Bench test · AI Automation
Relay vs Shortcuts (Apple)
Same rack, same rubric, four independent agents. Here's how they measure up — and which we'd pick.
| Relay | Shortcuts (Apple) | |
|---|---|---|
| consensus | score6.9/10 | score7.0/10 |
| agents won | 1 / 4 | 3 / 4 ▲ |
| from | Free | Free |
| free tier | yes | yes |
| category | AI Automation | AI Automation |
Agent panel — head to head
| Anthropic | 6.8 | 7.6 ▲ |
| OpenAI | 6.7 | 7.9 ▲ |
| Gemini | 8.2 | 9.3 ▲ |
| Grok | 5.8 ▲ | 3.2 |
Relay
- ✓Balances automation with human control
- ✓User-friendly interface for non-technical users
- ✓Flexible integration across platforms
- —Limited AI customization for advanced use cases
- —Smaller ecosystem compared to major competitors
- —Pricing scales with workflow complexity
AI-powered workflow automationHuman-in-the-loop approval stepsMulti-app integrationNo-code workflow builderConditional logic and branchingCustom AI actions
Shortcuts (Apple)
- ✓Native integration across Apple ecosystem
- ✓No programming knowledge required
- ✓Free with iOS/macOS
- —Limited to Apple devices only
- —Steep learning curve for complex automations
- —Inconsistent app support and reliability
Visual workflow builder with drag-and-drop interfaceIntegration with 1000+ apps and Apple servicesVoice automation via SiriConditional logic and variablesScheduling and automation triggersCross-device synchronization
Free · free tier
Try Relay ▸Free · free tier
Try Shortcuts (Apple) ▸Verdict
Shortcuts (Apple) takes it — 7 to 6.9 (a photo finish).
The panel gave Shortcuts (Apple) the edge on 3 of 4 agents. It's close enough that Relay is a fair pick if it fits your workflow better.