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12 Best NLP Software Shortlist

After a thorough evaluation, I've curated the 12 best NLP software to directly address the challenges you face.

  1. flairNLP - Best for contextualized embeddings
  2. AllenNLP - Best for academic research in NLP
  3. Apache OpenNLP - Best for customizable machine learning models
  4. SAS Visual Analytics - Best for integrating text and data analytics
  5. spaCy - Best for industrial-strength NLP tasks
  6. Phrazor by vPhrase - Best for automated report writing
  7. Klevu - Best for e-commerce search capabilities
  8. Anyword - Best for content optimization using AI
  9. AX Semantics - Best for multilingual content generation
  10. Bing Spell Check API - Best for real-time spelling corrections
  11. Amazon Comprehend - Best for insights extraction from text data
  12. Natural Language AI - Best for Google-integrated text analysis

Navigating the realm of artificial intelligence, one often encounters a plethora of natural language processing tools, each boasting unique abilities. From bots powered by advanced NLP models to apps facilitating machine translation and summarization, these tools are the backbone of today's automation landscape.

Drawing on my experience with natural language understanding, question answering, entity extraction, and programming language intricacies, I've seen how virtual assistants and NLP applications have revolutionized interactions. Delving into these options can eliminate the challenge of sifting through data manually, bridging the gap between vast information and actionable insights.

What Is a NLP Software?

NLP software, or Natural Language Processing software, harnesses algorithms and computational methods to interpret, recognize, and generate human language in a manner that's meaningful. It bridges the gap between machines and humans by enabling computers to understand, respond to, and interact using natural human language. Industries ranging from healthcare to finance, and professionals like data scientists, marketers, and product developers, use NLP software.

They deploy it for varied applications, such as chatbots for customer support, sentiment analysis for gauging consumer feelings, and content recommendation systems to enhance user experience. Whether you're seeking an open-source library like the natural language toolkit or a refined NLP API for data analysis, the choices are vast.

Overviews of the 12 Best NLP Software

1. flairNLP - Best for contextualized embeddings

flairNLP's analyzing text data tool sample
A quick preview of the analyzing text data from flairNLP. Flair supports various text analysis methods, including sequence labeling, classification, similarity learning, and regression.

flairNLP has carved a niche in the NLP world, majoring in embeddings that encompass context, making them integral for applications demanding exact language interpretation. Given the importance of understanding the context in language processing, flairNLP's emphasis on contextualized embeddings makes it indispensable.

Why I Picked flairNLP:

In my journey of selecting the right tool, flairNLP emerged as a unique entity due to its commitment to generating embeddings that truly grasp the context. Through careful comparison and judging the efficacy of various tools, I found flairNLP standing apart. I believe it's "best for contextualized embeddings" because of its ability to understand nuances and subtleties in textual data.

Standout Features & Integrations:

flairNLP offers a distinct advantage by allowing users to combine different embeddings, providing depth and flexibility in text interpretation. It also supports the latest transformer-based embeddings such as BERT, which has set new benchmarks in NLP tasks. On the integration front, flairNLP complements the PyTorch ecosystem, catering to developers familiar with PyTorch or wanting to embed flairNLP into expansive projects.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Proficient in context-aware embeddings
  • Ability to merge diverse embeddings
  • Strong integration with the PyTorch ecosystem

Cons:

  • Might be challenging for beginners
  • Demands substantial hardware for extensive datasets
  • Limited pre-trained models for languages other than English

2. AllenNLP - Best for academic research in NLP

AllenNLP library screenshot
Here's a screenshot view of the AllenNLP library. AllenNLP library excels in AI2 and NLP research, enabling state-of-the-art advancements.

AllenNLP is an open-source platform designed to advance natural language processing research. Recognizing the profound demands of academic research, AllenNLP's tools and resources cater explicitly to researchers seeking depth and precision in NLP studies.

