Google Translate is one of those rare apps that's just... useful. No tricks, no subscriptions, no 'watch this ad to unlock French.' It does one thing well: helps people understand each other across language barriers.

For kids, it's a genuine learning tool. They can explore how languages work, practice vocabulary, or figure out what that K-pop song actually means. The camera feature is legitimately cool—point at a street sign in a foreign language and watch it transform in real-time.

The safety profile is clean. No social features, no ads, no purchases. The only caveat is that it could enable communication you're not aware of (texting someone in another language, for instance), but that's more about supervision than the app being sketchy.

It's not entertainment, so don't expect kids to open it for fun. But when they need it—for homework, travel, curiosity, or connecting with a friend's grandparent who speaks Tagalog—it's indispensable. A solid, no-nonsense tool that earns its place on the phone.