TranslateDesk vs Lokalise: Intercom Help Center Translation Compared

Intercom doesn't include native translation, so teams turn to external tools. Lokalise is a powerful Translation Management System (TMS) used by enterprises to localize everything from mobile apps to marketing campaigns. TranslateDesk is built specifically for one thing: translating Intercom help centers.

The short answer: If you only need to translate Intercom help center articles, TranslateDesk is simpler, faster, and costs a fraction of Lokalise. If you're localizing your entire product ecosystem, Lokalise might make sense. But you'll still want TranslateDesk for Intercom because the direct integration saves hours.

The Core Difference: Platform vs Tool

Lokalise is a platform. It's designed for engineering teams managing translations across iOS apps, Android apps, web applications, documentation sites, email templates, and more. It has features like branching, translation memory, team workflows, and API integrations for CI/CD pipelines.

TranslateDesk is a tool. It does one thing well: translate Intercom help center articles with stale content detection, DeepL-powered quality, and one-click publishing.

Think of it like this: Lokalise is Photoshop. TranslateDesk is a purpose-built screenshot annotation tool. Both edit images. One is vastly more complex than necessary if you just need to annotate screenshots.

The Workflow Difference

Translating Intercom with Lokalise

1. Export articles from Intercom (manual process)
2. Upload exported content to Lokalise
3. Assign translators or use machine translation
4. Review translations in Lokalise
5. Export translated content
6. Re-import to Intercom (manual process)
7. Repeat when articles change

Translating Intercom with TranslateDesk

1. Connect TranslateDesk to Intercom (one-time, 2 minutes)
2. Select articles and target languages
3. Click translate
4. Review and publish
5. Get alerts when source articles change so you know which translations need updates

The difference isn't just convenience. It's whether translation is a sustainable, ongoing process or a quarterly project that falls behind.

Feature Comparison

Feature	TranslateDesk	Lokalise
Direct Intercom integration	✅ Native	❌ Manual export/import
Stale content detection	✅ Yes	❌ No (requires re-export)
Translation engine	DeepL	Multiple options
One-click translate	✅ Yes	Workflow-based
Setup time	2 minutes	Hours (integration setup)
Learning curve	Minutes	Days to weeks
Mobile app localization	❌ No	✅ Yes
Web app localization	❌ No	✅ Yes
Marketing localization	❌ No	✅ Yes
Translation memory	Basic	✅ Advanced
Team workflows	Simple	✅ Complex
Branching/versioning	❌ No	✅ Yes

Pricing: Enterprise vs Purpose-Built

This is where the difference becomes stark.

Lokalise Pricing

Lokalise's pricing scales with seats, words, and features:

• Essential: Starts around $120/month (billed annually)
• Professional: Several hundred per month
• Enterprise: Custom pricing (often $1,000+/month)

Plus per-user fees, word-based machine translation costs, and add-ons for advanced features.

TranslateDesk Pricing

• Free: 5 translations to start
• Pay-as-you-go: Credit packs from $79/100 translations
• No per-seat fees

If your only translation need is Intercom help centers, pay-as-you-go pricing vs enterprise subscriptions makes TranslateDesk the obvious choice.

When Lokalise Makes Sense

Choose Lokalise if:

• You're localizing your entire product. iOS, Android, web, marketing, documentation.
• You have a dedicated localization team. Professional translators who need advanced workflows.
• You need translation memory across projects. Reusing translations from your app in your help center.
• Intercom is just one of many translation needs. Help center is 10% of your localization scope.

Even then, consider using TranslateDesk specifically for Intercom. Lokalise's Intercom workflow is clunky. Many enterprises use Lokalise for product localization and TranslateDesk for their help center because the direct integration saves hours.

When TranslateDesk Makes Sense

Choose TranslateDesk if:

• Intercom help center is your main translation need. Most support teams.
• You want translation that "just works." No complex setup or learning curve.
• You don't have a localization team. Support managers handling translation themselves.
• Budget matters. $29/month vs enterprise pricing.
• You need to know when translations are outdated. Stale content detection is the killer feature.

The Real Question: Do You Need a TMS?

Translation Management Systems like Lokalise solve real problems for companies localizing at scale. But "do I need a TMS" and "should I use a TMS for Intercom" are different questions.

Most teams using Intercom have 50-500 help center articles. They update articles weekly or monthly. They need translations in 2-5 languages.

For that use case, a TMS is like using a backhoe to plant a garden. It works, but it's not the right tool.

TranslateDesk is the right tool. Direct integration. Stale content alerts. Quality translations via DeepL. No enterprise complexity.

The Bottom Line

Lokalise is excellent at what it does: enterprise-scale localization across multiple platforms and content types.

TranslateDesk is excellent at what it does: keeping Intercom help centers translated, up to date, and easy to maintain.

If Intercom is your help center and translation is your goal, start with TranslateDesk.

You can always add Lokalise later if your localization needs expand. But most Intercom users find TranslateDesk is all they need, and at pay-as-you-go pricing vs enterprise contracts, the math isn't close.

Ready to simplify your Intercom translation? Try TranslateDesk free. Five articles, no credit card required.