What is TouchBase? Nurture Your Relationships With a Personal CRM

Life moves fast.

Between work deadlines, family responsibilities and the general hustle of modern living, it's incredibly easy to let time slip by.

Before you know it, weeks, months or even years have passed since you last had a proper catch-up with someone you care about.

That pang of guilt, the feeling of distance creeping in – it’s a familiar experience for many of us.

Strong relationships are the bedrock of a happy and fulfilling life.

They bring joy, support and meaning.

But nurturing these connections requires conscious effort and consistent attention. That’s where TouchBase comes in.

TouchBase isn't just another app demanding your time.

It’s a personal relationship management tool; a digital companion designed specifically to help you stay connected with the friends, family and loved ones who matter most.

It’s built to make nurturing your important relationships feel natural, intuitive and genuinely rewarding, not like another chore on your to-do list.

If you've ever wished for a simpler way to remember important dates, recall conversation details or just get a gentle nudge to reach out, then TouchBase might be exactly what you need.

Let's explore what TouchBase is, how it works and how it can help you build and maintain the meaningful connections you cherish.

The Modern Challenge: Staying Connected in a Disconnected World

We live in an age of unprecedented connection, yet paradoxically, feelings of isolation are common.

Social media promises closeness but often delivers superficial interactions.

Our calendars are packed, our attention is fragmented and geographical distance often separates us from people we love.

Think about it:

• Information Overload: We're bombarded with updates, making it hard to focus on individual relationships.
• Busy Schedules: Juggling work, personal goals and daily tasks leaves little room for spontaneous connection.
• Geographical Distance: Friends move away, family settles in different cities or countries. Maintaining long-distance relationships takes extra effort.
• Memory Gaps: Remembering birthdays, anniversaries, kids' names or important details from past conversations becomes increasingly difficult as our networks grow.

The result?

Relationships can unintentionally fade.

We lose touch not because we don't care, but because life simply gets in the way. The effort required to consistently remember, reach out and meaningfully engage can feel overwhelming.

This is the problem TouchBase was created to solve.

We wanted to build a tool that cuts through the noise and helps you focus on the quality of your connections; providing gentle support without additional stress.

Introducing TouchBase: Your Personal Relationship Companion

At its heart, TouchBase is a personal CRM (Customer Relationship Manager), but tailored specifically for your personal life.

Forget sales pipelines and marketing funnels; think meaningful conversations and cherished connections.

Our mission is simple:

To help you nurture your connections with friends, family and loved ones, without the stress of remembering every single detail yourself.

We believe that strong relationships are built on genuine connection and consistent, thoughtful effort.

TouchBase provides the framework and gentle reminders to make this consistency feel effortless.

Why TouchBase?

In today's world, it's easy to lose track of the individuals closest to you.

TouchBase acts as your personal companion, helping you:

• Prioritise: Intentionally focus your energy on the relationships that bring the most joy and meaning to your life.
• Maintain: Keep connections strong over time, even when life gets busy or distance separates you.
• Be Thoughtful: Remember the little things that show you care, strengthening bonds through genuine attention.

Crucially, TouchBase is designed with simplicity and privacy at its core.

You won't find complicated algorithms trying to guess your relationships or intrusive data collection practices.

We provide straightforward tools to help you be a better friend, family member and partner. Period.

Your data is yours, secured with end-to-end encryption and never sold, shared or used to train AI models.

How TouchBase Helps You Stay Connected

TouchBase offers a suite of intuitive features designed to integrate seamlessly into your life, making relationship management feel less like management and more like mindful connection.

Organise Your Connections Intelligently

Not all relationships require the same level of attention.

Your closest family members likely need more frequent contact than an old university friend you see once a year.

TouchBase allows you to organise your contacts based on the reality of your relationships.

• Contact Frequency: Define how often you'd ideally like to connect with someone – daily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly or quarterly. This setting, combined with your interaction history, powers TouchBase's reminder system.
• Categorisation: Use hashtags within your notes to further categorise contacts. Perhaps you use #BookClub for friends you share reading interests with or #HikingBuddies for your outdoor adventure pals. This allows for quick filtering and finding specific groups.

This organisational structure isn't rigid; it's a flexible guide to help you allocate your time and energy intentionally.

It ensures that your efforts are directed towards the connections that matter most to you.

Remember the Moments That Matter

How many times have you started a conversation thinking, "What did we talk about last time?"

Or perhaps you vaguely remember a friend mentioning an upcoming event but can't recall the details?

