6 ms·

Ask HN: What software do you use to manage contacts?

36 points by camjohnson26 7y ago

Google Contacts has privacy problems, and all Linux and iPhone address book software I've found is under-powered or has a bad UI. Does anyone have a contact management set up that they love?

algaeontoast 7y ago
I don’t.
davismwfl 7y ago
I keep an excel spreadsheet with all my contacts I have made over the years with notes and categories. I usually try to go through it once or twice a year and update old records. I’ve used this to populate a couple of different CRMs I had but I always keep the excel updated. This lets me always be able to maintain my contacts and update any device or system I need to. Yea this is kinda low tech but it has proven super easy to manage and has allowed me to keep my contacts even after I leave a position. And I am never held hostage to any specific software system as I also export a CSV backup after I do a cleanup too.
- toomuchtodo 7y ago
  Consider checking out https://www.monicahq.com/ https://www.monicahq.com/
kgwxd 7y ago
Simple Contacts via F-Droid. Export to vcf once in a while and backup local and remote. Keep in mind, as soon as you integrate with anything you don't control (including caller id), you're right back to the privacy problems, so make sure your expectations of power account for that. Under-powered is a hard-to-find feature as far as I'm concerned.
catacombs 7y ago
contacts.org
d-sc 7y ago
Idk, iPhone Contacts app isn’t a crm, but it seems to work otherwise.
johntash 7y ago
I'm currently using a mix of MonicaHQ[1], Nextcloud[2], and Fastmail[3]. Obviously Fastmail isn't self-hosted, but monicahq/nextcloud are. I find it hard to use a webmail client without also having my contacts available to that mail client. I really want to use MonicaHQ more, but it just feels like a lot of work whenever I log in to it so it gets pretty neglected. My alternative is to store notes about contacts in random spreadsheets, text files, or something like Joplin[4]. On Android, I'm syncing my contacts (and calendars) using davx5[5] with Nextcloud as the server. Nextcloud is already my tool for syncing files, so it having a carddav/caldav server built-in is just a convenient bonus. However, I'm considering moving to EteSync[6] in the near-future for end-to-end encrypted carddav/caldav server. For moving contacts between different accounts, de-duping, and some other maintenance tasks I'm using an android app called "Contacts Optimizer"[7]. I guess I should also mention that this is just for my personal contacts. I do have to use google contacts for my work gsuite account. [1] https://www.monicahq.com/ https://www.monicahq.com/ [2] https://nextcloud.com/ https://nextcloud.com/ [3] https://www.fastmail.com https://www.fastmail.com [4] https://joplinapp.org/ https://joplinapp.org/ [5] https://www.davx5.com/ https://www.davx5.com/ [6] https://www.etesync.com/ https://www.etesync.com/ [7] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compelson.optimizer&hl=en_US https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compelson....
- stockkid 7y ago
  > it just feels like a lot of work whenever I log in to it so it gets pretty neglected. My alternative is to store notes about contacts in random spreadsheets, text files, or something like Joplin. Interesting. Could you elaborate why it feels like more work to log into tools such as Monica than to open spreadsheet, text files, or Joplin?
- lijogdfljk 7y ago
  > I really want to use MonicaHQ more, but it just feels like a lot of work whenever I log in to it so it gets pretty neglected. I'm writing software for a personal knowledge base. Can you describe what makes MonicaHQ a chore?
cascom 7y ago
What’s missing/are the issues with Apple contacts?
- vmurthy 7y ago
  I usually take notes if I am adding a new contact that I don't know much about (E.g. Met at a meeting at CloudHQ). This was totally broken prior to iOS 13. I recently updated the OS and it works.
- beamatronic 7y ago
  Export to JSON/XML/CSV for starters.
- 2rsf 7y ago
  Android support ?
- camjohnson26 7y ago
  No easy way to merge duplicates and little to no support for bulk editing.
2rsf 7y ago
> Google Contacts has privacy problems can you name a few ?
- kasey_junk 7y ago
  It’s hosted by Google.
a-b 7y ago
I like https://flexibits.com/cardhop https://flexibits.com/cardhop both iOS and desktop apps
beamatronic 7y ago
Nothing, since Palm Desktop when I had a Treo 600.
DragonCot 7y ago
I've used my contacts systems for years. Earliest entry I can find is 1996. It's easy to search. Incredibly easy to use. Works on Desktop, Web and Mobiles (Android, iPhone and for me, BlackBerry) and synchronises across all of them. Anniversaries and Birthdays appear in Calendars. Integrates with my email system. Info stored in it is fully encrypted. Allows for groups. Both for mailing, SMS messages and other contact apps. Oh, it's name? Lotus Notes. (And no, I'm not joking. It is by far the best system I've ever used. Get over it.)
arandr0x 7y ago
I'm a super disorganized introvert but I'm puzzled by this. Do people on HN have actual systems to organize people they meet in lists and take notes about them? Is this like for sales calls or normal people also do this for regular social events? Is everyone else doing this?
- jrowley 7y ago
  I have a personal notes app (Bear) where I journal about all types of things. Mostly todo lists, ideas, that kind of thing, but I also have a section dedicated to people I meet. I don't always make a note but sometimes I do. I rarely look back at these notes but I think it helps me remember details about them. And sometimes I do look back at the notes. I have sections for the people I met through running (different run clubs, etc), work, etc.
akisd 7y ago
Take a look at "Time and Chaos" https://www.chaossoftware.com/chaos.aspx https://www.chaossoftware.com/chaos.aspx Or "Intellect" that offers additionally email support. https://www.chaossoftware.com/intellect.aspx https://www.chaossoftware.com/intellect.aspx I used to use them a few years ago but i think they didn't evolve as they should. Anyway you can try them...
rdegges 7y ago
I use Contacts+ (formerly FullContact): https://www.contactsplus.com/ https://www.contactsplus.com/ You can sign up for free and sync it with things like Twitter, GMail, Outlook, LinkedIn, etc. It's really nice and I've been using it happily for years. It helps with things like deduplication, keeping your contact info updated (it'll update contact records if people change their Twitter handle, etc.), and just all sorts of stuff.
srijanshetty 7y ago
I'm currently trying out https://covve.com https://covve.com. It has some of the features that I need like reminders, deduplication and CRM-esque features. I don't like the UI much but it's not that bad either.
tasn 7y ago
I created EteSync a few years ago to securely sync my contacts, calendars and tasks. You can use the hosted solution or self host. It doesn't work on iOS yet, but it's coming very soon: https://blog.etesync.com/nlnet-grant-and-the-ios-client/ https://blog.etesync.com/nlnet-grant-and-the-ios-client/
- bobsoap 7y ago
  I just checked this out and from what I can tell at this point, it sounds really great! I'm definitely going to give it a whirl in the next few days. I've been wanting something like this for the longest time. Thanks for creating this, please keep going.

