XTM vs memoQ

Which is better?

memoQ works fine for basic translation projects. But modern teams need more. They need platforms that scale with their content, support complex workflows, and don’t slow down as they grow.

That’s where XTM Cloud stands out. It's built from the ground up for global localisation—cloud-native, automation-ready, and made to handle high volumes without extra infrastructure. You get transparent AI, real-time collaboration, and integrations that connect directly to your content systems.

No bottlenecks, no patchwork tools—just a platform that moves as fast as your business.

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Trusted by teams at over 1,000 of the world’s leading organizations
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Why XTM beats memoQ

Real cloud technology

XTM Cloud was born in the cloud. memoQ started as desktop software and tried to add cloud features later. This difference matters when your team needs to scale fast or work across multiple offices.

Clear AI decisions

XTM shows you exactly how its AI works. You can use your own API keys and stay in control. memoQ only added basic machine translation recently. You can't see how it makes decisions or control the process properly.

Sixty real connections

XTM Connect links directly to your CMS, code repositories, and marketing platforms. memoQ mainly handles files. This means your team does more manual work and wastes time moving content around.

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The results only XTM can deliver

Whether you’re a localization manager, marketer, or product team, we streamline the entire process—saving time, reducing costs, and boosting quality

125%

increase in translation quality

40%

cost savings on external vendors

90%

faster time-to-market

What problems each platform solves

Both tools handle translation work. But they serve different types of teams.

memoQ suits traditional translation agencies. It gives experienced translators detailed desktop tools and strong translation memory features. Perfect if you need lots of customisation for complex linguistic projects.

XTM Cloud handles modern business localisation. Marketing campaigns, product launches, technical documentation, and multimedia content all flow through AI-powered workflows. Translators get visual previews that help them produce better work.

memoQ keeps teams tied to older systems. XTM gives you cloud flexibility when localisation becomes crucial for your business growth.

XTM vs memoQ - quick feature comparison

XTM
memoQ
Feature
Feature
Cloud-native architecture
Cloud-native architecture
Multi-tenant SaaS
Hybrid on-premise core
Workflow automation
Workflow automation
AI transparency and control
AI transparency and control
Visual context previews
Visual context previews
Enterprise integrations
Enterprise integrations
60+ connectors
Mostly file-based workflows
Licensing flexibility
Licensing flexibility
Cross-tenant sharing available
Per-seat server-bound
Security deployment options
Security deployment options
SaaS, private, and on-premises
On-premises with limited SaaS
Collaboration controls
Collaboration controls
Granular cloud-based roles
Server-dependent user management
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Cloud design that grows with you

Today's translation teams manage thousands of projects across different departments. Your platform needs to handle this growth without slowing down.

memoQ started life as desktop software. The server features came later. This creates problems when you scale across big organisations. Teams struggle with system maintenance and complex deployments that need dedicated IT support.

It handles smaller teams with steady workloads just fine. But when you need to grow quickly or support multiple business units, the old design shows its age.

How XTM delivers proper cloud power

XTM Cloud began as a multi-tenant SaaS platform. This means automatic scaling, zero infrastructure headaches, and deployment options that match your security requirements.

Teams can launch new projects instantly and work across time zones without server limits. Scale from ten languages to fifty without changing your setup. The platform handles traffic spikes automatically while keeping performance smooth for everyone.

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AI that you can actually understand

AI changes how teams handle translation quality, project routing, and content management.

memoQ recently added machine translation plugins for Google and DeepL, plus basic quality checks. These help with routine translation but lack the transparency and control that business teams need for compliance and brand protection.

No AI explanation features, limited workflow automation, and no support for your own API keys. Teams work without confidence scores or management controls that regulated industries require.

How XTM puts you in control

XTM Cloud's AI includes Language Guard for brand risk protection, SmartContext for visual previews, and Intelligent Score for quality assessment using industry standards.

The platform supports your own API keys, hosted language models, and full explanations for AI decisions. Teams see exactly why content was routed certain ways, what confidence scores mean, and how AI recommendations match brand guidelines.

This transparency matters for compliance reporting, quality audits, and building trust in automated workflows.

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Visual context that actually helps

Visual context helps translators understand how their work looks to end users. This reduces mistakes and improves accuracy.

memoQ provides basic preview features for common file types. Translators can see some formatting context, but the system lacks support for complex layouts, multimedia content, or modern web applications where visual context matters most.

