Smartling provides a 14-day free trial, giving developers the opportunity to get hands-on with integration options like the GitHub or Repo Connector, Smartling's APIs and developer tools, and the Smartling MCP server.

Once your trial account has been set up, we recommend following the steps below to successfully integrate your website or app.

Set up your first project

With your free trial, you get full access to Smartling's APIs, MCP server, connectors and plugins.

Info: In Smartling, the translation environments for your various integrations are called projects. You will need to create a separate project for each connector or plugin that you would like to try out.

To set up a first project:

1. Use our configuration wizard to complete the setup of your trial account. We'll walk you through setting up the language pairs for your project, your preferred workflow option and stylistic instructions.
2. You can use your first sample localization project to translate any of the supported file types - either via manual drag & drop, with the Smartling API or with the MCP server.

Tip: To test different integrations, you can create additional projects at any time during the trial.

Explore and authorize a test job

Info: Within each project, the individual translation tasks are called jobs.

Smartling automatically creates a first translation job with content relevant to your organization. 
To start the translation of this sample file:

1. Navigate to the Jobs tab in the top navigation bar. This is where you can find all translation jobs, across all of your projects.
   
2. Here, you will see a Sample Localization Job. This job has been created automatically by Smartling, using sample content. To explore all job details, click on the job name.
   

Tip: If you are unable to see the Sample Localization Job, refer to our guidance below.

3. The Sample Localization Job is Awaiting Authorization. This is the status that jobs are in when they first get created. 
   
   Authorizing a job means that the translation process is kicked off. Click the Authorize button to kick off Smartling's intelligent translation workflow.
   

Info: To learn more about monitoring and managing jobs from the Jobs dashboard, check out our video tutorial.

Which translation method is used in my free trial account?

All jobs in your trial account will use Smartling's Auto Select LLM workflow, which automatically selects the best available model for your translations. 
If you opted out of using any LLMs, Smartling Auto Select MT will be used instead to route your content to the best NMT provider.

Info: Once you sign up for a Smartling account, you will be able to choose from a wide range of pre-configured translation methods, ranging from AI translation to creative human translation, or set up your own, fully customizable workflows.

Translate your own files

You can now use your Sample Localization Project to translate any of the file types supported by Smartling.

Which files can be translated?

Smartling supports over 30 different file types: 

• Resource files (e.g. JSON, XLIFF, XML, CSV)
• Business files (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint, PDF)
• Design files (e.g. INDD, IDML)
• Video subtitle files (SRT, VTT)

Some files may benefit from additional preparation before importing to Smartling. This is an important step to ensure that only translatable text will be sent for translation, and any metadata (like keys) will be processed correctly.

Tip: Resource files typically require file directives to control what gets translated.
Information about the required file preparation and file directives is available in our Help Center. Simply click on each file type for the relevant information.

How to create a translation job?

Check out our video tutorial below on how to create a job. Alternatively, use our Smartling Translate portal to drag and drop files without having to create a job.

Get instant machine translations with Smartling Translate

Smartling Translate is an easy-to-use portal that allows you to translate text or files instantly, without needing to create a job. To access Smartling Translate:

1. Click into the AI Hub from the top navigation bar.
   
2. From the left-hand menu, click into the Smartling Translate tab.
   
3. Translate text snippets, or drag and drop files for a near-instant translation.
   

Tip: For a guided walkthrough, check out our video tutorial.

During your trial, all translations within the Smartling Translate portal will use Smartling's Auto Select MT profile, which intelligently routes your content to the best MT provider for each language. This preconfigured profile allows you to get the fastest translation during your trial.

Once you start your paid subscription, Smartling Translate offers a range of customization options. You will be able to choose your preferred MT or LLM provider, and reference your linguistic assets for more customized translations.
 

Connectors & plugins: Connect your codebase or CMS

During your trial, you can explore any of the available Smartling connectors & plugins. These pre-built integrations allow you to localize content from your code repo, Content Management Systems, knowledge base, design applications, e-commerce and marketing automation platforms, and more.

