ppl resources · Comparisons

ppl vs. Monica: choosing a personal CRM

Compare ppl and Monica for relationship notes, reminders, AI access and hosting, including which features are available today.

Updated October 10, 2026 · ppl team

Monica and ppl both make room for the details that a phone book leaves out: the last conversation, a birthday, a promise to follow up. The right choice depends on how you want to keep those details and who should help you use them.

If running your own server matters today

Monica offers an open-source, self-hostable personal CRM as well as a hosted service. Its current product site describes relationship records, activities, reminders and journal entries. That is a substantial reason to consider Monica if operating your own installation is a requirement. See Monica’s product and hosting information.

ppl’s hosted beta is available now. The self-hosted version is coming soon, so it should not be treated as an available alternative for a self-hosting project. The beta is free for up to 1,000 contacts; Pro is coming soon. Check ppl’s current availability.

If you want an assistant to work with your records

ppl offers a hosted MCP connection and a REST API. After you authorize access, a compatible assistant can retrieve contacts, save notes and work with follow-ups. You can also use the web app yourself. The relationship record stays in ppl, rather than depending on the assistant remembering an earlier conversation. Read how ppl’s agent connection works.

Monica’s site describes an API and MCP server as part of its forthcoming v3 release, expected before the end of 2026. A planned feature should be checked against the version you can actually use. Compare the released version’s assistant connection with the work you want to do today. Review Monica’s v3 announcement.

A useful trial

Try a handful of people whose history you know well. Record a recent conversation, set a reminder and return to the record a few days later. If an assistant is part of your routine, ask it a question that requires a saved note, then inspect the answer and the source record.

Choose Monica if its available hosting options and approach to personal records fit your needs. Try ppl if you want to work in a hosted personal CRM through both its web app and an authorized assistant. You do not have to move every contact to make that decision.

Already using Monica? Plan the move before changing your existing account.