Why I Picked AllenNLP:

Navigating through the landscape of NLP tools, AllenNLP impressed me with its robustness and orientation toward academic pursuits. After judiciously comparing various platforms, I chose AllenNLP because of its academic bent and the rich ecosystem it provides to researchers. It's evident to me that this tool is "best for academic research in NLP" given its features tailored to probe deeper into the nuances of language processing.

Standout Features & Integrations:

At the heart of AllenNLP are its model architectures that aid in crafting state-of-the-art models. The platform also provides a flexible data API that allows researchers to harness any dataset efficiently. For integrations, AllenNLP has made strides in aligning with popular deep learning frameworks, notably PyTorch, ensuring an experience for those already immersed in such ecosystems.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Designed with academic research in mind
  • Flexible data API for diverse datasets
  • Solid alignment with PyTorch

Cons:

  • Might appear complex for non-researchers
  • Requires ample computational resources for advanced tasks
  • Steep initial learning curve for some

3. Apache OpenNLP - Best for customizable machine learning models

Apache OpenNLP developer documentation view
This image is an Apache OpenNLP developer documentation view.

Apache OpenNLP is a machine learning toolkit that facilitates the processing of natural language text. As a strong advocate for customization, OpenNLP offers the flexibility that developers and researchers often yearn for when aiming to tweak and refine machine learning models for specific tasks.

Why I Picked Apache OpenNLP:

In my journey to curate the most promising NLP tools, the versatility of Apache OpenNLP struck a chord. I chose it due to its outstanding adaptability and the freedom it provides for tailoring models to intricate requirements. In the realm of NLP, customization is king, and Apache OpenNLP genuinely shines in this aspect, making it "best for customizable machine learning models."

Standout Features & Integrations:

Apache OpenNLP's core strength lies in its tokenization, sentence splitting, part-of-speech tagging, and named entity recognition capabilities. Additionally, the toolkit offers extensive features for parsing, stemming, and chunking text, allowing for a comprehensive NLP experience. In terms of integrations, OpenNLP melds well with popular machine-learning platforms and interfaces smoothly with Java-based applications.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Comprehensive toolkit for varied NLP tasks
  • Offers extensive customization options
  • Smooth integration with Java applications

Cons:

  • Requires technical expertise for effective utilization
  • Documentation might be dense for beginners
  • Limited pre-trained models compared to some competitors

4. SAS Visual Analytics - Best for integrating text and data analytics

How to create concept rules using textual elements in SAS Visual Analytics software
This is a tutorial screenshot of how to create concept rules using textual elements in SAS Visual Analytics software.

SAS Visual Analytics is a robust analytics platform that merges the power of both text and data analytics into a cohesive visualization environment. It has carved its niche in blending textual content and quantitative data, ensuring analysts receive a comprehensive perspective on their datasets.

Why I Picked SAS Visual Analytics:

In my extensive search for analytics platforms, the unique duality of SAS Visual Analytics emerged prominently. I chose it because it goes beyond conventional data visualization tools by adeptly merging textual content and structured data.

This fusion, seldom seen in other platforms, solidified my belief that SAS Visual Analytics truly is "best for integrating text and data analytics."

Standout Features & Integrations:

SAS Visual Analytics thrives on its ability to handle large datasets and generate real-time visualizations. Its advanced text analytics capability allows users to derive actionable insights from unstructured data, such as social media comments or customer feedback. Integration-wise, it connects with other SAS offerings and can pull data from a myriad of sources, ensuring a continuous flow of information.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Integrates textual content with structured data effectively
  • Scalable for large datasets
  • Comprehensive visualization capabilities

Cons:

  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Pricing might be on the higher side for smaller businesses
  • Requires significant infrastructure for on-premises deployment

5. spaCy - Best for industrial-strength NLP tasks

spaCy NLP software's reproducible training screenshot
Here is a spaCy reproducible training screenshot. SpaCy v3.0 offers an extensible system for configuring training runs, describing details without hidden defaults, enabling experiment reruns, and tracking changes.

spaCy is a widely recognized NLP library designed for professional applications. With a focus on performance and practicality, it offers solutions that are tailored to handle large-scale information processing, making it a prime choice for industrial-strength NLP tasks.

