MEMO vs Follow Up Boss (2025): Which CRM Is Right for Solo Real Estate Agents?

Last updated: December 2025

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Quick Answer

Follow Up Boss is a full-featured team CRM with built-in texting, calling, and lead routing. Best for brokerages and teams processing high volumes of internet leads.

MEMO is a lightweight Personal Relationship Manager (PRM) built around The Stack - a daily prioritized list that lets you "win the day in 3 taps." No pipelines, no endless task lists, no guilt. Just connect with the 3 most important people today, then you're done.

Bottom line: If you're a solo agent who builds business on referrals and wants a CRM that ends (not one that never does), MEMO is built for you. If you need team features and lead automation, stick with Follow Up Boss.

Try MEMO Free for 14 Days → | Read Full Comparison ↓

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Table of Contents

• Quick Comparison
• Detailed Feature Breakdown
• Pros & Cons
• Pricing Comparison
• Who Should Choose Which
• Real User Stories
• Migration Guide
• FAQ
• Alternatives to Consider

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At a Glance: MEMO vs Follow Up Boss

Feature	Follow Up Boss	MEMO
Best for	Teams (5-50+ agents), lead-heavy operations	Solo agents, sphere-focused, referral business
Core strength	Lead routing, team coordination	The Stack (prioritized daily list that ends)
Daily workflow	Clear 50+ tasks, never-ending to-do list	Connect with 3 people (Short List), then you're done
Starting price	$69/month per user	$49/month flat
Contract	Annual commitment typical	Monthly, cancel anytime
Contact organization	Custom fields, lead scores, pipeline stages	4 roles (Client, Partner, Vendor, Referrer) + 2 Orbits
Reminders	Task lists with due dates, red badges	The Pulse (drift tracking without guilt)
Data enrichment	Manual form filling	The Daily Deal (gamified 5-card data game)
Built-in texting	✅ Yes	❌ No (use your phone)
Built-in calling	✅ Yes	❌ No (use your phone)
Email automation	✅ Yes (drip campaigns)	❌ No (we don't automate relationships)
Pipeline stages	✅ Yes	❌ No (we track humans, not deals)
Task management	✅ Yes (with overdue warnings)	The Stack (prioritized, finite, guilt-free)
Quick capture	Multiple clicks, multiple menus	FAB (Floating Action Button) - instant memo
Mobile-first design	Partial (feature-complete but dense)	✅ Yes (thumb-optimized, win the day at red lights)
Learning curve	2-3 weeks (complex setup)	10 minutes (minimal setup)
Philosophy	Manage leads through sales process	Remember humans, win the day in 3 taps

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Detailed Feature Breakdown

Daily Workflow: The Stack vs Task Lists

This is where MEMO fundamentally differs from Follow Up Boss.

Follow Up Boss:

• Open app → See 47 overdue tasks
• Tasks sorted by "days overdue" (guilt-based)
• Red badges everywhere
• No concept of "done" - list regenerates daily
• You feel behind before you even start
• Average time to "clear" the list: Never (it's infinite)

MEMO: The Stack

• Open app → See The Short List (3 people max)
• These are the 3 MOST important people to connect with today
• Below that: The Daily Deal (optional 5-card data game)
• Below that: Focus Stacks (optional deep-dives)
• The Promise: If you complete The Short List, you've won the day

How The Stack works:

1. The Short List (The "Must-Do")

   • Maximum 3 people
   • Prioritized by MEMO's Pulse system (who's drifting + who's most important)
   • One tap to see their context (last memo, birthday, home anniversary)
   • One tap to log a touchpoint or reach out
   • When you finish: The list says "You won the day ✓"
   • The liberation: You're allowed to be done. The list ends.

