Tipword
Google Translate is the translator everyone knows, and it’s free. On a Mac, though, there’s no app: you copy text into translate.google.com or use the Chrome extension. Tipword works differently: it shows what one word means, right where you’re reading, in any app.
At a glance
| Feature | Tipword | Google Translate |
|---|---|---|
| How you use it | Hold ⌥ and point at a word | Paste text into the website, or select it in Chrome |
| Works in | Every app on your Mac | Your browser |
| Text in images | Point at it where it is | Upload the image to the website |
| Price | $12 once | Free |
| Where text goes | Apple languages stay on your Mac | Google’s servers |
When Google Translate is the better choice
- You need a long passage, an email or a whole page translated.
- You’re on someone else’s computer and just need a quick translation.
- You want it free.
When Tipword is the better choice
- You read in another language and get stuck on single words.
- The word is in a video, a picture, a PDF or a desktop app.
- You don’t want to copy and paste every time.
Questions
Can I use my own Google key with Tipword?
Yes. 34 of Tipword’s 54 languages use your own Google Cloud key; Google’s first 500,000 characters a month are free.
Can I try Tipword?
Download it free. To start translating, add a license. If it’s not for you within 14 days, you get a full refund.
Try itTipword is $12 once, with no subscription. Download it, add a license, and if it’s not for you within 14 days you get a full refund. Download for Mac