ContractWorks vs. Gavel Exec: Contract Repository or AI Redlining in Word?

ContractWorks keeps signed contracts searchable, tracks renewals and handles e-signature. Gavel Exec helps lawyers review and redline contracts in Word. Here’s which one fits your team.

By Richard Poelderl · Last updated: November 14, 2026

Choose ContractWorks if your problem is after signature: signed agreements scattered across inboxes and drives, renewals that slip, and a whole company that needs access. It gives unlimited users a searchable repository with AI tagging, alerts and e-signature at one annual price. Choose Gavel Exec if your problem is before signature: your lawyers negotiate the other side’s paper in Word and want AI redlines against a playbook. It starts with 25 free queries and no credit card, then costs $160 per user per month.

This comparison covers ContractWorks Repository and ContractWorks Premium as sold by Onit on November 14, 2026, and Gavel Exec’s Word add-in and web app.

ContractWorks

ContractWorks is cloud contract management software from Onit for legal teams, contract managers and business stakeholders. ContractWorks Repository stores, searches, signs and tracks agreements, with AI tagging, OCR, custom fields, key-date alerts, reports and built-in e-signature. ContractWorks Premium adds drafting from templates, a clause library, a collaborative redlining editor and approval workflows for teams that want a full CLM. Every plan includes unlimited users.

Gavel Exec

Gavel Exec is AI contract review, redlining, and drafting software for legal teams. It works in Microsoft Word and online, so attorneys can review contracts inside Word or use browser-based workflows for broader contract analysis.

Gavel Exec supports playbook-based review, redlining, drafting, benchmarking, batch analysis, and multi-document comparison. Playbooks can be generated with AI, built from uploaded files, created manually, or started from built-in playbooks created by practicing attorneys. Gavel Exec publishes pricing at $160 per user per month or $1,740 per user annually, and offers 25 free queries per user with no credit card required.

Why teams choose Gavel Exec over ContractWorks

AI redlines, not only AI tagging: Gavel Exec reads the whole agreement and proposes tracked changes and comments, each with a priority level and its reasoning, against a built-in playbook or rules generated from your checklists or signed agreements (.docx, PDF or .csv). ContractWorks’ AI tags agreement types, parties, dates, renewal terms and notice windows and powers search. Its redlining is done by people in its editor, with a GPT-3 clause creator in the clause library. It doesn’t describe AI-suggested redlines or playbook review.
Work in Word, on any contract: Gavel Exec is a Word add-in for AI contract review on Windows, Mac and Word on the web, plus a browser app, so it works on whatever draft is open, including paper from outside counsel. ContractWorks doesn’t list a Word add-in. Its redlining editor is part of Premium and runs in the browser, with Word import and export.
Market benchmarking: Gavel Exec marks each provision on-market, off-market or missing for the jurisdiction, industry and company size you choose. ContractWorks doesn’t describe benchmarking against market terms.

Already on ContractWorks? Where Gavel Exec fits

Keep ContractWorks for what it does after signature: the repository, renewal and notice alerts, reports and e-signature. Add Gavel Exec seats for the lawyers who negotiate. On Premium, export a draft from the ContractWorks editor to Word, which keeps comments and redlines, review it with Exec, then bring the marked-up version back in. On Repository, negotiate in Word with Exec and upload the signed agreement to ContractWorks as usual. ContractWorks’ clause library and templates don’t move over automatically, but Exec can generate playbook rules from a checklist or a signed agreement; review the rules before you rely on them. If your team mostly signs its own templates with little negotiation, Exec may add little.

When evaluating the legal tech company ContractWorks,

ContractWorks, an Onit product, is a contract repository and light CLM: AI tagging of parties, dates and renewal terms, search, key-date alerts and built-in e-signature for unlimited users, from $425 per month billed annually. Its Premium plan adds templates, a browser editor that is 2-way compatible with Word, and approvals. Gavel Exec is AI contract review, redlining and drafting in Word on Windows, Mac and the web, against built-in or your own playbooks. It starts with 25 free queries and no credit card, then costs $160 per user per month. The two can work together: negotiate in Exec, store the signed contract in ContractWorks.

When to choose ContractWorks or Gavel Exec

When to choose ContractWorks

Choose ContractWorks if you need one secure, searchable home for signed contracts that the whole company can use: AI tagging of dates and renewal terms, key-date alerts, reports, built-in e-signature with no login for signers, unlimited users on every plan, a published starting price and 24/7 support, with data centers in the US and the EU. Not for you if you want AI to propose redlines while you negotiate in Word: ContractWorks lists AI tagging and search, not AI redline suggestions, and doesn’t list a Word add-in.

When to choose Gavel Exec

Choose Gavel Exec if your lawyers negotiate contracts in Word and want AI redlines against a built-in or their own playbook, plus market benchmarking, starting this week with 25 free queries and no credit card. It suits small in-house legal teams and solo, small and mid-sized firms. Not for you on its own if you need a repository with renewal alerts and e-signature: Gavel Exec covers the negotiation in Word before signature, and the signed agreement can go into ContractWorks as usual, as described under “Already on ContractWorks? Where Gavel Exec fits”.

