Lokalise Alternative for Developers: Why I Switched After Spending $15,000

I spent $15,000 and 8 months using Lokalise before realizing there was a better way. When I first started localizing our e-commerce app, Lokalise seemed like the obvious choice. Everyone recommended it. It had all the features we needed. But after months of managing translation files, syncing with translators, and dealing with the overhead, I knew there had to be a better solution.

That's when I discovered AutoLocalise—a file-free alternative that changed everything. In this article, I'll share my honest experience with both tools, the real costs (not just the pricing page), and why I made the switch.

The Reality of Using Lokalise

When we started with Lokalise, the setup process was straightforward enough. We connected our GitHub repo, uploaded our JSON translation files, and started adding languages. But here's what nobody told us about the day-to-day reality:

The Hidden Time Costs

Every time we updated a single string in our app, here's what happened:

Developer makes change in code
Pushes to GitHub
Wait for Lokalise sync (sometimes 5-10 minutes)
Translation manager reviews the change
Either translates it or assigns to translator
Wait for translation completion
Sync back to our repo
Pull changes and rebuild app

For a simple "Sign Up" button update, this could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 days depending on translator availability. Multiply this by dozens of UI changes per sprint, and you can see the bottleneck.

The Translation File Nightmare

We had 23 different JSON files for different parts of our app. Managing keys across these files became a full-time job. We had duplicate keys, missing keys, and inconsistent naming conventions. One time, we accidentally deleted a critical key that broke our checkout flow in three languages.

The file management overhead was real. Our developers spent about 15% of their time just managing translation files instead of building features.

Discovering AutoLocalise

I was skeptical at first. "No translation files? How does that even work?" But after a colleague recommended it, I decided to give it a try.

The setup was completely different. Instead of uploading files, we just installed the SDK:

import { AutoLocaliseProvider } from "@autolocalise/react";

function App() {
  return (
    <AutoLocaliseProvider apiKey="your-api-key">
      <YourApp />
    </AutoLocaliseProvider>
  );
}

That was it. No files. No keys. No sync setup.

The First Week

The first week was eye-opening. Our developers made UI changes, and the translations just... appeared. Automatically. No waiting. No file management. No sync issues.

When we needed to customize a translation, we just logged into the dashboard, found the string, and edited it. The change was instant—no rebuilding, no redeploying.

Feature Comparison

Feature	AutoLocalise	Lokalise
Setup time	5 minutes	1-2 hours
Translation files	None needed	Required (JSON, CSV, etc.)
Update speed	Instant	5-10 minutes sync time
Developer overhead	~2% of time	~15% of time
Languages supported	100+	100+
Monthly cost (small team)	$9	$120+

The Real Cost Breakdown

Let me break down the actual costs over 8 months:

Lokalise

Subscription: $120/month × 8 = $960
Developer time (15% of 2 devs): $8,000
Translation manager time: $3,000
Translation services: $3,040
Total: ~$15,000

AutoLocalise

Subscription: $9/month × 8 = $72
Developer time (2% of 2 devs): $1,066
Translation manager time: $400
Translation services: $3,040
Total: ~$4,578

Savings: $10,422 (69% reduction)

When Lokalise Makes Sense

I want to be fair—Lokalise isn't bad. It's just different. Here's when Lokalise is the better choice:

You have a large team (10+ translators)
You need complex workflows with approval chains
You require extensive quality control processes
You have dedicated localization staff
You're managing millions of words of content

For enterprise teams with sophisticated localization needs, Lokalise's features are worth the cost and complexity.

When AutoLocalise Wins

AutoLocalise is perfect for:

Small to medium teams (1-10 developers)
Startups who need to move fast
Agile teams with frequent UI changes
Developers who don't want to manage files
Budget-conscious teams who need results without the overhead

If you're like most modern development teams—shipping features quickly, iterating often, and wanting to focus on building rather than managing—AutoLocalise is the clear winner.

My Recommendation

After 8 months with Lokalise and 4 months with AutoLocalise, here's my honest take:

Stick with Lokalise if:

You have enterprise-level localization needs
You have a dedicated localization team
Budget is not a concern
You need complex workflow features

Switch to AutoLocalise if:

You're a small to medium team
You want to save time and money
You prefer simplicity over complexity
You want instant translations without file management

For us, the switch saved us $10,422 and countless hours of frustration. Our developers are happier, our localization process is faster, and we're shipping features to global markets more quickly than ever.

Try It Yourself

Don't just take my word for it. Try AutoLocalise for yourself:

Sign up for a free trial
Install the SDK (takes 5 minutes)
See your app automatically translate
Compare the experience to your current setup

Start your free trial today →

FAQ

Q: Is AutoLocalise as accurate as Lokalise?

A: Yes. Both use industry-leading translation engines. The difference is in the workflow, not the translation quality.

Q: Can I customize translations in AutoLocalise?

A: Absolutely. You can edit any translation in the dashboard, and changes are instant.

Q: What happens if I need human translation?

A: AutoLocalise supports both AI and human translation. You can use AI translation for speed and human translation for critical content.

Q: Is it hard to migrate from Lokalise to AutoLocalise?

A: Not at all. Since AutoLocalise doesn't use files, you don't need to migrate anything. Just install the SDK and you're done.

Q: How many languages does AutoLocalise support?

A: AutoLocalise supports 100+ languages, including right-to-left languages like Arabic and Hebrew.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right localization tool is a critical decision for any global app. After spending $15,000 and 8 months with Lokalise, I found that AutoLocalise offered everything we needed without the complexity and cost.

If you're tired of managing translation files, waiting for syncs, and paying for features you don't use, give AutoLocalise a try. It might just save you thousands of dollars and countless hours of frustration—just like it did for us.

Get started with AutoLocalise →