Kinu

Kinu is a personal CRM for keeping useful context about friends and family, not sales prospects. It is best suited to people who want private reminders and relationship records without a social network wrapped around them. Its local-first design is appealing, but the free plan’s 10-person limit and lack of cross-device sync make the paid tiers important for broader use.

Overview

Kinu brings personal notes and reminders together around individual people. Users can save moments, private notes, voice notes, important dates, and rituals, then get nudges when a date arrives or it has been a while since they reached out. That pairing is more useful than a plain contact list for people who want to preserve relationship context and act on it, but it is not aimed at sales workflows or managing a large social network.

The app has no feeds, followers, likes, or public profiles. Relationship data stays on the device by default, and voice notes stay there on every plan. Users can enable free encrypted backup or paid encrypted sync; when either is enabled, data is encrypted on the device before it leaves, then remains encrypted in transit and at rest. Kinu works fully offline after sign-in and saves writes to the device first, which suits people who want to keep using it without a connection. Data export is available from the app whenever needed.

Key features

Personal records and reminders

Notes, moments, rituals, and dates give each relationship a place for details worth remembering. Follow-up prompts add a practical nudge to reconnect, though the product’s stated purpose is personal relationships rather than prospecting or a broad contacts-management workflow.

Private, offline-first use

Local storage by default, offline operation after sign-in, and device-only voice notes make Kinu a strong fit for users who do not want relationship records routinely uploaded. Encrypted backup protects against relying solely on a device; encrypted sync adds access across devices for Plus subscribers. Sign-in is available with Apple, Google, or an email address and password.

Pricing

Kinu is freemium, with a free plan and paid Plus options. The free tier costs nothing, requires no card, and has no time limit; it is not a trial. It includes core features and free encrypted backup, but caps use at 10 people and provides no cross-device sync. That is a sensible starting point for a small circle, but the cap is a hard constraint for anyone tracking more than 10 contacts.

Free: free; up to 10 people, core features, free encrypted backup, and no cross-device sync.

Kinu Plus (monthly): $6.99 a month; unlimited people and encrypted sync across devices. It suits people who need more than 10 records or want access on multiple devices without paying annually.

Kinu Plus (yearly): $69.99 a year; unlimited people and encrypted sync across devices. It has the same stated Plus benefits on a yearly term.

Founding Member Lifetime: $149.99, paid once; everything in Plus, future updates included, and no renewals. It avoids recurring payments, but costs more upfront than either subscription term.

The free plan gives up sync, not encrypted backup. Choose it if one device and a small number of people are enough; choose Plus when the contact cap or device boundary gets in the way.

Platforms

Kinu runs on Android, iOS, and the web. That breadth is useful for users who want to choose among mobile and browser access, while the free plan’s lack of cross-device sync means platform availability alone does not provide a shared, synchronized record across devices.

Who it's for

Kinu is for people who want to be more deliberate about maintaining friendships and family relationships: remembering dates, keeping personal context, and getting a reminder to reach out. Its private, offline-capable approach will appeal to users who prefer not to put those records into a public or sales-oriented system. It is a weaker fit for anyone who needs more than 10 people but will not pay, or who wants a larger social network or sales-contact workflow.

Pros and cons

Pros: Local-first storage and offline use keep the app useful without a connection; encrypted backup is included free; voice notes are never uploaded; data can be exported at any time.

Cons: Free use stops at 10 people; cross-device sync requires Plus; the product is deliberately focused on personal relationships rather than sales contacts or broader social networking.

Alternatives

Personal CRM Software is the broader category to compare if Kinu’s personal focus or contact limit does not fit.

Contacts+ Personal CRM is worth considering if you need a larger free contact allowance: its free plan supports 1,000 contacts and daily sync across web, iOS, and Android, while Kinu’s free plan is limited to 10 people and has no cross-device sync.

Dextr suits iPhone and Mac users who want unlimited contacts on the free plan, along with AI organization, relationships and tags, reminders, places, and events.

Covve is an alternative for business-card and QR scanning, with offline scanning and notes and groups in its Covve Essential plan at $12 a month per seat.

Dex is a paid alternative for people seeking LinkedIn sync and research credits; its Premium plan is $12 a month.

KeepContact may suit iOS users who want a free allowance of 15 contacts and three reminders, or a monthly Pro plan at 4.99 USD for unlimited contacts and reminders.

Yenesow offers a different iOS-focused free plan with limits on connections, conversations, nudges, and plans, plus a relationship assistant and relationship map.

Monica is a web-based, self-hosted option with unlimited contacts and users as infrastructure allows; hosting costs may apply.

Relatable is another personal CRM alternative.

Verdict

Choose Kinu if your priority is a private, offline-capable place to remember personal details and follow up with friends and family. Its local-first approach and free encrypted backup are compelling, and Plus removes the 10-person ceiling while adding encrypted sync. Look elsewhere if you need a substantial free contact list, a business-oriented workflow, or do not want to pay for access across devices.