Build a full-cycle localization process with Alconost + Crowdin

Alconost is a language service provider (LSP), also known as a “translation agency” or a “localization vendor”. Alconost has a team of certified translators who localize your content into 120+ languages and a team of localization managers who coordinate translators, perform quality checks, and resolve any issues.

Crowdin is a translation management system (TMS) or platform that handles the technical part of the localization process. You upload your files to the system. It identifies the text strings in your files, and translators working within the system localize them. All the while, you can monitor progress in real time. Crowdin stores your Glossary and Translation Memory, and you can attach screenshots and chat with translators to clarify the context. It has a variety of integrations to automate the process.

Alconost and Crowdin work in tandem and address interdependent sides of the entire localization process. If you want to build a flawless localization process, this synergy is mandatory.

Our translators are certified native-speaking linguists with documented expertise in specific domains like apps, games, legal, marketing, finance, etc. If they work with us, it means that they've passed our internal certification test with a score of 98% or higher. Only 2.5% of all applicants are accepted to work at Alconost.

We currently have 700+ translators on our team, with 2-20 per language pair. We assign a team of translators that suits your project based on their expertise. Before working on the project, translators are trained on your systems and specifications, study the brief, go to your website (if you're localizing a website), download your app (if it's an app), or even play your game (it's a nice job to play games, huh?). As native speakers and bicultural professionals, our translators are sensitive to cultural and religious nuance, and they will adapt content precisely to fit your business goals instead of providing verbatim translations.

A dedicated localization manager for your project builds or uploads a Glossary, a Translation Memory, and a Style Guide (if needed) so the terminology will remain consistent throughout the project.

If you think you might have peak periods of big releases, we can simultaneously onboard several translators per language pair and engage them during these busier-than-normal periods.

When the translations are ready, the localization manager performs automated quality checks with technology that will spot any grammar, typos, or syntax mistakes.

For some projects, our clients initially require two translators working on the same content, with one person translating and the second one proofreading. This provides an extra quality layer that some clients require.

There's also a separate service called Linguistic Quality Assurance (LQA), in which translators access your product's interface and test how the translations fit and look on the website. They then produce a report detailing any possible mistakes. This service is provided on an hourly basis.

If you decide to work with us as your localization vendor on Crowdin, we'll organize Crowdin onboarding for you and consult to you on setting up all the necessary integrations.

We will guide you on the process to manually configure your Crowdin workflows within your account. In addition to that, Crowdin has a comprehensive knowledge base with detailed instructions on configuring the most popular integrations and a responsive customer service team.

Yes, we have a service called Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE). Before starting an MTPE project, we perform test translations with various AI tools and choose the best-performing one for each language pair and your type of content. We do this because the quality of machine translation varies by language pair and content type. Human translators then proofread the machine-translated text at the level required to meet your quality expectations. This process may reduce translation costs by up to 50%.

Yes, we do perform incremental translations. This process is called "continuous localization". In this process, localization is performed at the same time as product development and so localized files can be released simultaneously.

To ensure consistency, the translations are done by the same team of translators who did the initial localization of your product.

It works like this: As soon as new strings are ready for translation, you inform your Alconost PM via email or the dedicated Slack channel. For projects with more frequent updates, we organize "pick-up" days. For example, your PM will check your Crowdin project for new updates each Tuesday or Thursday and inform the translators as soon as there's a job for them.

It depends on your project. We’ll analyze your project and advise on the best choice. We'll also help your team to onboard on the tool and assist you with configuring all the workflows: Translation + Proofreading, MTPE, and integrations (GitHub, Crowdin apps like Zendesk, Magento, Intercom, WordPress, Moodle, regular or custom formats support, etc.).

Linguistics quality assurance is a separate, additional service beyond translation and involves translators reviewing your product to test how the translations fit and look in the actual interface. They then produce a report outlining any possible problems (bugs).

The price for translations is calculated based on the number of characters and the language pair rate. Each language pair has a different rate. Project set-up and management are included, and there are no hidden fees. We have a variety of payment methods: pay-as-you-go or monthly. You can even pay in crypto. You choose what works best for you.

Crowdin has subscription fees starting from $50/month and a 14-day free trial period. If you're not sure whether Crowdin fits your needs, we can run a pilot project for you and host your files in our account for a while. This is a great way to go for one-off projects since you won't have to worry about any integrations with your workflows.