Lattice vs Google Docs for presenting ideas
Google Docs is free and fine for a written brief. A doc is linear: images sit inline in reading order, links are text, and there is no canvas, frames, or presentation mode. Lattice puts that material on a free-form canvas where references sit side by side, links unfurl into cards, AI groups the board, and you present through it frame by frame. Lattice is free during public beta.
The short version
For a written brief, a proposal, or anything the client needs to read top to bottom, Google Docs is the right tool and Lattice is not trying to replace it. It is free, most clients already have it, and a doc prints cleanly. Where it struggles is the moment ideas become visual. Images in a doc sit in a column in reading order, so two directions cannot be compared side by side. A pasted link is a line of text. There is no way to zoom out and see the whole set at once, and no presentation mode, so the meeting becomes scrolling. Lattice is built for that moment. References sit at their own size on a canvas, links unfurl into cards with an image and title, frames hold each direction, AI groups and tags the pile, and presentation moves frame by frame. A read-only link opens without an account, or you export PDF for the file. Keep the brief in Docs; put the ideas on a board.
Side by side
| FEATURE | LATTICE | GOOGLE DOCS |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Free-form canvas | Linear page |
| Images | Cards at their own size, side by side | Inline, in reading order |
| Links | Unfurl into cards | Text |
| Video, audio, PDF cards | Yes | No |
| Frames and sections | Yes | Headings only |
| AI organizing (tag, group, connect) | Yes | No |
| Presentation mode | Through the canvas, frame by frame | No |
| Read-only client link, no account | Yes | Yes |
| Export | PDF, PNG, JPG, SVG | Document and PDF |
| Price | Free during beta; Studio $12/mo announced and waitlisted | Free |
Choose Lattice if
- You are showing directions, not writing a brief.
- Two or three options need to sit side by side.
- You present the ideas in a meeting rather than sending a file to read.
- Your references include links, video, and PDFs.
Choose Google Docs if
- The deliverable is text the client reads top to bottom.
- You need the client to edit the words with you.
- It has to print as a document.
Questions
- Can I put a Google Doc on a Lattice board?
- Yes. Paste the share link and it unfurls into a card that opens the doc.
- Does Google Docs have a presentation mode?
- No. A doc is read by scrolling. Lattice presents frame by frame through the canvas.
- Is Lattice free like Google Docs?
- Yes, during public beta, with no card. A $12 per month Studio tier is announced and waitlisted.
- Can a client see a Lattice board without an account?
- Yes. A read-only share link opens in any browser with no sign-up.
- Should I replace Google Docs with Lattice?
- No. Keep the written brief in Docs. Use Lattice for the visual part: references, directions, and the board you present.