Dex alternatives in 2026
Compare Dex with Connections, Monica, Clay's Mesh and Covve on price, free starting points, and what each tool does for managing relationships.
Uncommon Comforts is published by the team behind Connections, whose products are compared here alongside other tools.
Dex is one option for keeping a contact book, and it is priced by the month. [1] The alternatives below each start from a different place: Monica gives its code away, [2] Covve sells plans for Scanner & Lead Capture, [3] and Connections keeps a contact book in which the core contacts stay free on every plan. [4]
| Option | Lowest published paid price | Free start | Card payment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dex | Premium, $12 a month, covering mobile, extension, web, and desktop [1] | 7-day free trial on Premium and Professional [1] | not published |
| Monica | hosted plan price not published | code free to run on your own server [2] | not published |
| Clay | not published | Mesh free to get started [5] | not published |
| Covve | Starter, $12 per user per month [3] | 14-day free trial [3] | not published |
| Connections | Pro, $39.99 a month [4] | Free costs $0 [4] | not published |
Why people who run things look past Dex
Dex prices its paid plans by the month. The Premium plan costs $12 a month and covers mobile, extension, web, and desktop access. [1] The Professional plan costs $20 a month and includes every Premium feature. [1] The Team plan is $40 per user per month, billed monthly. [1] Student pricing lightens that: students get 50% off for a year and MBA students get 50% off for two years. [1] People who run things often weigh that price and plan shape against the work they need done before they choose. The alternatives below each begin from a different place. Matching one of them to the job you actually have is what decides the fit.
Monica: relationship software whose code is free to run yourself
Monica is relationship management software whose code is free and always will be, and it can be run on your own server without paying anything. [2] The hosted version is a paid subscription, because servers and backups are not free, and it funds the work on the open-source project. [2] Native iOS and Android applications come after v3, [2] and Monica v3 will expose an MCP server so you can point your own assistant at your own data if you want to. [2] Monica does not send your relationships to a model on its own initiative. [2] Choose this path if running your own software is something you are willing to do.
Clay: Mesh
Mesh is available free to get started, and it runs on macOS, Windows, Web, Android, and iOS. [5] The facts used for this page do not give paid plan prices for Mesh, so check Clay's pricing page before you decide on a paid plan.
Covve: a card scanning tool with per-user plans
Covve sells per-user plans for its Scanner & Lead Capture product. [3] The Starter plan is $12 per user per month. [3] The Team plan is $20 per user per month [3] or $199 per user per year. [3] The Business plan is $31 per user per month. [3] It offers custom fields that adapt to a user's workflows. [3] The facts used here do not cover every plan tier, so check Covve's pricing page for the plans it lists.
Connections: a contact book with follow-up flags and in-person card swaps
Connections is made by the team that publishes this site. [4] You can keep a contact book of the people in your life, and its core contacts stay free on every plan. [4] You can organise each contact with folders, tags, five-star ratings and follow-up flags. [4] Each meeting or conversation can be logged on a contact, so you can see when you last spoke. [4] Contacts can be brought in from Google, Apple or a CSV file. [4] The app reads business cards, flyers and documents for you. [4] Paste or screenshot a note and it files the details to a contact. [4] Two people can tap phones or scan a QR code to swap contact cards in person. [4] You can also make a public digital business card page with a QR code and a vCard download. [4] Contacts are not capped on any plan, the free plan included. [4] Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you. [4] Connections Pro, the first paid plan, costs $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product. [4] Connections Business costs $99.99 a month, with higher limits across every Connections product. [4]
How to pick the right Dex alternative
Start with the job you need done. If you want software you can run yourself, Monica's code is free and always will be, and it can be run on your own server without paying anything. [2] If a per-user card scanning tool fits the team size, Covve prices Starter, Team, and Business plans per user, [3] [3] [3] and you can add custom fields that adapt to a workflow. [3] If the main need is a free starting point for a contact book, Connections keeps its core contacts free on every plan, [4] and contacts are not capped on any plan, the free plan included. [4] Things to check before you choose: check whether each option connects to the apps you already use. Check the paid plan prices on each option's own page, since some prices are not in the sources used here. If a feature matters to you, ask whether it is included in the plan you would buy.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dex free?
The Dex plans quoted on this page are paid from the start. [1] [1] [1] Premium and Professional begin with a 7-day free trial. [1] The Premium and Professional plans begin with a 7-day free trial. [1] Check Dex's pricing page for its current terms before you sign up.
Does Connections have a free plan?
Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you. [4] Core contacts stay free on every plan. [4] Contacts are not capped on any plan, the free plan included. [4] The paid Pro plan costs $39.99 a month, [4] and the Business plan costs $99.99 a month, [4] so check which limits matter for your contacts before you choose a plan.
Can Monica be run on your own server for free?
The Monica code is free and always will be, and you can run it on your own server without paying anything. [2] The Monica code is free and always will be, and it can be run on your own server without paying anything. [2] The hosted version is a paid subscription, because servers and backups are not free, and it funds the work on the open-source project. [2] Decide which path fits you before you choose.
Is Mesh from Clay free to start?
Mesh is available free to get started, and it runs on macOS, Windows, Web, Android, and iOS. [5] The facts used for this page do not give paid plan prices for Mesh, so check Clay's pricing page before you decide on a paid plan.
How long is the Covve free trial?
Covve offers a free trial of 14 days that can be cancelled at any time. [3] Paid plans start at the Starter price of $12 per user per month. [3] The facts used for this page do not cover every plan tier, so check Covve's pricing page to see what each plan includes before you start.
Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you. [4] Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product. [4]
Try ConnectionsSources
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