Best Code Transpilers in 2026
Updated
In short: SWC is ranked #1 of 28 as of 3 October 2026, ahead of Transcrypt and Babel. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Transcrypt.
Code transpilers can translate code between programming languages or syntax versions, making source and target language support central to a comparison. Compared on source languages, target languages, and syntax-version conversion, these entries also vary in conversion mode and whether they provide intermediate output. API access and CLI access can help you assess how you would work with a tool, while free plans and paid-from pricing add cost details. The ranking opens with Babel and SWC, followed by Kotlin/JS, Cython, and Google Web Toolkit. Consider the languages and versions you need to convert, then compare the listed access methods and outputs.
28 code transpilers ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
8 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SWCWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · API | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 2 | TranscryptWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.7 | |
| 3 | BabelWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · API | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 4 | ClojureScriptWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 5 | Google Web ToolkitWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Extension | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 6 | Kotlin/JSWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | Free | 6.6 | |
| 7 | CythonWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 8 | ValaWindows · Mac · Linux | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | Free | 6.5 | |
| 9 | CoffeeScriptWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · API | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | — | 5.7 |
| 10 | Dart pubWindows · Mac · Linux | Two bars | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.6 |
| 11 | HaxelibWindows · Mac · Linux | One bar | — | — | 3 of 6 | — | 5.4 |
| 12 | J2ObjCMac · Linux | No signal | — | — | 2 of 6 | — | 5.3 |
| 13 | BrythonWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 14 | js_of_ocamlWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 15 | JSweetWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 16 | MitosisWeb · API | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 17 | OpalWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 18 | SkulptWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 19 | SourceMeldNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.2 |
| 20 | CodeTransEngineNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 21 | FableNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 22 | KalaiNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 23 | Scala.jsNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 24 | TeaVMNo platforms listed | No signal | — | — | 0 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
| 25 | TypeScript PlaygroundWeb | No signal | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 5.1 |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which code transpiler is ranked first on Freedom251?
SWC is ranked #1 of 28 with a score of 6.7. Transcrypt is second and Babel third.
How many of these have a free plan?
8 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation. Paid placements never change a rank.