Trio vs Traditional Interpreters

A comprehensive comparison to help you choose the best phone interpretation solution for your business.

Quick Comparison

	Trio AI	LanguageLine	CyraCom	In-Person
Connection Speed	3-6 seconds	30-60 seconds	30-60 seconds	24-48 hours
Monthly Cost (100 min)	$49	$500+ minimum	$500+ minimum	$150/hour
Setup Required	None	1-2 weeks	1-2 weeks	Scheduling
Contract Length	None	12-36 months	12-36 months	Per session
24/7 Availability	✓ Always instant	✓ With wait	✓ With wait	✗ Limited
Equipment Needed	Any phone	Dual-handset	Special equipment	None

⚡

Speed & Availability

Trio AI Interpreter

•Connect in 3-6 seconds, 100% of the time
•No peak hour slowdowns - AI doesn't get "busy"
•Available 24/7/365 with same fast response
•Start using immediately, no setup delay

Traditional Services

•30-60 second wait for human interpreter
•Longer waits during peak hours
•1-2 week onboarding process
•Occasional interpreter unavailability

💰

Cost Structure

Trio AI Interpreter

•$49-$499/month based on usage
•$0.49-0.50 per minute effective rate
•No setup fees, no equipment costs
•Pay only for what you use

Traditional Services

•$500-2,000/month minimum spend
•$2-3 per minute on top of minimum
•$200-500 setup fees
•Equipment costs $150-400

👍

Ease of Use

Trio AI Interpreter

•Just dial a number - works like any call
•No app download, no internet needed
•Staff trained in under 5 minutes
•Works with existing phone system

Traditional Services

•Requires special dual-handset phones
•Multi-step connection process
•2-4 hours staff training required
•Must integrate with phone system

🔄

Flexibility

Trio AI Interpreter

•No contracts - cancel anytime
•Upgrade/downgrade plans instantly
•Use from anywhere with any phone
•Scale up or down with no penalties

Traditional Services

•12-36 month contracts required
•$500-5,000 early termination fees
•Tied to specific equipment/location
•Annual price increases (5-15%)

How to Choose the Best Service

Assess Your Usage Patterns

Choose Trio if:

• You need immediate interpretation
• Your call volume is unpredictable
• You use less than 500 minutes per month
• You want to avoid contracts

Consider Traditional if:

• You need 100+ obscure languages
• You require certified legal/medical interpreters
• Your organization has strict procurement rules

Calculate Your Total Cost

Don't just compare per-minute rates. Include:

Monthly minimums

Setup fees

Equipment costs

Training time

Example:A "$2/min" service with $500 minimum = $5/min for 100 minutes.Trio: $0.49/min

Consider Speed Requirements

Instant connection matters when:

⚡ Customers might hang up during wait

⚡ Time is critical (emergency rooms)

⚡ You want professional first impression

⚡ High call volume requires efficiency

5-10% of callers hang up for every 10 seconds of wait time.

Which Solution is Right for You?

👑

Best for most businesses

Choose Trio AI

✓Need instant connection (< 10 seconds)
✓Want to avoid contracts
✓Use 5-500 minutes per month
✓Serve Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, or Japanese speakers
✓Run a small-medium business

Best for:

Restaurants, small clinics, real estate, customer service, retail

🏢

For enterprise needs

Choose Traditional

✓Need 100+ languages including rare ones
✓Require certified legal/court interpreters
✓Use 1,000+ minutes per month consistently
✓Have procurement requirements
✓Can wait 30-60 seconds for connection

Best for:

Large hospitals, government agencies, courts, enterprises

👥

For scheduled meetings

Choose In-Person

✓Have scheduled meetings (depositions)
✓Need ASL (sign language) interpretation
✓Require cultural mediation
✓Have sensitive situations requiring presence
✓Can plan 24-48 hours in advance

Best for:

Legal depositions, therapy sessions, important medical procedures

Ready to Try the Fastest, Most Affordable Solution?

Start with 10 free minutes. No credit card. No commitment. See why businesses choose Trio over traditional services.

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