SpokenSpoken vs Google Translate: which should you use for conversations?
Updated:
We make Spoken. Facts about Google Translate come from Google's own listing and announcements, linked below.
Side by side
| Google Translate | Spoken | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free download, subscription for full use |
| Languages | 100+ for text; conversation in 70 | Understands 60+; natural voice in 60+ |
| Two-way voice conversation | Yes | Yes, including a face-to-face split view |
| Continuous live captions | Yes (Transcribe, Live Translate) | Yes (Listen mode, translate or transcribe) |
| AI meeting notes | No | Yes: summary and action items in your language |
| Saved history of sessions | Saved phrases | Every Listen session with transcript and summary |
| Offline | Language packs; offline Live Translate on recent Pixel phones only | Language packs on iPhone and Android |
| Camera translation | Yes | Yes (photo mode) |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | iOS 18.6+, Android, Apple silicon Macs |
Checked on 2026-09-23.
When Google Translate is the better choice
- You need a language Spoken doesn't cover. Google supports well over 100.
- You mostly translate text, menus and signs with the camera.
- You don't want to pay anything.
When Spoken is the better choice
- You're having a real back-and-forth conversation and want the other person to hear a natural voice, not read your screen.
- You're following a lecture, tour or meeting and want running captions in your language.
- You need notes afterward. Spoken writes a summary and action items, and a meeting held in Spanish can produce notes in English.
- You'll be without signal and still want to talk. With language packs downloaded, Spoken runs speech recognition, translation and voice output on your phone.
See all real-time translation apps compared
Frequently asked questions
Is Spoken better than Google Translate?
For different things. Google Translate is free and covers far more languages, so it is better for signs, menus and quick phrases. Spoken is better for longer spoken exchanges: natural voice output, live captions of ongoing speech, and AI meeting notes.
Is Spoken free?
Spoken is free to download. Full use requires a subscription; plans and prices are shown in the app before you buy.
Does Google Translate make meeting notes?
No. Google Translate translates and transcribes, but it does not summarize a session into notes or action items. Spoken does.
Do both work offline?
Both offer downloadable languages. Google's offline Live Translate is limited to recent Pixel phones and to or from English. Spoken runs speech recognition, translation and voice output on your phone once its language packs are downloaded.
Sources
- Google Translate on Google Play
- Google: Gemini Live Translate (June 2026)
- BGR: How to use Google Live Translate offline (Sept 2026)
- Spoken on the App Store
- Spoken on Google Play
Try Spoken: two-way voice translation, live captions and AI meeting notes.