Interpreter vs Zoom for interpreters
Choose Zoom if everyone on the call can join the same Zoom meeting.
Choose Interpreter if you interpret calls that come through an agency platform or softphone, and want every word on your screen.
The main difference: Zoom captions Zoom meetings. Interpreter captions call audio from Chrome, Edge, your Mac or Windows computer, or Android.
What Zoom does
Zoom is a video meeting platform. Its captions and translated captions run inside Zoom meetings, so everyone joins the same meeting link. AI Companion 3.0, announced at Zoomtopia 2025, added meeting summaries and began rolling out live voice translation in beta.
That works when the call is a Zoom meeting. On OPI work, the caller dials a phone number through your agency, and that call never reaches Zoom.
What Interpreter does
Interpreter puts every word of your call on screen as people speak, with the tools to act on it. It's built for phone (OPI) and video (VRI) interpreters. It works with call audio you share from Chrome or Edge, any call app on a Mac or Windows computer, and supported Android apps. Nobody else on the call joins or installs anything.
Live translate shows both languages as people speak. Captions only shows what people say, and you click a caption to translate just that line. Each speaker's turns get their own color, side by side or stacked.
Before the call, set the Call topic, like medical, legal or insurance, and add the names and terms you expect to hear. Your glossary sets how a term is translated, up to 200 terms. During the call, press Ctrl K (⌘K on a Mac) for Quick lookup, keep a callback number in Notes, and press Space to pause. Paused time isn't charged. Interpreter is HIPAA compliant, SOC 2 Type II audited and GDPR compliant.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Interpreter | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Interpreters on live calls | Video meetings |
| Audio | Desktop call audio and supported Android apps | Zoom meetings |
| Everyone joins a meeting link | No | Yes |
| Two-way translation | Yes | Translated captions |
| Click translation | Yes | No |
| Quick lookup | Yes | No |
| Glossary | Up to 200 terms | No |
| Notes | Yes | No |
| Call topic | 9 topics | No |
| Session length | No limit | Depends on plan |
| Pricing model | Pay as you go or monthly plan | Per user, per month |
Pricing
Pay as you go
$10 for 22 hours
Captions only and Live translate cost the same. Packs start at $0.45 an hour, and larger packs include bonus hours. Monthly plans are also available.
See pricingZoom charges per user each month, whether or not you're on a call. With Interpreter, you pay for the hours you use.
Choose Zoom if
- Everyone on the call can join the same Zoom meeting link
- You do video remote interpreting (VRI) and the session runs in Zoom
- Your organization already uses Zoom for its multilingual meetings
- You want meeting summaries after the call
Choose Interpreter if
- You interpret phone calls (OPI) where the caller dials a number, not a meeting link
- You want names, numbers and doses on screen, so you can check them without interrupting
- You handle medical or legal calls and need a tool that's HIPAA compliant and SOC 2 Type II audited
- You want both languages on screen, with each speaker in their own color
- You want to pay for the hours you use, not a seat each month
The real question
Zoom keeps adding AI features. For VRI and multilingual video meetings, it's a solid platform.
But OPI isn't a video meeting. A patient calls a hospital. A claimant calls an insurance line. They dial a phone number, and Zoom's captions can't reach that call.
Interpreter is built to support the interpreter on the call, not to replace you. See the interpreter tools guide or the FAQ for how it fits your work.
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