If you're thinking about building Google Docs style comments in your app, there are quite a few considerations you should think about. We've been in the commenting SDK space for years, and can help you make the best choice.

TLDR:

• TipTap Collaboration works great but locks you into their editor ecosystem

• Firebase and Ably provide infrastructure but require months of custom UI development

• Liveblocks excels at real-time features but has basic commenting capabilities

• Velt offers 25+ collaboration features with Google Docs style commenting in just 10 lines of code

• Most solutions struggle with enterprise security and scalability requirements

• Implementation complexity varies dramatically from minutes (Velt) to months (DIY solutions)

Commenting SDKs in 2025

Here's the thing: not all commenting SDKs are created equal. Some barely scratch the surface of what users expect from modern collaboration tools, while others require you to build everything from scratch.

If you want to understand what makes a commenting SDK worth using, you need to look beyond basic features. Users today expect the same level of polish they get from Google Docs, Figma, or Notion.

The challenge? Building that level of sophistication in-house can take months and cost way more than most teams expect. That's why choosing the right SDK matters so much for your timeline and budget.

Key Features Every Google Docs Style Commenting SDK Needs

Let's be real about what makes commenting actually useful. You can't just slap a basic comment box on your app and call it collaboration.

Here's what users expect from modern commenting systems:

1. Contextual Placement: Comments need to attach to specific elements, text selections, or areas of your interface. Just like Google Docs shows the exact text you're commenting on.

2. Threaded Discussions: Single-level comments are basically useless for real collaboration. You need replies, mentions, and the ability to resolve entire threads.

3. Real-Time Synchronization: Comments should appear instantly for all users. No refresh required, no weird delays.

4. Rich Content Support: Modern users want to add images, links, formatted text, and even voice recordings to their comments.

5. User Management: Proper mentions, notifications, and permission controls so the right people see the right comments.

Most commenting SDKs give you maybe 4 of these features. Our SDK includes all of them plus advanced capabilities like voice comments, screen recording, and AI-powered features.

We're talking about 25+ collaborative features compared to the basic commenting most competitors offer. The difference is pretty obvious when you see them side by side.

The best commenting SDK should feel invisible to your users while providing enterprise-grade functionality to your development team.

You can try all the features yourself to see what we mean. The customization options alone probably save you weeks of UI development.

TipTap Collaboration: Solid but Limited to TipTap Ecosystem

TipTap Collaboration deserves credit for what it does well. If you're already building with the TipTap editor, their collaboration features integrate smoothly.

They offer inline and document comments directly in the editor, which is perfect for content collaboration. The real-time discussion and suggestion features work smoothly within their ecosystem. Plus, they use the open-source Y.js framework for conflict-free editing, which handles real-time updates pretty elegantly.

But here's the catch: you're completely locked into the TipTap editor. That's fine if you're building a writing app or content management system. But what if you need commenting on dashboards, design tools, spreadsheets, or any other type of interface? You're out of luck.

Velt takes a different approach. Our TipTap integration gives you the best of both worlds. You get all the TipTap editor benefits plus the flexibility to use the same commenting system across your entire application.

Check out our TipTap commenting example to see how it works. Same great editor experience, but without the ecosystem lock-in.

Low-Level Solutions: Firebase, Ably, and the DIY Challenge

Firebase and Ably are solid infrastructure platforms, but calling them commenting SDKs is a stretch. They give you the backend plumbing but leave you to build the entire commenting experience from scratch.

That means designing the UI, handling real-time updates, managing user permissions, building notification systems, and dealing with edge cases like offline sync and conflict resolution. We're talking thousands of lines of code and months of development time.

Sure, you get complete control over the implementation. But most teams underestimate the complexity involved. Real-time commenting isn't just about storing messages in a database.

You need to handle:

• Real-time synchronization across multiple users

• Contextual positioning and DOM element tracking

• Thread management and reply hierarchies

• User presence and typing indicators

• Notification systems and email fallbacks

• Mobile responsiveness and accessibility The implementation comparison is pretty stark. Velt is literally 10 lines of code to add comments quickly, while DIY solutions require building an entire collaboration platform from the ground up.

Most teams realize halfway through that they're essentially rebuilding Google Docs commenting. That's not exactly a core competency for most product teams.

Liveblocks: Real-Time Focus with Commenting Gaps

Liveblocks has built a solid reputation in the real-time collaboration space. Their strength is definitely in real-time state management and presence features. If you need cursors, live selections, or synchronized application state, they do that well.

But for commenting, the features are pretty basic compared to what users expect today. You get standard threaded comments, but you're missing advanced features like voice comments, screen recording, attachments, or AI-powered moderation.

The framework support is another consideration. Liveblocks is heavily React-focused, while Velt supports all major JavaScript frameworks natively.

