Why it's a strong pick

This is the Google Translate listing offered by the Google Translate team on the Chrome Web Store. It is simple and free. The trade-off is scope: it is a small tool for selected text. Its store text says page translation is now built into Chrome and no longer supported in the extension. Text you translate goes to Google Translate.

What it does

Highlight text on a page, or right-click it, and click the Translate icon. A popup shows the translation. The store listing also describes an option to show the translation automatically when you highlight text. That is the whole job. For whole pages, use Chrome's built-in translation.

Key features

Popup translation. Highlight or right-click text, then click the Translate icon to see the result in a popup.
Automatic option. The store listing describes a setting to show the translation as soon as you highlight text.
Made by Google. The listing is offered by the Google Translate team.
Free. The store lists the extension as free.
A companion to Chrome. Chrome's own translate feature handles whole pages, and the extension handles snippets.

Who it's for

Pick this if you read in several languages and mostly need a quick look at a word, a sentence or a short paragraph. It fits students who read foreign sources, and it appears in our students collection. If you want whole pages translated side by side, look at Immersive Translate or TWP. If you want a dedicated translation service, try DeepL.

Does the extension translate whole pages?

No. The extension's store text says page translation is now built into Chrome and is no longer supported in the extension. Chrome's own translate feature covers whole pages, and Google's Chrome help describes a "Use Google Translate" setting and a "Translate selection" right-click option. Use those for pages, and the extension for snippets.

Is this the official Google extension?

The listing we link is offered by the Google Translate team. A different store listing called "Google Translate extension" is offered by Chrome Extension Toolbox, and its own description says it has no official affiliation with Google. Names can look alike, so check the publisher name and the listing before you install.

Where does the text go?

The text you translate is sent to Google Translate. We did not find a separate privacy statement for the extension itself, so we do not make claims about how long Google keeps it. Read Google's privacy policy first. Do not translate sensitive text, such as legal, medical or financial details, unless you have read it.

What permissions does it ask for?

We could not read a published permission list. Because the extension works on the text you highlight on pages, expect it to ask for access to sites. Check the install prompt for the current list before you install, since permissions can change between releases.

FAQ

Is it free? Yes. The store lists it as free.

Does it need an account? We could not confirm either way, so we make no claim. Check after you install.

Where do I get page translation? Chrome has it built in. The extension's store text says it is no longer supported in the extension.

Good to know

Look-alike listings are the main risk with this name. Before you click Add to Chrome, check the publisher on the store page, and use the link on this page, which goes to the Google Translate team's listing. If a listing says it has no official affiliation with Google, it is a different product.

Other translation tools to compare

Google Translate is one of 11 picks in our translation tools guide:

DeepL: DeepL's own browser extension. Free for selected text, with full-page translation on the paid Pro plan.
Immersive Translate: Bilingual translation for web pages, PDFs and video subtitles. The original text stays next to the translation.
OpenL Translate: One extension for selected text, bilingual web pages, a sidebar for longer text and image translation. Free plan with daily limits.
TWP - Translate Web Pages: An open-source, free page translator from an individual developer. It translates pages in place with the engine you pick.
Mate Translate: A translator and dictionary in one extension, from Gikken. Free to install, with a paid tier.
Simple Translate: An open-source extension that translates the text you select or type, without leaving the page.
Read Frog: Open-source AI page translator that works with the providers you connect using your own API keys.
XTranslate: Translate words, selections and full pages with Google, Bing or an AI provider you add with your own API key.
KISS Translator: Shows translations beside the original text on any page, with many engines to choose from. Open source.
Yomitan: A pop-up dictionary for language learners. You import the dictionaries yourself. Open source.