Cardhop alternative
A free, web-based Cardhop alternative
Cardhop is the best contact parser on macOS. The catch: it's Apple-only, costs about $40 a year, and has no version for Windows, Android, Linux, or the web. ContactFile is the tool for everyone else — paste a contact, file it directly to Google Contacts, or download a .vcf for any other address book. Free, no account.
The short version
Choose Cardhop if you live in the Apple ecosystem, use the menu bar and Siri Shortcuts daily, and are happy with a yearly subscription. It's a polished, mature, macOS-native app and it earns its price.
Choose ContactFile if you use Windows, Android, Linux, or ChromeOS; if you want something that works in the browser without installing anything; if you don't want another subscription; or if you want a zero-knowledge tool that cannot see or store your contacts.
Side-by-side comparison
| ContactFile | Cardhop (Flexibits) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | ~$40/yr Flexibits Premium |
| Platforms | Any modern browser — Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, ChromeOS | macOS, iPhone, iPad only |
| Install | None — opens in your browser | App Store download |
| Files to Google Contacts | Yes, directly via your own OAuth token | Via Apple Contacts sync only (indirect) |
| Files to Microsoft Outlook | Via vCard download (.vcf) | Via Apple Contacts sync only (indirect) |
| Files to Apple Contacts, ProtonMail, FastMail, etc. | Via vCard download (.vcf) — universal format, works anywhere | Native only for Apple Contacts |
| Parser quality | ~85–90% on signatures and business cards; fix anything wrong by dragging chips | ~85–90% on signatures and business cards; mature heuristics |
| Drag-and-drop field correction | Yes — every parsed value is a chip you can move, edit, or remove | Inline editing after parse |
| Account required | No — nothing to create, nothing to store | Flexibits account + active subscription |
| Data storage | None. No server, no database. Verifiable in your browser's network tab. | Data stays on device; Flexibits sync available for paid users |
| Offline use | Parsing works offline; filing needs the network (normal for any OAuth flow) | Full offline use |
| Menu bar / Siri / Shortcuts | No | Yes (deep macOS integration) |
| Bulk / batch paste | Yes — separate contacts with blank lines or --- |
Yes |
When Cardhop is the right answer
Cardhop is unbeatable if your workflow is all-Apple. The menu-bar app, the natural-language contact creation, the "Call Jane mobile" command-line, and the Siri/Shortcuts integration are genuinely excellent. If you spend a meaningful part of your day in Apple Mail and macOS Contacts, the $40/year is easy money. Don't switch just because ContactFile is free.
When ContactFile is the right answer
ContactFile was built for the specific audience Cardhop doesn't serve: everyone outside the Apple ecosystem, and anyone who'd rather not add another subscription for an occasional task.
- You're on Windows, Android, Linux, or ChromeOS. Cardhop is not an option for you at all. ContactFile is.
- You file contacts to Google Contacts directly. ContactFile talks to the Google People API from your browser; Cardhop only updates Apple Contacts, which then syncs to Google in the background (with all the delays and edge cases that implies). For Outlook and other address books, ContactFile's vCard download is a clean one-click import.
- You add contacts occasionally, not daily. A yearly subscription for something you do three times a week is a lot.
- You care about where your contact data goes. ContactFile has no server and no database. The entire parsing pipeline runs in your browser; when you file to Google Contacts, the only outbound request is from your browser directly to Google, using your own OAuth token. For any other destination (Outlook, Apple, etc.), ContactFile generates the .vcf locally and nothing is transmitted. You can verify this in the network inspector.
- You want to switch machines without re-installing anything. ContactFile is a URL. Open it from any device.
What ContactFile doesn't try to be
ContactFile is narrower than Cardhop on purpose. It doesn't replace your contact manager — it just gets contacts into your existing one. There is no contact directory, no search across your address book, no call or email history, no menu-bar quick access, and no natural-language command line. If you want those, Cardhop is the better tool. If you want the single specific job of "paste a contact block, file it fast, move on," ContactFile does that one thing well, free, on any platform.
Questions people ask
Is ContactFile a direct replacement for Cardhop?
For the core job — paste a contact block and file it quickly — yes. ContactFile does not replace Cardhop's deep integration with macOS, Siri, and Apple Shortcuts. If you live entirely inside the Apple ecosystem and use those features daily, Cardhop is still the better pick. If you work on Windows, Android, Linux, or ChromeOS, or just want a web tool, ContactFile is built for you.
Does ContactFile cost anything?
No. ContactFile is free, with no account, no subscription, and no paywalled features. Cardhop requires a Flexibits Premium subscription (about $40 per year).
Where does my contact data go?
Nowhere that isn't already in your address book. ContactFile parses everything locally in your browser. When you file to Google Contacts, your browser talks directly to the Google People API using your own OAuth token — ContactFile has no server and cannot see the data. For any other address book (Outlook, Apple, ProtonMail, etc.), ContactFile generates a .vcf file on your device and nothing is transmitted at all. You can verify this in your browser's network inspector.
Does ContactFile work with iCloud or Apple Contacts?
There is no OAuth-based API for iCloud Contacts on the web, so ContactFile cannot push directly to iCloud. Instead, use the vCard download option — ContactFile generates a standard .vcf file you can import into Apple Contacts, Fastmail, ProtonMail, Thunderbird, Nextcloud, or anything else that supports vCard.
How accurate is ContactFile's parser compared to Cardhop's?
Both tools use heuristic parsing and hit roughly 85–90% on well-structured input like email signatures and business cards. When the parser misreads something, ContactFile shows every parsed value as a draggable chip — you can move it to the right field, edit it inline, or remove it in a few seconds. The parser gets you most of the way there; the rest is two seconds of drag-and-drop.
Try ContactFile
Paste an email signature, a business card, or a LinkedIn blurb — ContactFile splits it into fields and files the contact in one click. No signup required.