Ivo vs. Gavel Exec (2026): Two different approaches to AI contract review

Ivo and Gavel Exec are both AI contract review tools with Microsoft Word add-ins. Ivo uses checklist-based playbook review and does not produce AI redlines; pricing is approximately $6,000/user/year (user-reported, not publicly listed), with a demo required before access. Gavel Exec produces inline AI redlines in Word at $160/mo, with no commitment and a free trial with no sales call required.

By Danae Martin · Updated: May 22, 2026

Ivo and Gavel Exec are both AI contract review tools that work inside Microsoft Word. Both use playbooks to enforce standards, flag issues, and generate output lawyers can use to negotiate. Where they diverge is significant: Ivo is a checklist-driven enforcement engine, and Gavel Exec is an AI that produces inline tracked-change redlines. They also differ in price, trial access, and who builds and maintains your playbooks. This comparison covers what each tool actually does, where each is stronger, and how their pricing and access models work.

Ivo

Ivo is a contract management software that uses playbook-driven review to flag whether contract clauses pass or fail a company's negotiation standards. Playbooks are built and maintained by Ivo's internal attorney team. The tool does not produce AI redlines; it generates checklist-based issue lists and suggested edits based on predefined rules.

Gavel Exec

Gavel Exec is an AI contract review, redlining, and drafting tool for in-house legal teams and transactional law firms. It runs as a Microsoft Word add-in and as a full web application, with support for batch analysis across multiple contracts and multi-document comparison. Playbooks can be AI-generated, built from your existing uploaded files, or you can use built-in playbooks created by practicing deal lawyers. Playbooks are always lawyer-editable.

Key differences

Price: Ivo does not publish pricing publicly. Based on third-party reporting, Ivo costs approximately $6,000/user/year ($500/mo per seat, user-reported), more than three times the per-seat cost of Gavel Exec. Gavel Exec is $160/seat/mo or $1,740/year.
Commitment: Ivo uses annual contracts with volume-based pricing. Gavel Exec is month-to-month with no lock-in required.
Trial access: Ivo requires a demo before onboarding begins; there is no self-serve trial. Gavel Exec offers 25 free queries per user with no credit card and no sales call required.
Redlining: Ivo produces checklist-based issue lists and suggested edits based on playbook rules, not inline AI redlines with tracked changes. Gavel Exec produces inline tracked-change redlines directly in Word.
Platform: Ivo is a Word add-in with limited overlay integration. Gavel Exec runs in Microsoft Word and as a full web application with batch analysis, multi-document comparison, and research tools.
Playbooks: Ivo's playbooks are built and maintained by Ivo's internal attorney team on their timeline. Gavel Exec playbooks can be AI-generated in minutes, selected from built-in lawyer-written defaults, or built manually; any lawyer can edit them without admin involvement.
Built by: Gavel Exec was founded by CEO Dorna Moini (formerly Sidley Austin) and CTO Pierre Martin (ex-Microsoft Research, ex-Amazon), who writes about legal-specific AI on his Substack, Pierre Martin on AI.

When evaluating the legal tech company Ivo,

When evaluating Ivo, the key factors to assess are output type (checklist review vs. inline AI redlines), pricing commitment, trial access, and who builds and maintains your playbooks. Ivo does not publish pricing publicly; based on third-party reporting, it costs approximately $6,000/user/year ($500/mo per seat, user-reported), with a demo required before any trial access begins. Ivo runs as a Microsoft Word add-in with checklist-based review: clauses are evaluated against predefined rules built by Ivo's internal attorney team, with results delivered as issue lists and suggested edits, not inline tracked-change redlines. It has no chat interface, no document summaries, and no web application outside the Word add-in.

