Free alternatives to The Relay: can free tools do the same job?

Mostly yes, and for nothing. Every job The Relay does has a free tool that covers it, or most of it. The catch is that there is no single free tool: expect four to six separate installs with different pairing steps, each with its own gaps. KDE Connect comes closest to one app that does several jobs, Google Messages for web handles texting, scrcpy mirrors the screen, and the webcam needs a fourth tool. The Relay puts the clipboard, files, texts and codes, notifications, calls, links, and webcam in one Mac app, with one subscription through Google Play after a 7-day free trial. If you only need one or two jobs, use the free tools and keep your money.

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.

What is the best free tool for each job?

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 tool and found it missing.

Sources for each tool's row are in the list at the end. For the mirroring and webcam rows we link each maker's page; our own guides cover mirroring and webcams in detail.

How many separate tools does that add up to?

Count the minimum set that covers every job in the table.

1. KDE Connect for notifications, links, clipboard text, calls shown as notifications, and files.
2. Google Messages for web for texting, because it is the one that sends. It works in a browser and uses your Google Account.
3. scrcpy if you want the screen on the Mac. It needs USB debugging turned on, and it is started with a command.
4. A webcam tool: either Android's built-in USB webcam mode, or Camo's free tier with an app on each device.

That is four. Add a fifth if you would rather move files with LocalSend or NearDrop than through KDE Connect, and a sixth if you want OpenMTP for a cable. Each one has its own pairing, its own permissions on the phone, and its own place to look when it stops working.

Two of those four start from a cable. Android's webcam mode is USB only, and scrcpy runs over USB or TCP/IP. Camo's Android page describes a USB route for a Mac and a Wi-Fi route using a QR code. It also says that if you enabled USB debugging earlier you need to turn it off to connect to a Mac over USB, and scrcpy's README says USB debugging must be on. We did not try this combination, so treat it as something to test.

What do you give up by staying free?

• One setup. The Relay pairs once, by scanning a QR code shown on the Mac. The free route is several pairings.
• Images on the clipboard. KDE Connect's wiki says its clipboard "does not work with images".
• Hands-off clipboard. KDE's wiki says Android 10 and later stop apps reading the clipboard in the background, so its Android app offers a "Send Clipboard" button. The Relay describes clipboard sync as working both ways.
• Login codes. The Relay copies a code from an incoming text to the Mac's clipboard. KDE's wiki says that on Android 15 or later, sensitive notification content is hidden unless you grant a permission with a developer tool. Google Messages for web shows your texts, and you read the code and type it.
• Accept or decline a call on the Mac. KDE's wiki describes showing notifications for incoming calls. It does not describe answering them.
• A trial of the whole set. The Relay has a 7-day free trial, so you can see whether one app beats several before you pay. Free tools cost nothing to try either.

What do you gain by staying free?

Money, and some capability. scrcpy mirrors and controls the screen, and Google Messages for web sends texts; The Relay does neither. KDE Connect adds remote input, media control, and running commands. LocalSend lists clients for Windows, Linux, and iPhone as well.

When free tools are enough

• You want one or two jobs, such as texting and sending a file now and then.
• You enjoy configuring tools, or do not mind a small amount of Terminal.
• You use more than a Mac and an Android phone.
• You are on a Mac older than macOS 13 Ventura, which The Relay does not support.

When The Relay is worth paying for

• You do four or five of these jobs every day and each switch of tool costs you a moment.
• You copy pictures and text between phone and Mac constantly.
• You use texted login codes at work and want them on the Mac's clipboard.
• You want the phone as a webcam without the extra tool.

What The Relay will not do

• It does not mirror the screen. Use scrcpy.
• It does not send texts. Use Google Messages for web.
• It does not place calls.
• It is not remote. Both devices must be on the same network or in Bluetooth range.
• It is wireless only, with no USB mode.
• It does not sync or back up your photo library.
• It needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later.
• It is not free. There is no free tier: 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.

Questions people ask

Is there a completely free version of The Relay?

No. There is no free tier. The Relay has a 7-day free trial, then it is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac. The trial becomes a paid subscription unless you cancel it in Google Play before it ends, and refunds go through Google Play; see the terms.

What is the closest free alternative to The Relay?

KDE Connect. It has a stable macOS release and lists notifications, files, links, clipboard text, and replying to texts. See KDE Connect on Mac and The Relay vs KDE Connect.

Can I get everything for free with no Terminal?

Not with everything. scrcpy is started with a command and needs USB debugging. The rest are installed like any Mac app, though KDE Connect may need firewall ports opened.