Clay (Mesh) vs Dex: Pricing, Features and Who Each Fits

Choose Mesh, formerly Clay, if you want to try a connected personal CRM with a free tier. Choose Dex if LinkedIn sync and a deliberate keep-in-touch routine are your priorities. Both offer reminders and ways to retain relationship context. The decision is about fit, connected accounts and ongoing effort.

This comparison covers the personal relationship app now at me.sh, not the separate sales-data platform at clay.com.

Clay (Mesh) vs Dex at a glance

Question	Mesh, formerly Clay	Dex
Free plan?	Personal supports up to 1,000 contacts; the pricing page lists a card requirement	Paid plans with a trial; a card is required
Paid entry point	Pro pricing depends on the displayed billing selection; check the linked plan page	Premium lists US$12/month under annual billing
Connected context	Imports contacts and interaction signals from connected services	LinkedIn, email, calendar and messaging connections, depending on plan
Staying in touch	Reconnect, reminders and birthdays	Keep-in-touch reminders and birthdays
Relationship context	Search, groups, contact details and notes	Contact notes, custom fields and connected interaction history
Main thing to test	Whether the imported network stays useful and manageable	Whether your follow-up routine becomes easier to maintain

See Mesh pricing and Dex pricing for the current limits and checkout terms. Reviewed October 14, 2026. An annual price expressed per month is not a month-to-month subscription.

What the pricing means for your decision

Mesh’s free tier is worth considering if its contact limit covers your network. Check which plan you begin on and what happens when a trial ends. A free plan and a paid-plan trial can exist in the same signup flow.

Dex Premium’s listed annual rate works out to US$144 for a year before applicable taxes. Professional lists US$20/month under annual billing and adds features including voice mode and notetaker integrations. Confirm which integrations you need before choosing a tier.

Do not buy the higher plan just because you have a large address book. Start with the relationships you intend to maintain, and check whether the limits apply to that group or to everything you import.

Both can hold context about people

It would be misleading to say these products only store public facts or reminder dates. Dex supports notes and connected history, while Mesh combines relationship information with search and reminders. A note about a private conversation still needs a source: something you enter or a supported integration you deliberately connect.

The useful question is how quickly you can capture and retrieve that note. Try writing what someone asked you to do, then returning a week later to prepare for another conversation. Does the right context appear where you expect it?

A five-person trial before you switch

Use the same small group to compare the tools:

1. Import five contacts. Check names, duplicates and the account each detail came from.
2. Write a note. Include one promise and one detail you want to remember.
3. Set a reminder. Choose a date that matches a real next step.
4. Find the context again. Look up the person without relying on the original note title.
5. Check portability. Inspect export options and confirm which notes, dates and fields can leave with you.

This is a suggested evaluation, not a benchmark we claim to have run. Keep a copy of the original data until you have checked the destination. An imported name does not prove that the surrounding history migrated correctly.

When Intriq is another option

Intriq may fit if you prefer to start with a typed note or a recording you initiate, then review the people and details to keep. It organizes saved memory by person and helps you recall it before another conversation. It does not automatically enrich your contacts from public profiles or sync LinkedIn.

For example, an illustrative note might say:

Coffee with Femi. He now owns vendor relationships. Asked for an introduction to a fintech founder. Send the introduction after checking with both people.

You can keep that in a CRM you already use. Consider Intriq if its capture and recall workflow feels easier for you. Our personal CRM guide covers the wider options.

Sources and approach

We publish Intriq, one of the alternatives discussed here. This comparison uses the official Mesh product and pricing pages and Dex pricing page linked above. We compare published workflows and limits rather than assigning unsupported scores or claiming one provider is inherently more private. Review permissions and the data you choose to connect in either product.

FAQ

Is Clay now called Mesh?

Yes. The personal CRM formerly at clay.earth now redirects to me.sh. It is separate from the Clay sales-data platform.

Is Dex free?

Dex lists paid subscription plans with a trial. Check its pricing page for the trial terms and the billing interval you select.

Can I move my notes between them?

Check both export and import support first. Test a few records containing notes, dates and tags; do not assume every field transfers because contacts do.

Should I use both?

Start with one. Running two overlapping contact systems adds upkeep unless each has a distinct role you actually use.