide 'good information and exact' . However, some users experience freezing , slow loading times for searches , and issues with pinned scores not appearing .
AI Integration edge: Google TranslateR10R15R40R54
Google Translate Google Translate users are critical of its AI. Some feel AI made translations 'worse' and 'unnatural sounding' R10. Users also complain about the 'robotic' voice quality R15 and express a desire for more advanced AI, like Gemini, to improve translation context and accuracy R40R54.
Google AI integration in the Google app is a major point of contention. Many users 'hate this search engine now because it always uses Ai' R61 and find the AI search engine 'inaccurate bloatware' R73. Users complain about AI giving 'false information' R97 and not respecting user preferences R82.
Price/Value & Ads edge: Google TranslateR66R70R94R96
Google Translate Google Translate is a free app with in-app purchases. Reviews do not mention ads or pricing as a significant issue, focusing instead on functionality and translation quality.
Google The Google app is free to download but heavily criticized for its advertising. Users complain about ads repeating 'over and over' R66R70, being 'bombarded with spam' , and ads 'locking the game making it impossible' R94. Some also note that search results are 'full of adverts' R99 or push 'paid results only' R96.
Pick Google Translate if

You need a dedicated translation tool for text, voice, or camera input, and are willing to tolerate some recent bugs and usability changes R17. You prioritize a free app without intrusive advertising R66R94.

Pick Google if

You need a general-purpose search engine for broad information retrieval and web browsing . You are comfortable with AI-generated summaries and personalized content, despite some user complaints R61R73.

Evidence note: Reviews for Google Translate are more recent and often highlight negative changes from updates, while Google app reviews are more varied, reflecting its broader functionality and larger user base. The Google app's high lifetime rating seems to be at odds with many recent negative reviews regarding AI and ads.