This limited visual support works for simple document translation but falls short for marketing materials, technical documentation, or user interface localisation where layout affects meaning.

How XTM shows context that counts

XTM's SmartContext provides real-time visual previews for sixty-five file formats. From mobile applications to complex InDesign documents, translators see exactly how text appears in websites, PDFs, marketing materials, and technical documentation.

This visual context removes guesswork about text expansion, layout limits, and design elements that affect translation choices. Translators make better decisions because they understand the final user experience.

XTM smart context graphic
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Business connections that link everything

Modern business localisation needs smooth connections between content management systems, development tools, and marketing platforms.

memoQ focuses mainly on file-based workflows with limited pre-built connections. Teams often need custom development or manual processes to connect localisation with their existing content systems.

This approach creates bottlenecks when scaling across multiple content sources or trying to automate publication workflows. Integration limits force teams to work around the platform rather than with it.

How XTM connects your content world

XTM Connect supports sixty-plus native integrations including CMS platforms, Git repositories, marketing automation tools, and business intelligence systems.

These connections allow automated content ingestion, real-time project updates, and smooth publication workflows. Teams can trigger translations directly from their CMS, automatically sync with development branches, and publish localised content without manual file handling.

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Integration

Workflow automation that fits your business

Workflow automation determines how translation projects move through different stages from content creation to final publication.

memoQ provides workflow capabilities designed around traditional translation processes. These workflows require heavy configuration and scripting for complex business requirements. Limited flexibility for organisations with established approval chains or regulatory processes.

Teams often need technical expertise to modify workflows or adapt to changing business requirements. This creates dependencies on specialised knowledge and slows down process improvements.

How XTM workflows match your processes

XTM's Workflow Editor allows organisations to create sophisticated automation matching their exact business processes. Teams can design custom approval chains, set up automatic task routing based on content type or language, and implement quality gates ensuring translations meet specific standards.

Smart workflow capabilities use AI to make routing decisions automatically. High-confidence translations skip certain review stages while complex content gets additional scrutiny. This automation reduces manual project management while maintaining quality controls.

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XTM intelligent workflow depicting the process of a translation job

Licensing that works for real teams

Business localisation involves multiple stakeholders, external vendors, and complex collaboration requirements.

memoQ uses traditional per-seat licensing tied to server infrastructure. This model works for stable teams but creates challenges when working with external translators, temporary resources, or cross-departmental collaboration.

Licence management becomes complex when scaling across multiple business units or geographic regions. Teams often over-purchase licences to accommodate peak usage or struggle with access limitations during busy periods.

How XTM licensing adapts to your reality

XTM Cloud supports cross-tenant licensing, detailed access controls, and vendor-friendly configurations. Teams can share licences across projects, grant temporary access to external resources, and scale usage based on actual demand.

This flexibility reduces licensing costs while improving collaboration capabilities. External vendors can access projects without requiring full platform licences, and internal teams can collaborate across business units without administrative overhead.

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Start with XTM today

XTM Cloud is built for global teams that need more than traditional CAT tools. With cloud-native design, advanced AI transparency, and flexible deployment options, it delivers what memoQ cannot.

With XTM, you get:

 

True cloud-native platform built for scale
AI transparency with bring-your-own-key support
Visual context for sixty-five file formats
Sixty-plus business integrations
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Frequently asked questions

How does XTM vs memoQ compare for growing businesses?

When looking at XTM vs memoQ, the main difference is how they handle growth. XTM Cloud was built from the ground up for modern businesses that need to scale quickly. memoQ started as desktop software and added server features later, which creates bottlenecks when your team grows or needs to handle more complex workflows.

Which platform offers better AI features for translation quality?

In the XTM vs memoQ comparison for AI capabilities, XTM takes the lead significantly. XTM provides full AI transparency, lets you use your own API keys, and offers hosted language models with clear explanations for every decision. memoQ only recently added basic machine translation without much control or visibility into how it works.

Can both platforms handle complex business integrations?

When comparing XTM vs memoQ for business connections, XTM offers sixty-plus native integrations with CMS platforms, development tools, and marketing systems. memoQ mainly works with files, which means more manual work and fewer automated workflows for your team.

What deployment options do these platforms offer?

For deployment flexibility in XTM vs memoQ, XTM provides public cloud, private cloud, and on-premises options to meet different security requirements. memoQ focuses mainly on on-premises deployment with limited cloud capabilities, which can restrict how modern teams want to work.

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