I Tested DeepL for a Week as a Language Teacher. Here's My Honest Review.

Q: Can I use DeepL for free?

Yes — the free tier lets you translate up to 1,500 characters at a time and includes limited document translation. A Pro subscription starting at $8.74/month removes those limits and adds stronger data privacy.

Jessica Santero Staff Writer

Updated 06 March 2026

Contents

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What is DeepL?
I was disappointed after testing
Is DeepL worth downloading?
FAQ
How WhistleOut reviews apps

I've been teaching languages for ten years, and fully understand the struggle of finding an accurate translator. After testing almost all of the options available, from Google Translate to Papago, I still haven't found the one to beat them all.

DeepL has emerged as the AI translation tool with a reputation as the most intelligent and nuanced alternative to the big names. Naturally, I spent a week putting it through the kind of tests that actually matter to someone who understands language—but was it really any different? Read on to see what I found.

Free for iOS and Android
37 languages offered (premium subscriptions available).

What is DeepL, and what makes it different?

DeepL is an AI-powered translation app that launched in 2017. It claims to produce output that sounds more natural than other competitors. It supports over 100 languages, making it one of the largest language libraries. While it's only half of what Google Translate offers currently, DeepL has the potential to grow and far outweight other alternatives.

The free version of the app DeepL translator lets you translate up to 1,500 characters at a time and toggle between formal and informal registers. If that isn't enough for you, then you need to opt for the premium version. DeepL Pro removes the character cap and unlocks unlimited document translations.

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The free version left me underwhelmed

DeepL's reputation is built on nuance, so I tested it where nuance matters most: phrasal verbs and idioms. These are the expressions that trip up even advanced language learners. Phrases like break a leg, kick the bucket, or it's raining cats and dogs that make no literal sense but are instantly understood by any native speaker. I threw a selection at DeepL across several language pairs, but it didn't get a single one right.

DeepL app interface showing text translation between English and Spanish

Microsoft Translator app interface showing text translation between English and Spanish

The same idiomatic phrase, translated by DeepL (left) and Microsoft Translator (right). DeepL was very wrong.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut

On the other hand, Google Translate and Microsoft Translator both translated the same phrases way better, correctly identifying idiomatic meaning rather than translating word-for-word into something baffling.

That's a huge red flag for an app that prides itself on linguistic intelligence. Idioms and phrasal verbs are exactly the kind of language that separates a decent translator from a great one.

DeepL's bad translations from audio input

More of DeepL's bad translations from audio input

DeepL's voice translation attempts on clearly pronounced Spanish audio — none of the results were accurate.
Image: Jessica Santero | WhistleOut

I then tested the voice translation, specifically whether DeepL can translate audio accurately. I used a selection of Spanish songs, choosing artists with notoriously clear diction (M-Clan and Ona Mafalda). There were a few snags along the way though.

DeepL's voice mode in the free version only lets you record a few seconds at a time (a handful of words, really). But the bigger issue was accuracy. Once again, none of the translations were correct. The app struggled to identify what was being said, even with clearly pronounced, native-speaker Spanish. For a tool positioned as an alternative to Google Translate for nuanced language, that's a hard pass for DeepL.

Is DeepL worth downloading? TL;DR: No

If you can use DeepL for free, it's not bad. But Google Translate (and even Microsoft Translator) is better. I had such high expectations of DeepL, but after really testing the app, all I can say is that it's alright.

It certainly isn't what it's hyped up to be. It didn't perform well on idioms, general language, or audio. Google Translate and Microsoft Translator both outperformed it where it matters most, and they each cover a far broader range of languages to boot.

If you're looking for alternatives to DeepL that actually hold up under pressure, our guide to the best translation apps for international travel covers the full field—including the ones that passed the tests DeepL didn't.

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From gaming to gardening, we're constantly testing the latest and greatest apps that we actually want to use on our own phones. Check out our most recent finds in our monthly roundup of the best new apps for iPhone and Android.

DeepL: FAQ

Can I use DeepL for free?

Yes, DeepL has a free tier that lets you translate up to 1,500 characters at a time and includes some limited document translation.

Can DeepL translate PDFs?

Yes, DeepL can translate PDF documents, but the free version limits how many you can upload per month. Pro includes get unlimited document translations with formatting preserved.

Can DeepL translate images?

Yes, you can translate images with DeepL just like Google Translate's camera feature.

Can DeepL translate websites?

Yes, DeepL has a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge that lets you translate entire webpages.

Can DeepL translate audio?

Technically yes, but I found it really wasn't accurate enough to use consistently. For voice translation, Google Translate and Microsoft Translator are much better.

Can DeepL translate videos?

No, DeepL doesn't offer video translation. If you need subtitles or translated captions, you'll need a separate tool.

How WhistleOut reviews apps

Our mobile experts scour the app stores, looking for the best new apps for Android and iPhone. Before recommending an app, we use the app for at least one full workday, testing its basic functionality and evaluating whether or not it delivers on its promises.

Easy to use
Great apps simplify your phone. We selected the tools that don't require a complicated instructional manual.
Affordability
The internet is filled with expensive price tags, but we're not buying what they're selling. We leaned into inexpensive, quality apps. Extra points if they're free!
Hands-on testing
We played around with these before recommending them, ensuring they're worth your download.

From there, we weigh the app's pros and cons and then determine whether or not it's a worthwhile download for the wider population of cell phone users.

Jessica Santero

Staff Writer

Jessica is a Staff Writer for WhistleOut and the site’s resident app expert. Her coverage frequently includes hands-on comparisons of popular app categories, such as translation, navigation, and dating apps, to evaluate how they perform in real-world mobile use.

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