TouchBase helps you bridge these memory gaps.

• Interaction Logging: Quickly log your interactions – calls, messages, social media catch-ups, in-person meetings or other types of contact. You can add notes about what you discussed, key takeaways or anything important you want to remember.
• Conversation Context: These logged notes provide valuable context for your next interaction. Before calling a friend, a quick glance at your last log can remind you about their recent job interview, their child's upcoming birthday or that book they recommended. This allows you to pick up conversations seamlessly and show you were paying attention.
• Sentiment Tracking: Optionally, you can tag interactions with a sentiment (positive, neutral, negative). Over time, this can offer subtle insights into the dynamics of a relationship, though it's primarily for your personal reflection.

Imagine calling your sibling and immediately asking, "How did that presentation you were nervous about go last week?" instead of starting with generic pleasantries.

Remembering these details demonstrates care and strengthens your bond. TouchBase makes this effortless.

Gentle, Personalised Reminders

Forgetting a birthday or letting too much time pass between calls happens to the best of us.

TouchBase provides gentle, personalised nudges to help you stay on track without feeling pressured.

• Smart Due Dates: Based on your set contact frequency, relationship health and the date of your last interaction, TouchBase intelligently calculates a suggested 'next contact due' date. It's not a strict deadline but a helpful guideline.
• Event-Based Reminders: Never miss an important date again! Log birthdays, anniversaries and custom events (like a friend's graduation or a yearly tradition). TouchBase will automatically remind you in advance, giving you time to send a card, make a call or plan something special. The system is smart enough to prioritise an upcoming event over a regular check-in if the event is sooner.
• Quick Reminders: Need to remember something specific, like "Call Dad about the weekend plans"? Add a quick reminder. You can even mark these as 'important', which automatically creates a corresponding entry in the important events list, ensuring it factors into your main reminder flow.
• Missed Interaction Handling: If a due date passes, TouchBase doesn't bombard you. It subtly adjusts future reminders, potentially shortening the interval slightly based on how overdue the contact is, using an urgency multiplier with exponential backoff to avoid being overwhelming.
• Timezone Aware: All dates are stored in UTC but displayed in your local timezone, ensuring reminders are relevant no matter where you or your contacts are in the world.

These reminders are designed to be helpful prompts, not demanding alerts. They empower you to reach out proactively and thoughtfully.

Easy & Intuitive Design

Technology should simplify life, not complicate it. We designed TouchBase to be frictionless and quick to use.

• Clean Interface: The user interface is clean, modern and easy to navigate. Key information is readily accessible without clutter.
• Progressive Web App (PWA): TouchBase is built as a PWA, meaning you can access it from any device with a web browser (mobile, desktop, tablet). You can also "install" it to your home screen or desktop for an app-like experience without needing an app store. TouchBase is also available as a native Android app for mobile users.
• Performance Optimised: We've implemented technical optimisations like code splitting, lazy loading and virtualized lists (using react-window) to ensure the app feels fast and responsive, even if you have hundreds of contacts. Scrolling through your connections is smooth and efficient.
• Focus on Connection: The entire experience is geared towards minimising time spent managing the app and maximising time spent connecting with people.

Privacy First: Your Relationships Are Yours

In an era of data breaches and privacy concerns, we take your trust seriously. Your personal relationships are sensitive and we treat your data accordingly.

• End-to-End Encryption: Your data is stored securely using robust encryption methods.
• No Data Selling or Sharing: We will never sell or share your personal information or contact data with third parties.
• No AI Training on Your Data: While we use AI for optional features (like suggestions), your specific interaction notes and contact details are not used to train these AI models.
• Secure Backend: We leverage secure and reliable infrastructure like Supabase and Cloudflare Workers, implementing security best practices like client secret authentication and strict CORS policies to protect your data.
• Data Export: Premium users have the ability to export their data (contacts, interactions, events, reminders) at any time, ensuring you always have control over your information.

Your privacy isn't an afterthought; it's a fundamental principle of TouchBase.

Access Anywhere: Your Connections, Wherever You Go

Life doesn't happen solely at your desk. Your relationships are mobile and so is TouchBase.

• Cross-Platform: Access your TouchBase account seamlessly across your phone, tablet and computer. Your data syncs automatically.
• PWA & TWA: Whether you use the web version, install the PWA or use the Android Trusted Web App (TWA) from the Google Play Store, your experience is consistent.
• Multi-Device Notifications: Our robust notification system ensures you receive timely reminders on your active devices. You can manage registered devices (up to 10 per user) and control where you receive notifications. The system intelligently handles background notifications, avoiding duplicates if you have the app open.

