Head-to-head
Speak & Translate vs Translate Now
Speak & Translate
55
Winner
Translate Now
Translate Now
60
Translate Now is generally faster and more accurate for basic translations, but both apps face significant criticism for their aggressive subscription models and high weekly costs.
Full reviews: Speak & Translate · Translate Now
Speak & Translate struggles with long load times and frequent crashes, while Translate Now offers quicker, more accurate translations but is heavily criticized for its high weekly subscription fees and limited free functionality. Both apps have issues with user experience due to their monetization strategies.
Head to head
Speak & Translate Speak & Translate is praised for being useful in both speech and text translation, handling long and complicated conversations efficiently, and offering accurate translations in various dialects of Spanish R5R8R14. However, some users report that voice input for certain languages is unavailable and that speech-to-Spanish translation can be unreliable R10.
Translate Now Translate Now is noted for being fast, accurate, and easy to use, with some users finding it better than other translation tools . However, it lacks features like reading text aloud, automatically including pinyin for Chinese, and the ability to slow down translation speed for learning pronunciation . Many core features, including voice and picture translation, are locked behind a paywall .
Speak & Translate Speak & Translate is described as intuitive and very easy to use by some R2. However, a significant number of users report very long load times, frequent freezing, crashing, and unresponsiveness R1R3R7. Some also find it not intuitive .
Translate Now Translate Now is generally considered easy to use . However, some users find it hard to use and report issues like the app only translating one word at a time via microphone, keyboard glitches, and live translation not working due to connection issues . The Mac version is also reported to not work .
Speak & Translate Speak & Translate is frequently criticized for its unreliability, with users experiencing long loading times, freezing, crashing, and not picking up speech R1R3R7. Some also report that recent updates made the app useless or caused it to no longer detect the language spoken R4.
Translate Now Translate Now is generally seen as reliable for quick and accurate translations . However, some users report lag when translating with the microphone, issues with live translation, and the app not working on Mac .
Speak & Translate Speak & Translate is a 'Free + IAP' app, but many users complain that it's not truly free and requires a subscription to do anything, even basic text translation R28R33R42R43. Subscriptions are reported to be $9.99 per week or $100 per year, with some users feeling it's a 'bait and switch' R25R28R33R43. There are also complaints about being charged without clear notification R25.
Translate Now Translate Now is also a 'Free + IAP' app, but it faces overwhelming criticism for its very high subscription cost, frequently cited as $9.99 per week, or $15 per week, leading to $40-$60 per month or $520 per year R66R70R76R82. Users feel it's a 'scam' or 'bait and switch' because most features are paywalled, and they are often charged after a short 'free trial' without clear notification R82.
Speak & Translate Speak & Translate users frequently complain about constant, annoying pop-ups asking for reviews, sometimes blocking functionality R6R9R13R16. There are no specific mentions of customer support interactions.
Translate Now Translate Now users report difficulty reaching customer support after being charged for unwanted subscriptions . Some also mention difficulty unsubscribing, noting it cannot be done within the app itself .
Pick Speak & Translate if
You prioritize accurate text and speech translation for complicated conversations, especially if you need specific Spanish dialects, and are willing to tolerate potential performance issues and aggressive review prompts R5R8R14.
Pick Translate Now if
You need a generally fast and accurate translator for basic use cases and are either willing to pay a high weekly subscription or only need the very limited free functionality .
Evidence note: Both apps have a significant number of negative reviews regarding their pricing models, with users feeling misled about the 'free' aspect and surprised by high weekly charges. This skews recent reviews negatively for both, despite their high lifetime ratings. The free vs. paid asymmetry is very pronounced, as many negative reviews stem from users expecting a free app but encountering paywalls or unexpected subscriptions.
Frequently asked
Is Speak & Translate truly free?
How much does Translate Now cost?
Why do both apps have high lifetime ratings but many negative recent reviews?
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.
