ppl vs. Dex: two ways to keep up with your people

Compare ppl and Dex for contact organization, assistant access, daily use and moving your existing records.

Updated October 10, 2026 · ppl team

If your contacts are spread across email, your phone and LinkedIn, you may need help gathering them before you need another reminder. If your contacts are already organized, the more pressing question may be how to put what you know to use. That distinction is a good place to start when comparing Dex and ppl.

Where Dex may fit

Dex’s product site emphasizes consolidating contacts from several sources, LinkedIn updates, keep-in-touch reminders, a browser extension and mobile apps. If those established workflows are why you are shopping, compare the specific integrations you need rather than assuming every personal CRM has the same connections. See Dex’s current product overview.

Both products can work with assistants

Dex offers a hosted MCP server and documents assistant access to contacts, notes and reminders. Compare the actions you need, the permission choices and the way you review changes. Read Dex’s assistant information.

ppl also offers hosted MCP and REST access. You authorize the connection, and the assistant works with records that you can inspect in the web app. ppl’s focus is a shared relationship record for you and your assistant: contact details, notes, important dates and follow-ups. See ppl’s connection and permissions.

Compare the work you actually do

Use the same small set of contacts in your evaluation. Find a person with a common name. Save a note after a call. Find an upcoming birthday. Ask an authorized assistant what you last discussed and verify that it found the right person. Also test how you review a suggested change before letting the assistant update your account.

If LinkedIn updates or a particular browser workflow are essential, verify them directly in Dex. If you want to try ppl’s web-and-assistant approach without committing your whole address book, its hosted beta is free for up to 1,000 contacts. Pro and self-hosting are coming soon. See current ppl availability.

Keep an exit copy

Before moving, export contacts and history separately where the source supports it. A contacts CSV is not automatically a complete copy of your notes and reminders. Our Dex migration guide explains the columns ppl can accept and what needs separate attention.