Inner Circle
Inner Circle vs Dex vs Monica
These three get compared a lot, but they're solving different problems. Dex is for working a professional network. Monica is for people who want to own their data outright. Inner Circle is for staying close to friends and family without much effort. Pick based on which of those is you.
At a glance
| Inner Circle | Dex | Monica | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Friends and family | Professional networking | Privacy-first users |
| Input method | AI voice and chat | Forms plus LinkedIn capture | Manual forms |
| Warmth tracking | Yes | Limited | No |
| LinkedIn sync | No | Yes | No |
| Calendar sync | Google Calendar | Yes | Limited |
| Self-hosting | No | No | Yes |
| Free plan | Yes (10 contacts) | Trial only | Yes (self-host) |
| Paid from | $4.99/mo | ~$12/mo | ~$9/mo cloud |
Inner Circle
Inner Circle's bet is that people quit personal CRMs because of friction, so it gets rid of the friction. Instead of forms, you talk to it. By voice or chat you can add contacts, set reminders, and ask things like "who haven't I talked to in a month?" Its warmth scoring quietly tells you who's slipping. It's the right pick if your goal is personal, like keeping up with friends and family rather than building a career network.
Go with Inner Circle if you want the lowest-effort way to stay in touch with the people you care about, and you'd rather an assistant did the admin.
Dex
Dex is the strongest networking-focused option. It syncs with LinkedIn, fills in professional details, and flags when someone changes jobs. If you're a founder, investor, or job seeker actively growing a network, it's hard to beat.
Go with Dex if your relationships are mostly professional and already live on LinkedIn.
Looking for a Dex alternative? If you mainly want to nurture personal relationships and you'd rather talk to an assistant than manage fields, Inner Circle is friendlier and cheaper, with a free plan that isn't just a trial.
Monica
Monica is open source and self-hostable, so your data never leaves your control. That's its superpower, and the reason people love it. The cost is convenience: the interface feels dated, and there's no quick capture or AI. It suits technical, privacy-conscious people who'll trade polish for ownership.
Go with Monica if owning your data matters more to you than convenience.
Looking for a Monica alternative? If self-hosting and manual entry sound like a second job, Inner Circle gives you a modern, AI-driven version out of the box, with a free plan to start on.
The short version
- Networking for your career? Dex.
- Own your data and self-host? Monica.
- Stay close to friends and family with the least effort? Inner Circle.
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