AGPL-3.0freeRuns locallyWriting & Office
LibreTranslate: Self-Hosted Open Translation API
Self-hosted AGPL machine-translation API powered by Argos Translate.
- License
- AGPL-3.0
- Stars
- 17,108 (2026-10-18)
- Platforms
- Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker
- First seen
- 2020-12-19
TL;DR. LibreTranslate is Self-hosted AGPL machine-translation API powered by Argos Translate. License: AGPL-3.0 (verified). Platforms: Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker. Price: free. Runs locally: yes. It is an alternative to DeepL.
| Name | LibreTranslate |
|---|---|
| Language | Python |
| License | AGPL-3.0 |
| Pricing | free |
| Platforms | Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker |
| Runs locally | Yes |
| Stats | 17,108 stars · 1,782 forks (as of 2026-10-18) |
| First seen | 2020-12-19 |
| Repository | https://github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate |
LibreTranslate is a self-hosted machine translation API. Official hosts we opened on 2026-10-18: LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate, libretranslate.com, and docs.libretranslate.com. It hangs off DeepL alternatives. That mapping is editorial. We have no sourced quality comparison against DeepL.
Key facts (2026-10-18)
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stars / forks | 17,108 / 1,782 | GitHub API LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate |
| Created | 2020-12-19T19:19:34Z | same |
| Last push | 2026-10-12T16:51:33Z | same |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | LICENSE |
| Language | Python | GitHub |
| Latest release | v1.9.6, 2026-05-26T17:45:39Z | GitHub Releases |
| Engine | Argos Translate | README |
What the README says it is
Copied labels: a free and open-source machine translation API, entirely self-hosted, that does not rely on proprietary Google or Azure translation stacks. The translation engine is Argos Translate (MIT, 6,571 stars, last push 2026-08-08T12:09:57Z in the same day’s API check). Docs cover Docker and a REST API. Those are copied labels. We have not counted language pairs from a live /languages response.
Related
- DeepL alternatives
- Hy-SimulMT (Hunyuan simultaneous speech MT, not a text API)
- Writing & Office
- Microsoft Word alternatives
FAQ
Is LibreTranslate a free DeepL alternative I can self-host?
It is a self-hosted translation API under AGPL-3.0 (LICENSE checked 2026-10-18). The engine is Argos Translate, not DeepL. Quality versus DeepL is not independently tested here. "Self-host" means the code is downloadable; you still run the server and models.
Can I use it commercially?
AGPL-3.0 allows commercial use with copyleft conditions. Network-service use requires offering corresponding source. A hosted libretranslate.com product is a different artifact. Not legal advice.
Is the project still active?
In the 2026-10-18 GitHub API check: 17,108 stars, 1,782 forks, last push 2026-10-12T16:51:33Z. Latest GitHub release v1.9.6 (2026-05-26T17:45:39Z). Commits are newer than that tag.
Does it match DeepL quality?
We have no sourced bake-off against DeepL. Language-pair coverage and quality vary.
Sources & verification
- https://github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate
- https://github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate/blob/main/LICENSE
- https://libretranslate.com
- https://docs.libretranslate.com
- https://github.com/argosopentech/argos-translate
- https://github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate/releases/tag/v1.9.6
License notes are not legal advice. Read the original LICENSE. Trademark & disclaimer.