Looking for a free WPML alternative that doesn’t make you start over? TranslateRocket ships a dedicated WPML importer: one click brings your existing translations into a plugin with no yearly license — and because it reads directly from WPML’s own tables, it works even if WPML is already deactivated or expired.
What gets imported from WPML
- String translations — the registered UI, widget and option strings from WPML’s String Translation, imported as reusable source → translation pairs.
- Content translations — WPML keeps a separate post per language; TranslateRocket imports translated titles, excerpts, slugs, and body text paired paragraph-by-paragraph when both posts share the same structure (best effort — unmatched pairs are simply never used, so they’re harmless).
- Language codes are mapped automatically (
pt-br,zh-hans…).
How to migrate, step by step
- Install TranslateRocket — free, from the official WordPress.org directory (Plugins → Add New → search “TranslateRocket”).
- In TranslateRocket → Settings, pick the same source and target languages you use in WPML.
- Open TranslateRocket → Import: WPML is detected automatically, with a count of the translations found. It works with WPML active or deactivated — the importer reads its database tables directly.
- Click Import from WPML — existing TranslateRocket translations are kept, imported ones are added or filled in.
- Deactivate WPML and turn on Preview mode (“Who sees the translations” in TranslateRocket’s settings): you review the fully translated site on the real pages — and fix anything with the visual editor — while visitors keep seeing the default language, never a half-migrated site. During the review the public site stays in the default language — old language URLs simply redirect (no 404s), and the window can be as short as a few minutes: import, check, publish.
- Happy with the result? Set visibility back to Everyone and you’re live, instantly. WPML’s tables are never touched, so they remain as a rollback for as long as you want.
Why people switch
- Free, permanently. Every feature — visual editor, AI translation with your own keys, SEO URLs, WooCommerce — with no yearly license and no locked “pro” tier.
- Built for real sites. Past ~20,000 strings the engine switches to indexed per-page lookups — flat memory, load-tested at 500,000 strings.
- No lock-in. Translations live in your database and export to CSV/TMX any time.
FAQ
Do I lose translations if my WPML license has expired?
No. The importer reads WPML’s tables in your own database — no WPML license, account or active plugin is required.
Can I go back to WPML afterwards?
Yes. The import never modifies or deletes WPML’s data; reactivating WPML restores everything exactly as it was.
Are my translated URLs preserved?
Translated slugs are imported, and each language is served under its own prefix (e.g. /it/) with automatic hreflang tags.
Can I check everything before going live?
Yes — Preview mode serves the translations to administrators only: you browse the fully translated site while visitors keep seeing the default language, and one click publishes it.
Still deciding? Read the full TranslateRocket vs WPML comparison.
Coming from a different plugin? Migrate from TranslatePress · Migrate from Polylang — or see the full comparison.
