Comparison
Fily vs Smartcat
Both translate documents with AI. They take different paths. Here's the honest comparison so you can pick the right one.
Smartcat is an end-to-end localization platform: AI translation, a browser CAT editor, a marketplace of freelance translators, project management, and payment rails. You translate inside Smartcat's environment and optionally hire from their marketplace.
Fily is an AI translation pipeline backed by a real Account Manager. You upload a file, the pipeline returns it ready to deliver, and a human is available when something needs judgment.
If you want a platform that does translation + vendor management + payments in one place, Smartcat fits. If you want files translated fast with human accountability — without managing a translator marketplace — Fily fits.
Side-by-side
| Capability | Fily | Smartcat |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow model | File in → file out, no editor required | Upload → edit in CAT → manage in dashboard |
| Browser CAT editor | Optional segment view | Core product |
| AI translation | Frontier LLM + 12-step QA pipeline | Multiple MT engines, AI editor |
| File formats supported | 15+ incl. CAT, scanned PDF, audio | 80+ file types (broader breadth) |
| Native SDLXLIFF / MQXLIFF / TXLF | Dedicated pipelines per format | Yes (generic XLIFF handling) |
| Scanned PDF (OCR) | Dual-backend OCR with auto-fallback | Yes |
| Audio + subtitles | ||
| Translation memory | Hard pass-through 100/101, cascade rules | Yes, per-project |
| Glossary enforcement | Mutates output (forbidden replaced) | Flags violations |
| Cascading client rules | 4-layer cascade (system → client → job) | Per-project setup |
| QA pipeline | 12 dedicated steps, auditable HTML report | In-editor QA panel |
| QA report deliverable | HTML attached to every job | In-app view |
| Marketplace of translators | Yes, integrated | |
| Dedicated Account Manager | Support tickets | |
| API + webhooks | Yes | |
| HIPAA-ready / on-prem | Limited | |
| Pricing model | Per word | Freemium + per-word + marketplace fee |
When Smartcat is the right choice
- You want a single platform that handles translation + vendor sourcing + payments in one flow.
- You're a buyer who wants to discover and hire translators inside the same tool.
- You're a freelancer who wants to be listed on a marketplace and get jobs through Smartcat.
- Your volume is high but irregular, and Smartcat's freemium works for your usage pattern.
- You need 80+ file format support including niche formats (DITA, Adobe Illustrator, etc.).
When Fily is the right choice
- You want translated files delivered, not a marketplace to manage.
- You have your own translators (in-house, freelance, or LSP partners) — you don't need to source from a marketplace.
- You need a human Account Manager when a job goes sideways, not a support ticket queue.
- Your work involves scanned PDFs, audio, or vendor-extended CAT files (SDLXLIFF, MQXLIFF, TXLF) where dedicated pipelines beat generic XLIFF handling.
- You need HIPAA-ready handling or on-prem deployment.
- You want per-word pricing without marketplace fees layered on top.
The philosophical difference
Smartcat builds a two-sided marketplace — buyers + translators meet inside a single platform. The CAT editor is the workspace, the marketplace is the supply, AI is one layer in a bigger product.
Fily builds an AI translation pipeline with human accountability. No marketplace. No mandatory editor. The product is: upload → get the file → talk to your AM if you need to.
Both are valid. They serve different jobs.
See for yourself.
Upload the same file to both. Compare what comes back.