Poll: Cloud-based CAT tools vs. Desktop apps: Which do you prefer?
Tēmas autors: ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
ProZ.com Staff
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Jun 10

This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Cloud-based CAT tools vs. Desktop apps: Which do you prefer?".

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Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugāle
Local time: 10:12
Biedrs (kopš 2007)
angļu - portugāļu
+ ...
No CAT tools! Jun 10

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A happy dinosaur...


Daryo
Jennifer Levey
 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
Beļģija
Local time: 11:12
Biedrs (kopš 2020)
franču - holandiešu
+ ...
CAT Jun 10

I hated cloud-based CAT tools at first, but I'm pretty used to them (MemoQ and Phrase) by now. The main issue remains that you never know how many connexion problems you're going to have.

But I will always prefer a desktop app.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-10 10:57 GMT]


Christine Andersen
Luis M. Sosa
expressisverbis
 
Luis M. Sosa
Luis M. Sosa  Identity Verified
Ekvadora
Local time: 04:12
angļu - spāņu
+ ...
Seem to prefer Jun 10

desktop, but the trend is to migrate to online tools. Some of them turn into turtles when large projects are translated. The truth here is that TMs no longer belong to you.

 
WolfgangS
WolfgangS
Francija
Local time: 11:12
angļu - vācu
+ ...
Desktop tools Jun 11

I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?

 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
Beļģija
Local time: 11:12
Biedrs (kopš 2020)
franču - holandiešu
+ ...
True but... Jun 11

WolfgangS wrote:
I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?


... is it worth losing a good customer over the screwdriver to use? I'm inclined to say no. I would rather learn to use the new screwdriver.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:00 GMT]


 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
Beļģija
Local time: 11:12
Biedrs (kopš 2020)
franču - holandiešu
+ ...
Also true, but... Jun 11

Luis M. Sosa wrote:
The truth here is that TMs no longer belong to you.


...there are workarounds to make sure you still have access to everything you translated online in the past.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:03 GMT]


 
Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray  Identity Verified
Nīderlande
Local time: 11:12
Biedrs (kopš 2006)
angļu - afrikandu
+ ...
Depends on payment structure Jun 11

Desktop if I'm paid per word.

Online is acceptable if I'm paid per hour and the hourly rate is high and the work load is not too high enough for me to learn how to use the system efficiently but low enough for me to accept other work from other clients.

If online and I'm paid per word or the hourly rate is very low, then I roundtrip via a desktop tool. If I'm unable to roundtrip, I don't accept the work. Roundtripping can sometimes involve time spent copy/pasting betw
... See more
Desktop if I'm paid per word.

Online is acceptable if I'm paid per hour and the hourly rate is high and the work load is not too high enough for me to learn how to use the system efficiently but low enough for me to accept other work from other clients.

If online and I'm paid per word or the hourly rate is very low, then I roundtrip via a desktop tool. If I'm unable to roundtrip, I don't accept the work. Roundtripping can sometimes involve time spent copy/pasting between tools, but I factor in that time when deciding whether to accept the work.
Collapse


 
Li-Hsiang Hsu
Li-Hsiang Hsu  Identity Verified
Francija
Local time: 11:12
franču - ķīniešu
+ ...
Cloud CAT tools are much slower Jun 11

Do we agree that online/cloud-based CAT tools are considerably slower and less user-friendly? If the work is paid hourly online, I gladly accept. Otherwise, I download the bilingual file, work in desktop CAT tools, and upload the translation afterward.

WolfgangS
Maria Laura Curzi
 
WolfgangS
WolfgangS
Francija
Local time: 11:12
angļu - vācu
+ ...
Why loose customers Jun 11

Lieven Malaise wrote:

WolfgangS wrote:
I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?


... is it worth losing a good customer over the screwdriver to use? I'm inclined to say no. I would rather learn to use the new screwdriver.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:00 GMT]


There are workarounds with online tools.


 
Lieven Malaise
Lieven Malaise  Identity Verified
Beļģija
Local time: 11:12
Biedrs (kopš 2020)
franču - holandiešu
+ ...
Not if... Jun 11

WolfgangS wrote:

Lieven Malaise wrote:

WolfgangS wrote:
I have been working with some of the online tools, but, hey, is it you or me who decides which screwdriver to use?


... is it worth losing a good customer over the screwdriver to use? I'm inclined to say no. I would rather learn to use the new screwdriver.

[Bijgewerkt op 2026-06-11 07:00 GMT]


There are workarounds with online tools.


...your customer insists on using their online CAT tool.


 


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Poll: Cloud-based CAT tools vs. Desktop apps: Which do you prefer?






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