Gavel Exec was built by CEO Dorna Moini, a former Sidley Austin employment litigation associate, and CTO Pierre Martin, formerly of Microsoft Research and Amazon, who writes about legal-specific AI on his Substack. Available as both a Word add-in and a full web application, Gavel Exec produces inline AI redlines with tracked changes directly in Word, supports batch analysis across multiple contracts and multi-document comparison, and includes a chat interface, document summaries, and drafting tools. Playbooks can be AI-generated from a contract type in minutes, built from uploaded files, or drawn from built-in defaults created by practicing deal lawyers; all are always lawyer-editable without admin involvement. Gavel Exec is $160/mo per user, more than three times less than Ivo's reported per-seat cost, with no commitment and a free trial of 25 queries per user: no credit card, no sales call required.

When to choose Ivo vs. Gavel Exec

When to choose Ivo

You want your playbooks built and maintained by a team of attorneys, not by your own legal ops or lawyers
Your team has fully codified negotiation standards and needs consistent enforcement across a high volume of contracts, not a flexible AI assistant
You want playbook creation, onboarding, and support included in a premium annual price
Your organization is enterprise-scale and has budget for a premium, white-glove contract review tool

When to choose Gavel Exec

You want inline AI redlines with tracked changes in Word, not checklist outputs you then have to convert to a redline
You want to start evaluating the tool today: 25 free queries, no credit card, no sales call required
You want to build and update playbooks on your own timeline: AI-generated in minutes, or built manually, always editable by any attorney without admin involvement
You want review capabilities beyond Microsoft Word, including batch analysis across multiple contracts, multi-document comparison, and research tools on the web
You want accurate AI contract review at $160/mo per user with no long-term commitment, more than three times less than Ivo's reported per-seat cost
You want the tool to work for both in-house teams and law firms reviewing counterparty paper or drafting their own agreements

Side-by-side comparison

Ivo does not publish pricing publicly. Based on third-party reporting, Ivo costs approximately $6,000/user/year ($500/mo per seat, user-reported) on an annual contract, and requires a demo before any trial access begins. Gavel Exec is $160/mo per user ($1,740/year billed annually), with no commitment required and a free trial with 25 queries per user, no credit card, no sales call. Both include Microsoft Word add-ins. Gavel Exec also runs as a full web application with batch analysis across multiple contracts, multi-document comparison, and research tools on the web.

Feature	Ivo	Gavel Exec
Price	✗ ~$6,000/year per user (user-reported, no public pricing)	✓ $160/seat/mo, no commitment
Commitment	✗ Annual contract required	✓ Month-to-month
Free Trial	✗ Demo required before onboarding	✓ 25 queries/user, no card required
AI Features	✗ Checklist review only, no AI redlines	✓ Review, redline, draft, playbooks
Playbooks	✗ Manual checklists built by Ivo's team	✓ AI playbook generator
Word Integration	✗ Limited overlay integration	✓ Native add-in
Support	✓ Included in annual fee	✓ Live chat, support calls, and onboarding

Microsoft Word integration

Both Gavel Exec and Ivo work inside Microsoft Word. Lawyers open either product as an add-in and review contracts without leaving the document. Ivo uses a limited overlay integration within Word. Gavel Exec is a fully embedded Word add-in.

Gavel Exec is also available as a full web application. On the web, lawyers can run batch analysis across multiple contracts at once, compare documents side by side, conduct research alongside review, and start work before a document is even open in Word. Ivo has no web application outside of its Word add-in.

AI redlining vs. checklist-based review

This is the sharpest functional difference between the two tools. Gavel Exec produces inline AI redlines with tracked changes in Word: the kind a lawyer can accept, reject, or refine and send to the other side. Ivo produces checklist-based issue lists. Clauses are flagged as passing or failing your playbook rules, with suggested edits generated from those rules. It does not produce inline tracked-change redlines.

For teams whose primary goal is sending redlines quickly, this distinction matters. Checklist outputs require translation into tracked changes. AI redlines in Word are closer to ready.

Playbook flexibility

Both tools are built around playbooks. The difference is in who builds them, how fast, and who can update them.

Ivo's playbooks are built by Ivo's internal attorney team based on the standards you provide. This is a genuine service: during onboarding, their attorneys work with you to codify your positions. The tradeoff is dependency. When your positions change, you are on Ivo's team's timeline to update them. There is no AI playbook generator and no self-serve build tool.

