# A Crowdin, Lokalise, Weblate and Tolgee alternative without the sync

> How Fink, a free browser editor for translation files in GitHub, compares with Crowdin, Lokalise, Weblate and Tolgee, and when each one is the better choice.

A translation management system (TMS) such as Crowdin, Lokalise, Weblate or Tolgee keeps a second copy of your translations and syncs it with your repository. Fink edits the files in your GitHub repository directly. Nothing to sync.

## How they work

**With a TMS:** Two copies of every string. A sync job, CLI or integration moves changes between them.

**With Fink:** One copy: the files in your repository. Fink commits only what you changed.

## Fink and a typical TMS, side by side

| | Fink | Typical TMS |
|---|---|---|
| Where translations live | Only in your GitHub repository | On the platform, synced to your repository |
| Getting changes into the repo | Fink commits to your branch, or you open a pull request from a fork | Sync job or CLI, usually as a pull request from a service branch |
| Setup | A `project.inlang` folder: one command for i18next, one small file for next-intl | Project, integration and sync configuration |
| Translator accounts | GitHub account | Platform account, invited per project |
| Checks | Missing translations, variables, plural forms, markup | QA checks |
| Formats | i18next JSON, next-intl, inlang message format (Paraglide JS) | Dozens |
| Translation memory, machine translation, glossary | No | Yes |
| Review workflows, vendors, agencies | No, review happens on GitHub | Yes |
| Price | Free | Free tiers or open source plans, then paid plans |
| Source code | Open source (MIT) | Weblate (GPL-3.0) and Tolgee (Apache-2.0, enterprise features under a separate license) are open source. Crowdin and Lokalise are not. |

## Fink fits when

- Your translations are i18next JSON, next-intl or Paraglide JS files in a GitHub repository.
- Developers, PMs or volunteers do the translating, and you want their changes as commits you can review.
- A second copy of your strings, or a sync that can break, is the problem you want to get rid of.

## A TMS fits when

- An agency or professional translators work on large volumes and rely on translation memory, glossaries and machine translation.
- You need many file formats, design tool integrations, over-the-air updates or approval workflows.
- Your code isn't on github.com.

## One-on-one comparisons

- [Fink vs Crowdin](/compare/crowdin): A full localization platform for professional translators. Fink is a free editor for the files in your repository.
- [Fink vs Lokalise](/compare/lokalise): A hosted TMS with many integrations. Fink keeps translations only in GitHub.
- [Fink vs Weblate](/compare/weblate): Open source and git-based, on a hosted or self-hosted server. Fink needs no server of your own.
- [Fink vs Tolgee](/compare/tolgee): In-context editing on a hosted or self-hosted platform. Fink edits the files directly.

Facts about other products come from their own websites, last checked October 11, 2026. Each comparison links its sources. Check them for current details.