TranslateDesk vs POEditor: Which Is Better for Intercom Translation?

Intercom doesn't include built-in translation, so teams need external tools. POEditor is a budget-friendly translation management system popular with indie developers. TranslateDesk is built specifically for translating Intercom help center articles.

The short answer: POEditor is great for developers managing app localization files. But it has no Intercom integration whatsoever. For translating your help center, TranslateDesk is the obvious choice. It connects directly to Intercom and handles everything.

What POEditor Does

POEditor is a translation management platform designed for software localization:

• File-based workflows: Import JSON, YAML, PO, XLIFF, and other developer formats
• Git integration: Sync with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
• AI translation: Connect your OpenAI, Claude, or Gemini account
• Collaborative editing: Invite translators and manage contributions
• Affordable pricing: Plans from $14.99/month

These features make sense for developers shipping multilingual apps. They don't help at all with Intercom help centers.

The Intercom Problem

Here's the issue: POEditor has no Intercom integration.

This means translating your help center with POEditor requires:

1. Manually export all Intercom articles (copy-paste or API)
2. Convert content to a format POEditor accepts (JSON, etc.)
3. Create a POEditor project and upload
4. Run translation (AI or human)
5. Export the translated content
6. Convert back to a format Intercom can use
7. Manually import to Intercom
8. Track which articles changed and need re-translation
9. Repeat the entire process whenever content updates

That's not a workflow. It's a second job.

TranslateDesk Instead

1. Connect to Intercom (one-time OAuth)
2. Select articles to translate
3. Choose target languages
4. Click translate
5. Get notified when articles need re-translation

No exports. No file conversions. No manual syncing. TranslateDesk was built for exactly this use case.

Feature Comparison

Feature	TranslateDesk	POEditor
Intercom integration	✅ Native	❌ None
Setup time	2 minutes	Hours of manual work
Stale content detection	✅ Yes	❌ No
Translation included	✅ DeepL	❌ Separate (BYOK)
File format knowledge	Not needed	Required
Git integration	❌ No	✅ Yes
App localization	❌ No	✅ Yes
Developer-focused	❌ No	✅ Yes
Support team-friendly	✅ Yes	❌ No
Free tier	5 articles	1,000 strings

Pricing Reality

POEditor Pricing

• Free: 1,000 strings
• Starter: $14.99/month
• Essential: $44.99/month
• Premium: $104.99/month
• Enterprise: $209.99/month

Important: This is just for string management. Translation is extra. You bring your own AI API keys or pay translators separately.

TranslateDesk Pricing

• Free: 5 translations to start
• Credit packs: From $79 for 100 translations

TranslateDesk includes DeepL translation in the price. No API keys to manage, no separate translation costs.

The Hidden Cost

With POEditor, you'd spend hours building a custom Intercom workflow. Your time has value. Even at $50/hour, a few hours of integration work costs more than months of TranslateDesk.

When POEditor Makes Sense

POEditor is a solid choice when:

• You're localizing an app. Mobile or web, with proper string files.
• Budget is very tight. $14.99/month is genuinely affordable.
• You're technical. Comfortable with JSON, Git workflows, API keys.
• Intercom isn't involved. Your help center is elsewhere or doesn't need translation.

When TranslateDesk Makes Sense

TranslateDesk is the right choice when:

• Intercom is your help center. Direct integration means zero friction.
• You're not a developer. Support teams shouldn't manage file exports.
• Translation needs to be easy. Connect once, translate forever.
• Updates matter. Know instantly when content needs re-translation.
• You value your time. No custom workflow to build and maintain.

The Bottom Line

POEditor is a capable, affordable platform for developer localization. But for Intercom help centers, it's completely the wrong tool. No integration, no automation, no stale content detection. Just manual work that compounds over time.

TranslateDesk exists for exactly one purpose: keeping Intercom help centers translated. It does that job better than any generic TMS because it's the only thing it does.

Ready to translate your help center? Try TranslateDesk free. Five articles, 2 minutes to set up, no developer required.