Around
Phrase
| Feature | Around | Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10/mo | From $25/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | remote-teams, hybrid-teams, developers, creative-teams | localization-teams, enterprise-companies, product-managers, global-brands |
| Founded | 2019 | 2011 |
| Floating Bubbles | ✓ | ✗ |
| Noise Cancellation | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Leveling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screen Sharing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reactions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Meeting Notes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar Integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Translation Memory | ✗ | ✓ |
| Machine Translation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Quality Assurance | ✗ | ✓ |
| Api Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Workflow Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Around Pros
- Minimal screen footprint with floating video bubbles
- Excellent AI noise cancellation
- Auto-equalizes audio levels between participants
- Designed for casual always-on collaboration
✗ Around Cons
- Limited features for formal presentations
- Smaller user base than major platforms
- No recording on free plan
✓ Phrase Pros
- Powerful translation memory
- AI-enhanced machine translation
- Supports 500+ languages
- Strong developer integrations (CLI, API)
✗ Phrase Cons
- Complex pricing structure
- Steep learning curve
- Expensive for small teams
The Verdict
Around is built for remote teams and hybrid teams, with a focus on floating-bubbles and noise-cancellation. Phrase targets localization teams and enterprise companies and leads with translation-memory and machine-translation.
On pricing, Around is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $25/mo for Phrase. That $15/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Around has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Phrase requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Around offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Phrase takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.