Covve and Dex both keep your contacts in an app of their own, behind a sign-in. Covve focuses on business contacts, Dex on networking in the cloud. Here is a factual comparison on the points that matter for your privacy and your budget.
Updated October 2026
We make Starrise Contacts, so we are not neutral. Facts about Covve and Dex come from their makers’ websites and App Store listings, checked on 11 October 2026 (US prices).
Covve is a personal CRM for business contacts. It scans business cards and reminds you to follow up. You sign in, and Covve keeps your contacts in its own app, with a card export to your address book. It runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac; Covve PRO is an in-app subscription from $4.99 per month.
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, with a 7-day trial.
| Starrise Contacts | Covve | Dex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account | None needed | Covve sign-in | Required |
| Works on your iPhone address book | Yes, directly | Own app, with card export | Own database; two-way sync via CardDAV (beta) |
| Where your data lives | Your device and your own iCloud | In Covve’s app | Dex’s cloud |
| Reminders to follow up | Yes (Pro) | Yes | Yes |
| Free to start | Yes, core features | Free download | No; 7-day trial |
| Paid plan | $0.99/month or $5.99/year | Covve PRO from $4.99/month | From $12/month billed yearly |
With either app, you sign in first, and your contacts live in a second place next to your iPhone address book. Covve is the cheaper of the two and free to download; Dex has no free plan.
Starrise Contacts reminds you to follow up and scans business cards with Pro, but it works directly on your iPhone address book and has no account. Pro costs $0.99 per month or $5.99 per year, less than either paid plan, and notes, birthday reminders and gift ideas are free. More on the networking CRM.
Facts about other apps were checked on 11 October 2026 on the pages below.
Both keep contacts in their own app. Covve can export a card to your address book; Dex offers an optional two-way sync via CardDAV, in beta. Starrise Contacts works directly on your iPhone address book.
Covve PRO starts at $4.99 per month; Dex Premium starts at $12 per month billed yearly, with no free plan (US prices, October 2026). Starrise Contacts Pro costs $0.99 per month or $5.99 per year.
Yes. Starrise Contacts has no account: open the app, allow access to your contacts and start adding notes.
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.
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