Google Docs

Productivity

7.6~~/10~~

Our score

★ 4.7 Google Play·1B+ installs

Reviewed by Editorial Team, ScoredApps editorial · updated 2026-10-06

Screenshots

Google Docs on an iPhone showing a Cymbal Cleaning Company plan with highlighted headings and bullet lists, under an offline caption

A comment thread on a highlighted heading with an at-mention, a reply and an Add a reply field

The Gemini panel inside a document offering Summarize this document, Outline the main points and Suggest improvements above a prompt box

About Google Docs

Gemini inside Google Docs is a paid layer, not part of the free app. On a personal account it comes with Google AI Pro at $19.99 a month in the US; on a work account it starts at Business Standard. The editor itself stays free: offline editing, Word files, comments and live sharing, with no advertising. The catch is that the phone version gets fewer AI tools than the web.

App information

DeveloperGoogle LLC

Version1.26.401.05.90 (Android) · 1.2026.40105 (iOS)

Size130 MB (Android) · 371 MB (iOS)

Price / In-appFree

Contains adsNo

In-app purchasesYes

Content rating4+

Requires (Android)Varies with device

Requires (iOS)iOS 17.0+

Offline modeCreate, view and edit files offline after turning on Make recent files available offline or Make available offline per file

Interface languagesAF, AM, AR, HY, AZ, EU + 61 more

Store rating (Google Play)4.7 from 2,904,859 ratings

Installs1B+

Updated by developer2026-10-06

Data checked2026-10-06

Specs come from the official store listings and were last checked on 2026-10-06. Developers change pricing and requirements — check the store page before installing.

Google Docs Review: Free Editor, Paid Gemini, Thinner AI on Phones

Where the free app ends and Gemini at $19.99 begins

The free app opens Microsoft Word files, converts and exports them, keeps comment threads with at-mentions, and works offline once Make recent files available offline is switched on in Settings. One document can hold up to 1.02 million characters. Gemini is where the free ride stops. Google's feature table gives the Docs tools, such as Help me write, Summarize a document and Generate an image, to Business Standard and Plus, Enterprise Standard and Plus, and to Google AI Pro and Ultra on personal accounts. Business Starter and the $4.99 Google AI Plus plan are left out of Docs. Prices are US listings and vary by region.

The spark icon: Summarize, Outline and Suggest improvements

Gemini sits behind the spark icon in the top bar of an open document. A panel slides up with three suggested prompts, Summarize this document, Outline the main points and Suggest improvements, above a prompt box where you can ask about a detail buried in the file. At the June 2025 launch, Help me write and Help me create were listed as unavailable on mobile; image generation reached Android that August; and the diagram and infographic tool announced in July 2026 is web only. The April 2026 redesign, with Match writing style and Match doc format, carries no mention of phones in Google's announcement. On a phone, treat Gemini as a summarizer and quick drafter.

AI Pro's 5 TB, the free Gemini app and Workspace Experiments

The Play listing credits only Workspace subscribers with Gemini, yet a personal account gets it through Google AI Pro, which also adds 5 TB of storage against the free 15 GB shared by Gmail, Drive and Photos. Google's data page says Gemini in Docs on AI plans does not use your content to train models. Two free side doors exist. The standalone Gemini app can send a reply into Drive: tap More, then Export to Docs. And Workspace Experiments, a trusted-tester program for adults on personal accounts, lists Docs Live, which drafts and formats by voice on mobile; availability varies by country and language. The Play data label lists ten data types, including location, and no sharing with third parties.

The Can't open this document error in 2026 reviews

The loudest complaint in recent Play reviews has nothing to do with AI. Reviews dated July to October 2026 describe a Can't open this document message on phones for files that load normally on a computer, and some say it returns every few weeks. Google's replies point to the network and to clearing the cache under Settings, Apps, Docs, Storage and cache, while several reviewers say only a reinstall helped. A second thread is the toolbar: a few 2026 reviewers say the spark button cannot be hidden. These are reviewer reports, not our tests.

Pros

Opens and converts Microsoft Word files on a phone at no charge
Offline mode lets you create, view and edit chosen or recent files
Gemini panel offers Summarize this document, Outline the main points and Suggest improvements
One document holds up to 1.02 million characters before the limit applies
Play data label reports no data shared with third parties and encryption in transit
Comment threads with at-mentions and replies work the same on the phone

Cons

Gemini needs Google AI Pro or Business Standard; Business Starter and AI Plus are excluded
Diagram and infographic generation is web only, so phones get a smaller Gemini
Reviews report a recurring "Can't open this document" error that needs a cache clear or reinstall
Several 2026 reviewers say the Gemini spark button cannot be hidden from the toolbar

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Verdict

The score rests on a free, offline-capable editor with a 1.02 million character limit and no ads, held back by a Gemini layer that costs $19.99 a month on personal plans and does less on phones than on the web. Take it if you already pay for Google AI Pro or Business Standard, or just need a free editor that opens Word files. Skip it if you expected free AI drafting on a phone, or cannot tolerate the occasional can't-open error.

Core function8.5A real phone editor with offline mode and Word conversion; Gemini adds summaries and prompts, but only on paid plans.

Ease of use8.0Familiar file list, one spark icon and three suggested prompts; reviewers say text boxes hide inside Drawings.

Monetisation6.5The app is free without ads, but Gemini needs $19.99 AI Pro or Business Standard, and the $4.99 plan skips Docs.

Performance7.0Reviews in several languages report documents failing to open until the cache is cleared or the app is reinstalled.

Privacy & permissions7.5Play shows no third-party sharing, but ten data types, including location and personal info, may be collected.

7.6out of 10 · weighted average of the five scores above

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Frequently asked questions

Is Gemini in Google Docs free?

No, not on a standard free account. The Docs tools come with Google AI Pro at $19.99 a month in the US, or with Business Standard, Business Plus and Enterprise Standard or Plus on work accounts. Business Starter and the $4.99 Google AI Plus plan do not include them, and Google's free list for US personal accounts names only Gmail features. Prices are regional.

Can Gemini summarize a document in the Google Docs app on my phone?

Yes, if your plan includes it. Open a document, tap the spark icon in the top bar and choose Summarize this document, or type a question about the file. Google's launch notes require Android 8 or iOS 16 and list more than 20 languages. Help me write and Help me create were not available on mobile at launch.

How much does Gemini in Google Docs cost and is it worth it?

On a personal account the entry point is Google AI Pro at $19.99 a month in the US, which also brings 5 TB of storage. It pays off if you also want the storage and Gmail tools; on a phone alone you mostly get summaries and prompts. Workspace business prices are per user and regional.

Does Google Docs work offline on Android and iPhone?

Yes. Open Menu, then Settings, and turn on Make recent files available offline, or tap More beside a file and choose Make available offline. Google says you can create, view and edit files without a connection. Its help page does not mention Gemini offline, so test the AI tools before relying on them without signal.

What are the alternatives to Google Docs with AI on a phone?

Microsoft Word on a phone edits for free and puts Copilot behind a Microsoft 365 subscription, a similar split. The standalone Gemini app is free and can send a reply into a new Google doc through More, then Export to Docs. Choose Word for deeper formatting, or Gemini plus Docs for a no-cost drafting loop.