If you're already using Liveblocks and want to upgrade your commenting experience, we've made migrating from Liveblocks to Velt pretty straightforward.

For teams looking at Liveblocks alternatives, the commenting feature gap is usually the deciding factor.

Why Velt Stands Out: The Complete Google Docs Experience

Here's where we get a little biased, but the numbers speak for themselves. Velt includes 25+ collaboration features compared to the 4 basic features most competitors offer.

We're talking about area comments, inline comments, voice recording, screen recording, mentions, reactions, threaded discussions, and AI-powered features. All with the same level of polish you'd expect from Google Docs.

The framework support is complete too. React, Vue, Svelte, Angular, etc. They all work the same way. No weird adapters or limited functionality.

But the scalability difference is huge:

• Velt: 200M comments and 2,000GB base plan

• Typical competitors: 100K comments and 8GB limits

For enterprise customers, the security and compliance features matter a lot. We offer data self-hosting options, GDPR compliance, SOC 2 Type II certification, and HIPAA compliance. Most competitors can't match that level of security.

You can try out all the commenting features and check out our examples to see the difference in action.

Implementation Comparison: Speed and Ease of Integration

Let's be honest about what you're signing up for. TipTap requires you to use their editor. That's fine if it fits your use case, but it's a major architectural decision. Low-level solutions like Firebase or Ably require months of custom development. You're basically building a commenting system from scratch using their infrastructure. Other commenting SDKs typically have limited features or only support React properly.

Velt can be implemented in minutes across any JavaScript framework. The implementation comparison shows exactly what we mean.

Here's what one of our customers said about the experience:

"We had Google Docs-style commenting running in our app within 30 minutes. The customization options let us match our brand perfectly without any custom CSS."

You can add comments quickly and see for yourself. Quick plug: see how Trumpet used collaborative features to increase engagement in their platform.

Security and Compliance for Enterprise Users

Enterprise security requirements kill most commenting SDK evaluations. Teams need data residency controls, access management, and compliance certifications that basic solutions can't provide.

Velt offers enterprise-grade security features that most competitors simply can't match:

• Self-hosting data options

• GDPR compliance with data residency controls

• SOC 2 Type II certification

• HIPAA compliance for healthcare applications

• Fine-grained access controls and permissions The security features are complete enough for the most controlled industries. We've written about how we won over Cord customers when they shut down, largely because of our enterprise security capabilities.

Most commenting solutions can't offer self-hosting or meet strict compliance standards. That's a deal-breaker for many enterprise customers.

Pricing and ROI Analysis

Let's talk about the real cost of different approaches. The monthly subscription fee is only part of the cost. Building in-house means months of developer time, ongoing maintenance, infrastructure costs, and opportunity cost from not working on core features. Most teams underestimate this by 3-5x.

Low-level solutions like Firebase or Ably seem cheaper upfront, but you're still building everything yourself. The total cost of ownership usually exceeds dedicated SDKs within the first year.

Basic commenting SDKs might save money initially, but the feature limitations often force you to build additional functionality anyway.

Velt's pricing includes everything you need for Google Docs style commenting, plus dedicated Slack support channels instead of email-only support. The comparison shows the value difference pretty clearly. Most customers save 3-6 months of development time, which more than pays for the SDK cost in the first year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to implement Google Docs-style commenting?

With Velt, you can have basic commenting running in under 30 minutes. Full customization and advanced features typically take a few hours to a few days, depending on your requirements. DIY solutions usually take 2-6 months of development time.

Can I customize the commenting UI to match my brand?

Yes, Velt offers extensive customization options including themes, custom CSS, and even headless implementations where you build your own UI using our APIs. Most customers can match their brand perfectly without custom development.

What happens to my data if I need to switch providers?

Velt provides data export capabilities and migration support. We also offer self-hosting options so you maintain complete control over your data. Unlike some providers, you're never locked into our platform.

Do you support frameworks other than React?

Absolutely. Velt has first-class support for React, Vue, Svelte, and Angular. The API is consistent across all frameworks, so you get the same features regardless of your tech stack.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for Your Application

After comparing the major options, the choice comes down to your specific requirements and constraints.

TipTap Collaboration works well if you're already committed to their editor ecosystem, but the limitations become obvious if you need commenting anywhere else in your application.

Low-level solutions like Firebase and Ably give you complete control, but require major development investment that most teams can't support for a non-core feature.

For teams who want Google Docs style commenting without the development overhead, Velt provides the most complete solution. The 25+ collaboration features, enterprise security, and support for any application type make it the clear choice for serious implementations. The best part? You can try everything risk-free with our generous free tier. See the difference for yourself instead of taking our word for it.