TL;DR — 3 things to know before you land
- Install both before you arrive. Papago (by Naver) covers 14 languages, including Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese. Google Translate covers 240+ languages. Both have camera, voice, conversation and handwriting input.
- Papago does work offline — once you download its language pack. Naver added offline translation in November 2019; the store listing describes it as text translation without internet. Google Translate also needs its Korean pack downloaded on Wi-Fi before you go offline.
- Ignore "X% more accurate" claims. We found no current, independent benchmark comparing the two for Korean. If a menu or sign translation looks odd, run it through the other app — that cross-check is the main reason to carry both.
Two Apps, What Each Offers
Features below are taken from each app's official store listing (checked October 2026).
Papago
Naver · 14 languages
Naver's translation app. Store name: "Naver Papago - AI Translator" (Korean store: 네이버 파파고 - AI 통번역). Listed languages: Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Russian, German, Italian and Arabic.
- Text, image (camera) and voice translation
- Conversation mode for one-on-one talks, each person in their own language
- Offline text translation after downloading a language pack
- Website translation (enter a URL) and document translation
- Handwriting input; Papago Mini on Android translates text you copy in other apps
Google Translate
Google · 240+ languages
Google's translation app. Google added 110 languages in June 2024, taking the total past 240. Not every feature covers every language — the store listing gives separate counts for offline, camera and conversation — but Korean has been downloadable for offline use for years.
- Text, camera (instant and photo) and voice translation
- Conversation mode; a newer "Live translate" mode began rolling out in August 2025
- Offline translation after downloading a language
- Tap to Translate: copy text in any app to translate it
- No account needed — sign-in is only for syncing your saved phrasebook
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Papago | Google Translate |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Naver (Korea) | |
| Languages | 14 | 240+ (fewer for some features) |
| Offline | Yes — text, after downloading a pack | Yes — after downloading Korean |
| Camera / photo | Yes | Yes |
| Voice and conversation | Yes | Yes |
| Website translation | Yes — enter a URL in the app | Via translate.google.com or Chrome |
| Account needed for basic use | No for basic translation (per user reports) | No (sign-in only to sync phrasebook) |
| Price | Free | Free |
Which App for Each Situation
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Korean-only menu, no picturesTry Papago's camera first, then Google's. Both overlay translations on the image. Dish names are where translators most often slip, so if a result looks strange, compare the two apps or search the Korean dish name.
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Underground or no signalUse whichever app you downloaded a pack for. Papago's offline mode covers text translation, so type the words. Google says that after downloading a language you may also be able to use camera translation offline — test it in airplane mode before you rely on it.
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Explaining something to a taxi driver or hotel staffUse either app's conversation mode. Both translate speech back and forth. For destinations, showing the address written in Korean is still the most reliable option.
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A Korean-only website (booking page, blog)Papago: paste the URL into its website translation. Or open the page in Chrome and use the built-in translate.
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Your language isn't one of Papago's 14Use Google Translate. It covers 240+ languages.
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Japanese or Chinese speaker reading KoreanBoth apps support Japanese and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). Papago's 2019 offline launch included Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese packs.
Setup Before You Arrive
Do this on Wi-Fi at home — language packs are large downloads.
Papago Setup
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1Install PapagoSearch "Naver Papago" on the App Store or Google Play. It's free.
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2Set your language pairOn the main screen, set one side to Korean (한국어) and the other to your language.
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3Download the offline packOpen the app menu and find Offline translation, then download the pack for Korean and your language. When Naver launched it in 2019 the menu was at the top left; the location can change between app versions.
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4Allow camera and microphoneImage translation needs camera access; voice and conversation need the microphone.
Google Translate Offline Setup
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1Install Google TranslateSearch "Google Translate" on the App Store or Google Play. Free; no account needed.
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2Download KoreanOn Wi-Fi, tap a language at the top (iPhone) or bottom (Android) of the screen and tap Download next to Korean. Download your own language too. Downloaded languages are marked "Downloaded".
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3Test offlineTurn on airplane mode and translate a Korean sentence. If it works, you're set. On iPhone you can update or remove packs under Settings → Offline translation.
If Something Goes Wrong
Translation never finishes
Check your data connection. Without internet, only downloaded packs work. Force-close and reopen the app, and update it if a newer version is out.
Check your data connection. Without internet, only downloaded packs work. Force-close and reopen the app, and update it if a newer version is out.
Camera translates in the wrong direction
Check the language pair shown on the camera screen and set it to Korean → your language.
Check the language pair shown on the camera screen and set it to Korean → your language.
Offline mode doesn't work
Make sure the pack shows as downloaded, then test in airplane mode. In Papago, offline mode is for text translation.
Make sure the pack shows as downloaded, then test in airplane mode. In Papago, offline mode is for text translation.
Backup: Apple's built-in Translate app on iPhone also supports Korean. Download Korean inside the app before your trip if you want it to work without data.
Sources
Checked October 25, 2026.
- Naver press release, Nov 11, 2019 — Papago offline translation launch (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese; 12 language pairs)
- App Store — Naver Papago - AI Translator: 14 languages, feature list
- Google Play — Naver Papago - AI Translator (updated Oct 22, 2026)
- Google Translate Help — Download languages to use offline
- Google Play — Google Translate (updated Oct 20, 2026): feature list, sign-in only for phrasebook sync
- Google blog, Jun 27, 2024 — 110 new languages added
- Google blog, Aug 26, 2025 — Live translate rollout
Frequently Asked Questions
We could not find a current, independent benchmark, so we don't rank them. Papago is built by Naver, a Korean company, and supports 14 languages; Google Translate supports 240+. Both are free, so most travelers install both and cross-check when one result looks odd.
Yes. Naver added offline translation in November 2019. Download the language pack from the app menu (Offline translation) while on Wi-Fi. The store listing describes offline mode as text translation, so camera and voice may still need a connection.
Yes, after you download Korean. On Wi-Fi, tap the language at the top or bottom of the screen and tap Download next to Korean. Test it in airplane mode before your trip.
Not for basic translation. The store listings do not require sign-in, and users report using text, camera and voice translation without logging in. Some extra features may ask you to log in.
14: Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Spanish, French, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Russian, German, Italian and Arabic. For anything else, use Google Translate.
You can, but carrying both costs nothing and lets you compare results. Use Google Translate if your language isn't one of Papago's 14, and download offline packs in whichever app you plan to rely on.