Clay's Mesh is free to get started and runs on macOS, Windows, the web, Android, and iOS . Mesh says over 100 million relationships have been entrusted to it . This page has no published price for Clay's paid tiers, so check Clay's own site before deciding. Mesh also offers a Teams version that shows who knows whom and helps surface warm introductions .

Dex's Premium plan costs $12 per month and includes mobile, extension, web, and desktop access . Premium and Professional start with a 7-day free trial . A credit card is required to start the trial, but you will not be charged until it ends, and you can cancel any time before then . Check Dex's site for current tiers.

Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you . Contacts are not capped on any plan, the free plan included . The core contacts stay free on every plan . Connections Pro is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product .

Clay alternatives in 2026

Q: Does Monica work on a phone?

The Monica web application works on a phone today . Native iOS and Android apps come after version 3 . Version 3 will also expose an MCP server, so you can point your own assistant at your own data . If a dedicated phone app matters to you, check the version timing on Monica's site before you choose, because the facts on this page do not give a date.

Compare Clay alternatives in 2026: Dex, Monica, Covve, and Connections, with what each one publishes about its plans, trials and features.

By Uncommon Comforts · 2026-10-11

Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.

Four options to compare with Clay are Dex, Monica, Covve, and Connections, and the right one depends on whether you need card scanning, self-hosting, AI assistant connections, or a free contact book. Connections keeps a contact book free on every plan ^[1]. Each section below lists what that option publishes.

Option	Free option	Paid plan	Free trial
Dex	not published	Premium $12 per month ^[2]	7-day free trial on Premium and Professional ^[2]
Monica	Code free to run on your own server ^[3]	Hosted plan is a paid subscription, price not published ^[3]	not published
Covve	not published	Starter $12 per user per month for Scanner & Lead Capture ^[4]	14-day free trial, cancel anytime ^[4]
Connections	Connections Free costs $0 ^[1]	Pro $39.99 per month ^[1]	not published

Why people who run things look past Clay

Clay is the tool this page compares against, and the reasons people look at other options are usually practical. Clay's Mesh product is free to get started and runs on macOS, Windows, the web, Android, and iOS ^[5]. Mesh says over 100 million relationships have been entrusted to it ^[5]. A Teams version shows who knows whom and helps surface warm introductions ^[5]. Mesh captures emails, meetings, and connections automatically and keeps contact details current ^[5]. It also sets reminders for moments that matter ^[5], and an AI navigator called Nexus works across a user's network ^[5].

These features suit some people and not others. Automatic capture from email and calendar is one feature to weigh against the rest. Some readers want a smaller set of features, a different price, or a product from a different company, and they will want to compare options side by side. The sections below cover each option using only the facts it publishes, so the choice rests on what each one does.

Dex: a relationship app that connects to AI clients

Dex is supported by subscriptions rather than advertising, and it says it will never sell user data to third parties ^[6]. Users can export or delete their data at any time ^[6]. Dex syncs new job titles from connected LinkedIn contacts automatically ^[6]. It supports MCP, the open standard for connecting AI clients such as Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini to a Dex account ^[6]. A browser extension works with Facebook, Instagram, X, Gmail, and more ^[6], and a mobile app lets people keep up with contacts from anywhere ^[6].

The Premium plan costs $12 per month and includes mobile, extension, web, and desktop access ^[2]. The Professional plan costs $20 per month and includes all Premium features ^[2]. Premium and Professional start with a 7-day free trial ^[2]. A credit card is required to start the trial, but no charge is made until it ends, and the trial can be cancelled before then ^[2].

Monica: an open-source contact tool you can run yourself

The Monica code is free and always will be, and it can be run on your own server without paying anything ^[3]. Running it that way asks for more work: Docker, or a PHP environment you are comfortable maintaining ^[3]. The hosted version is a paid subscription, which the project says covers servers and backups and funds work on the open-source project ^[3]. The hosted price is not published on this page, so check Monica's own site before deciding. The hosted plan includes automatic updates and managed backups ^[3].

Contacts can be imported from vCard and CSV files ^[3]. Users can export their data at any time, in full, including custom structures they built ^[3]. Monica says user data is never sold, never used for advertising, and never used to train a model ^[3]. Support staff can only access an account with the user's explicit permission, for a specific problem ^[3]. The web application works on a phone today ^[3], and native iOS and Android apps come after v3 ^[3].

