The Relay vs Iriun Webcam: what does each do for an Android phone and a Mac?

Iriun Webcam does one job: it turns a phone's camera into a wireless webcam on a PC or a Mac. If a webcam is all you want, Iriun is the narrower tool and the place to start. The Relay also makes the phone's camera and microphone appear on the Mac as a camera and a microphone for Zoom, Google Meet, and FaceTime, but it is a whole app for the Android and Mac pairing: clipboard sync, files, login codes, notifications, calls, and links, with one subscription through Google Play after a 7-day free trial. Iriun's pages are short, and much of the table below says "Not stated" because of 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 Iriun 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 Iriun cells come from iriun.com and the developer's Google Play listing. The site is a single page with download links for Windows, Mac, and Linux and store links for the phone. Neither page lists files, texts, notifications, clipboard, calls, or links, so those stay "Not stated". The Play listing's data statements are the developer's own declarations, so read them yourself before installing.

What is Iriun Webcam?

Iriun's page describes it as a way to use "your phone's camera as a wireless webcam in PC or Mac". The steps it gives are to install Webcam for Windows, Mac, or Linux, download the Iriun Webcam app to your phone, and start using the phone with your favourite video applications. The Mac installer on the page is version 2.9.1, and the page says macOS 12.3 or later is required, with older drivers available from a link for older macOS. The Play listing adds that it works with Teams, Zoom, OBS and similar apps, connects with Wi-Fi or USB, works with the screen off, and supports resolutions up to 4K, where "Max resolution depends on the phone model". It lists Pro features as no watermark, manual ISO, exposure and white balance, remote camera control from the desktop, and no ads.

Our own webcam guide lists Iriun beside Camo, DroidCam, Android's own USB mode, and The Relay. Camo, DroidCam, or Iriun puts the three dedicated apps side by side.

When Iriun is the better choice

• A webcam is the only job. The page offers the camera and nothing else, which is also all you will have to learn.
• You want to try before paying. Its Play listing describes an app with ads and in-app purchases and a Pro version, which suggests a free version to try. Check the listing for the price. The Relay has a 7-day free trial, then it is paid.
• You are on macOS 12.3 or an older driver. Iriun's page lists macOS 12.3 or later and offers older drivers, while The Relay needs macOS 13 Ventura or later.
• You also use Windows or Linux. Iriun lists installers for both, and The Relay is Mac and Android only.
• You have an iPhone as well. Iriun's page links an App Store app.

When The Relay is the better choice

• The webcam is one of several jobs. If clipboard sync, codes, notifications, and calls matter too, a webcam-only app leaves those jobs undone.
• You want it to be only one of several things the phone does for the Mac. Iriun's pages describe the webcam alone.
• You want one subscription for the whole set. One subscription through Google Play covers every feature on the phone and the Mac, with a 7-day free trial first.
• You want to pair once. The Relay pairs by scanning a QR code shown on the Mac, and the same pairing covers every feature.
• You want a cable-free design. Iriun's listing mentions USB as an option. The Relay is wireless only, so that is a difference, not an advantage for everyone.

What The Relay will not do

• It does not describe picture controls, resolutions, or recording for the webcam. Iriun's listing mentions resolutions up to 4K.
• It has no USB cable mode.
• It does not mirror the screen or send texts, and it does not place calls.
• It is not remote. Both devices must be on the same network or in Bluetooth range.
• It needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later, with 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.

How do I compare the two on my own phone?

Neither maker publishes a measurement we can use, and we have not tested either product. So run the test yourself. Set the phone on a stand, join a Zoom or Google Meet test call, select the camera, and look at the picture the other side would see. Then do the same for the microphone. Note the pairing steps and how many permissions each asked for. If a webcam is all you need and Iriun passes, there is no reason to buy The Relay for it.

Questions people ask

Does Iriun Webcam work on a Mac?

Its page lists a Mac version, "Webcam for Mac v2.9.1", for macOS 12.3 or later, plus an Android app on Google Play.

Is Iriun free?

There is no price on iriun.com. Its Google Play listing says the app contains ads and in-app purchases and lists Pro features such as no watermark and no ads. Check the listing for the current price.

Does Iriun use the phone's microphone?

Its Google Play listing says to configure your desktop application to use Iriun Webcam as the source for audio and video. The Relay's feature makes the phone's camera and microphone available as well. If the microphone matters, see using an Android phone as a microphone for a Mac.

Which is better for Zoom on a Mac?

We cannot rank them. Both are described as working with video apps, and neither maker publishes a measurement. See Android phone as a webcam in Zoom on a Mac.