About Linguist
Linguist is an open-source translator for Chrome and Firefox, and the best pick if you do not want your text to leave your computer. It translates entire pages in place, selected text and text you type, and can show subtitles on Netflix. A personal dictionary and history let you save translations, and text-to-speech reads them aloud. It lists support for over 130 languages.
Its main difference is the offline translator. It embeds the Bergamot engine, the same one Firefox uses for local translation, so you can translate on your device without sending text anywhere. You turn it on in the options. Otherwise Linguist can connect to services such as Google, Yandex, Bing, DeepL or Reverso, or to a custom translator you write yourself, and then your text goes to that service.
The project says it collects no personal data, and the Chrome listing declares the same. The code is on GitHub, though the licence file says BSD 3-Clause while the Firefox listing says GPL 3.0 only. It has far fewer users than the big names, a single named developer and no Safari version. It is free, with donations requested. Choose it if privacy or offline translation matters most.
Pros and cons
- Offline translation runs on your device, using the Bergamot engine
- Free and open source, and the Chrome listing says it collects no data
- Translates pages, selections, inputs and Netflix subtitles, with a personal dictionary
- Updated in 2026 and uses Manifest V3 on Chrome
- Smaller user base than the big names, and a single named developer
- Only Chrome and Firefox listings, none for Edge or Safari
- Online use still sends text to the service you pick, such as Google or DeepL
Permissions
It asks for access to all sites so it can translate pages, plus tabs, scripting, context menus and storage. Online translation sends text to the service you choose.