Why I Picked spaCy:

When determining the NLP libraries to include in this list, the capabilities of spaCy stood out from the rest. I chose it due to its impressive performance metrics and its reputation in the community for handling massive datasets. Given its design, there's little doubt in my mind that spaCy is "best for industrial-strength NLP tasks."

Standout Features & Integrations:

spaCy excels with its tokenization, part-of-speech tagging, and named entity recognition capabilities. Its neural network models are both accurate and efficient. In terms of integrations, spaCy complements data science tools like Scikit-learn and TensorFlow, making it adaptable in various data processing pipelines.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Highly efficient and accurate NLP tasks
  • Robust support for multiple languages
  • Easy integration with popular data science libraries

Cons:

  • Requires a decent understanding of Python programming
  • Some advanced features or tools might come at an additional cost
  • Initial setup and customization can be complex for beginners

6. Phrazor by vPhrase - Best for automated report writing

Phrazor by vPhrase natural language insights view
A look at the Phrazor natural language insights. These reports offer concise, human-like insights in easy-to-understand language.

Phrazor by vPhrase is an AI-powered tool that translates data insights into understandable narratives. Designed for businesses, it takes data analytics results and crafts detailed, human-readable reports, making it an excellent choice for automated report writing.

Why I Picked Phrazor by vPhrase:

In comparing various reporting tools, Phrazor by vPhrase made a lasting impression with its unique AI-driven approach. I selected it because it not only provides data insights but translates them into comprehensive narratives, a feature not commonly found in other tools. This capability strongly anchors my belief that it's "best for automated report writing."

Standout Features & Integrations:

One of Phrazor's notable features is its ability to generate insights in multiple languages, catering to a global audience. Additionally, its customizable report templates allow for flexibility based on the user's requirements. For integrations, Phrazor easily connects with databases, BI tools, and spreadsheets, ensuring data can be fetched from various sources effortlessly.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Generates narrative reports from raw data
  • Offers multi-language support
  • Broad range of data source integrations

Cons:

  • Might have a learning curve for non-tech users
  • Pricing transparency could be improved
  • Customizing reports may require additional time and effort

7. Klevu - Best for e-commerce search capabilities

Klevu NLP software sample dashboard
Klevu search insights provide detailed reports on queries, keywords, product clicks, locations, and sales conversions.

Klevu is a smart search solution tailored for e-commerce platforms, enhancing the shopping experience for users by providing precise and relevant search results. Recognizing the pivotal role of an effective search function in e-commerce, Klevu stands out as a leader in this niche, especially for those businesses aiming to improve their online search capabilities.

Why I Picked Klevu:

While exploring a myriad of search solutions, Klevu caught my attention due to its specialized focus on e-commerce. I chose it because of its AI-powered precision and adaptability, which cater explicitly to the unique needs of online retailers. Given its capabilities and design, it's evident why Klevu is "best for e-commerce search capabilities."

Standout Features & Integrations:

Klevu boasts of its self-learning search, which continually refines search results based on user behavior. Furthermore, its rich autocomplete and product suggestions drive sales by guiding customers through their purchase journey. As for integrations, Klevu is compatible with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce, making its implementation straightforward for many online retailers.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Specialized in e-commerce platforms
  • Offers self-learning search capabilities
  • Integrates with leading e-commerce platforms

Cons:

  • Might not be suitable for non-e-commerce sites
  • Advanced features might be complex for some users
  • Integration may vary depending on the e-commerce platform

8. Anyword - Best for content optimization using AI

Anyword NLP software's performance marketing feature
Generate marketing assets by importing product or business information and adjusting audience tone with a few clicks with Anyword software.

Anyword is an AI-powered platform designed to assist content creators in enhancing their writing to achieve optimal results. By analyzing the content, Anyword offers data-driven suggestions, making it invaluable for those who prioritize high-performing content based on AI insights.

Why I Picked Anyword:

During my search for cutting-edge content tools, Anyword stood out due to its innovative AI-driven capabilities. I determined that its unique ability to assess and suggest content improvements based on vast amounts of data set it apart from other tools. This led me to conclude that Anyword is indeed "best for content optimization using AI."