Covve: a scanner that turns cards and badges into contacts

Covve offers unlimited scans of event badges, business cards, and LinkedIn QR codes, online or offline ^[4]. People can also add contacts by voice input in the app ^[4], and custom fields adapt to a person's workflows ^[4]. Covve says it holds ISO 27001 certification for its information security management systems ^[4], and it says it is GDPR compliant ^[4].

The Starter plan for Scanner & Lead Capture costs $12 per user per month ^[4]. The Team plan for the same feature costs $20 per user per month ^[4], and the Business plan costs $31 per user per month ^[4]. A Professional plan for Scanner & Lead Capture costs €84 per user per year ^[4]. Native CRM integrations for Salesforce, HubSpot and more cost $6 per user per month ^[4]. A free trial of 14 days can be cancelled at any time ^[4].

Connections: a contact book and relationship tool with free core contacts

Connections is made by the team that publishes this site.

Connections keeps a contact book of the people in your life, and the core contacts stay free on every plan ^[1]. Contacts are not capped on any plan, the free plan included ^[1]. Each contact can be organised with folders, tags, five-star ratings, and follow-up flags ^[1]. Every meeting or conversation can be logged on a contact so you can see when you last spoke ^[1]. A relationship follow-up digest arrives outside the app ^[1].

Contacts can be brought in from Google, Apple, or a CSV file ^[1]. The app reads business cards, flyers, and documents for you ^[1], and pasting or screenshotting a note files its details to the right contact ^[1]. Pasting free text turns it into structured contact and relationship details ^[1]. Two people can swap contact cards in person by tapping phones or scanning a QR code ^[1], and one contact's name, phone, email, and photo can be shared with one tap ^[1].

Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you ^[1]. Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product ^[1]. Connections Business is $99.99 a month, with higher limits across every Connections product ^[1].

How to pick the right Clay alternative

Start with the job you need done. If a free start matters most, Clay's Mesh is free to get started ^[5], and Connections Free costs $0 ^[1].

If you want to run your contacts on your own server, Monica's code is free to run that way ^[3]. That path asks you to maintain Docker or a PHP environment ^[3].

If you meet many people at events and want their cards read, Covve scans unlimited event badges, business cards, and LinkedIn QR codes ^[4]. Connections also reads business cards, flyers, and documents for you ^[1].

If you want an AI assistant connected to your contacts, Dex supports MCP ^[6]. Monica's version 3 will also expose an MCP server ^[3].

If you want a contact book that shows when you last spoke, Connections logs every meeting or conversation on a contact ^[1].

If you want to try before paying, Dex offers a 7-day free trial on Premium and Professional ^[2].

Before you choose, check the prices this page does not publish, such as Monica's hosted plan, and confirm which plan covers the number of people who will use it.

Frequently asked questions

Is Clay free to use?

Clay's Mesh is free to get started and runs on macOS, Windows, the web, Android, and iOS ^[5]. Mesh says over 100 million relationships have been entrusted to it ^[5]. This page has no published price for Clay's paid tiers, so check Clay's own site before deciding. Mesh also offers a Teams version that shows who knows whom and helps surface warm introductions ^[5].

Is Dex free?

Dex's Premium plan costs $12 per month and includes mobile, extension, web, and desktop access ^[2]. Premium and Professional start with a 7-day free trial ^[2]. A credit card is required to start the trial, but you will not be charged until it ends, and you can cancel any time before then ^[2]. Check Dex's site for current tiers.

Does Monica work on a phone?

The Monica web application works on a phone today ^[3]. Native iOS and Android apps come after version 3 ^[3]. Version 3 will also expose an MCP server, so you can point your own assistant at your own data ^[3]. If a dedicated phone app matters to you, check the version timing on Monica's site before you choose, because the facts on this page do not give a date.

How much does Covve cost?

The Starter plan for Scanner & Lead Capture costs $12 per user per month ^[4]. The Team plan costs $20 per user per month for the same feature ^[4], and the Business plan costs $31 per user per month ^[4]. A Professional plan for the feature costs €84 per user per year ^[4].

Is Connections free?

Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you ^[1]. Contacts are not capped on any plan, the free plan included ^[1]. The core contacts stay free on every plan ^[1]. Connections Pro is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product ^[1].

Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you. ^[1] Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product. ^[1]

Try Connections