The Relay vs AirDroid: how do they differ?

Pick AirDroid if you need to reach a phone that is not on your network, or you want to mirror and control the screen from your MacBook. Pick The Relay if the phone sits next to the Mac and you want clipboard sync, files, login codes, notifications, calls, links, and the phone as a webcam in one Mac app, with one subscription through Google Play covering both after a 7-day free trial. If you only move files across your home Wi-Fi, AirDroid's free plan or a free tool such as LocalSend already does that.

Publisher note: The Relay publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Details about other products come from each maker's own pages, checked on 2 October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm before you buy.

How do AirDroid and The Relay compare side by side?

A cell says "Yes" only where the maker's own page lists the feature. "Not stated" means the pages we read do not mention it. It does not mean we tested the product and found it missing.

The AirDroid cells come from its product page and pricing page. The page's own FAQ adds that the desktop app and the web version "offer different sets of features", so what you get depends on which one you open.

What is AirDroid Personal?

AirDroid Personal is a phone-management service with a free plan and a subscription. Its product page lists file transfer and management "remotely or locally", remote control with "No root needed", screen mirroring, SMS, notifications, calling, a remote camera, Find Phone, and Remote Erase Data. The last two are described as web-version features.

Its price depends on how you use it. On the pricing page, local-network file transfer is unlimited on the free and paid plans. Remote file transfer is up to 30 MB per file and 200 MB of data on the free plan, and up to 1 GB per file with no data cap on the paid one. We go through the full table in AirDroid free vs premium.

When AirDroid is the better choice

• The phone is somewhere else. A parent's phone, or yours left at the office. AirDroid lists remote network access. The Relay needs the same network or Bluetooth range and does nothing across the internet.
• You want the screen on the Mac. Mirroring and remote control are both on AirDroid's page. The Relay has neither.
• You reply to texts or place calls from the computer. AirDroid lists replying to SMS and a calling feature. The Relay shows incoming texts and calls only.
• You work across Windows and a Mac. AirDroid lists clients and a web version beyond macOS. The Relay is Mac and Android only.
• You want to try before you pay. AirDroid has a free plan. The Relay has no free tier, but it has a 7-day free trial before the subscription starts.

When The Relay is the better choice

• Everything happens at your desk. If the phone and the MacBook are in the same room most of the day, the remote half of AirDroid is something you pay attention to without using.
• You copy things between the two all day. An address copied on the phone pasted into a form on the Mac, or a screenshot copied on the Mac and pasted on the phone. AirDroid's page does not list clipboard sync.
• You are tired of retyping login codes. A code in an incoming text is copied to the Mac's clipboard, so you can paste it. See the guide to SMS verification codes on a Mac.
• You want the phone as a Mac webcam. The Relay's camera and microphone appear to Zoom, Google Meet, and FaceTime. AirDroid's page lists a remote camera view and does not describe webcam use.
• You want to try the whole set before paying. The Relay has a 7-day free trial; after that it is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac. Its price is set in Google Play and can differ by country, so check it on the download page before you compare it with AirDroid's $3.99 a month or $29.99 a year.

What The Relay will not do

• It does not mirror the phone's screen or control it from the Mac.
• It does not send texts. It shows incoming ones and copies codes.
• It does not place calls. It shows incoming calls to accept or decline.
• It is not a remote tool. Both devices must be on the same network or in Bluetooth range.
• It is wireless only. There is no USB cable mode.
• It does not sync or back up your photo library.
• It needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later, and there is no iPhone, Windows, or Linux version.
• It is not free: after the 7-day trial it is a subscription through Google Play unless you cancel in Google Play before the trial ends. Refunds go through Google Play; see the terms.

Which one should I try first?

List the three things you did last week that made you pick up the phone while sitting at the Mac. If they were pasting, codes, and notifications, The Relay covers them. If one was "check something on a phone that was at home", look at AirDroid. We have not tested either, so we will not say which is faster or more reliable. For free options by job, see AirDroid alternatives.

Questions people ask

Is AirDroid or The Relay better for a Mac?

Neither is better in general. AirDroid is built around reach and control: remote access, mirroring, and replying to texts. The Relay is built around the Mac desktop: clipboard, codes, notifications, files, and webcam on your own network. Choose by what you do most.

Does AirDroid need an account?

AirDroid's page says to sign up and log in to the same account on the computer or web and on the phone. The Relay needs no account or sign-up; its subscription is bought through Google Play.

Does The Relay work when I am away from home?

No. It works when the phone and the Mac are on the same local network or within Bluetooth range. For a phone in another place, AirDroid's remote mode is the tool, or another account-based service.

Is The Relay cheaper than AirDroid?

It depends on where you live and which plan you compare. On 2 October 2026 AirDroid's paid plan was $3.99 a month or $29.99 a year, and its free plan costs nothing and covers a lot on the local network. The Relay is a subscription through Google Play; its price is set there and can differ by country, so check it on the download page. The 7-day free trial lets you see whether you use its features before you pay.