What each free tier actually gives you
| Low's Translator | iTranslator | HephBot Translate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free monthly allowance | 15,000 characters, then unlimited on Ember | 10,000 per server and 2,000 per user, reset by voting | No character or daily limit |
| Engine on the free tier | DeepL and Azure (first 5,000 characters on DeepL), plus 25 AI translations — then Ember | Base engine — the “improved engine” is a paid unlock | Self-hosted engine |
| Own self-hosted engine | Yes — Ember, and it takes over free with no cap once the allowance runs out | Not listed | Yes — it is what the free tier runs on |
| Languages on the free tier | 30+ | 30 (109+ on paid tiers) | 35+ (100+ on premium) |
| Free use in DMs and servers without the bot | Yes — installs on your account | Yes — user-installable app | No — premium unlocks DMs and any server |
| Voice messages on the free tier | Yes, within the monthly allowance | No — TTS and transcription are Pro AI only | Not in its command reference |
| Text inside images | Yes, 2 free image translations a month | Not listed on any tier | Not in its command reference |
| Auto-translate channels on free | 1 | 30 channels | Unlimited |
| Premium starts at | €2.99/month incl. VAT | €9.99/month incl. VAT (€8.32 excl.) | $1.99/month BYOK, plus your own API costs |
Competitor figures are quoted from iTranslator's pricing page and its documentation, and from HephBot Translate's premium docs and command reference — all checked on 5 August 2026. "Not in its command reference" means the feature appears nowhere in that product's complete published command list; it is not a claim that the feature cannot exist. Prices are shown including VAT so they are comparable: our own prices include it, and iTranslator lists ex-VAT figures on its pricing page (its VAT-inclusive equivalents appear on its home page), so both are given. HephBot prices are in US dollars exactly as it lists them.
The question worth asking
Character limits are the obvious thing to compare, but they are rarely what bites. The more useful question is what quality you get for free, and all three answer it differently. HephBot publishes no character limit at all, which is genuinely the most generous number here - but its free tier runs on a self-hosted engine, its own docs list Groq and OpenAI as premium unlocks, and free use is limited to servers where the bot is installed. iTranslator's pricing page puts free users on 30 languages and 10,000 characters per server (2,000 per user), resettable by voting, with the improved engine and all voice features on paid tiers. Low's Translator gives free users the commercial engines - DeepL and Azure - for the first 15,000 characters each month, plus 25 AI translations and 2 image translations, and then keeps translating on Ember, our own engine, rather than stopping.
Two of the three run their own engine, so the real difference is where it sits. HephBot's self-hosted engine is its free tier - it is what you get. Ours is the floor underneath a free tier that starts on DeepL and Azure: you get the commercial engines first, and Ember catches you, uncapped, when they run out. Nobody here is lying about being free; they are free in different places. Pick the one whose free tier is generous where you actually need it.
Questions
Which Discord translator bot is genuinely free?
All three have real free tiers, but they are free in different ways. HephBot publishes no character cap but reserves its AI engines for premium and limits free use to servers where the bot is installed. iTranslator gives 30 languages and 10,000 characters per server (2,000 per user), resettable by voting. Low's Translator gives 15,000 characters a month on DeepL and Azure, then unlimited translation on its own Ember engine.
What happens when I run out of characters?
On Low's Translator, translation does not stop - it continues on Ember, our own engine, for the rest of the month. That is the reason the free plan has a character number rather than a hard wall.
Do I need to be a server admin to use a free translator bot?
For Low's Translator, no - it installs on your own account and works in any server, DM, or group chat. HephBot's documentation lists translating in any server and in DMs as a premium feature.
Is a paid plan worth it?
Only if you translate a lot, or want the AI engines for slang and context. If you translate occasionally, the free tier is designed to be enough on its own.
Try the free plan that includes the good engines
15,000 characters a month on DeepL and Azure, then unlimited translation on Ember. No credit card.
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