Poll: Cloud-based CAT tools vs. Desktop apps: Which do you prefer?
თემის ავტორი: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
საიტის სამუშაო ჯგუფი
Jun 10

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Cloud-based CAT tools vs. Desktop apps: Which do you prefer?".

View the poll results »



 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
პორტუგალია
Local time: 03:47
წევრი (2007)
ინგლისური -> პორტუგალური
+ ...
No CAT tools! Jun 10

_86857944_pixardisneyap.jpg

A happy dinosaur...


Daryo
Jennifer Levey
 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
ბელგია
Local time: 04:47
წევრი (2020)
ფრანგული -> ჰოლანდიური
+ ...
CAT Jun 10

I hated cloud-based CAT tools at first, but I'm pretty used to them (MemoQ and Phrase) by now. The main issue remains that you never know how many connexion problems you're going to have.

But I will always prefer a desktop app.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-10 10:57 GMT]


Christine Andersen
Luis M. Sosa
expressisverbis
 
Luis M. Sosa
Luis M. Sosa  Identity Verified
ეკვადორი
Local time: 21:47
ინგლისური -> ესპანური
+ ...
Seem to prefer Jun 10

desktop, but the trend is to migrate to online tools. Some of them turn into turtles when large projects are translated. The truth here is that TMs no longer belong to you.

 
WolfgangS
WolfgangS
საფრანგეთი
Local time: 04:47
ინგლისური -> გერმანული
+ ...
Desktop tools Jun 11

I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?

 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
ბელგია
Local time: 04:47
წევრი (2020)
ფრანგული -> ჰოლანდიური
+ ...
True but... Jun 11

WolfgangS wrote:
I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?


... is it worth losing a good customer over the screwdriver to use? I'm inclined to say no. I would rather learn to use the new screwdriver.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:00 GMT]


 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
ბელგია
Local time: 04:47
წევრი (2020)
ფრანგული -> ჰოლანდიური
+ ...
Also true, but... Jun 11

Luis M. Sosa wrote:
The truth here is that TMs no longer belong to you.


...there are workarounds to make sure you still have access to everything you translated online in the past.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:03 GMT]


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
ნიდერლანდები
Local time: 04:47
წევრი (2006)
ინგლისური -> აფრიკაანსი
+ ...
Depends on payment structure Jun 11

Desktop if I'm paid per word.

Online is acceptable if I'm paid per hour and the hourly rate is high and the work load is not too high enough for me to learn how to use the system efficiently but low enough for me to accept other work from other clients.

If online and I'm paid per word or the hourly rate is very low, then I roundtrip via a desktop tool. If I'm unable to roundtrip, I don't accept the work. Roundtripping can sometimes involve time spent copy/pasting betw
... See more
Desktop if I'm paid per word.

Online is acceptable if I'm paid per hour and the hourly rate is high and the work load is not too high enough for me to learn how to use the system efficiently but low enough for me to accept other work from other clients.

If online and I'm paid per word or the hourly rate is very low, then I roundtrip via a desktop tool. If I'm unable to roundtrip, I don't accept the work. Roundtripping can sometimes involve time spent copy/pasting between tools, but I factor in that time when deciding whether to accept the work.
Collapse


 
Li-Hsiang Hsu
Li-Hsiang Hsu  Identity Verified
საფრანგეთი
Local time: 04:47
ფრანგული -> ჩინური
+ ...
Cloud CAT tools are much slower Jun 11

Do we agree that online/cloud-based CAT tools are considerably slower and less user-friendly? If the work is paid hourly online, I gladly accept. Otherwise, I download the bilingual file, work in desktop CAT tools, and upload the translation afterward.

WolfgangS
Maria Laura Curzi
 
WolfgangS
WolfgangS
საფრანგეთი
Local time: 04:47
ინგლისური -> გერმანული
+ ...
Why loose customers Jun 11

Lieven Malaise wrote:

WolfgangS wrote:
I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?


... is it worth losing a good customer over the screwdriver to use? I'm inclined to say no. I would rather learn to use the new screwdriver.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:00 GMT]


There are workarounds with online tools.


 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
ბელგია
Local time: 04:47
წევრი (2020)
ფრანგული -> ჰოლანდიური
+ ...
Not if... Jun 11

WolfgangS wrote:

Lieven Malaise wrote:

WolfgangS wrote:
I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?


... is it worth losing a good customer over the screwdriver to use? I'm inclined to say no. I would rather learn to use the new screwdriver.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:00 GMT]


There are workarounds with online tools.


...your customer insists on using their online CAT tool.


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:

ამ ფორუმის მოდერატორ(ებ)ი
Jared Tabor[Call to this topic]

You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Poll: Cloud-based CAT tools vs. Desktop apps: Which do you prefer?






PerfectIt
Check translations faster for consistency, quality and style guide compliance

PerfectIt helps professional translators deliver error-free documents in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. It helps improve consistency, ensure quality, and enforce style guides. ProZ members receive a 30% discount off individual purchases of PerfectIt.

More info »
LinguaCore
AI Translation at Your Fingertips

The underlying LLM technology of LinguaCore offers AI translations of unprecedented quality. Quick and simple. Add a human linguistic review at the end for expert-level quality at a fraction of the cost and time.

More info »