Apptisan #41 - ParaTrans: Turning Your iPhone into a Universal Translation Powerhouse
For our 41st edition, we connect with Paidax, a design lead at a B2B company and the indie developer behind ParaTrans. Born from his own frustrations with inefficient translation workflows on iOS...
Name: ParaTrans（Para 翻译）
Developer / Team: Paidax
Platforms: iOS, iPadOS
Read this newsletter issue in Chinese (中文) .
Please describe your product.
ParaTrans is an efficient, multi-platform translation aggregation tool designed for users who prioritize accuracy and speed. It supports global text translation across any application interface, helping you quickly obtain the most precise translation results. Key features include:
Global Text Selection Translation: Simply copy text in any app, and a picture-in-picture floating window instantly displays the translation.
Multi-Platform Aggregation: Integrates major translation engines and leading AI models, allowing real-time comparison to ensure the optimal translation quality.
Customizable Translation Styles: Through custom prompts, the floating window can do more than just translate; it can also polish, rewrite, summarize selected text, and perform other text-based tasks.
Set as Default Translator: Designate ParaTrans as your iOS system’s default translator, enabling you to invoke its multi-platform aggregation by simply selecting text.
Was there a ‘aha!’ moment that inspired your app’s creation?
I frequently browse international websites to stay updated with the latest and most cutting-edge information. However, due to my limited foreign language proficiency and the somewhat restrictive nature of the iOS ecosystem, I constantly found myself needing to switch to separate translation apps whenever I encountered unfamiliar English. Each time, I’d have to launch a translation app, often endure advertisements, and then navigate back to my original page. This entire process was incredibly frustrating.
One day, I serendipitously discovered that floating windows could access clipboard content. I experimented with integrating translation functionality into one, and the results were surprisingly good! Initially, I intended to keep it for personal use. However, after sharing a demo on the X platform (formerly Twitter), it garnered significant attention. Seeing the interest, my developer partner and I were instantly on the same page, deciding to refine the app and officially launch it.
Beyond specific ‘aha!’ moment, how do you generally find and nurture creative inspiration in your daily life?
I’m an avid user of X, where many designers and developers share their demos and experiences. When I come across something interesting, I collect it in Eagle and assign a star rating for easy retrieval later. I’ve even written an article sharing my Eagle usage tips.
Over time, I found that categorizing by page module, while intuitive, was quite time-consuming to maintain. Through trial and error, I now prefer this method: First, I create smart folders with rules that automatically categorize materials based on their source website. Then, I use numeric keypad shortcuts to quickly assign star ratings to designs. Finally, I filter by star rating to review designs of different quality levels.
To facilitate future reference, I ensure every collected design retains its original website link. This way, when I see an impressive design or demo, I can use the associated link to find subsequent iterations or open-source contributions from that designer.
I also enjoy listening to the “HardHackers” podcast. The show provides insights into the mindset and experiences of various entrepreneurs, which has significantly broadened my perspective. For example, in “EP56: The Story Behind Immersive Translate,” Owen shared how he identified user pain points, built his product, and acquired his first 500,000 users. This gave me a fresh understanding of the translation market, and I aspire to make ParaTrans the go-to immersive translation tool for iOS.
Another impactful episode was “EP98: How to Stand Out in the Health Sector with a Sunbathing App.” Shawn discussed how he used differentiation to break through in the competitive health market. His insights on pricing strategies and promotion techniques were very practical, and I plan to experiment with them in future versions of ParaTrans.
Could you walk us through your typical workflow, from initial concept to a shipped product? What key tools or methodologies do you rely on?
I typically use Figma for design, as it allows me to create visually appealing interfaces quickly and efficiently. After completing the design, I use ProtoPie to build high-fidelity interactive prototypes, which better showcase functionality and user experience. Next, I publish these prototypes on Rednote and X to gather user feedback and validate demand. This gives me a direct understanding of user reactions. If the response is overwhelmingly positive, I actively push for development.
While developing ParaTrans, I spent some time learning SwiftUI. This allowed me to handle some of the user interface design and interactive animations, freeing up our developer to concentrate on core functionality. This division of labor optimized our development process and boosted overall efficiency. I even shared a fun video on Twitter documenting this process.
For project collaboration, I prefer using Lark multidimensional tables to manage requirements and bug reports. When new requirements come in, we internally categorize them by priority based on necessity and difficulty, then assign them to specific versions. Before each version goes live, we conduct a full acceptance test, then release it on TestFlight for users to experience and report bugs. Only when it’s stable do we push it to the App Store. This iterative model ensures product quality and allows us to respond promptly to user feedback.
What makes your product unique compared to others in the market?
At this stage, our primary focus is on the global floating window translation and multi-platform aggregation features. Unlike some other products that can feel overly complex, we aim for a “small and refined” approach, where each feature is meticulously polished to provide users with greater control.
When designing features, I typically spend 1-2 days thoroughly experiencing competitor products to identify their shortcomings. I also involve our power users in research. Comparatively, our overall workflow and feature experience are noticeably superior to our competitors.
Many products on the market are still stuck at implementing basic functionalities and don’t fully leverage the capabilities offered by iOS itself. We, on the other hand, want to explore more engaging interactive possibilities within these platform constraints. For instance, we have an upcoming feature—screenshot and screen recording translation—that will fully utilize iOS capabilities. Stay tuned!
