Why Belgium demands strategic software localisation for global SaaS
Belgium isn’t just another European market. It’s a trilingual gateway to the EU with three official languages (Dutch/Flemish, French, and German) and home to Brussels, the administrative centre of Europe.
For SaaS companies targeting enterprise clients in Ghent, fintech startups in Brussels, or scaling across Wallonia and Flanders, superficial translation creates real business risk:
- Lost contracts: Deals worth hundreds of thousands of euros can fall through due to non-compliant date formats or poorly localised legal terms
- User churn: Culturally misaligned UX drives users to locally adapted competitors
- Regulatory exposure: Non-compliance with Belgian financial regulations, GDPR, or consumer protection law
- Competitive disadvantage: Local rivals with native-quality interfaces win on trust
Building for global markets from day one means engineering culture into your codebase, not bolting it on later. Our specialised translation agency combines linguistic precision with technical expertise for software that resonates across Belgium’s linguistic regions.
The dual foundation: internationalisation and localisation
Internationalisation (i18n): building a locale-agnostic codebase
Internationalisation prepares your software for seamless adaptation across Belgian linguistic regions. Key practices include:
- Externalise all strings: Use
.json,.xliff, or.propertiesfiles, never hardcode text in your application - Dynamic locale formatting: Implement JavaScript’s
IntlAPI or libraries like Globalize.js for region-specific number, currency, and date conventions (e.g.,100,50 €in Belgium vs.€100.50in Ireland) - Flexible UI architecture: Account for 20–35% text expansion when translating from English to Dutch or French
- Pseudo-localisation testing: Validate UI resilience before translation begins using tools like Accent or Crowdin’s pseudo-locale feature
BeTranslated’s technical team audits i18n readiness, ensuring your layouts survive linguistic expansion without breaking functionality or credibility.
Our sprint-aligned delivery times integrate seamlessly with agile development cycles.
Localisation (l10n): culturally precise adaptation
Localisation transforms functional software into a trusted Belgian product.
Our native-speaking professional translators—all Belgium-based subject-matter experts—execute a rigorous workflow:
| Workflow stage | Belgian-specific execution |
|---|---|
| File extraction | Process JSON, XLIFF, XML, YAML, iOS .strings, and Android strings.xml while protecting variables like {user_name} and %s |
| Cultural adaptation | Native linguists distinguish Flemish Dutch (Antwerp, Ghent) from Netherlands Dutch; adapt tone for Walloon business culture vs. Brussels’ international EU context |
| Translation memory | Enforce terminology consistency across all touchpoints: “Submit” = Verzenden (NL-BE) / Envoyer (FR-BE) |
| Reintegration | Return build-ready files with zero pipeline disruption, compatible with your CI/CD workflow |
Agile-optimised localisation for modern SaaS teams
BeTranslated integrates with your development workflow through our dedicated translation service provider infrastructure:
- CI/CD pipeline integration: Auto-sync with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or Azure DevOps via API connectors or platforms like Phrase, Lokalise, or Crowdin
- Over-the-air (OTA) updates: Fix translation errors instantly without waiting for App Store or Google Play review cycles
- Sprint-aligned delivery: Match your two-week release cycles without bottlenecking your engineering team
- Dedicated project management: Your developers focus on features while we handle translation logistics and vendor coordination
Localisation quality assurance (LQA): beyond proofreading
Our Belgium-based testers validate in-context user experiences across devices and platforms. This rigorous proofreading and QA process includes:
- Truncation checks: Does Instellingen overflow your Flanders UI button? We test across screen sizes and resolutions
- Hardcoded string detection: Catch untranslated English fragments missed during development
- Contextual accuracy: Resolve ambiguous terms where context matters (Home as navigation vs. property, Save as action vs. discount)
- Regulatory compliance: Verify DD/MM/YYYY date formats, Belgian legal phrasing, GDPR-aligned privacy copy, and financial disclosure requirements
- Actionable bug reports: English-language tickets in Jira, Asana, or Linear with annotated screenshots and suggested fixes
The result: a product that feels natively built for users in Leuven, Namur, Bruges, and Mons—backed by our transparent translation rates and ISO 17100-certified workflows.
Why choose BeTranslated for Belgian software localisation?
BeTranslated combines local expertise with rigorous quality standards:
- Local presence: Brussels-based team with deep knowledge of regional linguistic and cultural nuances across Flanders, Wallonia, and the German-speaking community
- Industry experience: 500+ clients across fintech, healthtech, legaltech, and enterprise SaaS, including projects for regulated industries requiring FSMA and NBB compliance
- Technical linguists: Translators with software development backgrounds who understand React, Angular, Vue.js, iOS, Android, and backend frameworks
- Quality metrics: 98.7% first-time acceptance rate with ISO 17100-certified workflows
- Regulatory precision: Compliance with Belgian commercial law, consumer protection regulations, financial services standards, and EU directives including GDPR, PSD2, and MiFID II
- Established since 2003: Over 20 years of experience serving global software companies entering European markets—learn more about our story
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between i18n, l10n, and g11n?
Internationalisation (i18n) is code-level preparation that enables your software to support multiple languages and locales. Localisation (l10n) is market-specific adaptation covering language, cultural conventions, and regulatory compliance. Globalisation (g11n) is the overarching business strategy that encompasses both. Explore our full range of professional translation services to support your globalisation strategy.
How do you handle Belgian linguistic nuances?
Our native linguists distinguish Flemish Dutch from Netherlands Dutch (e.g., computer in Belgium vs. pc in the Netherlands) and understand Walloon French conventions distinct from Parisian French. All translators are Belgium-resident subject-matter experts with verifiable credentials—part of our commitment to language-specific excellence across all 120+ languages we support.
Get started with Belgian software localisation
📞 Call: +32 485 85 30 89
✉️ Email: hello@betranslated.be
Book a free 15-minute technical consultation to:
- Audit your i18n readiness
- Receive a custom localisation roadmap for the Belgian market
- Get a no-obligation quote with sprint-aligned pricing
We limit new software clients to eight per month to ensure dedicated attention and consistent quality.
All projects include NDAs, GDPR-compliant workflows, and dedicated account management—part of our commitment as your trusted Belgian translation partner for regulated industries.
