What are the most user-friendly translation memory tools for freelance translators?

For me, it boils down to two options: memoQ and Trados Studio. Both have a bit of a learning curve, but once you're in, they're incredibly intuitive. memoQ's interface is sleek and customizable, while Trados Studio's sheer power and broad compatibility are hard to beat. I've used both extensively, and honestly, the "best" one is the one that feels most comfortable to you. Try the demos, see what clicks, and don't be afraid to experiment.

memoQ is my CAT tool of choice. I appreciate its user-friendly and intuitive interface. Starting a project takes takes just a few clicks. It works completely off-line, but you can also connect to server projects when needed. I like the extensive options for segment filtering, too (which can also be used to create specific views - think of a view in memoQ as a "reduced" project which includes for example only segments with a certain term or status) and practical keyboard shortcuts. The license management is simple, too.

I would add Robert.cat to the mix...developed by an LSP for LSPs, reasonably priced and not per user or per word and v.easy to use. Disclaimer: we built it ;-)

Sem dúvida, as TMs nos ajudam a ganhar muito tempo, especialmente quando o cliente precisa de determinada tradução em prazos curtos. Em segundo lugar, glossários de tradução. Há grupos de whatsapp especializados nisso e sempre muito solícitos!

Does not really matter for me. Cloud is something I do not use, mainly because I deal with sensitive customer information. On top of this cloud means you need a permanent Internet access, which is not always guaranteed. If you are for example travelling on an ICE in Germany (or a train elsewhere) or on a plane, you might get in trouble with using a cloud.

A cloud infrastructure has clear advantages for the entire supply chain. From IT security to connectivity, cloud is a flexible, agile and secure way to go. A hybrid way of working is clearly the future (or presence), meaning you can connect your tool of choice with numerous cloud offerings, ranging from TMs and NMT engines to technologies around quality evaluation, query management or terminology. Interoperability and connectivy are more and more key in our world of technology ecosystems.

While I can see that enterprises benefit from cloud solutions, I prefer local software. Why? 1. SaaS solutions have more potential points of failure: my router, the power grid, the network, the server infrastructure. On my notebook, I can continue working even during a power outage for as long as my battery lasts. 2. I only ever work on my own devices. 3. Cloud data backups are an option whatever. 4. Speed. A slow network connection or cloud server cost time. 5. Less overhead dealing with potential data security and privacy issues. 6. Switching to an online solution would add a learning curve. 7. Additional cost. Perhaps worth considering in this discussion that the needs and resources of a freelance differ from those of a company.

Again, the title says "for freelance translators", and most of us don't generally work in many different scripts and languages.

LogiTerm is the most user friendly one! It's known for its robust features, including term extraction, corpus based translation memories (Bitexts), and document alignment. Many users appreciate its efficiency and the ability to manage large volumes of text.

We liked Phrase (Memsource) but then they 3x the price. Luckily we started to build our own (not recommended!) and it' now available for testing. DM if you'd like access to the closed beta

CAT-tools are complicated. If they are not complicated, the possibilities to work with them are strictly limited. If you just wanna translate something from A to B, the learning curve for "smaller" solutions like OmegaT or CafeTran Espresso might be far less steep as for integrated tools like memoQ or Trados. However, this also depends on the way you try to learn. Doing this systematically and not repeating the same errors again and again (which I unfortunately observer in many places) is very helpful. If something goes wrong, analyse what you've done and try to do it in a different way.

I agree with Jerzy: Trados is eminently customisable, also with a wide range of add-ons. Not least those developed by Klaus's company Kaleidoscope.

I think all CAT tools have their fans and communities. One of the strongest and most helpful ones is the Trados community, to be found here community.rws.com There you have not only helpful fellow translators, but can meet and be helped by programmers, which is really valuable.

Support and community are important to provide ways out when you got stuck for knowledge or technical reasons. Most major tools offer more or less curated communities, and all commercial tool providers have support. An additional edge in terms of interoperability is to be able to allow plug-ins or add-ons, meaning developers can extend the functionality of the tool and make this functionality available for the entire user community. This is often called app store, just like the apps you install on your cell phone.

Personalmente, soy miembro del TC desde hace ya... casi 15 años. Existen foros (TCT) en casi todos los pares de idiomas, muy útiles a la hora de hacer preguntas acerca de términos, giros... toda consulta sirve para compartir experiencias, brindar la máxima asistencia posible y así ayudar a compañeros en dificultad. El "consultor" puede trasladar la o las respuestas aceptadas a la base terminológica que todos los usuarios pueden consultar. Existen también foros donde nos podemos mantener informados acerca de casi cualquier tema o que traten asuntos de utilidad. Esta comunidad sigue siendo fiable y sólida porque los Traductores que la componemos tenemos experiencia, que es lo único en lo que nos podemos respaldar.

I feel that with the current SaaS models, a large portion of the CAT tool fees are reserved for support. That's great if you call them twice a day, but not so much otherwise. Personally, I would like to see a separate support service model. Just give me the updates/upgrades and I'll be fine. I am using memoQ as my main CAT tool.

De nuevo, personalmente, nunca he recurrido a otra memoria de traducción que no sean los glosarios que he ido elaborando a lo largo de todos estos años, en cada área del Derecho a la cual me dedico. Una traductora de la ONU con más de 50 años de experiencia me lo aconsejó desde el principio y siempre me ha ido fenomenal. La Traducción Jurídica es un ámbito muy específico donde los recursos nacen más bien de la experiencia de cada traductor, cualquier error puede conllevar resultados catastróficos. Por ello prefiero mis propios recursos, los cuales, además, he protegido con mucho esmero, la privacidad también es un tema candente hoy en día.