Standout Features & Integrations:

One of Anyword's notable features is its Predictive Performance Score, which gives insights into how likely content is to achieve its goals. The platform also provides language models tailored for various industries, ensuring relevance. As for integrations, Anyword links with popular content management systems and marketing platforms, including WordPress, HubSpot, and Mailchimp, facilitating a smoother workflow for users.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Uses AI to provide actionable content insights
  • Offers industry-specific language models
  • Integrates with popular CMS and marketing platforms

Cons:

  • Might require a learning curve for some users
  • AI suggestions may not always align with a brand's voice
  • Dependency on AI might reduce human creativity

9. AX Semantics - Best for multilingual content generation

AX Semantics editorial interface
The AX Semantics editorial interface allows multi-user, real-time preview of AI input changes.

AX Semantics is a prominent content generation tool that leverages AI to produce content in multiple languages efficiently. This capability ensures that businesses can reach diverse audiences without language barriers, aligning with its reputation as best for multilingual content creation.

Why I Picked AX Semantics:

In my quest to find versatile content tools, AX Semantics captured my attention due to its robust multilingual capabilities. Its distinct feature of efficiently generating content across various languages was a determining factor in my selection. Based on these attributes, I judge AX Semantics to be "best for multilingual content generation."

Standout Features & Integrations:

AX Semantics is renowned for its NLG (Natural Language Generation) technology, which ensures coherent and contextually relevant content in multiple languages. Moreover, it boasts an intuitive user interface that doesn't demand coding expertise. For integrations, AX Semantics collaborates well with several data sources and content management systems, ensuring a flexible and adaptable content creation process.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Advanced NLG technology for contextually appropriate content
  • Supports a wide array of languages
  • No coding knowledge required

Cons:

  • Might be overwhelming for beginners
  • Dependent on data quality for best results
  • May not always capture cultural nuances

10. Bing Spell Check API - Best for real-time spelling corrections

Bing Spell Check API NLP software's capabilities overview
Explore this screenshot of Bing's spell check capabilities. It enhances error handling with capitalization, and punctuation, for troubleshooting and diagnosing queries.

The Bing Spell Check API is a tool developed by Microsoft that offers spelling correction capabilities. It ensures that users receive instantaneous feedback on misspelled words, making it invaluable for applications requiring real-time spelling corrections.

Why I Picked Bing Spell Check API:

Navigating through numerous spell-check solutions, the Bing Spell Check API was a clear standout. I selected it not just based on its association with Microsoft, but primarily due to its precise real-time correction features. After comparing it with other solutions, I determined that it truly aligns with its claim of being "best for real-time spelling corrections."

Standout Features & Integrations:

Bing Spell Check API shines with its capability to auto-correct misspelled search queries, ensuring users still find relevant results. Furthermore, it employs advanced machine learning to understand the context and offer accurate spelling suggestions. For integrations, this API easily fits into most modern web and mobile applications and supports integration with other Microsoft Azure services.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Efficient real-time correction capabilities
  • Uses machine learning for contextual understanding
  • Easy integration with various platforms

Cons:

  • Relies on the quality of input data
  • Might not recognize niche or industry-specific terms
  • Can incur costs with high volume usage

11. Amazon Comprehend - Best for insights extraction from text data

Amazon Comprehend natural language processing software
Amazon Comprehend analyzes text quickly, identifying entities and providing relevant information through lightning-fast processing and an easy-to-use interface.

Amazon Comprehend, a product of AWS, uses machine learning to understand and analyze text. By diving deep into textual data, it identifies patterns, sentiments, entities, and more, making it a crucial tool for those seeking insights from the textual content.

Why I Picked Amazon Comprehend:

I chose Amazon Comprehend after a rigorous comparison of various text analysis tools. Its ability to harness the power of machine learning and provide in-depth textual insights stood out. This ability to turn raw text into actionable knowledge led me to conclude that it's genuinely "best for insights extraction from text data."

