Clay vs Monica in 2026
Compare Clay, Monica and Connections for relationship tracking, contact imports, follow-ups and pricing, using the facts each tool's sources publish.
Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.
Clay says Mesh is available free to get started. [1] Monica's code is free and can run on a person's own server without payment, and its hosted version is a paid subscription. [2] [2] Connections lets a person keep a contact book and log conversations on each contact, with core contacts free on every plan. [3] [3]
| Option | Free option | Paid option |
|---|---|---|
| Clay | Mesh is available free to get started. [1] | Not published. |
| Monica | Code is free and always will be, and can run on a person's own server without payment. [2] | Hosted version is a paid subscription; price not published. [2] |
| Connections | Connections Free costs $0; going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing the person. [3] | Pro is $39.99 a month [3]; Business is $99.99 a month [3] |
The short answer
For a person who runs things, Clay says Mesh is available free to get started on macOS, Windows, Web, Android and iOS. [1] Monica's code is free and can be run on a person's own server without payment, while its hosted version is a paid subscription. [2] [2] Connections lets a person keep a contact book, log meetings and conversations on each contact, and receive a relationship follow-up digest outside the app. [3] [3] [3]
The three tools answer different first needs. Clay's sources center on a free start, [1] Monica's on imports, full export and the choice to self-host, [2] [2] [2] and Connections' approved claims on an organized contact book with imports. [3] [3] Monica's sources describe importing contacts, exporting data in full, and choosing between self-hosting and a hosted service. [2] [2] [2] The approved claims for Connections describe keeping contacts organized, tracking conversations, and bringing contacts in from other places. [3] [3]
What Clay, Monica is built for
Clay says Mesh is available free to get started and runs on macOS, Windows, Web, Android and iOS. [1] Monica says its code is free and always will be, and that it can run on a person's own server. [2] Monica says its hosted version is a paid subscription that funds work on the open-source project. [2] Monica says contacts can be imported from vCard and CSV files. [2] Monica says users can export their data at any time, in full, including the custom structures they built. [2]
What Connections is built for
Connections is made by the team that publishes this site. Connections lets a person keep a contact book of the people in their life, with the core contacts free on every plan. [3] A person can organize each contact with folders, tags, five-star ratings and follow-up flags. [3] Logging every meeting or conversation on a contact shows when the person last spoke. [3] A relationship follow-up digest is delivered outside the app. [3] Connections can bring contacts in from Google, Apple or a CSV file. [3] The app reads business cards, flyers and documents, and a pasted or screenshotted note can be filed to a contact. [3] [3] Paste free text and AI turns it into structured contact and relationship details. [3] A person can also share one contact's name, phone, email and photo with one tap. [3]
Pricing and fees
Clay says Mesh is available free to get started. [1] The facts do not state a price for any paid Clay plan. Monica says its code is free and always will be, and that it can run on a person's own server without payment. [2] Monica says its hosted version is a paid subscription, because servers and backups are not free, and the facts do not give its price. [2] Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing the person. [3] The first paid plan, Connections Pro, is $39.99 a month and gives premium access across every Connections product. [3] A second plan, Connections Business, is $99.99 a month, with higher limits across every Connections product. [3]
Getting started
Clay says Mesh is available free to get started on macOS, Windows, Web, Android and iOS. [1] The facts for Clay do not describe the steps after signing up, so a person should check the steps Clay shows before relying on any particular sequence.
Monica says self-hosting asks for Docker, or a PHP environment the person is comfortable maintaining. [2] Monica says its hosted plan includes automatic updates and managed backups. [2] To start with existing contacts, Monica says they can be imported from vCard and CSV files. [2]
Connections lets a person bring contacts in from Google, Apple or a CSV file. [3] The app can read business cards, flyers and documents, and a pasted or screenshotted note can be filed to a contact. [3] [3] A useful first job with any of these tools is to bring in the contacts a person already has and check a few records.
Things to check before you choose
Does the option import the contact files a person already keeps, and in which formats? Does it work on the devices the person uses every day? Monica says its native iOS and Android apps come after v3, and that its web application already works on a phone. [2] [2] Is a web app enough for the person's workflow, or does a phone app matter? If a person changes plans or stops using a tool, what happens to their data? For Monica, users can export their data at any time, in full. [2] Does the option send relationship information to an AI model, and only when asked? Monica says it does not send a user's relationships to a model on its own initiative. [2] Which features matter most, such as reminders, follow-ups or relationship links, and do the published facts for each option cover them?
How to choose
A person who wants a tool that is free to get started on several platforms can look at Clay's sources, which describe Mesh as available free to get started. [1] A person who wants to run the tool on their own server, import vCard or CSV contacts and export everything later can look at Monica's sources, which describe those needs. [2] [2] [2] A person who wants a contact book, conversation logs and imports from Google, Apple or a CSV file can look at Connections, whose approved claims describe those needs. [3] [3] [3] Any choice should then be checked against the pricing and setup questions above.
Frequently asked questions
Is Clay free to get started?
Clay says Mesh is available free to get started, and that it runs on macOS, Windows, Web, Android and iOS. [1] The facts do not state a price for any paid Clay plan, so a person should check the pricing details Clay publishes before choosing one.
Can Monica be self-hosted without paying?
Monica says its code is free and always will be, and that it can run on a person's own server without payment. [2] Self-hosting asks for a little more work, because Monica says it requires Docker, or a PHP environment the person is comfortable maintaining. [2] Monica also says its hosted version is a paid subscription that funds the open-source project. [2]
Does Connections keep a record of past conversations?
Connections lets a person log every meeting or conversation on a contact, so the person can see when they last spoke. [3] It also gives a relationship follow-up digest outside the app. [3] Contacts can be organized with folders, tags, five-star ratings and follow-up flags. [3]
Can Monica import contacts from another app?
Monica says contacts can be imported from vCard and CSV files. [2] It also says users can export their data at any time, in full, including the custom structures they built. [2] The facts do not describe other import formats, so a person should check the file types the option accepts against the contacts they already keep.
What should a person check before choosing a relationship tool?
A person should compare the features each option's sources describe for contacts, reminders, imports, follow-ups, pricing and data handling. Clay says Mesh is available free to get started on several platforms. [1] Connections lets a person log every meeting or conversation on a contact, and bring contacts in from Google, Apple or a CSV file. [3] [3]
Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you. [3] Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product. [3]
Try ConnectionsSources
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