Beautiful docs.
No browser required.
Looking for a Google Docs alternative? Documents that work offline and look beautiful. Native apps, not browser tabs.
Easy migration
Which one is right for you?
Craft
Full offline that actually works — Google Docs offline is flaky and limited
Native apps with instant launch — not another browser tab eating RAM
Beautiful documents with covers and typography — not word processor formatting
Apple Pencil drawing and annotation built-in
One-click web publishing — share beautiful pages, not permission-gated links
Google Docs
Enterprise Google Workspace integration is required for your org
Heavy multi-user editing with 10+ simultaneous editors
You need advanced comments/suggestion mode for editorial workflows
Deep Google Drive ecosystem (Sheets, Slides, Forms) is essential
Google Docs is the default for real-time collaboration, but it requires internet, produces generic-looking documents, and its offline mode is unreliable. Craft gives you native speed, full offline, beautiful output, and collaboration — without living in a browser.
Easy migration
Move from Google Docs in three steps
Sign in with Google
Open Craft's Google Docs importer, select documents, and sign in with Google. Grant Craft permission to access the documents you choose.
Select your documents
Use the Google file picker to choose one or more documents from My Drive or Shared Drives, then review the selection in Craft.
Import to Craft
Choose a Craft Space and optional destination folder, then start the import. You can close the page while it continues in the background.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
See how Craft and Google Docs compare across key features
Feature
Craft
Google Docs
Winner
Performance
Native apps, instant launch, no browser needed
Browser-based — needs a tab, uses RAM
Craft
Offline & Sync
Full offline with sub-second sync on reconnect
Limited offline — Chrome only, often unreliable
Craft
Document Design
Beautiful covers, typography, layouts, media
Basic word processor look — no visual design options
Craft
AI Features
AI assistant included free in all plans
Gemini AI (included with Workspace plans)
Tie
Offline Access
Full offline on Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, Web
Chrome-only, requires pre-setup, unreliable
Craft
Apple Pencil
Full drawing and annotation on iPad
Basic drawing insert only
Craft
Web Publishing
One-click beautiful public web pages
Publish to web (basic, no design control)
Craft
Free Tier
Generous free plan with AI
Free with Google account (15GB shared)
Google Docs
Organization
Spaces, folders, collections, linked documents
Google Drive folders (shared with all files)
Craft
API & Extensibility
Full API + MCP support + Craft Agent
Apps Script (complex) + limited API
Craft
Why users switch to Craft
M
Mikailkraft
“ Craft gets rid of all the noise from Notion while not becoming as barebones as Obsidian. It’s a perfect balance of features – and it’s done seamlessly. Synching is immediate, and the app feels right at home on my Mac and my iPad.”
App Store Award
Mac App of the Year
Apple Design Awards
Finalist
Webby
Awarded three times in various categories
German Design Award
Excellent Communications Design Interactive UX
What matters most
Craft gets it right
Quick idea capture
Open Craft instantly — no waiting for browser tabs to load or internet to connect
Fast, beautiful writing
Beautiful typography and layouts that make your documents look professional, not generic
Offline access
Full offline on every device — not just Chrome with 'offline mode' that barely works
Easy Organization
Spaces, folders, and linked documents — not a shared Drive folder with everything mixed in
Task management
Built-in tasks with due dates and daily notes — integrated into your documents
API, MCP & Automations
Connect with Claude, ChatGPT, Apple Shortcuts, and build custom workflows
Why users switch to Craft
J
Jeffb129
“ Craft is way more functional than Apple or Google Notes while being much easier to use than Notion”
Compare the cost
Plan
Craft
Google Docs
Starter
Free
Free
Plus Personal
$6.4
Free (Google Workspace from $7.20/mo)
Plus Family and Groups
$12.0 /person
$12/user/mo (Google Workspace Business)
AI Assistant Feature
Included
Not available
Ready for documents that work offline?
Start for free. No credit card required.
Common Questions
For personal and small-team document creation, yes. Craft offers native apps, full offline support, beautiful design, and AI included — all without living in a browser. For large enterprise collaboration with 10+ simultaneous editors, Google Docs may still be needed.
Writers, students, professionals, and creators who want beautiful documents with native app speed and full offline access. If you're tired of browser tabs, generic formatting, and flaky offline mode, Craft is your upgrade.
Yes. Craft supports real-time collaboration, comments, shared spaces, and team folders. The key difference: Craft also works fully offline, syncing changes when you reconnect — something Google Docs struggles with.
Google Docs is free with a Google account (15GB shared storage). Craft has a generous free tier with AI included, and Plus starts at $7.99/month. For teams, Google Workspace costs $7.20-$18/user/month while Craft offers competitive team pricing.
Native offline on all platforms, Apple Pencil drawing, one-click web publishing with beautiful design, document covers and typography, collections for structured data, and API/MCP integration. Google Docs is a word processor; Craft is a modern document platform.
Significantly. Craft works fully offline on Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, and Web — create, edit, organize, search. Google Docs offline requires Chrome, needs pre-setup, and is notoriously unreliable, especially on non-Chrome browsers.
Yes. Download your Google Docs as .docx files from Google Drive, then import them into Craft. Formatting, headings, and structure are preserved. For bulk migration, use Google Takeout to export everything at once.
Craft produces much more visually appealing documents with covers, custom typography, cards, callouts, toggles, and rich media. Google Docs follows traditional word processor formatting — functional but generic-looking.
Craft, because it's a native app. It launches instantly without waiting for a browser tab to load. No internet lag, no tab crashes, no competition with other browser tabs for memory. Sub-second sync when online.
Craft offers Spaces, folders, collections, linked documents, and tags. Google Docs relies on Google Drive folders shared with all your other files. Craft keeps documents organized separately from spreadsheets and presentations.
Better. Craft publishes beautiful, designed web pages with one click. Google Docs 'Publish to Web' creates basic HTML with no design control. Craft's published pages look professional without any extra work.
Yes. Craft has full native Apple Pencil support for drawing and annotating directly in documents. Google Docs only supports basic drawing inserts — not native handwriting in the document flow.
Both offer AI writing assistance. Craft includes AI free in all plans. Google Docs uses Gemini, included in Workspace plans. The key difference: Craft's AI works offline and integrates natively with the document editing experience.
If you value offline access, beautiful documents, native app performance, and not living in a browser — absolutely. If your workflow depends heavily on Google Workspace integration and enterprise-scale real-time editing, the switch may be less compelling.
Yes. Craft offers a free Education plan with full Plus features. Better for notes, essays, and portfolios with beautiful formatting. Google Docs is fine for group assignments but lacks Craft's organization and design capabilities.
Craft for writing, Google Docs for editorial collaboration. Craft gives writers distraction-free native apps, beautiful typography, full offline, and one-click publishing. Google Docs is better when multiple editors need suggestion mode.
Craft syncs in under a second and works fully offline. Google Docs syncs in real-time when online but has unreliable offline support. Craft's approach is better for people who work in cafes, planes, or anywhere with spotty internet.
Download your Google Docs as .docx files from Drive (select multiple, right-click → Download). Import them into Craft via the Import feature. Formatting is preserved. For bulk export, use Google Takeout.
Why users switch to Craft
Aaron
“ Best App for Everyone. It features every features with excellent UI and UX taking note taking to next level and I even replaced Notion with this one.”