Translocation is a non-lethal practice used to manage carnivore-livestock conflicts. Nevertheless, its use has been questioned due to its low success rate and high cost. We performed a literature review to assess the effectiveness of translocation, human-related mortality and cost. We estimated the overall effectiveness to be 42% ± 6, felids were involved in 70% of the translocations and 80% of the case studies were conducted in North America and Africa. Human-related mortality accounted for the 83% of deaths after translocations. Translocation cost per individual was estimated at US$ 3,756 ± 357 (N = 16), a sum equivalent to compensate for up to 30 livestock heads. For conservation purposes, translocation is costly and less effective than other alternatives such as compensation with best herding practices.