Why teachers need a personal CRM
Every year brings a new group of students and families, and the colleagues, mentors and former students from past years don’t go away. A conversation with a parent in October matters again in March. A former student asks for a reference two years later. Those details are easy to lose between email, sticky notes and memory.
What teachers keep in BlackBook
- Notes from parent conversations, with a reminder to follow up when you said you would
- Colleagues, mentors and administrators you want to keep in touch with, even after someone changes schools
- Former students who may ask for a reference, with a few notes on what stood out
- Birthdays and small personal details for the people you work with every day
- Pulse, which suggests who to reach out to next from your notes, history and reminders
Prepared in a minute
Before a meeting or a call, open the person in BlackBook and see what you noted last time. Right after, add a quick note while it’s fresh.
Private by design
There’s no account or login. Your notes stay on your iPhone and private iCloud, there are no ad SDKs, and your data is never sold. Keep it to the personal details that help the relationship, and keep official student records in your school’s systems. Start free with the 25 people who matter most.
More on this: how to remember details about people, a birthday reminder app for iPhone, and a personal CRM for coaches.
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: unlimited people and full history, 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 on your device and private iCloud, no account, no ad SDKs, data never sold
- Developer: Preston Earnest / Earnestly Studios LLC
Frequently asked questions
Is BlackBook a gradebook or student information system?
No. BlackBook is a personal CRM for one person on iPhone. It has no grades, attendance, rosters or parent messaging, and it isn’t meant to replace your school’s systems. Follow your school’s and district’s rules about what student information you keep and where.
What do teachers use a personal CRM for?
Mostly the relationships around the classroom: what you discussed with a parent and when to follow up, colleagues and mentors you want to stay in touch with, former students who ask for references, and birthdays you don’t want to miss.
Is my data private?
BlackBook needs no account. Your people and notes stay on your iPhone and in your private iCloud. 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 for unlimited people and full history: 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 every family and colleague.
BlackBook is free to download for iPhone (iOS 17.6+). Start with 25 people, no account needed.
Get BlackBook – Personal CRM