ContractWorks vs. Gavel Exec: pricing, trial and features

US public terms checked November 14, 2026. ContractWorks prices by document capacity with unlimited users, billed annually. Gavel Exec prices per user, monthly or annually. Sources: ContractWorks pricing and Gavel Exec pricing.

Feature	ContractWorks	Gavel Exec
Price	Repository from $425/month, billed annually (1,000 documents, unlimited users, 10 eSignature licenses); Premium from $1,195/month, billed annually, tailored quote.	$160/user/month or $1,740/user/year; 1,000 queries per user per month; team pricing for 10+ seats.
Billing	Annual billing on both published plans.	Month-to-month, no long-term commitment required; annual price is billed annually.
Free Trial	14-day Repository trial; Premium through sales.	25 free queries per user; no credit card required.
AI Features	AI tagging of agreement type, parties, dates, renewal terms and notice windows; AI search; GPT-3 clause creator (Premium).	Review, priority-ranked redlines, drafting, playbooks, market benchmarking and browser analysis.
Playbooks	Doesn’t list playbooks; clause library of pre-approved clauses and templates (Premium).	Built-in playbooks; rules from .docx, PDF or CSV; manual editing, sharing and import/export.
Word Integration	No Word add-in listed; Premium browser editor is 2-way compatible with Word (import and export keeps redlines and comments).	Word add-in for Windows, Mac (2016+), Word on the web and Microsoft 365, plus a web app at exec.gavel.io.
Support	24/7 support at no extra cost; optional onboarding call; Premium implementation.	Live chat and phone support 7 days a week, plus the Exec help center; demo for security and vendor questions.

ContractWorks and Gavel Exec: ratings and demo

Ratings as listed on G2 and Capterra, November 2026: ContractWorks, an Onit product, shows 4.6 out of 5 from 95 reviews on G2 and 4.7 out of 5 from 100 reviews on Capterra. Reviewers mostly praise ease of use and support. These ratings cover ContractWorks as a whole, mainly its repository, not AI review.

Watch Gavel’s 71-second Exec walkthrough to see a Series A stock investment agreement redlined against an attached term sheet, then a vendor-agreement playbook run with accepted edits appearing as tracked changes. ContractWorks offers a 14-day Repository trial and a demo on request; we didn’t find a public recorded demo on its site. Vendor demonstrations show how a product operates, not how well it compares.

Transcript: Gavel Exec walkthrough (71 seconds)

[0:01] Meet Gavel Exec, the data-driven AI tool for contract redlining and drafting. Built by lawyers right inside Microsoft Word, ask Exec to negotiate your contract to standard market terms or to your preference.

[0:15] Negotiate the agreement and ensure the terms match the attached term sheet. Exec analyzes the contract, any relevant documents from your source database, and drafts suggested language with clear explanations.

[0:31] With Playbooks, lock in your negotiation positions as rules that use your precedent and reliable market benchmarks. Understand gaps with one click and immediately apply changes.

[0:45] Exec draws on thousands of real-world negotiation patterns to give you market-aligned language. And it’s continuously learning from you and your team’s preferences with a collaborative platform.

[0:59] Drive better outcomes with concrete data and reliable issue spotting. Supercharge your contract analysis. Start a free trial of Gavel Exec today.

Gavel Exec contract document beside its review panel in Microsoft Word — Official Gavel Word interface image. It shows the working environment, not the SaaS-agreement scenario above or a comparison test with ContractWorks.

Can ContractWorks review and redline contracts like Gavel Exec?

ContractWorks Premium has a Collaborative Editor where your team and third parties redline, comment and negotiate in real time, with version comparison and rollback. A clause library lets you swap in pre-approved clauses or generate new ones with GPT-3. The redlines themselves come from your reviewers; ContractWorks’ AI is described for tagging and search, not for proposing edits.

Gavel Exec proposes the edits. It reviews the agreement in Word against your playbook and precedent and inserts tracked changes and comments, ranked by priority, with the reasoning behind each. You accept or reject each one in Word, as with a colleague’s markup.

Illustration: negotiating a vendor’s SaaS agreement for the customer

You’re in-house counsel at the customer. The vendor’s draft renews automatically for successive 12-month terms unless you give 90 days’ notice, and caps the vendor’s liability at fees paid in the prior three months. Your illustrative playbook calls for 30 days’ notice and a cap of twelve months’ fees. The expected redline changes “ninety (90) days” to “thirty (30) days” and “three (3) months” to “twelve (12) months”, with a comment on each. You decide whether to accept, edit or reject them before returning the draft. Once signed, ContractWorks’ AI tagging can pick up the renewal term and notice window so an alert reaches you before the deadline. Done by hand, this is a clause-by-clause read against your checklist. This is an evaluation scenario, not a test either product ran.

