Real Estate CRM Comparison 2025: Finding the Right Tool for Solo Agents

Last updated: December 2025

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You're Here Because You're Tired of Feeling Behind

You've tried a CRM. Maybe Follow Up Boss. Maybe LionDesk. Maybe you're still using it, but every time you open it, you see 40 overdue tasks and feel like you're failing.

Or maybe you haven't tried one yet. You've been resisting because every demo feels overwhelming - too many features, too many tabs, too much pressure.

Here's the truth: Most real estate CRMs are built for teams, for lead mills, for agents who want to automate everything. They're not built for solo agents who get 80% of their business from referrals and just want to remember people without feeling guilty.

This page is different. We're going to compare MEMO (that's us) to the major CRMs honestly. We'll tell you when a competitor is better. We'll tell you who MEMO is NOT for. And we'll help you figure out which tool actually fits how you work.

Quick Navigation:

At a Glance: Real Estate CRM Comparison

CRM Best For Core Strength Weakness Price Philosophy
MEMO Solo agents, sphere-focused Simple daily workflow (3 priorities) No team features, no built-in texting $49/mo Remember people, not metrics
Follow Up Boss Teams, lead-heavy ops Lead routing, team coordination Overwhelming for solo agents $69-99/mo Manage pipeline velocity
LionDesk All-in-one seekers Texting, calling, video, transactions Feature bloat, complex $25-65/mo Swiss Army knife approach
Realvolve Workflow automation Custom automation, smart plans Over-engineered for most $69-99/mo Automate everything
Top Producer Traditional agents Familiar interface, basic tools Outdated, clunky mobile ~$40/mo Legacy reliability
Wise Agent Budget-conscious Low price, essential features Limited functionality $29-49/mo Affordable basics
kvCORE Brokerage-provided Comes with brokerage, lead gen Overwhelming, usually required Varies Brokerage ecosystem

The Fundamental Question: What Kind of Agent Are You?

Before comparing features, answer this:

Where does 80% of your business come from?

If you answered "Internet leads" or "Cold prospecting":

You probably need a traditional CRM with:

Consider: Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, or kvCORE

If you answered "Referrals, past clients, and sphere":

You probably need a relationship manager with:

Consider: MEMO

This distinction matters more than features. You can't fit a sphere-based business into a lead-funnel CRM without feeling like you're doing it wrong.

Follow Up Boss: The Market Leader

Price: $69-99/month per user
Best for: Teams (5-50 agents), lead-heavy operations, brokerages
Philosophy: Comprehensive pipeline management and team coordination

What Follow Up Boss Does Well

Where Follow Up Boss Falls Short (for Solo Agents)

Choose Follow Up Boss If:

Choose MEMO Instead If:

Read detailed comparison: MEMO vs Follow Up Boss →

LionDesk: The All-in-One Platform

Price: $25-65/month depending on tier
Best for: Agents who want every tool in one login
Philosophy: Swiss Army knife - texting, calling, video email, transactions, everything

What LionDesk Does Well

Where LionDesk Falls Short

Choose LionDesk If:

Choose MEMO Instead If:

Read detailed comparison: MEMO vs LionDesk →

Realvolve: Workflow Automation Powerhouse

Price: $69-99/month
Best for: Agents who love automation and custom workflows
Philosophy: Automate every aspect of relationship management

What Realvolve Does Well

Where Realvolve Falls Short

Choose Realvolve If:

Choose MEMO Instead If:

Read detailed comparison: MEMO vs Realvolve → (coming soon)

Top Producer: The Legacy Platform

Price: ~$40/month
Best for: Traditional agents comfortable with older interfaces
Philosophy: Tried-and-true CRM, been around since 1991

What Top Producer Does Well

Where Top Producer Falls Short

Choose Top Producer If:

Choose MEMO Instead If:

Others Worth Considering

Wise Agent

Price: $29-49/month
Good for: Budget-conscious agents who need basic features
Trade-off: Limited functionality, basic automation, fewer integrations
Choose if: Price is your #1 concern and you need bare essentials

kvCORE

Price: Usually included with brokerage
Good for: Agents whose brokerage provides it
Trade-off: Often overwhelming, typically required by brokerage (not chosen)
Choose if: Your brokerage requires it (you don't have a choice)

HubSpot (with real estate templates)

Price: Free tier available, paid plans $50-3,200/month
Good for: Agents who thought they needed enterprise software
Trade-off: Massive overkill for solo agents, built for B2B sales teams
Choose if: You're a masochist (kidding... sort of)

Google Sheets + Phone Contacts

Price: Free
Good for: Agents who've given up on CRMs
Trade-off: No automation, no reminders, requires iron discipline
Choose if: You've tried CRMs and hated them all - sometimes simple is best

When to Choose MEMO: Who We're Built For

MEMO is not for everyone. And that's intentional.