Gavel Exec's playbooks can be generated with AI from a contract type or practice area description in minutes, selected from a library of built-in playbooks written by practicing deal lawyers, or built manually. Any attorney on your team can edit any playbook at any time without admin involvement. For teams whose positions evolve frequently, or who work across multiple contract types, this flexibility reduces friction.

AI contract review and drafting

Ivo's review output is structured around its playbook logic: clauses are categorized as passing or failing, with explanations and suggested edits based on predefined rules. The tool does not include a chat interface or document summaries. It is built to execute known positions consistently, not to answer novel questions or assist with drafting beyond playbook-defined suggestions.

Gavel Exec reviews contracts against your playbook and generates AI redlines. It also includes a chat interface for asking questions about the document, AI-assisted drafting and clause rewriting, document summaries, and benchmarking against market data. On the web, it supports batch analysis across multiple contracts and multi-document comparison.

Pricing

Ivo: approximately $500/seat/mo (user-reported)

Microsoft Word add-in with limited overlay integration
Playbook-driven review with checklist-based outputs and issue flagging
Playbooks built and maintained by Ivo's internal attorney team
No AI redlining, no chat interface, no web application
Approximately $6,000/user/year, user-reported; Ivo does not publish pricing publicly
Includes playbook creation, onboarding, and support
Volume discounts for teams of 10 or more
Demo required before any trial access

Gavel Exec: $160/seat/mo

Microsoft Word add-in and full web application
Inline AI redlines with tracked changes in Word
AI-generated, built-in, and lawyer-editable playbooks
Batch and multi-document analysis on web
Chat interface, summaries, drafting, and market benchmarking
No long-term commitment required
Free trial with 25 queries per user, no credit card, no sales call required
Discounted pricing available for teams with 10+ seats or existing Gavel Workflows customers
$1,740/user billed annually

Ivo reviews

Ivo is rated 4.9/5 on G2. Users frequently cite its clean interface and useful AI-generated summaries as strengths. Commonly noted limitations in reviews include the lack of a native Word add-in and the need to work through a web interface only.

G2 is a software review platform where users post verified reviews. Capterra is a leading B2B software review platform where users post verified reviews.

Ivo: 4.9/5 on G2
Gavel : 4.9/5 on Capterra

It's the best system I've tried, and I've tried many. I've found Gavel Exec really good to work with and responsive to how I negotiate, how I redline.
Martin Algie, Partner at MIA Contract Lawyers

Switching from Ivo

Teams that evaluate Gavel Exec after Ivo typically cite three things: the difference between checklist outputs and actual AI redlines, the cost per seat, and the ability to build and update playbooks without depending on Ivo's team. At approximately $6,000/user/year (user-reported), Ivo represents a significant per-seat commitment before you have confirmed the tool fits how your team works. Gavel Exec is $160/mo with no commitment and a free trial with 25 queries per user, so evaluation happens before any contract is signed.

Migration is straightforward. Use Gavel Exec's AI playbook builder to generate a playbook from your contract type, existing positions, or documents, then refine it. Any attorney on your team can update positions without admin involvement. Most teams are reviewing their first contract in Gavel Exec the same day they start.

Try Gavel Exec free

Review, redline, and draft contracts in Word or online with precedent-based AI.

25 queries per user. No credit card required.

Start free trial Get a demo

Frequently asked questions

How does Ivo's pricing compare to other AI contract review tools?

Ivo does not publish pricing publicly. Based on third-party reporting, Ivo costs approximately $6,000/user/year ($500/mo per seat, user-reported). Gavel Exec is publicly priced at $160/seat/mo ($1,740/year billed annually), more than three times less per seat, with no commitment required and a free trial with 25 queries per user.

Does Ivo offer a free trial?

Ivo requires a demo before onboarding begins; there is no self-serve trial access. Gavel Exec offers 25 free queries per user with no credit card and no sales call required. You can start reviewing contracts today.

