Interpreter vs Google Translate Live
Quick answer
Google Translate has a conversation mode for personal use. Hold up your phone, two people talk, it translates back and forth. Great for tourists.
Interpreter is built for professional interpreters working calls. It captures audio from your computer, shows two-way translation with speaker labels, and handles medical/legal terminology.
If you're a professional interpreter, Google Translate's conversation mode isn't designed for your workflow. Interpreter is.
What Google Translate does
Google Translate's conversation mode: open the app, tap the microphone, speak. It transcribes, translates, speaks it back. Two people can go back and forth using the same phone.
It's free, supports 100+ languages, and works offline for some language pairs. Best for travel, quick conversations, getting directions.
But it's designed for casual use. Two people standing together, sharing a phone. Not a professional interpreter on a three-way call with a doctor and patient.
What Interpreter does
Interpreter captures audio from your computer—phone calls, video calls, any platform. You're on a call, words appear on screen as they're spoken.
Two-way translation side by side. Speaker identification so you know who said what. Scroll back to reference medication names, case numbers, addresses.
Built for professional interpreters. Writing. Listening. Interpreting. All at once. Now the writing is eliminated so you can focus on what you do best.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Interpreter | Google Translate |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Professional interpreting | Personal translation |
| Works with phone calls | ||
| Works with video calls | ||
| Two-way translation | ||
| Speaker identification | ||
| Scroll back to reference | Limited | |
| Medical terminology mode | ||
| HIPAA compliant | ||
| Professional accuracy | Optimized | General |
| Languages | 60+ | 100+ |
The real differences
Phone and video calls
Google Translate needs you and the other person holding the same phone. Interpreter captures audio from your computer—Zoom, Teams, phone systems—while you work remotely.
Professional terminology
Google Translate is trained on general text. Interpreter has medical, legal, and domain-specific modes for better accuracy with specialized vocabulary.
Reference and recall
Google Translate shows the last few exchanges. Interpreter keeps a full transcript you can scroll through—medication names, dosages, case numbers are all there.
Compliance
Google Translate stores conversation data. Interpreter streams audio through memory only—nothing saved, HIPAA compliant for medical calls.
Pricing comparison
$0
Free app. But designed for personal use, not professional interpreting.
$0.20–$0.35/hour
Pay-as-you-go. Built for professional interpreters. 20 hours = $4–$7/month.
Google Translate is free because you're not the customer—you're the product (data). Interpreter charges for usage but stores nothing.
Use Google Translate if
- You're traveling and need quick personal translations
- Both people are together and can share a phone
- Accuracy isn't critical (casual conversation)
- You need a language not supported by Interpreter
Use Interpreter if
- You're a professional interpreter (OPI or VRI)
- You work on phone or video calls remotely
- You need to reference what was said (scroll back)
- You handle medical, legal, or technical terminology
- You need HIPAA compliance for patient calls
- You're tired of writing while listening while interpreting
The real question
Google Translate is for tourists and casual conversations. Two people, one phone, quick back-and-forth.
Interpreter is for professional interpreters. You're on a call. A patient is describing symptoms. A doctor is rattling off medication names. You're interpreting both directions while trying to remember dosages.
That's not the same problem Google Translate solves. Interpreter eliminates note-taking so you can focus on context, nuance, and accurate interpretation.