Try the demoGet Started

Localization built into the CMS core

Localization is a core capability of ApostropheCMS’s open source foundation, with built-in multilingual and locale-based content architecture, RTL support, and per-locale visual editing.

A CMS designed for multilingual teams

Managing multiple languages shouldn't require separate sites, disconnected workflows, or custom solutions. Localization affects how content is structured, how teams collaborate, and how each market publishes.

ApostropheCMS includes localization in its open source core, giving teams the tools to manage multilingual content, workflows, and permissions in one platform.

Translation workflows that fit your team

Supporting multiple languages looks different for every organization. Some teams prefer to localize right on the page. Others want AI-assisted translation to move faster, followed by human review. And many work with external translation teams via JSON files. ApostropheCMS supports all of the above, with automatic translation for generating drafts and JSON import/export workflows for those who work with outside localization shops.

  • Generate translated drafts with the LLM of your choice

    ApostropheCMS Automatic Translation helps teams move faster by creating a translated draft for each locale. Editors and translators can review, refine, and publish the content through the same workflow they use for any other content.

    When an editor localizes a document, ApostropheCMS identifies the target language from the configured locale and sends the content to the selected translation provider. The translated draft returns with formatting preserved and is ready for editorial review.

    Learn more about AI-powered translation
    • Pro + Assembly Tier

  • Support translation teams' workflows

    Teams that work with translation agencies or existing localization platforms can use import/export translation workflows to send content to translators and bring completed translations back into ApostropheCMS.

    Translated content follows the same editorial workflow as any other content: review, approval, and publishing.

    Learn more about the import-export translation module
    • Pro + Assembly Tier
Michelin Man Waving with Michelin Text
Customer story

Michelin manages 350+ websites across 36 languages from a single platform

Michelin, the world's largest tire manufacturer, runs over 350 high-traffic websites across 57 countries, 36 languages, 8 brands, and 9 business lines on ApostropheCMS. They manage it from a single installation, using ApostropheCMS's localization tools to handle content across markets without duplicating infrastructure. Before ApostropheCMS, Michelin committed eight figures to a CMS strategy that ultimately couldn't handle their localization requirements. They found ApostropheCMS through the open source repository, built several sites, and have been expanding on the platform since Q4 2017.

The admin tools have been extended as we grew bigger in scope, and currently allows for worldwide deployment in over 50 countries in a multitenancy operating model.

(opens in new tab)
Etienne Coursimault

Platform Owner, Michelin Digital Factory

Ready to build for a global audience?

ApostropheCMS's on-page localization features are available in our open source Community Edition. AI-powered automatic translation and JSON import/export translation are available on our Pro and Assembly plans. Talk to the team to see how it fits your project's language requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, ApostropheCMS supports multilingual websites with built-in localization capabilities in its open source core. Content, pages, and pieces can be managed across multiple locales, allowing teams to create and maintain localized versions of their websites without building a custom multilingual system.

Localization is part of the content architecture rather than a separate workflow. Developers configure the supported locales and content relationships, while editors work within the CMS to create, review, edit, and publish content for each language. AI-powered and manual translations make scaling globally even easier.

ApostropheCMS also supports locale-specific visual editing, so editors can manage translated content in the same in-context editing experience they use for their primary language.

A CMS designed for localization should support more than simply storing translated text. It should provide a content architecture that understands languages, editorial workflows that support review and publishing, and tools that help teams manage content across regions.

Key localization capabilities include:

  • Locale-aware content modeling so each language version is managed independently.

  • Editorial workflows for reviewing and publishing translated content.

  • In-context editing so teams can see localized content as their audience will experience it.

  • Support for regional differences, allowing markets to adapt content rather than only translate it.

  • The ability to handle locale-specific documents. Not every product or service is suitable or available for every audience in every country.

  • Integration with external translation services when teams need automated or professional translation workflows.

  • AI draft translations to speed the process.

ApostropheCMS includes many of these features in its open source core, with AI and remote translation capabilities available through our License Pricing and Assembly licenses.

Yes. RTL languages like Arabic and Hebrew are supported at the framework level, with automatic toggling of RTL and LTR between the admin UI and the content. RTL for the admin UI itself is not currently available. Contact if that is important to you.

Yes. Once localization is configured, editors can manage localized content without needing developers for routine translation and publishing tasks.

Editors can switch between locales, create localized versions of content, edit each language in context, and publish through the same workflow they use for other content. Developers define the localization structure and technical settings, but editors manage the day-to-day content operations.

With Assembly, choosing what locales to include in the project becomes an admin decision in the multisite dashboard.

Not always. Many organizations use dedicated translation management systems when they need complex translation operations, vendor separation, or enterprise translation workflows. However, many teams can manage multilingual websites directly within their CMS if localization is built into the content architecture.

ApostropheCMS provides the core localization capabilities most multilingual websites need, including locale-aware content, multilingual editorial workflows, and per-locale visual editing. Teams that need automated translation can extend this workflow with AI-powered translation tools that generate drafts for editorial review.

The right approach depends on the complexity of your translation process, the number of languages you support, and whether you already have translation infrastructure in place.

Yes. A multilingual CMS should allow regional teams to adapt content for their audience instead of forcing every language version to be an identical translation.

In ApostropheCMS, localized content starts from a shared source but each locale can be edited independently. Teams can adjust messaging, replace images, update calls to action, or create region-specific variations while keeping the underlying content structure consistent. Locale-specific documents can also be created.

This allows global organizations to maintain brand consistency while giving local teams the flexibility to create content that works for their market.