Monica alternative · monicahq.com
Looking for a Monica alternative?
Monica is the best-known open-source personal CRM, focused on remembering details about friends and family, available self-hosted or as a $9/month cloud version. PersonalCRM takes a different bet: staying in touch should cost one tap, never your inbox, and it's free while in beta. Here's the fair version of the comparison, written by us, with the parts where Monica wins left in.
Choose Monica if
Choose Monica if open source and self-hosting are non-negotiable for you: running your own instance on your own server is something no closed tool can offer.
Choose PersonalCRM if
Choose PersonalCRM if you want a modern, fast app that exists on your phone: a native iOS app, one-tap check-ins, push reminders, and an AI-agent-ready API. Free while in beta, no server administration required.
Feature by feature
| PersonalCRM | Monica | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free while in beta | $9/month cloud · free self-hosted (plus your server) |
| Free cloud tier | Unlimited | 10 contacts |
| Native mobile app | Yes: native iOS 26 app with actionable push | No official mobile app |
| One-tap logging | The Ping | Manual entries with more fields |
| Push reminders | Birthdays, follow-ups, overdue; anti-nag by design | Email reminders |
| Open source | No | Yes: AGPL, 22k+ GitHub stars |
| AI agents (MCP + API) | REST API + MCP server with 21 tools | API exists; no MCP |
| Import from CSV | LinkedIn, Google & Outlook presets + dedupe | vCard/CSV import |
| Data location & privacy | EU (Frankfurt), GDPR-native, made in Munich | Self-host anywhere, or their cloud (EU-friendly) |
| Development pace | Active, shipping weekly | v3 announced for years, still in progress |
Competitor details last checked August 2026. Spotted something outdated? Tell usand we'll fix it.
Where Monica is genuinely better
A comparison page that pretends the other tool has no strengths isn't worth your time. These are real:
Pricing
Monica’s cloud version costs $9/month (or $90/year) with a free tier capped at 10 contacts; self-hosting is free but you run and maintain the server. PersonalCRM is fully managed and free while in beta.
Switching takes minutes, not an afternoon
Export your Monica contacts as CSV (or vCard converted to CSV), upload to PersonalCRM, map the columns, and import. Notes can be pasted into each contact’s Markdown notes field.
Fair questions
No. PersonalCRM is a managed product built by one person in Munich. What we offer instead: a full REST API and MCP server so your data is never locked in, EU hosting, row-level isolation, and one-click account deletion.
Try the one-tap version.
Free while in beta. Import your contacts in about a minute. No credit card.
Start for free