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Features for Deeper Connections

While the core features provide a solid foundation, TouchBase offers advanced capabilities, particularly for premium users, to further enhance your relationship management.

Smart Contact Suggestions

Sometimes, knowing when to reach out is easy, but knowing what to say or how to connect can be tricky. Our optional AI-powered suggestions can help.

• Personalised Insights: Using secure, privacy-preserving AI (leveraging models like Google Gemini via OpenRouter), TouchBase can analyse patterns in your past interactions.
• Actionable Prompts: Based on this analysis and the contact's relationship level, the AI might suggest things like: "[📞 Call] Sarah soon, it's been a while since your last positive chat" or "[💬 Text] Mike about the project you discussed last month".
• Context-Aware: The suggestions consider the context of your relationship, aiming to provide relevant and timely prompts to spark connection.

Conversation Prompts

Ever find yourself stuck for conversation topics beyond "How are you?".

TouchBase offers AI-generated conversation prompts designed to spark deeper, more meaningful discussions.

• Diverse Themes: Prompts are generated based on a wide range of themes (like trust, friendship, personal growth, shared experiences) and subthemes, ensuring variety.
• Dynamic Generation: Using models like Google Gemini, the system combines themes, perspectives (e.g., "Reflecting on the past...", "Looking towards the future...") and emotional modifiers (e.g., "A lighthearted question...", "A thoughtful reflection...") to create unique, open-ended questions.
• Quality Controlled: Prompts undergo a refinement pass to ensure they are conversational, grammatically correct, relevant and generally suitable for an 8th-grade reading level.
• Break the Ice: Use these prompts to move beyond surface-level chat and explore more interesting territory with your friends and family.

LLM Chat Assistant ('Base')

For premium and trial users, TouchBase offers 'Base', a conversational AI assistant that lets you manage your relationships using natural language.

• Chat Interface: Access Base via a floating action autton. Simply type your requests.
• Natural Language Commands: Instead of clicking through forms, you can say things like:
  • "Log that I had coffee with David yesterday, we talked about his new job".
  • "Add Sarah Miller as a contact, phone number is 555-1234".
  • "What are my reminders for this week?"
  • "Check upcoming birthdays".
  • "Set a reminder to call Mom next Tuesday".
• CRM Actions: Base can understand and execute commands related to creating/updating/deleting contacts, logging interactions, adding quick reminders, checking events and retrieving contact info.
• Confirmation Flow: For actions that modify your data (like adding a contact or logging an interaction), Base will first present a summary and ask for your confirmation, ensuring you have full control.
• Context Aware: The chat remembers the conversation history (within a session) and can use context from the specific contact page you might be viewing.

Base makes managing your connections even faster and more intuitive, feeling like you have a personal assistant for your relationships.

Importing Contacts Easily

Getting started shouldn't be a hassle. TouchBase makes it easy to bring your existing network into the app.

• CSV Import: Upload a CSV file containing your contacts. You can download a template to ensure correct formatting.
• VCF (vCard) Import: Import contacts directly from VCF files, commonly used for contact exchange. The system intelligently parses names, phone numbers, social media links and even maps standard event fields like birthdays.
• Google Contacts Import: (Coming Soon) We're working on direct integration with Google Contacts for even easier importing.
• Duplicate Checking: The import process includes checks to avoid creating duplicate contacts.

This means you can quickly populate TouchBase without manually entering every single person.

Data Export (Premium)

We believe you should always own and control your data. Premium users can export their TouchBase information at any time.

• Comprehensive Export: The export-data function allows you to download a ZIP file containing CSVs of your contacts, interactions, important events and reminders.
• Data Portability: This ensures you're never locked in and can take your relationship history with you if needed.

Who is TouchBase For?

While anyone seeking stronger connections can benefit, TouchBase is particularly ideal for:

• Individuals with Busy Lives: Professionals, parents or anyone juggling multiple commitments who find it hard to consistently make time for outreach.
• People in Long-Distance Relationships: Keeping bonds strong across miles requires extra intentionality, which TouchBase facilitates.
• Those Who Value Deep Connections: If you prioritise quality over quantity in relationships and want to be more thoughtful.
• Anyone Forgetful of Details: If you struggle to remember birthdays, anniversaries or conversation specifics, TouchBase acts as your external memory.
• Organised Individuals: People who appreciate structure and tools to manage important aspects of their lives.
• Privacy-Conscious Users: Anyone seeking a secure, private alternative to manage personal connections away from public social media platforms.
• Users Wanting Intentionality: If you want to move from reactive communication to proactive, thoughtful relationship nurturing.