Frequently asked

Does Google Translate offer accurate translations?
Google Translate generally provides useful translations, with some users calling it 'the best translator to ever exist' R17, but many recent reviews indicate issues with accuracy, especially for specific languages or dialects, and unnatural AI-sounding output R9R10R12.
Are there issues with Google Translate's live conversation mode?
Yes, many users report significant issues with Google Translate's live conversation mode, stating it is 'broken' due to overly aggressive auto-detection, constantly cutting off speakers, and providing incorrect translations R3R43R58.
Does the Google app have too many ads?
Yes, many Google app users complain about excessive and repetitive ads, with some reporting ads repeating for 40 seconds R66, locking games R94, or being 'bombarded with spam' .
Can I disable AI features in the Google app?
Users express frustration that there is 'no option to completely remove' AI features in the Google app, with many disliking the AI search engine's inaccuracy and intrusiveness R61R73R82.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R9] Google Translate 3/5 · US Useful but not fully understood: Though the translator works but not all of them are are correct For instance pero means but not yet
  2. [R10] Google Translate 1/5 · US Ai made it worse: It used to be decent. Now it just gives unnatural ai sounding translations that doesn’t translate word for word your original input.
  3. [R11] Google Translate 5/5 · US I love learning Spanish, but…: I love learning this for Spanish languages, but it won’t let me know what kind of Spanish I wanna use, like for example, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Mexico), Spanish (Chile), and Spanish (Argentina). It just randomly does it for me. I don’t understand this at all. So next time you do the update in the future, can you put like all the AI Spanis
  4. [R12] Google Translate 3/5 · US Ok but not reliable: Especially for English because it can't differentiate between British and American. I have to retranslate because I don't know British words. Google should fix this.
  5. [R2] Google Translate 4/5 · US I don’t understand why they moved the reverse translation.: It’s no longer simple to use; I don’t understand the change.
  6. [R13] Google Translate 1/5 · US App SUCKS! Text color impossible to read: When copying a translation to an email it copies it with a light gray text that is impossible to read ! Perhaps this is due to the app being in dark mode? But after over ten minutes of looking i cannot got the app to regular mode- regardless: the copying should create black text
  7. [R22] Google Translate 2/5 · US They made the app worse and harder to use: You used to be able to switch back and forth between the original language and translation with a touch of a button. Now they have added extra steps, and made it harder. Nice job.
  8. [R30] Google Translate 3/5 · US New Translation Button Missing: Where's the new translation button?! That's the most basic functionality. Please don't tell me it was a Product decision to remove the button 😭
  9. [R3] Google Translate 3/5 · US Great tool, but Conversation Mode is broken. Bring back manual control!: The auto-detection in Conversation Mode is too aggressive. When sharing one phone with a friend, the app constantly cuts me off and blasts out translations while I'm still talking. It causes a confusing overlap of audio that ruins the conversation. Please bring back the manual recording controls and give us an option to disab
  10. [R16] Google Translate 1/5 · US Stopped working: It stopped translating from camera snapshots!!! · translated
  11. [R18] Google Translate 3/5 · US It’s ok: When I try to use the microphone to say what I want translated it only works sometimes. Also I want it to translate Hebrew but that’s not one of the languages that it offers.
  12. [R19] Google Translate 1/5 · US Line is garbage: Live translate never works
  13. [R15] Google Translate 3/5 · US Poor voice quality: Why is the voice still robotic in this ubiquitous AI era?
  14. [R40] Google Translate 1/5 · US It's already 2026, why still not allow translation to be integrated with Gemini AI? · translated
  15. [R54] Google Translate 3/5 · GB So Necessary: Oh yes, the ‘Practice’ function was really needed. I don’t believe Google Translate will be the one to teach me, since it can’t even properly translate sentences beyond single words, and for that reason I have to use ChatGPT for the context. This is exactly what Google should be working on instead.
  16. [R66] Google 3/5 · US About the ads: I noticed that these ads repeat over and over for around 40 seconds on certain apps, and I just find it a bit irritating with the same audio and video playing over and over, please try making longer ads to fit 40 seconds! I don’t like listening to stuff thats been repeating, Thank you!
  17. [R70] Google 1/5 · US Google ads in Vita Mahjong: I really don’t need to see the ad for Google repeated 6 to 8 times when I’m trying to play Vita Mahjong and I am already a Google user.
  18. [R94] Google 1/5 · US Google: Please take your adds off of puzzles and spells. Your adds lock the game making it impossible.
  19. [R96] Google 3/5 · GB Degraded, Hides Results, Pushes Paid Results Only: Google search is a shadow of what it was even 2 years ago. In supposed personalising it literally hides results you would want to see. It ignores profile location and country, pushing US results and sites, recipes, social accounts, everything despite my UK account. This used to work well. It pushes video and social content at all costs even if
  20. [R17] Google Translate 5/5 · US OVERPOWERED: This is the best translator to ever exist and NOTHING can change my mind. This app has been useful to me more times than I can count. If yall could add Navajo that would be excellent, but other than that, THE BEST EVER!!!!
  21. [R43] Google Translate 1/5 · US Getting worse: This app is getting worse each update. I can no longer use the live conversation feature as it wants to stop before the person is done speaking. Also getting more words incorrect now. I used to depend on this app a lot, but now it’s time to find something more reliable
  22. [R58] Google Translate 1/5 · US Listening issues: They need to improve the app to not stop the listening option until the person is finished speaking. For both regular translating and the live conversation editor, it would stop randomly and translate when the person wasn’t even finished with what they’re saying. I feel like it should not pause and translate until the person finishes speaking. It also provides completely incorrec
  23. [R99] Google 3/5 · GB Too many adverts: There is some interesting stuff pop up on google for me, I have no idea how or why, but many of the links are so full of adverts it’s almost unreadable. Advertisers know this: If I see you in my face unwanted I will never buy any of your products, ever!
  24. [R61] Google 1/5 · US REMOVE Ai: I hate this search engine now because it always uses Ai when i type anything and there's no option to completely remove that. we never asked for this feature give us our rights to decline it or face a lawsuit
  25. [R73] Google 1/5 · US AI ruined everything: AI search engine is inaccurate bloatware that’s ruining the internet and the environment. I can’t even search for a recipe without the top result being a “summary”, you can’t just put multiple recipes together and average it out, but computers are soulless and don’t know that! They can’t cook! I hate you all.
  26. [R82] Google 1/5 · US Gemini keeps saying stuff I said to not talk about: I said to Gemini about not to talk about demon souls and dark souls and instead about my sis raging
  27. [R97] Google 1/5 · US Bad ai: Ai was giving false information and wasn’t helping at all

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store