Standout Features & Integrations:

Amazon Comprehend offers features like sentiment analysis, entity recognition, and topic modeling, which help businesses gain a deeper understanding of their content. It can also automatically organize a collection of text files by common themes. Integration-wise, being a part of the AWS suite, Comprehend naturally works well with other AWS services, including Amazon S3, Lambda, and more.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Advanced sentiment and entity analysis
  • Scalable for large data sets
  • Easy integration with other AWS tools

Cons:

  • Learning curve for those unfamiliar with AWS
  • Pricing can be complex based on usage
  • Might require additional configuration for industry-specific terms

12. Natural Language AI - Best for Google-integrated text analysis

Natural Language AI training tab overview
Here is the screenshot of the Natural Language AI training tab overview.

Natural Language AI is a Google Cloud service designed to derive insights from unstructured text. By utilizing advanced machine learning techniques, it comprehensively breaks down content, making it especially useful for those leveraging other Google services and desiring text analysis.

Why I Picked Natural Language AI:

When determining the best tools for text analysis, Natural Language AI's deep Google integration made a significant difference in my judgment. Having assessed various tools, I found this one offers robust, Google-backed capabilities that others don't. In a world dominated by Google services, I firmly believe it is "best for Google-integrated text analysis."

Standout Features & Integrations:

Key features of Natural Language AI include sentiment analysis, entity analysis, and syntax analysis, which offer detailed insights into textual content. As for integrations, given its origins, Natural Language AI works harmoniously with a plethora of Google Cloud services, including Google Storage, Google Data Studio, and Google BigQuery.

Pricing:

Pricing upon request

Pros:

  • Comprehensive textual insights using machine learning
  • Direct integration with various Google Cloud services
  • Ability to handle large datasets effectively

Cons:

  • Might present a learning curve for newcomers
  • Reliance on Google's ecosystem might be limiting for some
  • Detailed analysis could incur higher costs for extensive usage

Other Noteworthy NLP Software

Below is a list of additional NLP software that I shortlisted but did not make it to the top 12. They are definitely worth checking out.

  1. NLTK - Good for comprehensive natural language processing tasks
  2. Wordsmith - Good for automated narrative content generation
  3. Article Forge - Good for AI-powered article creation on demand
  4. Stanford NLP - Good for academic-grade linguistic analysis
  5. CoreNLP - Good for deep linguistic annotations in multiple languages
  6. Apache cTAKES - Good for clinical text analysis in healthcare
  7. TextBlob - Good for beginner-friendly text processing
  8. fastText - Good for efficient text classification and representation
  9. gensim - Good for topic modeling and document similarity analysis
  10. KPI6 - Good for social media and web listening insights

Selection Criteria for Choosing NLP Software

Choosing the right NLP software requires understanding project requirements and ensuring alignment with them. Evaluating various tools, focusing on optimal functionality, user experience, and key features to enhance text analysis outcomes. The key criteria include:

Core Functionality

  • Text Analysis: The tool should enable deep analysis, covering aspects like sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, and part-of-speech tagging.
  • Language Support: Capacity to analyze text in multiple languages, considering global reach.
  • Scalability: The software should be able to handle large datasets without compromising speed or accuracy.
  • Customizability: A user should be able to train models specific to their data, fine-tuning the tool's performance.

Key Features

  • Topic Modeling: This helps identify themes and topics within a large corpus of text.
  • Word Embeddings: Useful for converting words into vectors, capturing semantic relationships between words.
  • Syntax Trees: Visual representations of syntactic structure in sentences are essential for understanding grammar and sentence formation.
  • Tokenization and Lemmatization: Breaking down text into individual words or tokens and converting words to their base or root form, respectively.
  • API Integration: The ability to integrate with other platforms or software to amplify data processing capabilities.

