Is strings.dev a cheaper alternative to Lokalise?

It uses a different pricing model rather than simply undercutting. strings.dev has a real free tier (Indie: 1 project, 1 language, unlimited word translations) and a flat Indie Plus tier at $20/mo, or $10/mo billed annually, for unlimited languages, 2 projects, brand context, and the QA & analytics dashboard. There are no per-seat charges. Lokalise pricing is plan- and seat-based (as of 2026 — check their current pricing).

Does strings.dev have a free tier like Lokalise?

Yes. The Indie tier is free: 1 project, 1 language, unlimited word translations, plus app and brand localization context. It's enough to ship your first localized release. Multiple languages, a second project, and the QA & analytics dashboard require Indie Plus ($20/mo, or $10/mo billed annually).

Do I need to convert my files to XLIFF?

No. strings.dev takes native Xcode .xcloc bundles (including .xcstrings String Catalogs) and Android strings.xml (including ) directly, and returns the same format. There's no XLIFF export/import step.

Can strings.dev translate my App Store or Play Store listing?

No. strings.dev localizes in-app native strings only — the .xcloc and strings.xml files in your project. It does not translate App Store Connect or Play Store metadata, screenshots, or marketing website copy.

The Lokalise Alternative Built for Indie iOS & Android Devs

By The strings.dev team · Last updated 2026-07-16

Lokalise is a capable, general-purpose translation management system (TMS) built for teams localizing across web, mobile, and back-end platforms. If you're an indie developer or a small team shipping a native iOS or Android app, that breadth can feel like paying for — and configuring — an editor built for someone else's workflow.

strings.dev is the Lokalise alternative for indie developers who want native mobile files in, native mobile files out, context-aware AI translation, and pricing that doesn't scale by the seat.

Why look for a Lokalise alternative

Most indie developers evaluating a TMS hit the same friction: the tool is powerful but general. It supports dozens of file formats and platforms, so the mobile workflow is one path among many rather than the whole product. For a solo developer localizing a single native app, that generality shows up as setup overhead, seat-based pricing, and an interface built around translation teams and roles you don't have.

A Lokalise alternative for small teams should invert that: assume you're shipping a native iOS or Android app, and make that the fast path.

Native mobile formats, no XLIFF conversion

The most durable, structural difference is format handling. strings.dev takes the files Xcode and Android Studio already produce:

Apple: Xcode .xcloc bundles (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, visionOS, watchOS, CarPlay), including .xcstrings String Catalog plural variations.
Android: strings.xml (phone, Android TV, Wear, Auto), including <plurals> quantity strings.

Same format in, same format out — no XLIFF round-trip, no intermediate export step to configure. Placeholders are preserved exactly across both platforms:

<!-- Android strings.xml -->
<string name="cart_total">%1$s items · %2$d in cart</string>

// iOS .strings / .xcstrings
"welcome_back" = "Welcome back, %@";
"unread_count" = "%lld unread messages";

iOS %@ %lld %1$@ and Android %s %d %1$s tokens, plus URLs, emails, @handles, and proper nouns, pass through untouched. A general TMS can be configured to do this too — the difference is that with strings.dev it's the default, because native mobile is the only thing it does.

Context-aware AI, starting on the free tier

Every translation is fed your app-description context, so the model knows whether "Home" is a screen or a house. You can add per-string translation notes, and brand-phrase placeholder protection keeps product names from being translated. This app- and brand-phrase context is part of the free Indie tier — it isn't gated behind an upgrade. (Indie Plus adds deeper brand context on top; see pricing below.)

Pricing: flat, not per-seat

Lokalise pricing is plan- and seat-oriented and aimed at teams (as of 2026 — check their current pricing, which changes). strings.dev has just two tiers, no seats, no enterprise upsell:

Indie — Free: 1 project, 1 language, unlimited word translations, app + brand localization.
Indie Plus — $20/mo, or $10/mo billed annually: unlimited languages, 2 projects, brand context, and the QA & analytics dashboard that flags failed translations for retry.

There's no per-seat multiplier and no "contact sales." If you want a genuinely usable free-tier alternative, the Indie plan translates unlimited words into one language at no cost — enough to ship your first localized release. See pricing or start on the free plan.

strings.dev vs Lokalise

Axis	strings.dev	Lokalise (general TMS)
File handling	Native `.xcloc` / `strings.xml` in and out, no XLIFF conversion	Many formats across web + mobile + back-end
Focus	Native iOS & Android in-app strings only	Broad: web, mobile, server, marketing
Free tier	Yes — 1 project, 1 language, unlimited words	Limited/trial-oriented (check current terms)
Pricing model	Flat $20/mo Indie Plus ($10/mo billed annually), no seats	Plan- and seat-based (as of 2026 — check current)
Context-aware AI	On free and paid tiers	Available, varies by plan

Who should switch to strings.dev

Switch to strings.dev if you're an indie developer or small team shipping native iOS and/or Android apps, you want native files handled without conversion, and you'd rather pay a flat price (or nothing) than manage seats.

Automate the loop

strings.dev fits agent and CI workflows: per-project CLI scripts, a REST API with a per-project key, the strings-mcp-server MCP package, and a generated AI-skill prompt let Claude, Cursor, or Copilot run the whole translate-and-commit loop. Wire it into git hooks or CI for continuous localization on every string change. Details are in the docs.