Google Docs
Relay.app
| Feature | Google Docs | Relay.app |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $6/mo | Free / from $16/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | teams, students, educators, google-workspace-users | operations-teams, agencies, small-businesses, compliance-teams |
| Founded | 2006 | 2021 |
| Real Time Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Suggesting Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Version History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Voice Typing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Add Ons | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflow Builder | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Steps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Human Approvals | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multiplayer Editing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Integrations | ✗ | ✓ |
| Conditional Logic | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Google Docs Pros
- Free
- Best real-time collaboration
- Accessible everywhere
- Version history
✗ Google Docs Cons
- Limited offline
- Fewer formatting options than Word
- Template limitations
✓ Relay.app Pros
- Human-in-the-loop approvals
- AI steps built in
- Collaborative workflows
- Clean modern interface
✗ Relay.app Cons
- Fewer integrations than Zapier
- Newer platform
- Limited advanced logic
The Verdict
Google Docs is built for teams and students, with a focus on real-time-editing and comments. Relay.app targets operations teams and agencies and leads with workflow-builder and ai-steps.
On pricing, Google Docs is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $6/mo compared to $16/mo for Relay.app. That $10/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
