Smartling offers three machine translation API integration options, each optimized for different use cases and performance requirements. This guide compares the MT API, MT Files API, and Job Batches API to help you select the best solution for your translation needs.
| Feature | Job Batches API (with MT Workflow) | MT Files API | MT API |
| Speed | ⚡ Standard | ⚡⚡ Fast | ⚡⚡⚡ Fastest |
| Recommended Use Case | Best suited for content that may be updated or re-translated later. Speed needs to be fast, but not near-instant. | Best suited for end-user generated content with low repetition (e.g., community forums, service desk tickets, chatbots). Speed is prioritized over quality. | Best suited for end-user generated content with low repetition (e.g., community forums, service desk tickets, chatbots). Speed is prioritized over quality. |
| File Support | Full file support | Full file support | Strings only (plain text or HTML) |
| Glossary Term Insertion (Standard) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Glossary Term Insertion (AI-Enhanced) | Yes | No | No |
| Translation Memory Leverage (SmartMatch) | Yes | No | No |
| Namespaces / String Sharing (reusing previously translated strings) | Yes | No | No |
| File Directives | Yes | Yes | No |
| Standard and Custom Placeholders | Yes | Yes | Limited* |
| Strings Stored and Searchable in the Smartling Dashboard | Yes | No | No |
* Placeholder support varies by provider.
Choosing the right option
All three options use Smartling's MT infrastructure. Speed differences reflect the additional processing and features each option provides. Below is an overview of each option, from fastest to slowest.
MT API — The fastest option, designed for immediate, string-level translation where latency is critical. It accepts plain text or HTML strings only (no file support) and does not persist strings in Smartling, so there is no translation memory leverage or dashboard visibility. Use this when milliseconds matter and speed takes priority over quality or TMS features.
MT Files API — A fast, file-based translation layer built on top of the MT API. It supports all standard file formats and file directives, making it a good fit for teams that need programmatic file translation without full workflow overhead. Like the MT API, it does not store strings in Smartling and does not support translation memory leverage or string sharing. Use this when you need file format handling and faster processing than a full workflow, but near-instant turnaround is still a priority.
Job Batches API (with MT workflow) — The most full-featured option. Content is ingested and routed through a machine translation workflow in Smartling, where it is stored and searchable in the dashboard. This enables translation memory leverage via SmartMatch, string sharing via namespaces, and AI-enhanced glossary term insertion. Processing is slower than the other two options, but still fast. Use this when you need full translation management capabilities or are working with content that may be updated and re-translated over time.