Where a spreadsheet works
- It’s free and you already have Google Sheets, Excel or Numbers
- You can add any column you want and sort or filter the whole list
- It’s great for a one-time list, like holiday cards or an event invite list
Where a spreadsheet breaks
- Nothing reminds you. A “next follow-up” column only helps if you open the sheet and check it.
- Notes pile up in one cell. Three years of conversations end up as one long paragraph per row, and the newest detail is hard to find.
- It’s awkward on a phone. The moment you learn something about someone is usually right after a call or a coffee, not at your desk.
- Last-contact dates go stale. They’re only as good as your last manual update.
Spreadsheet vs BlackBook
| Spreadsheet | BlackBook | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free plan for 25 people; optional Pro subscription |
| Reminders and birthdays | Only if you build them yourself | Built in, with notifications |
| Notes per person over time | One cell per row | Each person has their own page and interaction history |
| Who to contact next | Sort by a date column | Pulse suggests who to reach out to next |
| Where it lives | Wherever you keep the file | On your iPhone and in your own private iCloud, no account |
| Custom columns and bulk lists | Yes, that’s its strength | Not the point; keep your spreadsheet for that |
A simple way to switch
Start with the 25 people you most want to keep up with. Add each one to BlackBook with the one or two details you’d hate to forget and a reminder for your next check-in. Keep the spreadsheet for everything else until you don’t need it.
More on this: how to remember details about people, a Notion personal CRM alternative, and an Apple Contacts 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
Is a spreadsheet good enough for a personal CRM?
Often, yes, at first. If you have a short list, sit at a computer every week and actually update it, a spreadsheet costs nothing and does the job. It gets harder when you need reminders, want a history of conversations per person, or mostly think of people while you’re away from your desk.
What does BlackBook do that a spreadsheet doesn’t?
BlackBook gives each person their own page with notes and interaction history, reminders that actually notify you, birthdays, and Pulse, which suggests who to reach out to next from your notes, history and reminders. It lives on your iPhone, where you are right after a call or a coffee.
Can I keep using my spreadsheet?
Yes. Plenty of people keep a spreadsheet for lists and exports and use BlackBook for the day-to-day: remembering what someone told you and following up on time.
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.
Outgrowing your spreadsheet? 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