36 points by camjohnson26 7y ago

Google Contacts has privacy problems, and all Linux and iPhone address book software I've found is under-powered or has a bad UI. Does anyone have a contact management set up that they love?

algaeontoast 7y ago

I don’t.

davismwfl 7y ago

I keep an excel spreadsheet with all my contacts I have made over the years with notes and categories. I usually try to go through it once or twice a year and update old records. I’ve used this to populate a couple of different CRMs I had but I always keep the excel updated. This lets me always be able to maintain my contacts and update any device or system I need to. Yea this is kinda low tech but it has proven super easy to manage and has allowed me to keep my contacts even after I leave a position. And I am never held hostage to any specific software system as I also export a CSV backup after I do a cleanup too.

toomuchtodo 7y ago
Consider checking out https://www.monicahq.com/ https://www.monicahq.com/

kgwxd 7y ago

Simple Contacts via F-Droid. Export to vcf once in a while and backup local and remote. Keep in mind, as soon as you integrate with anything you don't control (including caller id), you're right back to the privacy problems, so make sure your expectations of power account for that. Under-powered is a hard-to-find feature as far as I'm concerned.

catacombs 7y ago

contacts.org

d-sc 7y ago

Idk, iPhone Contacts app isn’t a crm, but it seems to work otherwise.

johntash 7y ago

I'm currently using a mix of MonicaHQ[1], Nextcloud[2], and Fastmail[3]. Obviously Fastmail isn't self-hosted, but monicahq/nextcloud are. I find it hard to use a webmail client without also having my contacts available to that mail client. I really want to use MonicaHQ more, but it just feels like a lot of work whenever I log in to it so it gets pretty neglected. My alternative is to store notes about contacts in random spreadsheets, text files, or something like Joplin[4]. On Android, I'm syncing my contacts (and calendars) using davx5[5] with Nextcloud as the server. Nextcloud is already my tool for syncing files, so it having a carddav/caldav server built-in is just a convenient bonus. However, I'm considering moving to EteSync[6] in the near-future for end-to-end encrypted carddav/caldav server. For moving contacts between different accounts, de-duping, and some other maintenance tasks I'm using an android app called "Contacts Optimizer"[7]. I guess I should also mention that this is just for my personal contacts. I do have to use google contacts for my work gsuite account. [1] https://www.monicahq.com/ https://www.monicahq.com/ [2] https://nextcloud.com/ https://nextcloud.com/ [3] https://www.fastmail.com https://www.fastmail.com [4] https://joplinapp.org/ https://joplinapp.org/ [5] https://www.davx5.com/ https://www.davx5.com/ [6] https://www.etesync.com/ https://www.etesync.com/ [7] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compelson.optimizer&hl=en_US https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.compelson....

