kitio.aiDeepL vs Lightkey
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. DeepL starts at See pricing page and Lightkey starts at $49.95/yr. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Text and document translation
- DeepL Write editing
- Real-time voice translation
- Glossaries and style rules
- Developer API
- Office and browser integrations
- Multi-word text prediction
- Real-time spelling suggestions
- 80+ languages offline
- Chrome and Edge extensions
- Team terminology predictions
| Feature | DeepL | Lightkey |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | AI translator for text, documents and live speech | On-device predictive text for Windows that learns your writing style |
| Category | Writing | Writing |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Free trial |
| Starting price | See pricing page | $49.95/yr |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 30-day trial |
| Made by | DeepL SE | Lightkey |
| Based in | Germany | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
DeepL starts at See pricing page and Lightkey starts at $49.95/yr. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
5 plans
Free
Free
- 50,000 characters per month
- 1 saved translation
Individual
€7.49/mo billed yearly
- 300,000 characters per month
- 3 file translations per month
- No training on your texts
- Full-page translation
Team
€24.99/user/mo billed yearly
- Per user
- 1M characters per user each month
- 20 file translations per month
- SSO and team admin
Business
€49.99/mo
- Unlimited characters
- 100 file translations per month
- Translation memory
- SCIM user provisioning
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Custom character and file limits
- Bring your own key
2 plans
Pro
$49.95/yr
- Per license
- Predicts up to 18 words
- 80+ languages offline
- Lifetime license $229.95
Business
$69.95/yr
- Per license
- Team terminology predictions
- Team analytics
- Site-wide deployment
Prices in USD, checked Oct 29, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
DeepL
- Natural-sounding translations
- Translates whole files, not just text
- Free API key for developers
- Paid plans keep your texts out of training
- Free version caps usage at 50,000 characters
- Few file translations on the Individual plan
- Voice minutes are capped per user each month
Lightkey
- Runs on device and offline
- Works across most Windows apps
- Lifetime license option
- Windows only, no Mac version
- No free plan after the 30-day trial
- Predictions need time to learn your style
Which one should you choose?
Choose DeepL if you want:
- Natural-sounding translations
- Translates whole files, not just text
- Free API key for developers
Watch out: free version caps usage at 50,000 characters.
Choose Lightkey if you want:
- Runs on device and offline
- Works across most Windows apps
- Lifetime license option
Watch out: windows only, no mac version.
DeepL vs Lightkey FAQ
What is the difference between DeepL and Lightkey?
DeepL: AI translator for text, documents and live speech. Lightkey: On-device predictive text for Windows that learns your writing style. Both are writing tools.
Is DeepL or Lightkey cheaper?
DeepL starts at See pricing page and Lightkey starts at $49.95/yr. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do DeepL and Lightkey have free plans?
DeepL: Yes. Lightkey: No, 30-day trial.
Who makes DeepL?
DeepL is made by DeepL SE, based in Germany.
Who makes Lightkey?
Lightkey is made by Lightkey.
Which should I choose, DeepL or Lightkey?
Choose DeepL if you value natural-sounding translations and translates whole files, not just text. Choose Lightkey if you value runs on device and offline and works across most windows apps.