Does ContractWorks work in Microsoft Word?

ContractWorks works with Word files rather than inside Word. Its Premium editor is 2-way compatible with Microsoft Word, and both plans list Word import and export. Gavel Exec needs an account at exec.gavel.io; the web app works without a download. To redline a document in Word, add the Exec add-in from Microsoft AppSource. It runs in Word for Windows, Word for Mac (2016 or later), Word on the web and Microsoft 365; if IT manages Microsoft 365 centrally, an admin may need to enable it.

Does ContractWorks have a Word add-in?

ContractWorks doesn’t list a Word add-in. Its Premium Collaborative Editor runs in the browser, is 2-way compatible with Microsoft Word, and imports and exports documents with comments, redlines and formatting intact. Gavel Exec is a Word add-in for Windows, Mac (2016 or later) and Word on the web, plus a browser app.

How much does ContractWorks cost vs. Gavel Exec?

The two price differently. ContractWorks charges for the repository by document capacity and includes unlimited users, so legal, finance, procurement and sales can all log in at no extra cost. Gavel Exec charges per lawyer: $160 per user per month, or $1,740 per user billed annually, with 1,000 queries per user per month, no long-term contract and team pricing from 10 seats. For a small legal team that negotiates, a few Exec seats can cost less than ContractWorks Premium; for company-wide contract access, ContractWorks’ unlimited users are the better fit.

How much does ContractWorks cost?

ContractWorks Repository starts at $425 per month, billed annually, for 1,000 documents, unlimited users and 10 eSignature licenses. Premium, which adds drafting, redlining and approvals, starts at $1,195 per month, billed annually, with pricing tailored to your team.

Does ContractWorks charge per user?

No. ContractWorks says every plan includes unlimited users, and Repository is priced by document capacity: 1,000, 10,000 or 50,000 documents. Gavel Exec is priced per user.

Does ContractWorks offer a free trial?

Yes. ContractWorks offers a 14-day Repository trial; Premium is sold through its sales team. Gavel Exec starts with 25 free queries per user and no credit card.

Security and data use: ContractWorks vs. Gavel Exec

ContractWorks’ security page lists SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, AWS data centers in the United States and the European Union, 256-bit encryption in transit and at rest, SAML 2.0 single sign-on, two-factor authentication, permission-based and view-only access, and an audit trail of every click. It says ContractWorks never has backend access to your data. The page doesn’t say how its AI tagging uses contract data, so ask during procurement.

Gavel Exec is SOC 2 Type II certified, encrypts data at rest with AES-256 in AWS data centers and has Zero Data Retention agreements with the AI model providers it uses. Data is hosted in the United States by default; hosting in the EU, Canada and Australia is also available. Gavel security

Is ContractWorks SOC 2 compliant?

Yes. ContractWorks says it is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant and runs on AWS data centers in the United States and the European Union, with 256-bit encryption, SAML single sign-on and two-factor authentication. Gavel Exec is SOC 2 Type II certified.

Does Gavel Exec train AI models on my contracts?

No. Gavel doesn’t use customer data, prompts or document content to train AI models, and it has Zero Data Retention agreements with the AI providers it uses, including OpenAI.

Who makes ContractWorks and Gavel Exec?

ContractWorks is sold as “ContractWorks, an Onit product”, and its site lists a corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Onit also offers SecureDocs data rooms and legal operations software. Gavel is part of Relativity, which announced its acquisition of Gavel on June 12, 2026, and also offers e-discovery software.

Who owns ContractWorks?

ContractWorks is an Onit product. ContractWorks announced on January 11, 2022 that Onit had acquired its parent company, SecureDocs. Onit now also presents ContractWorks on onit.com.

Method: Gavel editorial review. Checked against ContractWorks’ and Gavel’s public pages on November 14, 2026, including ContractWorks’ pricing, product and security pages and Onit’s ContractWorks page. Gavel publishes this comparison and sells Exec; Gavel is part of Relativity. No hands-on comparative test of the two products was conducted. Corrections: contact Gavel.

It’s the best system I’ve tried, and I’ve tried many.
Martin Algie, Principal, MIA Contract Lawyers (quoted on gavel.io/exec)

How to try Gavel Exec on a live contract

Pick an agreement you have already negotiated, so you know its issues; if it lives in ContractWorks, export it to Word. Start from a built-in Exec playbook or generate rules from your checklist, run it in Word and compare the redlines with your own markup: what Exec flags, what you reject and how long checking takes.

Start with 25 free queries and no credit card. If your team mostly needs to find signed contracts and catch renewals, that is a repository’s job, and ContractWorks is built for it.

Try Exec on a contract you’re negotiating

Run a built-in playbook or your own rules on a vendor’s draft in Word and review each tracked change before the signed copy goes into ContractWorks. 25 free queries per user, no credit card, no sales call.

Start free trial Get a demo

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

This comparison uses publicly available product, pricing, and review information. Features, pricing, and access terms may change, so buyers should verify current details directly with each vendor.