stockkid 7y ago
> it just feels like a lot of work whenever I log in to it so it gets pretty neglected. My alternative is to store notes about contacts in random spreadsheets, text files, or something like Joplin. Interesting. Could you elaborate why it feels like more work to log into tools such as Monica than to open spreadsheet, text files, or Joplin?
lijogdfljk 7y ago
> I really want to use MonicaHQ more, but it just feels like a lot of work whenever I log in to it so it gets pretty neglected. I'm writing software for a personal knowledge base. Can you describe what makes MonicaHQ a chore?

cascom 7y ago

What’s missing/are the issues with Apple contacts?

vmurthy 7y ago
I usually take notes if I am adding a new contact that I don't know much about (E.g. Met at a meeting at CloudHQ). This was totally broken prior to iOS 13. I recently updated the OS and it works.
beamatronic 7y ago
Export to JSON/XML/CSV for starters.
2rsf 7y ago
Android support ?
camjohnson26 7y ago
No easy way to merge duplicates and little to no support for bulk editing.

2rsf 7y ago

> Google Contacts has privacy problems can you name a few ?

kasey_junk 7y ago
It’s hosted by Google.

a-b 7y ago

I like https://flexibits.com/cardhop https://flexibits.com/cardhop both iOS and desktop apps

beamatronic 7y ago

Nothing, since Palm Desktop when I had a Treo 600.

DragonCot 7y ago

I've used my contacts systems for years. Earliest entry I can find is 1996. It's easy to search. Incredibly easy to use. Works on Desktop, Web and Mobiles (Android, iPhone and for me, BlackBerry) and synchronises across all of them. Anniversaries and Birthdays appear in Calendars. Integrates with my email system. Info stored in it is fully encrypted. Allows for groups. Both for mailing, SMS messages and other contact apps. Oh, it's name? Lotus Notes. (And no, I'm not joking. It is by far the best system I've ever used. Get over it.)

arandr0x 7y ago

I'm a super disorganized introvert but I'm puzzled by this. Do people on HN have actual systems to organize people they meet in lists and take notes about them? Is this like for sales calls or normal people also do this for regular social events? Is everyone else doing this?

jrowley 7y ago
I have a personal notes app (Bear) where I journal about all types of things. Mostly todo lists, ideas, that kind of thing, but I also have a section dedicated to people I meet. I don't always make a note but sometimes I do. I rarely look back at these notes but I think it helps me remember details about them. And sometimes I do look back at the notes. I have sections for the people I met through running (different run clubs, etc), work, etc.

akisd 7y ago

Take a look at "Time and Chaos" https://www.chaossoftware.com/chaos.aspx https://www.chaossoftware.com/chaos.aspx Or "Intellect" that offers additionally email support. https://www.chaossoftware.com/intellect.aspx https://www.chaossoftware.com/intellect.aspx I used to use them a few years ago but i think they didn't evolve as they should. Anyway you can try them...

rdegges 7y ago

I use Contacts+ (formerly FullContact): https://www.contactsplus.com/ https://www.contactsplus.com/ You can sign up for free and sync it with things like Twitter, GMail, Outlook, LinkedIn, etc. It's really nice and I've been using it happily for years. It helps with things like deduplication, keeping your contact info updated (it'll update contact records if people change their Twitter handle, etc.), and just all sorts of stuff.

srijanshetty 7y ago

I'm currently trying out https://covve.com https://covve.com. It has some of the features that I need like reminders, deduplication and CRM-esque features. I don't like the UI much but it's not that bad either.

tasn 7y ago

I created EteSync a few years ago to securely sync my contacts, calendars and tasks. You can use the hosted solution or self host. It doesn't work on iOS yet, but it's coming very soon: https://blog.etesync.com/nlnet-grant-and-the-ios-client/ https://blog.etesync.com/nlnet-grant-and-the-ios-client/

bobsoap 7y ago
I just checked this out and from what I can tell at this point, it sounds really great! I'm definitely going to give it a whirl in the next few days. I've been wanting something like this for the longest time. Thanks for creating this, please keep going.