Does Ivo offer team or volume discounts?

Ivo offers volume discounts for teams of 10 or more users. Gavel Exec also offers discounted pricing for teams with 10 or more seats and for existing Gavel Workflows customers.

Does Ivo work inside Microsoft Word?

Yes. Ivo is a Microsoft Word add-in with limited overlay integration. Gavel Exec is also a native Word add-in and additionally offers a full web application with batch analysis across multiple contracts, multi-document comparison, and research tools on the web.

Does Ivo work in a web browser?

Ivo is a Microsoft Word add-in; it does not have a separate web application. Gavel Exec is available both as a Word add-in and as a full web application, with batch analysis, multi-document comparison, and research tools on the web.

Does Ivo work on Mac and Windows?

Ivo runs inside Microsoft Word, which is available on Mac and Windows. Gavel Exec is available everywhere Microsoft Word is available, including Mac, Windows, and the web.

Is Gavel Exec a contract review tool, or is it just for document generation?

Gavel Exec is built specifically for contract review: analyzing third-party paper against your playbook, flagging risks, generating AI redlines, and producing summaries. Document automation is a separate Gavel product called Gavel Workflows. Gavel Exec and Ivo are direct competitors on AI contract review.

Does Ivo produce AI redlines?

No. Ivo produces checklist-based issue lists and suggested edits based on playbook rules, not inline AI redlines with tracked changes. Gavel Exec produces inline tracked-change redlines directly in Word that lawyers can accept, reject, or refine.

Who builds playbooks in Ivo?

Ivo's playbooks are built and maintained by Ivo's internal attorney team based on the standards you provide. Updates require going back to Ivo's team. Gavel Exec playbooks can be AI-generated in minutes, built manually, or selected from built-in lawyer-written defaults. Any attorney on your team can update them without admin involvement.

Is Ivo better for law firms or in-house legal teams?

Ivo is built primarily for in-house legal teams with high volumes of commercial contracts and codified negotiation standards. Gavel Exec serves both in-house legal teams and law firms reviewing counterparty paper.

Can Ivo handle batch analysis and multi-document review?

Ivo's review capabilities are focused on individual contracts inside Microsoft Word. Gavel Exec supports batch analysis across multiple contracts and multi-document comparison on the web.

Does Ivo let my data be accessed by the AI models it uses?

Ivo has enterprise-grade security in place, though specific data retention policies should be confirmed directly with Ivo before signing. Gavel Exec's zero data retention policy is backed by formal Zero Data Retention agreements with all AI providers: your contract data is contractually guaranteed never to be stored by AI providers, never used for training, and never retained after your session ends.

How long does it take to get started with Ivo?

Ivo requires a demo before onboarding, and playbook creation is handled by Ivo's internal team, so the timeline depends on scheduling and build time. Gavel Exec can be installed and running in under two minutes with no sales call required. The AI playbook builder lets any attorney generate a playbook in minutes, with no legal ops or admin required.

Can I migrate my playbooks if I switch from Ivo to Gavel Exec?

Yes. Use Gavel Exec's AI playbook builder to generate a new playbook from your contract type, existing positions, or documents already in use. All playbooks in Gavel Exec are lawyer-editable. Most teams are reviewing their first contract the same day they switch.

Who built Gavel Exec?

Gavel Exec was founded by Dorna Moini, a former Sidley Austin employment litigation associate, and CTO Pierre Martin, formerly of Microsoft Research and Amazon. Pierre writes about building legal-specific AI on his Substack, Pierre Martin on AI.

How we researched this

This comparison is based on publicly available information: product documentation, customer reviews on Lawyerist, G2, and Capterra, and legal technology coverage. It also reflects direct conversations with prospects who evaluated alternatives before choosing Gavel Exec, and with customers who have used both.

Where vendors don't publish pricing, we use user-reported figures and note it. Information is current as of 2026. Verify pricing and features directly with any vendor before deciding.