# Hippo

> Hippo is a privacy-first personal CRM for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that helps you remember the important details about friends, family, and colleagues. All data is stored on-device — no account required, no cloud server, no contact list access needed.

## What Hippo is

Hippo is a personal CRM app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. It is designed for people who want to be more attentive in their personal and professional relationships by keeping notes, events, and to-dos linked to the people they care about. Hippo is built and maintained by Roel van der Kraan under the Studioskipper team.

## Who Hippo is for

- People who want a simple way to remember birthdays, kids' names, conversations, and life events
- Privacy-conscious users who don't want their contact data on someone else's server
- iPhone, iPad, and Mac users who prefer native Apple platform apps over web-based or cross-platform tools
- Anyone looking for a Monica CRM alternative that works natively on Apple platforms without self-hosting
- Anyone who wants a personal CRM without creating an account

## Key facts

- **Platform**: iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Native Apple platform app.
- **Pricing**: Free 1-month trial, then $14.99/year or $29.99 one-time lifetime purchase.
- **Account**: No account required. No sign-up, no email, no password.
- **Storage**: All data stored on-device. Optional iCloud sync via the user's private iCloud Drive (no third-party servers).
- **Permissions**: Does not require access to the iOS Contacts list.
- **Maker**: Independent developer (Roel van der Kraan / Studioskipper).
- **Website**: https://gethippo.app
- **App Store**: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hippo-contact-notes/id1458330948

## How Hippo compares to other personal CRMs

- **vs. Monica**: Hippo runs natively on Apple platforms and requires no self-hosting or account. Monica is web-based and open-source but requires either a hosted subscription or running your own server. Monica v5 has pivoted toward life journaling and modular vaults, leaving a gap for users who want a focused, native personal CRM.
- **vs. Dex**: Dex is strong for LinkedIn-heavy professional networking and runs across platforms. Hippo runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac and is focused on personal relationships with on-device privacy as the core differentiator.
- **vs. Clay (Mesh)**: Clay focuses on automatic contact enrichment from public data sources. Hippo intentionally does not enrich contacts from external sources — your data stays local.
- **vs. Covve / UpHabit**: Hippo offers a one-time lifetime purchase option (uncommon in the category) and does not require iOS Contacts access.

## Core features

- **Notes**: Quick notes about each contact (kids' names, jobs, gift ideas, holiday plans).
- **Events**: Track meetings and important life events with reminders.
- **To-dos**: Save questions or actions for the next time you meet someone.
- **iCloud sync**: Optional, via the user's private iCloud Drive only.
- **Push notifications**: Native Apple platform reminders for upcoming events.

## Privacy

Hippo's privacy model is the product's core differentiator:
- No account, no email, no password collected
- No analytics linked to user identity
- No data leaves the device unless the user enables iCloud sync (which uses Apple's private iCloud Drive, not a Hippo server)
- The app does not require access to the iOS Contacts permission (granting it is optional, and any contacts pulled in still stay on-device)
- Reviewed and praised by users for having one of the strongest privacy postures in the personal CRM category

## Useful links

- [Homepage](https://gethippo.app)
- [Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hippo-contact-notes/id1458330948)
- [Public roadmap](https://hipporoadmap.canny.io/)
- [Feature requests](https://hipporoadmap.canny.io/feature-requests)
- [Blog](https://gethippo.app/blog)
- [Support](https://support.gethippo.app/)
- [Privacy policy](https://gethippo.app/privacy)