What is the world's most translated website?

When the Tomedes team first went looking for the world's most translated website back in 2015, we had a few likely suspects in mind. A major tech company, perhaps. A large media platform. Or maybe Wikipedia, the internet's most ambitious multilingual knowledge project.

We were wrong on all counts.

The answer (then and now) is JW.org, the official website of the Jehovah's Witnesses. As of early 2025, the site is available in over 1,100 languages, including more than 100 sign languages. That number has grown steadily since we started tracking it a decade ago, and it shows no sign of slowing down.

The gap between JW.org and every other website on this metric is not close. Understanding how one religious organisation built the world's most linguistically accessible website (and why) turns out to be a genuinely interesting story about translation at scale.

In this article:

1. How JW.org compares to other major websites
2. Why is JW.org the most translated website in the world?
3. The technology behind the translation: MEPS
4. A decade of growth: JW.org's language milestones
5. What JW.org's approach teaches us about website localisation
6. Frequently asked questions

How JW.org compares to other major websites

The easiest way to appreciate the scale of JW.org's translation work is to compare it to some of the world's most powerful and well-funded websites.

As of March 2026, Wikipedia articles have been created in 361 editions, with 345 currently active. That is impressive for a volunteer-driven encyclopaedia, but JW.org surpasses it by a factor of more than three.

Google Translate underwent its largest expansion in 2024, adding 110 new languages to bring its total to 243, representing over 614 million more people. It has since grown further. But even at 249 languages, Google's translation tool (one of the most sophisticated AI-powered language systems on earth) covers less than a quarter of the languages on JW.org.

The comparison is even starker when you consider the resources behind each. Google, Apple, Wikipedia, and Facebook are backed by some of the largest technology budgets and engineering teams in human history. JW.org is built largely by volunteers.

Why is JW.org the most translated website in the world?

The answer is theological. Jehovah's Witnesses interpret their mandate to preach "to every nation, tribe, tongue and people" quite literally — and that means making their materials available in as many languages as possible, including endangered indigenous languages with just a few thousand speakers.

Unlike commercial websites, which typically prioritise languages based on market size and revenue potential, JW.org includes content in more than 1,030 languages, including many indigenous languages considered at risk of dying out — among them Navajo, Cherokee, Choctaw, Hopi, and Central Alaskan Yupik.

The motivation is explicitly non-commercial. JW.org carries no advertising. All content is free to download and share. The site's Governing Body has described the translation work as a core expression of their religious mission rather than an outreach strategy driven by numbers.

"Commercial websites usually limit their efforts to languages that will be significantly profitable," a Governing Body statement explained. "For Jehovah's Witnesses, though, profit is not our motive."

This distinction matters. It explains why JW.org has translated into languages that no commercial platform would ever prioritise — languages with no other online publications, languages with no existing digital font sets, and languages that had to have their writing systems developed from scratch before translation could begin.

The technology behind the translation: MEPS

The speed and scale of JW.org's translation operation is made possible by a proprietary system called MEPS, the Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System. JWs designed MEPS in 1979. It is a computer software system that allows translators worldwide to access the master text in English simultaneously, so all publications in different languages can be released on schedule.

The translated material is also composed and formatted in MEPS, so that magazines and books look the same in any written language across the globe. This is a non-trivial technical challenge — the system has to accommodate scripts that run right-to-left, languages with no previously existing digital character sets, and publications that span dozens of physical and digital formats simultaneously.

As Izak Marais, who oversees Translation Services at JW.org's world headquarters, explained: "At times we wanted to publish in a less common language, but not all the characters were available for that language. So, over the years, we have provided artwork for countless characters and font sets, allowing us to produce printed publications in hundreds of languages."

JWs support Remote Translation Offices (RTOs) around the world that allow translators to work where many people speak the target language, helping to ensure translations are accurate and easy to understand. There are over 350 RTOs globally. Where possible, they are located in communities where the target language is spoken natively — so translators can field-test terminology and expressions before publishing.