Essentially, if you believe your relationships are worth investing in and desire a tool to help you do that effectively and privately, TouchBase is designed for you.

The TouchBase Philosophy: Intentionality Over Obligation

Our goal isn't to add another source of digital pressure to your life.

TouchBase is built on a philosophy of intentionality.

It’s about empowering you to make conscious choices about where you invest your relational energy.

• Genuine Connection: We focus on features that support authentic interaction, like remembering details and prompting thoughtful outreach, rather than just tracking metrics.
• Reducing Friction: We aim to remove the mental load of remembering everything, freeing you up to focus on the actual conversation and connection.
• Proactive vs Reactive: TouchBase encourages proactive nurturing, helping you reach out before too much time passes, rather than reacting guiltily after the fact.
• Your Pace, Your Priorities: The tool adapts to you. You define the frequencies and levels; TouchBase provides the support structure.

It's about using technology thoughtfully to enhance our very human need for connection, making it easier to be the friend, family member or partner you aspire to be.

Under the Hood: Technology Focused on You

While you don't need to be a tech expert to use TouchBase, understanding the technology behind it can build trust and highlight the benefits:

• Progressive Web App (PWA): Ensures accessibility across all devices and platforms with an app-like feel, without mandatory app store downloads.
• Supabase Backend: A secure and scalable backend-as-a-service that handles database management, authentication and edge functions reliably.
• Cloudflare Workers: Used as a reverse proxy for enhanced security, managing API requests and CORS policies securely.
• React & Vite: A modern frontend stack providing a fast, responsive and enjoyable user experience.
• Performance Optimisation: Techniques like code splitting, lazy loading, virtualized lists and build optimisations ensure the app runs smoothly, even with extensive contact lists and interaction histories. This leads to faster load times and a snappier interface.
• Robust Notifications: Leveraging Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) with a sophisticated multi-device architecture (including dedicated handling for mobile platforms and background states) ensures you get reliable reminders where and when you need them.
• Security Focus: From end-to-end encryption and secure headers (CSP, HSTS etc.) to privacy-first AI and secure payment integrations, security is woven into the architecture.

This technology stack was chosen specifically to deliver a secure, reliable, private and user-friendly experience focused entirely on helping you manage your relationships.

Getting Started with TouchBase

Ready to invest in your relationships? Getting started with TouchBase is easy:

1. Sign Up: Visit the TouchBase website and sign in with your Google account. There's no additional account creation or credit card details required.
2. Onboarding: A simple onboarding process guides you through the initial setup, helping you understand the core features.
3. Add Contacts: Start adding your key contacts manually or use the import features (CSV, VCF) to quickly populate your list.
4. Customise: Set relationship levels and contact frequencies for your contacts. Log any important dates.
5. Start Connecting: Log your interactions as they happen and let TouchBase provide gentle reminders to help you stay consistent.

Pricing Tiers:

• Free Plan: Perfect for getting started. Includes core features for up to 15 contacts.
• Premium Plan ($3/month): Unlocks unlimited contacts, advanced features like AI suggestions, conversation prompts, LLM chat assistant, hashtag categorisation and data export.
• 14-Day Trial: New users automatically get a 14-day free trial of the Premium plan to experience all features.

Payment: We offer platform-specific secure payment options: PayPal for web subscriptions and Google Play Billing for subscriptions initiated via the Android app.

Conclusion: Invest in Your Relationships, Invest in Your Wellbeing

In the end, the quality of our lives is deeply intertwined with the quality of our relationships.

TouchBase is more than just an app; it's a tool designed to help you make a conscious investment in the people who matter most.

By simplifying organisation, aiding memory and providing gentle prompts for connection, TouchBase empowers you to nurture your relationships with greater intentionality and ease.

It helps bridge the gap between wanting to stay connected and actually doing it consistently.

Stop letting important connections fade due to the busyness of life. Take control, be more present and build the stronger, more meaningful relationships you desire.

Ready to start nurturing your connections?

Try TouchBase Today

Invest a little time in setting up TouchBase, and reap the long-term rewards of deeper, more resilient relationships.

Your future self and the people you care about, will thank you.