Alternatives
Business card scanners, or messaging your CRM?
Both get people into a CRM. They suit different habits. Here is an honest comparison, with each vendor’s own page linked, as of October 2026.
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Two approaches
What each one is good at.
Card scanner apps
Built around one input, the business card, often with digital cards you can share. Good if most people you meet hand you a card and your team wants matching digital cards.Messaging your CRM (Shmor)
Built around the chat app or inbox you already have open. Takes cards, but also screenshots, voice notes, LinkedIn links and text, adds a note and a follow-up task, and asks about gaps.
The tools
Who does what.
From each vendor’s own pages, October 2026. Prices and plans change; check the linked page before deciding.
Hints
A CRM assistant you message on WhatsApp or Telegram, with text and voice.
- CRM sync
- Listed at $10 a month. Covers text and voice messages into CRMs; it does not list screenshots or business cards as inputs.
- Where it is strong
- The closest to Shmor in how it works, and it supports more CRMs, including Salesforce and Pipedrive.
- Source
- Hints on the HubSpot App Marketplace
Covve
A business card scanner app with a contact portal.
- CRM sync
- CRM integration is sold as an add-on to its Pro plan; HubSpot is listed among the CRM integrations.
- Where it is strong
- A dedicated scanning app with its own contact management, if you want contacts kept outside your CRM too.
- Source
- Covve pricing
HiHello
Digital business cards with a card scanner.
- CRM sync
- CRM integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics) are on the Business plan, which has a 5-user minimum.
- Where it is strong
- A free personal plan for sharing your own digital card.
- Source
- HiHello pricing
Blinq
Digital business cards for individuals and teams.
- CRM sync
- Native CRM integrations are on the Business plan, which starts at a minimum of five cards.
- Where it is strong
- Strong on sharing your own card, with team management on Business.
- Source
- Blinq pricing
Spiich
An AI sales assistant for CRM updates, meeting preparation and follow-ups.
- CRM sync
- One of the few tools that lists an Attio integration, alongside HubSpot.
- Where it is strong
- Goes beyond capture: it can query your CRM and prepare you for meetings.
- Source
- Spiich in the Attio app directory
Side by side
The comparison in one table.
Restated from the vendors’ own pages linked above, October 2026. “Not stated” means the page did not say.
| Tool | What it is | Main input | HubSpot | Attio | Where CRM sync sits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shmor | A bot you message, or forward email to | Cards, screenshots, voice notes, LinkedIn links, text, email | Yes | Yes | Every plan, one person, no seat minimum |
| Hints | A CRM assistant on WhatsApp or Telegram | Text and voice | Yes (HubSpot App Marketplace) | Not stated | Listed at $10 a month |
| Covve | Business card scanner with a contact portal | Business cards | Yes | Not stated | Add-on to the Pro plan |
| HiHello | Digital business cards with a scanner | Business cards | Yes | Not in its listed integrations | Business plan, 5-user minimum |
| Blinq | Digital business cards | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Business plan, minimum of five cards |
| Spiich | AI sales assistant | Not stated | Yes | Yes (Attio app directory) | Not stated |
Shmor
Where Shmor fits.
- CRM sync is the product, not an add-on: Attio or HubSpot is included on every plan, from £9 a month ex VAT.
- One person can use it. No seat minimum.
- Attio is supported as well as HubSpot.
- No CRM yet? ShmorCRM, a micro-CRM, is built in, so you can start without one and connect Attio or HubSpot later.
- Accepts business cards, badges, profile screenshots, email signatures, forwarded emails, voice notes, LinkedIn links and text.
- Asks when something is missing instead of saving a half-empty record silently.
Where Shmor is not the right choice: if you need Salesforce or Pipedrive, if you want to share your own digital business card, or if your whole team needs one shared account today. See pricing for what each plan includes.
FAQ
Questions
What is the best business card scanner for HubSpot?
It depends on how you meet people. HubSpot’s own mobile app includes a card scanner (HubSpot Knowledge Base, “Import contacts on the HubSpot mobile app”). Dedicated scanner apps such as Covve and HiHello sync to HubSpot on their higher plans. If your contacts arrive as screenshots, voice notes and introductions as well as cards, a chat-based tool such as Shmor covers more of them.
Which contact capture tools work with Attio?
Of the tools on this page, Shmor and Spiich list Attio. The other vendors’ pages we checked did not mention it. Check each vendor’s current page, as integrations change.
Is Shmor a business card scanner?
It reads business cards, but it is a bot you message instead of a scanner app. It also reads badges, profile screenshots, email signatures, forwarded emails, voice notes and LinkedIn links, adds a note and a follow-up task, and asks about anything missing.
When is Shmor not the right choice?
If you need Salesforce or Pipedrive, if you want to share your own digital business card, or if your whole team needs one shared account today.
Related
- For eventsHow to use Shmor at conferences, meetups and trade shows, including a busy-day routine.
- How it worksSetup (ShmorCRM or Attio or HubSpot; Telegram or email), what Shmor reads from each kind of message, what it writes to the CRM, follow-up questions and duplicates.
- HubSpotThe HubSpot integration: connecting with a service key or private app token (or OAuth), contacts and companies, the Shmor property group, notes, tasks and deals.
- AttioThe Attio integration: connecting with a workspace access token (or OAuth), People and Companies records, the Met via, Met at and Needs info attributes, notes, tasks and deals.
- PricingPlans, monthly and yearly prices in GBP excluding VAT, ShmorCRM record limits, what counts as a capture, top-ups and billing questions.
- FAQConsolidated answers about inputs, ShmorCRM and other CRMs, chat apps and email, captures, privacy, billing and cancelling.
Compare it yourself at your next event.
14 days and 25 captures free, no card. Start in ShmorCRM or connect your CRM, link Telegram or forward an email, and send your first contact.