How have you marketed your product, and what key lessons have you learned?
I’ve found X to be an excellent platform for promotion. Before launching, I created a demo to generate pre-launch buzz, which attracted many influencers and onlookers. On launch day, we achieved very encouraging numbers. Many influencers helped by retweeting us, leading to several surges in traffic.
Another effective platform was Coolapk. After I posted the product introduction there, the editors featured it directly on the homepage. We received over 1,000 downloads that day, and the app climbed to 120th on the productivity chart.
The key takeaway is that pre-launch marketing is essential for any product. Securing relevant product keywords in advance helps users find you quickly once the product is live.
Looking ahead, I plan to continue promoting on X, Coolapk, Rednote, and other platforms. Simultaneously, we’ll accelerate our product iteration cycle, developing more attractive features to meet user needs and enhance our market competitiveness.
What has been some memorable feedback since your product’s release?
The most memorable feedback came from an international user who left a comment on Rednote. They shared their user experience suggestions and offered insights and tips for promoting the app overseas. It’s because of users like these, who are willing to communicate and share their experiences, that we can continuously optimize our product and services. This kind of interaction not only shows us that users are paying attention but also motivates us to keep improving to meet the needs of users from different regions.
How do you typically structure your day to stay productive and creative? Any favorite time management techniques?
I currently have a full-time job, so my daytime hours are primarily dedicated to that. I use Lark multidimensional tables to manage my team’s tasks. Every morning, I first review the requirements, outline the progress for each, and then plan the day’s work.
Lark is an excellent project management tool. I’ve embedded a Lark Form into the app’s feedback module. I consolidate and process this feedback after my workday, collecting valuable requests and adding them to our development schedule, while also quickly addressing reported bugs. This significantly streamlines user communication.
Are there any products out there that you feel deserve more recognition?
I’m a big fan of productivity tools and am willing to pay for high-quality products that enhance my workflow. Here are three that I use frequently:
HapiGo: While many recommend Raycast, I prefer HapiGo because its interface and operation are more aligned with the habits of Chinese users. HapiGo integrates search, translation, clipboard management, screenshot tools, and more, with each function thoughtfully optimized. I particularly recommend their screenshot tool; it’s incredibly efficient for product acceptance testing.
Hive: This is an inspiration collection app compatible with Eagle libraries, effectively filling the gap Eagle has in mobile collection. Both its user experience and design quality are outstanding.
Xinzhi (新枝): This is a reading tool that integrates collection, read-later, and subscription features. It’s another product I’m working on with a friend. We’ve been quietly polishing it for three years and are planning a major redesign soon!
Would you mind sharing your phone and computer home screens with us and a few of your go-to daily apps?
On my phone, I use Rednote and Jike the most. I love trying out all sorts of new and interesting products; I pretty much install any new app that comes out. Even when my phone storage is full, I can’t bring myself to uninstall them, so I have over a dozen home screen pages. Because of this, launching a specific app used to be a pain. Now, I just pull down to search for an app instead of flipping through pages to find it.
Which creators do you look up to, and what admirable qualities do you see in them or their work?
Guo Shuo, who leads Xinzhi and is the founder of Our Answers.
He’s truly full of energy all the time and provides immense emotional value and motivation to our team. In the early days of Xinzhi, he rallied about ten of us to work on it, and he has persevered in polishing it ever since. Later, he incubated Our Answers and built it into a top product in the Chinese knowledge category. His vision and execution are qualities I greatly admire and aim to learn from.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you envision for the future.
I’m Paidax, and I work as a design lead at a B2B company. I’ve spearheaded the design of multiple projects from inception to launch (0 to 1) and have also handled the redesign of very large-scale projects. My expertise lies in SaaS and tool-based product design. I previously worked on a project called Maque Ji (麻雀记), and I’m currently developing Xinzhi and ParaTrans.
My hope is to continue refining Xinzhi and ParaTrans outside of my regular work hours, and to create more interesting and useful products.
Looking back on your journey from Maque Ji to ParaTrans, what do you believe is most crucial for building a successful product?
Although I haven’t created a massively successful product yet, based on my experience across numerous projects, I believe that finding the right partners is more crucial than finding the perfect idea. While you see these three products now, I’ve had several other projects shelved due to various partner-related issues. For instance, the product manager Chunyin, whom I’ve followed for a while, spent a long time building Quandao, but it eventually broke up due to disagreements between the partners. So, finding the right people is paramount; mutual alignment on ideas and vision directly impacts the product's trajectory.
The second crucial point is to identify user pain points and deliver an excellent user experience. This means deeply understanding user needs—truly grasping their frustrations and usage scenarios, rather than making assumptions. After launching the first version of ParaTrans, we received a lot of feedback requesting features that extended beyond simple translation for the floating window. Users wanted it to perform text summarization, polishing, rewriting, and other diverse tasks. Based on these needs, we subsequently developed the custom AI model and style configuration features. This allows users to expand the floating window’s application scope according to their personalized requirements, enabling the product’s value to be more fully realized.
About Apptisan
Apptisan is a portmanteau of “application” and “artisan”, signifying “a weekly exploration into the world of apps and the passionate artisans who create them.” Each issue is a conversation with global creators, aiming to uncover and present intriguing products to a wider audience.
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