Side by side

Comparisons, played straight

Every matrix row verifiable, every competitor's strengths named, every price dated. If we lose a category, the page says so.

What this covers

Two kinds of comparison pages live here: head-to-heads (inrelay vs one competitor, feature by feature, with the places each product wins) and alternatives roundups (the honest list of tools worth considering when leaving a platform, inrelay included among them — not alone on a podium).

Head to head

inrelay vs…

Late-stage comparisons for shortlists — verdicts up top, losses included.

Ecommerce

inrelay vs Gorgias

Flat account pricing against ticket metering; approval-gated AI against automation rates.

The head-to-head → Team email

inrelay vs Front

Two team inboxes, one per-seat and one flat — and only one is AI-native.

The head-to-head → Desktop

inrelay vs Missive

The two real desktop apps in the category, compared honestly.

The head-to-head → Gmail-based

inrelay vs Hiver

A Gmail extension against a real app — what staying inside Gmail buys and costs.

The head-to-head → Help desk

inrelay vs Help Scout

Two calm-support philosophies, priced completely differently.

The head-to-head → Enterprise

inrelay vs Zendesk

The small-team case: per-agent-plus-per-resolution against one flat price.

The head-to-head →
Switching

Alternatives, honestly listed.

Leaving a platform? These review 8–10 real options each — including the cases where a rival is the better pick.

Roundup

Gorgias alternatives

For DTC teams tired of ticket-metered pricing.

See the list → Roundup

Front alternatives

Team email without the per-seat ladder.

See the list → Roundup

Missive alternatives

The closest analogues, AI-native included.

See the list → Roundup

Hiver alternatives

Life after the Gmail extension.

See the list → Roundup

Help Scout alternatives

Calm support tools, compared on today's prices.

See the list → Roundup

Zendesk alternatives

For small teams priced or complexed out.

See the list → Graduating

From Gmail

When Collaborative Inbox stops being enough.

The upgrade path → Graduating

From Outlook

Beyond the shared mailbox's limits.

The upgrade path →
Or just try it

The fastest comparison is a week inside it.

Free with your own inbox — and your data exports the day you want to leave. That's confidence, not lock-in.

Start freeSee pricing

About these pages.

Are these comparisons fair?
Every page names where the competitor wins, dates every price, and links sources for every matrix row. A comparison that only flatters us would cost more trust than it earns — and prospects check.
Why do the roundups list rivals above inrelay sometimes?
Because for some teams a rival genuinely is the better pick — deep Shopify order automation today points at Gorgias, refusing to leave Gmail points at Hiver. The roundups say so, and the recommendation you can trust is the one that sometimes isn't us.
How current are the numbers?
Every comparative claim carries an "as of" date, and the pages are refreshed when vendors change pricing. Spot something stale? Tell us and we'll fix it.

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