- [R5] Speak & Translate Fast and good for long conversations: I was skeptical at first, but having tried it with my Spanish-speaking loved one it makes life very easy in translating very complicated conversations in in a very efficient way
- [R8] Speak & Translate Complete and correct: Found this app to be useful both in speech and text.
- [R10] Speak & Translate Voice input languages are not available: Persian and many more languages are not available in voice mode not benifited
- [R14] Speak & Translate Great help: Translate very accurately
- [R1] Speak & Translate Good app once it loads: The app still takes a long time to load
- [R2] Speak & Translate Really nice to use: GREAT APP
- [R3] Speak & Translate Long App Load Time: The app takes a very long time to load, which makes it difficult if you are trying to start or answer in a conversation
- [R7] Speak & Translate Awful: It sucks… commands are not immediately responsive, and it’s clunky
- [R4] Speak & Translate It was a great application: They sent out an update a couple of weeks ago and now it doesn’t know what language you are speaking. It went from good to useless.
- [R25] Speak & Translate Bait and Switch: Did not realize this was automatically going to create a subscription and charged me $9.99 plus tax per week for almost two months. Unfortunately I did not realize as it was subtracting from my Apple balance which I do not monitor that closely. Reached out to Apple to refund who has provided little/no help so far. Read the other reviews! I expect more from this company and App
- [R28] Speak & Translate you cant do anything without paying: you literally cant do anything in this app if you dont pay for a subscription. NOT EVEN TEXT. google translate is better than this because at least you can translate something without needing to pay a monthly subscription. dont get this app
- [R33] Speak & Translate Not free: It would be nice if the company promp that the app is not free, I read a lot of reviews because I would be downloading this for my job and I’m the only American. Although, the reviews show me it is definitely worth the $100 a year. Still might buy it but just know people are deleting right after downloading because they were unaware
- [R42] Speak & Translate Well: I was great but I can find other translating apps that can have the same offer for free instead of having a subscription
- [R6] Speak & Translate Review Request with each use?: Why does the app ask for a review every time you open the app?
- [R9] Speak & Translate It is ok: I am asked to rate too often The app does better on writing than speaking You are forced to do reviews - it is very annoying. It beats nothing. I guess I have to say something nice it or I can’t get off this screen. It is better than other translator apps I have tried.
- [R13] Speak & Translate No mas: Quit asking for a review!!
- [R16] Speak & Translate Stop this persistence: Stop with the pop up
- [R43] Speak & Translate This is not free at all.: Apps with a seven day free trial should say “free trial” not “get”. After seven days this app cost $10 a week and of course you’re required to put your credit card in to start the free trial, but this is only after you’ve spent some time setting up the app
- [R46] Speak & Translate NOT FREE: can't use it at all without having to pay
- [R66] Translate Now Read carefully: Although quite functional, but $15 a week is absurd. The intertwining of ChatGTP gives a myriad of useful translations, but for $60 a month the app should mow my lawn and wash the dishes. Aunque es bastante funcional, $15 a la semana es absurdo. La interconexión de ChatGTP ofrece una multitud de traducciones útiles, pero por $60 al mes la aplicación debería cortar mi césped y lav
- [R70] Translate Now $9.00 a WEEK????: I’m sorry, what???!?? This is a joke right?!? Who’s paying $9.00/week for a translator app??? Who would do that?? With 350+K favorable reviews, you would like us all to believe that HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE are paying $50 A MONTH for a TRANSLATION APP…??? And if you read the negative reviews, the company response justifies the expense saying it’s going toward “future devel
- [R76] Translate Now To Dame Expensive: $9.99 a week = $40 a month; that is way to Dame Expensive.
- [R82] Translate Now $40 per month: *WARNING* : It did not say clearly and plainly in the App Store that this program costs $9.99 per week which comes to about $520 per year. I gave it 1 star because it works. But I removed 4 stars because it nearly scammed me. You get only 3 days to “try” it before it starts sipping away at your bank account. *UNINSTALLED!!!* さようなら Goodbye! _Arrivederci!_ 再见 Adios! Auf Wieder
Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store