WPML String Translation Review – Complete Multilingual Plugin

Translating a WordPress site goes beyond just posts and pages. A truly multilingual website must speak the visitor’s language across every detail — from button labels and widget text to form placeholders and theme strings. That’s where WPML String Translation Plugin becomes essential.

String Translation is an advanced add-on for the WPML (WordPress Multilingual Plugin) suite. It allows you to translate every bit of user-facing text on your site — including dynamic content created by your theme, plugins, widgets, and even third-party integrations — all without touching the code.

In this in-depth review, we’ll explore what WPML String Translation does, how it works, what types of strings you can translate, how it integrates with other plugins, and why it’s considered a must-have for serious multilingual WordPress websites.

What Is WPML String Translation?

WPML String Translation is a powerful component of the WPML ecosystem. While the core WPML plugin handles translating posts, pages, taxonomies, and custom post types, String Translation fills in the gaps by handling everything else that appears on the site — from headings generated by themes to WooCommerce button text and plugin UI elements.

It allows you to:

• Translate theme and plugin strings stored in gettext or wp_options

• Manage translations directly in the WordPress dashboard

• Avoid creating .mo and .po files manually

• Translate texts from contact forms, shortcodes, widgets, admin labels, and more

• Assign translations to specific languages and translators

• Auto-register strings as they’re used

The result is a completely localized user experience, from top to bottom.

Who Should Use WPML String Translation?

This plugin is for anyone building or managing a multilingual WordPress site. It’s especially valuable for:

• Businesses serving users across different countries and languages

• eCommerce stores using WooCommerce with multilingual customers

• Nonprofits and organizations targeting multilingual audiences

• Educational or content-heavy sites with plugins and custom themes

• Developers building custom solutions that output user-facing text

• Agencies translating client sites into multiple languages

If your website contains text that doesn’t come from a regular page or post, WPML String Translation ensures nothing gets left behind.

Key Features of WPML String Translation

Let’s walk through the features that make this plugin one of the most important parts of WPML’s multilingual framework.

1. Translate Text from Themes and Plugins

Many themes and plugins output user-facing content using functions like __() or _e(). These strings are stored in .mo files or plugin settings — outside the WordPress post/page editor.

WPML String Translation scans and loads these strings so you can:

• Search for any plugin or theme text

• View the original string and its source

• Add translations for any language you’ve configured

• Instantly apply translated versions on the frontend

You don’t need to manually edit language files or worry about updates overwriting translations. Everything is managed inside your dashboard.

2. Translate Dynamic Admin Text

Some plugins and themes store configuration text in the WordPress Options table (wp_options), such as:

• Call-to-action buttons

• Footer and header text

• Sitewide alerts or banners

• Custom form messages

• Theme settings with editable text

WPML String Translation lets you register and translate admin texts, even when stored deep in nested option arrays. With the Admin Texts interface, you can find and expose hidden fields for translation — making even the most deeply embedded string translatable.

3. Widget and Menu Translation

If you use widgets with custom text (e.g., a text widget or shortcode block), WPML lets you translate them without duplicating the widget itself.

String Translation also integrates with WPML’s Menu Sync tool, which helps you:

• Translate navigation menus into all languages

• Sync menu items between language versions

• Translate menu labels and links

• Display dynamic menus based on active language

This creates a seamless multilingual experience — even in the header and sidebar.

4. Translate WooCommerce and eCommerce Elements

When used with WooCommerce Multilingual, String Translation handles non-product texts such as:

• “Add to cart,” “Buy now,” and “Checkout” buttons

• Cart messages (e.g., “Your cart is empty”)

• Coupon error messages and notices

• Email subjects and content

• Payment method descriptions

• Tax and shipping labels

This ensures your eCommerce customers see a fully translated interface from product page to payment confirmation.

5. Translate Contact Forms and User Interfaces

String Translation works seamlessly with contact form plugins like:

• Contact Form 7

• Gravity Forms

• WPForms

• Fluent Forms

You can translate:

• Form field labels

• Placeholders and instructions

• Submit button text

• Validation error messages

• Success notifications

This allows your visitors to interact with your forms confidently in their preferred language — which is critical for trust and usability.

6. Machine Translation and Translation Management

String Translation integrates with WPML’s Advanced Translation Editor (ATE). This means you can:

• Use automatic translation via DeepL, Google Translate, or Microsoft

• Edit strings line-by-line using an intuitive side-by-side editor

• Add glossary terms and translation memory

• Assign strings to different translators or team members

For large or complex multilingual websites, this saves enormous amounts of time and reduces translation costs.

7. Compatibility with Page Builders and Custom Fields

Many page builders and plugins create strings dynamically. WPML String Translation is compatible with:

• Elementor, WPBakery, and Beaver Builder

• Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)

• Toolset and Meta Box

• Custom plugin fields stored in wp_options

You can translate section titles, repeaters, dynamic shortcodes, and global widgets — ensuring every piece of content on the page is covered.

8. Language Fallback and Control

Sometimes, not every string has a translation available. WPML String Translation gives you the tools to:

• Set fallback languages

• Flag missing translations

• Show untranslated strings in default language

• Control whether a string appears at all in certain languages

This ensures users get the best possible experience, even if translations are still in progress.

How It Works: Using WPML String Translation

Here’s a simple walkthrough of how the plugin fits into your multilingual workflow:

1. Install WPML and enable the String Translation add-on

2. Visit WPML > String Translation in your WordPress dashboard

3. Use filters to find strings by domain (theme, plugin, admin, etc.)

4. Click the “translations” icon next to any string

5. Add translations for each language

6. Save and publish — the translated version appears instantly

You can also:

• Import/export strings via .po files

• Use the Advanced Translation Editor for batch translation

• Track translated vs. untranslated strings using status filters

WPML String Translation vs Other Translation Methods

WPML String Translation is the most comprehensive solution if you’re already using WPML for post and page translation. It gives you more control, deeper integration, and better automation tools compared to plugin-based alternatives.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Translate all strings — theme, plugins, forms, widgets, emails

• No need for manual .mo/.po file editing

• Full integration with WPML and WooCommerce

• Compatible with major builders and form plugins

• Machine translation support with ATE

• Granular control over string visibility and fallback

• Optimized for performance and language-specific indexing

Cons

• Requires the WPML Multilingual CMS plan

• Can be overwhelming with large string volumes

• Some advanced fields need manual registration (for complex plugins)

• Learning curve for non-technical users

• Must be careful with duplicate or similar strings (requires naming clarity)

Pricing

WPML String Translation is included in the WPML Multilingual CMS and Agency plans:

• Multilingual CMS – $99/year for 3 sites

• Multilingual Agency – $199/year for unlimited sites

• Includes WPML core + String Translation + ATE + WooCommerce Multilingual

There is no standalone license for String Translation; it works as part of the WPML suite.

Compared to SaaS-based translation tools or custom development, this is a cost-effective solution for serious WordPress users who want complete multilingual control.

Final Verdict: Is WPML String Translation Worth It?

If you’re building a multilingual WordPress site and want full control over every piece of visible text, then WPML String Translation is absolutely worth it.

It goes beyond post and page content to give you full visibility and control over theme strings, plugin settings, form labels, and widget text — all within your WordPress dashboard.

Whether you’re running a business site, eCommerce store, educational platform, or blog — this plugin ensures your site is professionally translated across the board, not just halfway.

Combined with WPML’s core and other add-ons, String Translation fills the critical gap between content and interface — making your WordPress site truly multilingual.

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