Choose MEMO If You:

✅ Are a solo agent (or small team working independently)
✅ Build business on referrals and sphere (80%+ of deals come from relationships, not internet leads)
✅ Feel overwhelmed by traditional CRMs (the task lists never end, the guilt never stops)
✅ Want a daily goal you can complete ("Win the day in 3 taps" - then you're done)
✅ Prefer mobile-first experience (log memos at red lights, not desktop data entry)
✅ Value peace of mind over metrics (no "sphere health" scores, no guilt dashboards)
✅ Don't need team features (lead routing, admin dashboards, permission levels)
✅ Already have a phone (don't need built-in texting/calling)
✅ Like gamification (Daily Deal makes data entry actually fun)
✅ Want to remember people, not manage leads (humans, not pipeline stages)

Don't Choose MEMO If You:

❌ Run a team of 5+ agents (we're solo-focused)
❌ Process high volumes of internet leads (we're sphere-focused)
❌ Need Zillow/Realtor.com integration (we don't do lead platforms)
❌ Want built-in texting, calling, video email (your phone already does this)
❌ Need transaction management tools (use DocuSign, dotloop, SkySlope)
❌ Love complex automations (we do simple drift tracking, not smart plans)
❌ Want comprehensive analytics dashboards (we show context, not metrics)
❌ Thrive on task lists (we have The Stack - max 3 people per day)

What Makes MEMO Different: The Philosophy

Most CRMs optimize for productivity. They measure success by:

MEMO optimizes for peace of mind. We measure success by:

Everything else is optional.

The Core Difference: The Stack

Traditional CRMs give you:

MEMO gives you The Stack:

  1. The Short List (3 people max) - If you complete this, you won the day
  2. The Daily Deal (optional) - 5-card data game, 2 minutes, makes suggestions smarter
  3. Focus Stacks (optional) - Deep dives when you want to optimize

The promise: You're allowed to be done. The list ends.

The Three Features That Matter

1. The Floating Action Button (FAB)

2. The Pulse

3. The Daily Deal

Decision Framework: How to Choose

Still not sure? Use this framework:

Question 1: Where do your deals come from?

80%+ from internet leads (Zillow, realtor.com, cold prospecting): → Choose: Follow Up Boss or LionDesk (you need lead management tools)

80%+ from referrals, past clients, sphere: → Choose: MEMO (you need relationship management, not lead funnels)

Question 2: How do you feel when you open your CRM?

Productive (I love structure and task lists): → Choose: Follow Up Boss or Realvolve (you'll use the features)

Overwhelmed (there's always something I'm behind on): → Choose: MEMO (finite goals, guilt-free design)

Question 3: What's your team size?

5+ agents sharing leads: → Choose: Follow Up Boss (only option with real team features)

Solo agent or small team working independently: → Choose: MEMO (built specifically for you)

Question 4: How much do you actually use built-in texting/calling?

Every day, all day (I want everything in one login): → Choose: LionDesk (best all-in-one at mid-tier price)

Rarely or never (my phone works great): → Choose: MEMO (no need to pay for features your phone does free)

Question 5: How technical are you?

Very technical (I love building custom automations): → Choose: Realvolve (most customizable)

Not technical (I just want it to work): → Choose: MEMO (10-minute setup, zero configuration needed)

The Honest Truth About "Switching"

Most agents don't switch CRMs. They just stop using them.

You sign up for Follow Up Boss. Spend 2 weeks configuring it. Use it for 3 months. Then slowly stop logging in because it makes you feel bad.

Or you sign up for LionDesk. Get excited about all the features. Then realize you only use 5 of them. But you keep paying because you feel like you should use the others.

The real question isn't "Which CRM has the most features?"

The real question is: "Which tool will I actually open every day?"

Because a simple tool you use daily beats a powerful tool you avoid.

Try Before You Decide

Every CRM on this page offers free trials.

Here's what to test during your trial:

Day 1: How long does setup take? (MEMO: 10 minutes, Others: 1-2 weeks)

Day 3: Can you log a quick thought at a red light? (MEMO: Yes, Others: Usually no)

Day 7: Do you feel productive or guilty when you open it? (This tells you everything)

Day 14: Are you using the features you're paying for, or just the basics?

Pricing Summary (Annual Cost Comparison)

CRM Solo Agent Cost What You're Paying For
Wise Agent $348-588/year Budget basics
Top Producer ~$480/year Legacy platform
LionDesk (Core) $300/year Basic CRM only
LionDesk (Pro) $468/year + Texting, calling, video
MEMO $588/year Simple mobile-first PRM
LionDesk (Team) $780/year + Team features, advanced automation
Follow Up Boss $828-1,188/year Comprehensive team CRM
Realvolve $828-1,188/year Workflow automation

The Question: Are you paying for features you need, or features that sound good in demos?

Final Recommendation: Start Simple

If you're reading this far, you're probably:

Our advice: Start with the simplest tool that solves your actual problem.

If your problem is: "I can't keep track of 500 internet leads" → You need Follow Up Boss or LionDesk

If your problem is: "I forget to follow up with past clients and lose referrals" → You need MEMO

If your problem is: "I need to coordinate leads across a team" → You need Follow Up Boss (only real option)

If your problem is: "My CRM makes me feel bad" → You need MEMO (we're designed for this exact feeling)

Don't buy the most powerful tool. Buy the tool you'll actually use.

Try MEMO Free for 14 Days

No credit card. No contract. No guilt if you decide it's not for you.

If you're a solo agent who builds business on referrals and wants a CRM that doesn't make you feel behind, MEMO might be for you.

Start Your Free Trial →

Or Read the MEMO Manifesto → to understand our philosophy first.

Still Have Questions?

Email us: support@memoforagents.com
Read detailed comparisons:

This comparison guide is updated quarterly. Last updated December 2025.