Translation scholar Gerhard Budin has noted that Jehovah's Witnesses' approach demonstrates "the basic principles of translation studies, as well as best practices in practical translation work", a notable endorsement from an academic field that rarely comments on religious publishing.

A decade of growth: JW.org's language milestones

Since Tomedes first tracked this topic in 2015, the JW.org language count has grown at a remarkable pace. Here is how the numbers have developed:

As Geoffrey Jackson, a member of the Governing Body, noted at the 1,000-language milestone in 2019: "It took us a little over a hundred years to reach 508 languages in January 2013. But it's remarkable that in just under seven years we have nearly doubled our translation production, from 508 languages to 1,000."

The milestone announcements continue. In 2025, the Jehovah's Witnesses have been releasing new Bible translations across multiple languages (including Mixe (North Central) in Mexico, Solomon Islands Pidgin, Kisi in West Africa, and Seychelles Creole) adding to both the JW.org language count and the broader catalogue of printed and digital Scripture.

What JW.org's approach teaches us about website localisation

The JW.org story has lessons that go well beyond religious publishing.

The central one is that language coverage is a strategic choice, not simply a function of technical capacity. Google, Apple, and Facebook could theoretically translate their interfaces into 1,000+ languages. They choose not to because the return on investment for languages with small speaker populations does not justify the cost. JW.org makes the opposite calculation, every speaker matters, regardless of the size of the community.

For businesses considering website translation and localisation, the JW.org model offers a useful lens. The languages you choose to translate into communicate something about who you consider worth reaching. Brands that localise into less common languages often find that the goodwill generated (the signal that the brand sees and respects the community) outweighs the direct commercial return.

The MEPS system also illustrates what becomes possible when translation infrastructure is built seriously from the ground up. Consistent terminology management, simultaneous multi-language release, font and script development for under-resourced languages — these are the kinds of capabilities that emerge from treating translation as a core operational priority rather than a downstream task. Tomedes builds translation and localisation services on the same principle: that language coverage is a commitment, not an afterthought.

FAQs

Q: What is the most translated website in the world?
A: JW.org, the official website of the Jehovah's Witnesses, is the most translated website in the world. As of early 2025, it is available in over 1,100 languages, including more than 100 sign languages — more than any other website by a significant margin.

Q: How many languages is Wikipedia available in?
A: As of March 2026, Wikipedia has 345 active language editions, with articles created across 361 language versions in total. That makes it the second most linguistically accessible major website, though still well behind JW.org's 1,100+ languages.

Q: How many languages does Google Translate support?
A: As of March 2026, Google Translate supports 249 languages and language varieties. This represents a significant expansion from 149 in 2019, driven by major AI-powered updates including a 110-language addition in 2024.

Q: Why does JW.org have so many languages?
A: The Jehovah's Witnesses interpret their religious mission as requiring them to make their materials available to every person on earth in their native language, regardless of how many people speak that language. Unlike commercial websites, which prioritise languages based on market size, JW.org includes endangered indigenous languages and languages with no other online presence. The goal is reach, not revenue.

Q: How does JW.org manage translation at such scale?
A: The core technology is MEPS (Multilanguage Electronic Publishing System), developed in 1979. It allows translation teams worldwide to access the master English text simultaneously and publish across all languages in sync. Over 350 Remote Translation Offices around the world support the work, typically located in areas where the target language is natively spoken.

Q: What does JW.org's approach mean for businesses localising their websites?
A: It demonstrates that language coverage is a deliberate strategic choice. JW.org localises into languages that offer no commercial return because inclusion is a core value. Businesses localising their websites make a similar statement, about which markets they respect and which audiences they want to reach. For practical guidance on building a multilingual online presence, Tomedes' guide to content localisation covers the full process.

Tomedes has been tracking the world's most translated website since 2015. For professional website translation and localisation services across 240+ languages, get in touch — support is available 24/7.