Plae is a macOS menu bar application designed specifically for on-device text translation. The app allows users to translate text without leaving their current application, providing quick and private translation capabilities directly from the menu bar.

The app offers three different translation engines that all run entirely on-device. Apple Translation provides fast, accurate translations for 19 languages using macOS's built-in capabilities. Apple Intelligence offers more advanced translation with better context understanding for additional languages. The built-in AI model, powered by Google's TranslateGemma running locally via llama.cpp, provides 55 language options downloadable as 4B, 12B, or 27B models.

Plae operates through a simple three-step process: users hit Cmd+Shift+T from any application to open Plae from the menu bar, type their message and hit Enter for instant translation, and can then present the translation in full-screen mode for easy readability. The app maintains translation history with the last 20 translations saved automatically and allows users to star favorites for permanent storage.

The primary benefit of Plae is complete privacy since all translation happens locally on the device with zero data collection, no analytics, no telemetry, and no accounts required. The app works entirely offline after initial language pack downloads, making it suitable for use anywhere without internet connectivity.

Plae is designed for multilingual couples and families, international teams, shared spaces like hotel front desks and coworking spaces, expats, and language learners. The app integrates seamlessly with macOS through global keyboard shortcuts and requires macOS Sequoia or later for full functionality.