Usability

  • Interactive Visualization: For an NLP tool, visualizing data, such as word clouds or syntax trees, provides an intuitive understanding of text data.
  • Training Modules: Given the complexity of NLP, having built-in tutorials or guides can significantly ease the learning curve.
  • Intuitive Dashboard: A dashboard that displays all functionalities clearly, allowing users to navigate and select processes without hassle.
  • Support and Documentation: Comprehensive documentation that covers all features and a responsive support team are crucial for troubleshooting and deepening understanding.
  • Role-Based Access: Especially for team-based projects, the ability to configure who can access what data and functionalities ensures both security and collaboration.

Most Common Questions Regarding NLP Software

What are the key benefits of using the best NLP software?

There are several advantages to investing in top-tier NLP software:

  1. Improved Text Analysis: Dive deep into text data, extracting meaningful insights such as sentiment, entities, and topics.
  2. Multilingual Support: Analyze content across multiple languages, catering to global audiences and datasets.
  3. Customization: Tailor the software to your specific needs, training models to be more attuned to your unique dataset.
  4. Integration Capabilities: Connects with other platforms or tools, amplifying data processing and analysis functionalities.
  5. Scalability: Handle vast amounts of data with ease, ensuring consistent performance regardless of dataset size.

How much does NLP software typically cost?

Pricing for NLP software can vary widely based on the complexity of the tool, the range of features offered, and the intended audience. Many tools operate on a subscription-based model, where users pay monthly or annually, while others might offer a one-time purchase or a pay-as-you-go model.

Can you explain the typical pricing models for these tools?

The most common pricing models include:

  • Subscription-Based: Users pay a set fee monthly or annually, often with different tiers of features available.
  • Pay-As-You-Go: Users only pay for the amount of data they process or the computational resources they use.
  • Freemium: A basic set of features is available for free, with more advanced functionalities available for a fee.

Is there a general price range for NLP software?

Yes, NLP software can range from being free (with limited functionalities) to several thousands of dollars per month for enterprise-level solutions. Most mid-range tools, suitable for businesses, may cost anywhere from $50 to $500 per month based on their feature set and capabilities.

Which is the cheapest and the most expensive software among the best ones?

The cheapest among the top tools is typically 'TextBlob,' which offers a free version. On the other end of the spectrum, solutions like 'KPI6' or 'Stanford NLP' can be on the pricier side, particularly for their enterprise-level offerings.

Are there any free NLP tools worth considering?

Yes, some NLP tools offer free versions that can be quite powerful, albeit with some limitations. 'TextBlob' and 'NLTK' are two renowned free tools in the NLP space that many professionals and enthusiasts use for text analysis and processing.

Other AI Software Reviews

Summary

Selecting the right NLP software is crucial for extracting meaningful insights from text data. Emphasizing core functionality, features, and usability, the guide provides answers to common queries about the benefits, pricing, and value propositions of various NLP tools.

Key Takeaways

  1. Identify your needs first: Before diving into the vast world of NLP software, have a clear understanding of your objectives. Whether it's sentiment analysis, entity recognition, or multilingual support, knowing your requirements will narrow down your choices.
  2. Consider usability and integration: Beyond core features, the ease of use and the tool's ability to integrate with other platforms can significantly impact your workflow. Ensure the tool's design and customer support align with your team's skill level and the systems you already have in place.
  3. Pricing models vary: Understand the different pricing structures available. Whether it's a subscription model, pay-as-you-go, or freemium, choose a pricing plan that offers the features you need while staying within your budget.

What Do You Think?

I’m always on the lookout to enhance my resources and provide the most comprehensive guides. If there's an NLP tool you believe deserves a mention or has made a significant difference in your projects, please let me know. I value community insights and I am eager to include recommendations that can benefit my readers.

By Paulo Gardini Miguel

Paulo is the Director of Technology at the rapidly growing media tech company BWZ. Prior to that, he worked as a Software Engineering Manager and then Head Of Technology at Navegg, Latin America’s largest data marketplace, and as Full Stack Engineer at MapLink, which provides geolocation APIs as a service. Paulo draws insight from years of experience serving as an infrastructure architect, team leader, and product developer in rapidly scaling web environments. He’s driven to share his expertise with other technology leaders to help them build great teams, improve performance, optimize resources, and create foundations for scalability.