To localize your code repository, use one of the following options:

• GitHub Connector
• Repository Connector

For guidance on the best integration option for your use case, visit this article.

Tip: Smartling's translation proxy, the Global Delivery Network (GDN), is not available in your trial account, as some initial configuration is typically required in collaboration with Smartling's expert team. If you want to see it in action, simply request a demo. Our team is happy to answer all your questions.

Build your own custom integration

With your free trial account, you can use all available Smartling APIs and developer tools to create a custom integration with your stack.

Smartling API

During your trial, you have full access to the Smartling API. Send files, retrieve translations, get status updates, and manage strings programmatically. Here are some steps you may want to try:

• Familiarize yourself with the recommended best practices for Smartling API integrations.
• Generate an API token to authenticate with Smartling.
• Create a translation job via the Smartling API.
• Check out our API reference site for an overview of all available endpoints.

Developer tools

Smartling offers a variety of developer tools to help automate your localization processes and support custom integrations. These tools enable you to streamline translation management, sync content between your codebase and Smartling’s TMS, and ensure timely delivery of localized content to your users.

• Try Smartling's SDKs or our CLI Tool.
• Set up callbacks or configure webhook subscriptions.
   

Use the Smartling MCP Server to integrate with your AI tools

Smartling's MCP server allows you to integrate Smartling with any MCP-compatible AI assistant (like OpenAI Codex, Claude Code, Visual Studio Code, Cursor, and more). It enables you to access Smartling's translation capabilities directly within your developer environment and to use natural language prompts to manage your localization activities.

Tip: Follow these setup instructions to get started with the Smartling MCP Server.

Smartling Free Trial FAQ

How do I sign up for Smartling after my trial?

We're happy to hear you enjoyed your free trial with Smartling.

Before we sign you up for a regular account, we would like to learn more about your use case and requirements to understand how we can best help you achieve your localization goals. 

Tip: Book a meeting to discuss the next steps with our team.

Why is there no Sample Localization Job available in my account?

If the Sample Localization Job is not available to explore and authorize, your account may not be fully configured yet. Here are the two most common causes:

1. If you completed your account configuration, check the Activity tab from the bell icon in the top navigation bar. Here, you can see if the creation of the sample file or job are still in progress.
   
   Wait until fully completed, then reload the Jobs tab and try again.
    
2. If you did not complete your account configuration, simply resume your account setup:
   • From the Projects dropdown in the top navigation, select "View all projects".
     
   • Click "Complete setup" to finish your account configuration.
     
   • Complete all steps, then confirm by clicking "Launch Trial". You will now be able to see a Sample Localization Project.
   • Click on the checklist icon in the top right-hand corner to resume the checklist.
     
   • Click "Let's go" to authorize a sample job to get your first translation.
     
      

What can I do to improve the translation quality?

After your trial, your Smartling account offers a full suite of resources to monitor and improve the translation quality - from our fully automated LQA Agent to fully customizable linguistic assets.

During your trial, try the following options to achieve a more customized translation output: 

Import existing translations

Existing translations can be imported to your translation memory, in order to allow Smartling's Auto Select LLM workflow to reference more of your approved translations.

Translations can be imported in 2 different ways:

1. Importing a .tmx file into your translation memory:
   If you have already been using a Translation Management System (TMS), you may have built up a database of existing, approved translations (also referred to as "translation memory"). 
   Translation memories can typically be exported in a .tmx format from any TMS. This file format can then be imported directly into your Smartling translation memory. Check out our article on Importing a TMX File for detailed guidance.
2. Importing translated files into your project:
   Translated files can be imported into your sample localization project. This ensures that your existing, approved translations get saved to your translation memory. Follow our guide on importing translated files.

Import your glossary terms

Your glossary is an essential tool to manage your brand terminology. It contains a list of terms related to your industry, brand, product or services, which should either use an approved translation - or always remain untranslated. 

Tip: You can import both translated terms and "Do Not Translate" terms to your Smartling glossary. 
Follow this guide or watch our video tutorial.