Polylang Pro - multilingual plugin

Polylang Pro is the premium version of the popular free Polylang plugin, built to turn a single WordPress install into a fully multilingual website. If the free version covers basic translation, Pro fills in the gaps that most serious projects actually need. It lets you create and manage translations for almost every part of WordPress – posts, pages, media attachments, categories, tags, custom post types, custom taxonomies, menus and even widgets. You can decide how your languages appear in the URL, whether as subdirectories like /fr/, subdomains like fr.yoursite.com, or completely separate domains per language. For anyone building a site that needs to serve visitors in two or more languages without juggling multiple WordPress installs or messy workarounds, this is the tool that makes it manageable from one dashboard. Core Features and Why They Matter in Practice These are the features you will actually use day to day, not just bullet points on a sales page: 1. Full Content Translation You can translate posts, pages, media, categories and tags individually and link them together as translations of each other. The interface adds a simple language column and flags in the editor, so you always know what has been translated and what is still missing. 2. Custom Post Types and Taxonomies Support This is where Pro really pulls ahead of the free version. If your theme or another plugin registers a portfolio, listing, product, or event post type, Polylang Pro lets you translate both the content and its taxonomies. Essential for real estate, directory, or WooCommerce-style builds. 3. Menus and Widgets Per Language Instead of trying to show the same menu to everyone, you can create a separate menu for each language and let Polylang switch them automatically. Same for widgets – you can control which widgets appear for which language, which keeps sidebars and footers relevant. 4. Flexible URL Structure You get the choice of subdirectories, subdomains, or separate domains for each language. Subdirectories are the most common for SEO, but agencies often need subdomains or domains for client requirements. Having all three options in one plugin saves you from extra redirection plugins. 4. Shared Slugs and Translated Slugs Two small but powerful options. You can keep the same slug across languages, like /about/ for English and /about/ for French with a language prefix, or you can translate the slug itself to /about/ and /a-propos/. This keeps URLs clean and locally relevant, which helps both users and search engines. 5. One-Click Content Duplication When you create a translation, you can duplicate the original content as a starting point. You do not have to copy and paste titles, fields, and formatting manually. It is a huge time saver when you have long pages or complex ACF layouts. 6. WPML API Compatibility Many themes and plugins are coded to work with WPML. Polylang Pro includes a compatibility layer for the WPML API, so those themes will often work with Polylang without needing custom code. It prevents that frustrating situation where a theme claims to be multilingual ready but only works with one plugin. Where Polylang Pro Fits Best A local business serving two communities: Think of a site in Canada, Belgium, or Switzerland that needs English and French, or English and Spanish in the US. You can keep one design, one set of plugins, and simply manage two versions of each page while visitors switch with a clean language switcher. Content sites with custom structures: If you run a magazine, university, or directory site that relies on custom post types for reviews, courses, or listings, Pro lets you keep that structure fully multilingual. You can translate the archive pages and filters without rebuilding the site. Shops planning for international growth: Paired with WooCommerce and the Polylang for WooCommerce add-on, you can manage product descriptions, categories, and shop pages per language. It is much leaner than running separate installs for each country when you are just starting out.