Cardhop and Dex are often compared, but they start from different places. Cardhop is a contacts app on your own address book; Dex is a personal CRM in the cloud. Here is a short, factual look at both, and at a third option.
Updated October 2026
We make Starrise Contacts, so we are not neutral. Facts about Cardhop and Dex come from their makers’ websites and App Store listings, checked on 11 October 2026 (US prices).
Cardhop in brief
Cardhop is a contacts app by Flexibits, the makers of Fantastical. It works directly on the contacts on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. Birthday notifications, notes and widgets are free; Flexibits Premium costs $6.99 per month or $56.99 per year, is shared with Fantastical and comes with a Flexibits account.
Dex in brief
Dex is a cloud-based personal CRM for people who network a lot, with keep-in-touch and birthday reminders. You need a Dex account, and your data is stored on Dex’s servers. There is no free plan: Premium starts at $12 per month billed yearly ($20 month to month), with a 7-day trial.
Compared where it matters
| Starrise Contacts | Cardhop | Dex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | None needed | Flexibits account for Premium | Required |
| Where your data lives | Your device and your own iCloud | In your own accounts | Dex’s cloud |
| Works on your iPhone address book | Yes, directly | Yes, directly | Own database; two-way sync via CardDAV (beta) |
| Reminders to keep in touch | Yes (Pro) | No | Yes |
| Birthday reminders | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free to start | Yes, core features | Yes, basics | No; 7-day trial |
| Paid plan | $0.99/month or $5.99/year | Premium $6.99/month or $56.99/year | From $12/month billed yearly |
The trade-off
Cardhop keeps your contacts where they are, but it has no reminders to keep in touch. Dex reminds you to keep in touch, but it needs an account, keeps your network in its cloud and has no free plan.
The option without the trade-off
Starrise Contacts works directly on your iPhone address book like Cardhop, and reminds you to keep in touch like Dex. It needs no account, keeps your contacts on your devices and costs $0.99 per month or $5.99 per year for Pro, with notes, birthday reminders, gift ideas and the map free. More on Keep in Touch reminders.
Sources
Facts about other apps were checked on 11 October 2026 on the pages below.
- flexibits.com/cardhop
- flexibits.com/pricing
- Cardhop on the App Store
- getdex.com
- getdex.com/pricing
- Dex docs: two-way sync
- Dex on the App Store
- Starrise Contacts on the App Store
Related
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Cardhop and Dex need an account?
Dex requires an account, and your data is stored on its servers. Cardhop works on your existing contacts and asks for a Flexibits account for Premium. Starrise Contacts needs no account at all.
Which one works on my iPhone address book?
Cardhop and Starrise Contacts both work directly on your iPhone address book. Dex keeps its own database, with an optional two-way sync via CardDAV that is in beta.
Is there an app that uses my address book and reminds me to keep in touch?
Yes. Starrise Contacts works directly on your iPhone address book and has Keep in Touch reminders with Pro, which costs $0.99 per month or $5.99 per year in the US.
GET STARRISE CONTACTS
Try Starrise Contacts for free
Starrise Contacts works on the contacts already on your iPhone, iPad and Mac. No account, nothing to import. Free to download, with an optional Pro subscription.
Free on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Pro costs $0.99 per month or $5.99 per year in the US.