SimplyTranslate
Privacy-respecting translation frontend
SimplyTranslate is a privacy-respecting frontend for translation services that enables users to translate text, web pages, and documents without compromising their personal data. Unlike traditional translation services that track user behavior and build profiles, SimplyTranslate acts as an intermediary that strips identifying information and prevents tracking scripts from running.
What is SimplyTranslate?
SimplyTranslate serves as a privacy-focused gateway to multiple translation engines, allowing users to access translation capabilities without directly exposing their data to commercial translation providers. The service operates by forwarding translation requests through its own servers, removing identifying information such as cookies, user agents, and IP addresses that could be used for tracking.
The project emerged from the open-source community's need for translation tools that respect user privacy. Traditional translation services often collect extensive data about users, including translation history, browsing patterns, and linguistic preferences. This data collection creates detailed profiles that can be used for targeted advertising or shared with third parties.
By design, SimplyTranslate does not store translation history, does not require user accounts, and does not serve personalized advertisements. Each translation request is processed independently, with no connection to previous or future requests from the same user. This stateless approach ensures that no long-term tracking is possible through the service itself.
The underlying technology leverages machine translation systems, including modern large language models, while adding a privacy-preserving proxy layer. This architecture allows users to benefit from advanced translation capabilities without exposing their data to the original service providers.
When SimplyTranslate is Useful
Professional Translation Needs
When translating sensitive business documents, contracts, or internal communications where confidentiality is paramount. SimplyTranslate ensures that your proprietary information is not stored or analyzed by translation providers.
Research and Academic Work
Researchers working with foreign language sources can translate materials without creating a searchable record of their research interests. This is particularly valuable when working on sensitive topics or competitive research areas.
Personal Privacy Concerns
For individuals who prefer not to have their communication patterns, language learning activities, or travel plans tracked and monetized by large technology companies.
How Public Instances Work
SimplyTranslate operates through a network of public instances hosted by community volunteers and privacy-focused organizations. Each instance runs the SimplyTranslate software and acts as an independent access point to translation services. When you use a public instance, your translation request is sent to that instance's server, which then forwards the request to the underlying translation engine.
The instance server strips identifying information from your request before forwarding it, and similarly removes tracking elements from the response before sending it back to you. This proxy architecture creates a privacy barrier between you and the commercial translation service.
Different instances may have different configurations, performance characteristics, and availability. Some instances are accessible through standard HTTPS connections, while others are available through privacy networks like Tor (Onion services), I2P, or Loki. The choice of instance and access method depends on your specific privacy requirements and threat model.
Features and availability vary by instance and may change over time. Instance operators independently decide which translation engines to support, what rate limits to implement, and how long to maintain their services. This decentralized approach prevents any single point of control or failure.
Recommended Safety Patterns
- Use instances accessible through privacy networks (Tor, I2P) when translating particularly sensitive content.
- Avoid translating content that could identify you personally, even when using privacy-focused instances.
- Rotate between different instances periodically to avoid any potential correlation of translation patterns.
- Do not rely on any single instance for critical translation needs—maintain awareness of multiple available instances.
- Consider the jurisdiction and hosting location of instances when evaluating their suitability for your use case.
- Verify that you are connecting to the intended instance by checking TLS certificates and URLs carefully.
- Be aware that the quality and speed of translations may vary between instances based on their backend configuration.
- Remember that while instances provide privacy from translation services, instance operators can technically see translation requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SimplyTranslate as accurate as commercial translation services?
SimplyTranslate typically uses the same underlying translation engines as commercial services, so translation quality is generally comparable. However, accuracy can vary based on the specific engine configuration used by each instance and the language pairs involved.
Can I trust public instances with sensitive translations?
Public instances provide privacy from commercial tracking, but instance operators can technically access translation requests. For highly sensitive content, consider using instances on privacy networks (Tor, I2P) or running your own instance.
Why do some instances load slowly or become unavailable?
Public instances are typically run by volunteers with varying resources and infrastructure. Performance and availability depend on server capacity, network conditions, and maintenance schedules. Having multiple instances bookmarked helps ensure consistent access.
How is this different from using translation services in private browsing mode?
Private browsing mode only prevents local storage of history—it does not prevent the translation service from tracking your IP address, browser fingerprint, or building a profile based on your requests. SimplyTranslate adds an additional privacy layer by proxying requests.
What languages are supported?
Language support depends on the translation engine configured by each instance. Most instances support major world languages, but availability varies. Features and availability vary by instance and may change over time.
Can I use SimplyTranslate for commercial purposes?
Usage policies vary by instance. Many public instances are provided for personal and educational use. For commercial applications, consider deploying your own instance or checking with instance operators about their terms of service.
Related Resources
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Last updated: January 15, 2026