LibreTranslate
Self-hosted machine translation API with no dependency on Google or DeepL.
Quick answer
LibreTranslate is a self-hosted machine translation API with no dependency on Google or DeepL, listed under Speech & translation. A typical small-business use: translate support tickets or product listings without sending text to a third party. The project publishes no official RAM figure, so we do not estimate a monthly server cost. License: AGPL-3.0, which allows internal business use.
Last updated · facts verified against official docs on · sources
Activity data comes from GitHub and was last refreshed Oct 22, 2026.
What is LibreTranslate?
LibreTranslate is a free, self-hosted translation API and web UI powered by the open-source Argos Translate engine. It runs on CPU, with optional CUDA acceleration, and can be limited to the language pairs you need.
Where it fits in a 10–200 person business
- Translate support tickets or product listings without sending text to a third party
- Add translation to internal tools through a simple REST API
- First-pass translation for multilingual e-commerce catalogs
These use cases are our editorial suggestions, not claims made by the project.
Can a business use LibreTranslate? (license)
| License | AGPL-3.0 |
|---|---|
| Type | Network copyleft (AGPL): Like GPL, and also applies when users access a modified version over a network. |
| Internal business use | Allowed under the license text |
| What to watch | Free for internal and commercial use. If you modify it and let users interact with it over a network, you must offer them the modified source. The name and logo are covered by separate trademark guidelines. |
This is a plain-English summary of the license text, not legal advice. Third-party models you run with it have their own licenses.
What hardware does LibreTranslate need?
The project does not publish a minimum CPU/RAM figure, so we leave it blank rather than guess.
GPU: Optional CUDA 12.4.1 acceleration via docker-compose.cuda.yml.
No official RAM figures. Loading only the languages you need (--load-only) reduces startup time.
How much does it cost to host LibreTranslate per month?
The project publishes no RAM figure we could verify, so we do not estimate a cost.
How to deploy LibreTranslate
Method: Docker (run script) or pip
git clone https://github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate
cd LibreTranslate
./run.sh
# or: pip install libretranslate && libretranslate --load-only en,es,frFrom the official instructions: docs.libretranslate.com/guides/installation/. Always check the source for the current version before you run it.
Known gotchas when self-hosting LibreTranslate
Alternatives in Speech & translation
- Speaches OpenAI-compatible speech-to-text and text-to-speech server (faster-whisper, Kokoro, Piper).
LibreTranslate FAQ
How much RAM does LibreTranslate need?
LibreTranslate does not publish an official RAM figure, so we do not state one. Loading only the languages you need (--load-only) reduces startup time.
Does LibreTranslate need a GPU?
Optional CUDA 12.4.1 acceleration via docker-compose.cuda.yml.
How much does it cost to self-host LibreTranslate?
The software is free to download. The project publishes no official RAM figure, so we do not estimate a monthly server cost.
Is LibreTranslate free for commercial use?
LibreTranslate is licensed under AGPL-3.0 (Network copyleft (AGPL)). Internal business use is allowed under the license text. Free for internal and commercial use. If you modify it and let users interact with it over a network, you must offer them the modified source. The name and logo are covered by separate trademark guidelines. This is a summary, not legal advice.
What are common problems when self-hosting LibreTranslate?
In production, run with Gunicorn or Docker (which uses Gunicorn) to avoid memory leaks. By default every language is installed. Use --load-only to cut startup time.
Is LibreTranslate still maintained?
Yes, it is actively developed. Last commit: Oct 12, 2026. Latest release: v1.9.6 (May 26, 2026). Checked Oct 22, 2026.
How do I install LibreTranslate?
The official method is Docker (run script) or pip. The exact commands are in the "How to deploy" section above and in the official instructions: https://docs.libretranslate.com/guides/installation/
What are self-hosted alternatives to LibreTranslate?
Other apps in Speech & translation: Speaches.
Sources
- GitHub repository: github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate
- Official documentation, Hardware requirements, Deploy instructions, Gotcha 1, Gotcha 2: docs.libretranslate.com/guides/installation/
- License text: github.com/LibreTranslate/LibreTranslate/blob/main/LICENSE
- Hetzner Cloud pricing (cost estimate): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub stars, commits and releases: GitHub REST API, fetched
Facts on this page were checked against the project's own repository and docs on 2026-10-22. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.