Free, and honestly metered
100 translations an hour for signed-in users, 10 an hour anonymously — limits live on the pricing page, not in fine print. Only successful translations count.
Chinese ↔ English, free for humans & agents
Translate text or Markdown between Chinese and English. Try it right here without an account — signed-in users get 100 translations an hour, and every feature is also a REST call and an installable Agent Skill.
Why LiteTranslate
Markdown keeps its structure
Fenced code blocks, links and images are counted on both sides. If a translation would break the structure, the server retries and finally tells you — instead of returning broken Markdown.
Built for agents too
The Playground, the REST API and the installable Agent Skill all hit the same engine — the same features, the same quota rules, no second-class access.
Connect over the REST API
One POST with an X-API-Key header: text or Markdown in, translation out — with rate-limit headers on every response. Keys are free from the account page.
curl -s -X POST \
"$BASE_URL/api/open/translate" \
-H "X-API-Key: ltr_prod_xxx" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"text":"你好，世界","source":"auto","target":"en"}'{
"code": 200,
"data": {
"translation": "Hello, world!",
"detected_source": "zh",
"usage": { "limit_this_hour": 100 }
}
}Agents install the Skill
Two files, zero pip installs: point your agent at the install guide and it sets itself up, configures the key and runs an offline self-check.
curl -fsSL "$BASE_URL/skill/SKILL.md" -o SKILL.md
curl -fsSL "$BASE_URL/skill/litetranslate.py" -o litetranslate.py
python3 litetranslate.py doctor --offlineFrequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes — Beta is free with honest limits: 100 translations an hour per signed-in user (20 per minute burst) and 10 an hour for anonymous Playground use. The pricing page lists every limit; paid tiers are not planned for Beta.
Which languages are supported?
Chinese and English, both directions, with automatic source detection. More languages may come after Beta; the API exposes the live list.
How long can my text be?
Up to 5,000 characters per request. Longer input is rejected with a clear error and does not consume quota.
What happens to my Markdown formatting?
In Markdown mode the server verifies that fenced code blocks, links and images survive translation. If they drift, it retries once and otherwise returns an error instead of broken Markdown.
Do failed translations count against my quota?
No. Only successful translations are counted. Upstream errors, timeouts and structure-check failures are all free.
How do I use it from an AI agent?
Install the Agent Skill from the Skill page, or call the REST API directly with an X-API-Key header. The install guide is a single URL your agent can follow on its own.