Can we rebuild Simple Translate?
Build a Chrome extension like Simple Translate — a Simple Translate alternative you own.
If you want to build your own Simple Translate alternative, you can ship a custom Chrome extension in minutes. With full control over translation providers and UI placement, you get instant inline translations tailored exactly to your reading workflow.
The listing record
| Name | Simple Translate |
| Store rating | 4.5 / 5 · 465 ratings |
| Users | 200K+ |
| Store listing | Chrome Web Store ↗ |
| Analyzed | 19 August 2026 |
What Simple Translate does
Quickly translate selected or typed text on web pages. Supports Google Translate and DeepL API.
What the store says
★ 4.5 from 465 ratings · 200K users
Pulled live from the Chrome Web Store listing at analysis time.
Can PlugThis rebuild Simple Translate?
“A lightweight text selector wired to translation APIs is an afternoon build.”
The extension relies on listening to text selections in content scripts and sending strings to public translation APIs like Google Translate or DeepL. PlugThis easily handles Manifest V3 content script overlays, browser storage for language preferences, and direct API calls with your own API keys.
What you'd plug into
Fetches high-quality translations for selected text
Why build your own Simple Translate alternative
- Use your own DeepL or OpenAI API keys directly without rate limits
- Complete data privacy since text isn't routed through an unknown third party
- Customize hotkeys, floating tooltip styles, and default target languages
- Option to add custom AI prompt transformations like summarizing or tone shifting
What it costs vs what you'd save
The original: Free to use
Your version: While the original is free, building your own gives you full privacy and lets you plug in your own DeepL, Google Translate, or OpenAI keys directly.
The starter prompt
Build a Chrome extension that displays an inline translation tooltip when text is selected on any webpage. Include an options popup to set default source and target languages and store a DeepL API key. When a user selects text, show a small trigger icon that opens a floating card containing the translated text and a copy-to-clipboard button.Build it with PlugThis →
Features you could add that Simple Translate doesn't have
Because you own the code, these are a follow-up prompt away — tap one to add it to the prompt above.
- Pronunciation Audio — Use the browser's native SpeechSynthesis API to pronounce the translated text aloud.
- AI Explanations — Add a button to break down idioms, grammar nuances, or slang using an LLM.
Questions about rebuilding Simple Translate
Can I use DeepL instead of Google Translate?
Yes, you can configure your custom extension to call the DeepL Free or Pro API using your personal API key stored securely in chrome.storage.
How does the floating icon appear over selected text?
A content script listens for mouseup events, checks window.getSelection(), and dynamically renders a floating action button near the cursor coordinates.
Will it work inside text inputs or editable fields?
Yes, content scripts can read selections from both regular DOM nodes and input or textarea elements to offer bi-directional translation.
How to build it yourself
- 1Open PlugThis and start a new build
Head to PlugThis and start a new Chrome extension. You're describing a Simple Translate alternative you'll own outright — no store subscription.
- 2Paste the starter prompt
Paste the starter prompt above. PlugThis expands it into a full Manifest V3 extension — popup, content scripts, and service worker included.
- 3Connect your own keys
Wire in DeepL API / Google Cloud Translation API using your own account — the build uses your credentials, so there's no per-seat fee.
- 4Review, tweak, and load it
Review the generated code, ask for tweaks in plain English, then download and load the unpacked extension in Chrome to try it.
- 5Publish it (optional)
When you're happy, publish your Simple Translate alternative to the Chrome Web Store — or just keep it as a private tool for yourself.
Build your own Simple Translate alternative
Describe it in plain English. PlugThis generates the full Manifest V3 Chrome extension in about two minutes.
Build it with PlugThis →More teardowns
We run the same teardown on any Chrome extension — what it does, whether a self-built alternative holds up, and the prompt to make one. Tear down another extension, or see the extensions we've actually rebuilt and filmed — real build times, real prompts, real recordings.
Sources & verification
- All facts pulled live from the Chrome Web Store listing ↗.
- The verdict is drafted by the PlugThis teardown engine — an opinion about buildability, not affiliation with Simple Translate.
- Written by PlugThis, which builds Chrome extensions from plain-English prompts.
Published and last updated 19 August 2026. Figures reflect the Chrome Web Store listing on that date and may have changed since.