Why notes on people slip away
- They end up everywhere. A detail in a text thread, another in a calendar invite, another in a note you can’t find.
- One long note gets unreadable. After a year, the newest detail is buried under the old ones.
- Nothing brings them back. A note only helps if something reminds you to look at it before the next conversation.
What to write down after a conversation
- How you met, or who introduced you
- Names that matter to them: partner, kids, a pet
- What they’re working on or worried about right now
- Anything you said you’d do, like an intro or a link to send
- Dates worth remembering, such as a birthday or a move
Notes app vs BlackBook
| Notes app | BlackBook | |
|---|---|---|
| Where a person’s notes live | Wherever you happened to write them | On that person’s own page, with interaction history |
| Reminders and birthdays | Separate apps | Built in, with notifications |
| Who to contact next | You have to remember | Pulse suggests who to reach out to next |
| Account | Your Apple account | No BlackBook account; data on your iPhone and in your own private iCloud |
| Cost | Free | Free plan for 25 people; optional Pro subscription |
A simple way to start
Pick the 25 people you most want to keep up with. Add each one to BlackBook with one or two details you’d hate to forget, then add a line after your next conversation. Set a reminder for anything you promised.
More on this: how to remember details about people, an Apple Contacts alternative, and a personal CRM spreadsheet alternative.
BlackBook facts
- Platform: iPhone, iOS 17.6 or later
- Price: free download; optional BlackBook Pro subscription (prices shown in the app)
- Free plan: 25 people, 2 notes per person, 30 days of interaction history
- Pro: optional subscription with VIP reminders and insights, relationship notes with tags, duplicate detection, BlackBook AI
- AI: on-device via Apple Intelligence (Pro, iOS 26, compatible iPhone)
- Privacy: data lives on your iPhone and in your private iCloud, no account, no ad SDKs, data never sold
- Developer: Preston Earnest / Earnestly Studios LLC
Frequently asked questions
Can I just use the Notes app?
You can, and it’s a fine start. The trouble comes later: notes about one person get scattered across many notes, nothing reminds you to follow up, and there’s no easy way to see who you haven’t talked to in a while.
What should I write down about someone?
Keep it short and useful: how you met, names of their partner or kids, what they’re working on, anything you promised to do, and a date worth remembering like a birthday. One or two lines after each conversation is plenty.
How does BlackBook organize notes on people?
Each person gets their own page with notes and interaction history, plus reminders and birthdays. Pulse suggests who to reach out to next from your notes, history and reminders.
Is my data private?
BlackBook needs no account. Your people and notes live on your iPhone and in your own private iCloud, not on a BlackBook server. There are no ad SDKs, and your data is never sold.
Is BlackBook free?
BlackBook is free to download with a free plan of 25 people, two notes per person and 30 days of interaction history. BlackBook Pro is an optional subscription: in the US it’s $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, and the annual plan includes a 1-week free trial. Prices are shown in the app.
What iPhones does it run on?
BlackBook requires iOS 17.6 or later. On iOS 26 with a compatible iPhone, BlackBook Pro adds on-device Apple Intelligence features.
Remember what people tell you. Start with 25 people.
BlackBook is free to download for iPhone (iOS 17.6+). Start with 25 people, no account needed.
Get BlackBook – Personal CRM