The Relay vs scrcpy: do I want my phone's screen, or its clipboard, codes, and files?

If you want to see and control the phone's screen on your Mac, scrcpy is the answer, and it is free. The Relay does not mirror and does not control the phone. If what annoys you is retyping codes, pasting between devices, missing notifications, or fetching files, and you do not need the screen, that is what The Relay is for: clipboard sync, login codes, notifications, incoming calls, links, files, and a webcam, with one subscription through Google Play after a 7-day free trial. They solve different problems, and plenty of people could happily run both.

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 scrcpy 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 scrcpy cells come from its README. Its macOS page offers a static download for Apple silicon and Intel and a Homebrew install, and says you also need adb. It lists audio forwarding for Android 11 and later, recording, and a virtual display as well.

What is scrcpy?

scrcpy (pronounced "screen copy") mirrors an Android phone connected "via USB or TCP/IP" and lets you control it with the computer's keyboard and mouse. The README says it needs no root access and no app installed on the phone, and that it works on Linux, Windows, and macOS. Its prerequisites include turning on USB debugging, a developer setting. On some phones, notably Xiaomi, a second option called "USB debugging (Security Settings)" must be on before keyboard and mouse control works, and the phone has to be rebooted once.

You run it from a terminal. If that sounds like a lot, our guides cover installing scrcpy on a Mac, using it without a cable, and what to do when it will not connect. The wider picture is in mirroring Android to a Mac.

When scrcpy is the better choice

• You want to see the phone's screen on the Mac. The Relay cannot. This is the whole question for many readers.
• You want to control the phone with the Mac's keyboard and mouse. A person who tests apps, demos an app, or records the screen needs this. See recording an Android screen on a Mac.
• You want it free and open source. scrcpy is both. The Relay is neither.
• You want no account at all. The README says none.
• You work on older Macs or other systems. scrcpy lists Linux and Windows too.
• You are a developer already using USB debugging and adb. It fits straight in.

When The Relay is the better choice

• You never needed the screen. What you actually do is paste, get codes, check notifications, and move files, and scrcpy's README does not list notification sync, code handling, or file browsing.
• You do not want to enable developer settings. The Relay pairs by scanning a QR code shown on the Mac with the phone.
• You do not want to use Terminal. The Relay installs on both devices and pairs once.
• You want the phone as a webcam on a Mac. scrcpy's webcam mode is listed as Linux-only. See using an Android phone as a webcam for a Mac.
• You want a cable-free setup that stays running. The Relay is wireless over your own network.

What The Relay will not do

• It does not mirror the phone's screen and does not control it. For that, use scrcpy.
• It does not 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 is wireless only, with no USB mode.
• It does not back up your photo library.
• It needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later.
• 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.

Can I use both?

Yes, as far as we know. They do different jobs, and nothing on scrcpy's page suggests it conflicts with another app. We have not tried the two together. The one practical point is that scrcpy's clipboard sharing only applies while you are mirroring, so The Relay's clipboard sync is the one that works when you are not.

Questions people ask

Is scrcpy safe to use?

Its README says it is open source, and warns about downloading it from random websites. For what USB debugging exposes, read is scrcpy safe?.

Can The Relay mirror my phone's screen?

No. Use scrcpy for that, or see the best screen-mirroring apps for Mac.

Does scrcpy sync notifications or login codes?

The README text we read does not list them. It lists mirroring, control, audio forwarding, recording, and clipboard copy-paste.

Does scrcpy work wirelessly?

Its README says it works over USB or TCP/IP. Our guide to using scrcpy without a cable covers the steps.