2. The Daily Deal (The "Candy")

   • 5 random cards from your sphere
   • Each card asks one quick question: "Does Andrew have a partner?" "What's Wade's favorite restaurant?"
   • Swipe left to skip, swipe right to answer
   • Takes 2 minutes, makes your future suggestions smarter
   • The innovation: Data entry becomes a game, not a chore
   • Completely optional - if you did The Short List, you already won

3. Focus Stacks (The "Extra Credit")

   • Specific drawers for specific goals:
     • "Missing Birthdays" (fill in gaps)
     • "Drifting" (people you haven't talked to in a while)
     • "Referral Sources" (your MVPs)
   • No red badges. You enter these voluntarily, not because the app is yelling
   • For the go-getters who want to optimize beyond the daily 3

Winner: MEMO (if you want finite goals), FUB (if you thrive on endless task lists)

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Contact Management

Follow Up Boss:

• Unlimited contacts
• Dozens of custom fields
• Lead scoring (Hot, Warm, Cold)
• Pipeline stages (Lead → Qualified → Offer → Closed)
• Activity timeline (every call, text, email logged)
• Duplicate detection
• Bulk actions
• Tags (unlimited, becomes overwhelming)

MEMO: The Sphere

• Unlimited contacts
• 4 clear roles (no tagging soup):
  1. Client - Past transactions
  2. Partner - Lenders, title companies, other agents
  3. Vendor - Contractors, plumbers, etc.
  4. Referrer - Your sphere (friends, family, past clients who send business)
• 2 Orbits:
  • Inner Circle - VIPs, high gravity (check in more frequently)
  • Outer Circle - Everyone else, lower gravity
• Essential fields only: Name, role, orbit, birthday, home anniversary
• Interaction stream (memos you've logged)
• No lead scores (people aren't scores)
• No pipeline stages (people aren't stages)

Winner: FUB (if you love data), MEMO (if you want clarity over complexity)

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Staying in Touch: The Pulse vs Task Management

Follow Up Boss:

• Manual task creation ("Call Sarah by Tuesday 2pm")
• Automated action plans (pre-set task sequences)
• Reminders with due dates
• Red badges when overdue
• "Days since last contact" counter
• Email: "You have 12 overdue tasks"
• Philosophy: External pressure creates action

MEMO: The Pulse

• Background drift tracking (monitors time since last contact)
• Adapts to your patterns + their Orbit
  • Inner Circle: Expects contact every 2-4 weeks
  • Outer Circle: Expects contact every 2-3 months
• When someone drifts too far → They surface on The Short List
• No due dates, no "overdue" language
• Observational, not accusatory: "It's been a minute" not "14 days overdue"
• Philosophy: Gentle gravity pulls people toward you

The Difference in Practice:

Scenario: You haven't talked to Sarah in 3 weeks

Follow Up Boss:

• Creates task: "Follow up with Sarah - OVERDUE 5 DAYS"
• You feel guilty
• The task sits there getting redder
• You avoid opening the app

MEMO's Pulse:

• Sarah appears on The Short List with context: "It's been a minute | Last memo: Son made varsity"
• You think: "Oh yeah, I should ask how his season's going"
• You reach out because you want to, not because you're overdue
• No guilt, just gravity

Winner: MEMO (if guilt doesn't motivate you), FUB (if external deadlines work for you)

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Quick Capture: FAB vs Multi-Step Entry

Follow Up Boss:

• Tap contact name
• Scroll to find them
• Tap their profile
• Tap "Add Activity"
• Select activity type from dropdown
• Select sub-type
• Enter notes in text field
• Tap "Save"
• Total: 8 taps, 30-45 seconds

MEMO: The Floating Action Button (FAB)

• Tap FAB (always visible, bottom-right)
• Dictate or type: "Son made varsity basketball"
• Start typing name to tag: "Sar..." → Sarah appears
• Tap Sarah
• Done
• Total: 3 taps, 10 seconds

The Red Light Test: Can you log a thought at a red light before the light turns green?

• Follow Up Boss: No (requires too many menus)
• MEMO: Yes (designed for this exact moment)

Winner: MEMO (purpose-built for speed), FUB (more structured but slower)

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Data Enrichment: Forms vs The Daily Deal

Follow Up Boss:

• Open contact profile
• Scroll through dozens of empty fields
• Manually fill in: Birthday, Anniversary, Spouse Name, Kids, Hobbies, etc.
• Save
• Repeat for 200 contacts
• Reality: Most agents never do this (it's boring)

MEMO: The Daily Deal

• Open MEMO
• The Daily Deal shows 5 random cards
• Each card asks ONE quick question:
  • "Does Andrew have a partner?" → Yes/No
  • "What's Wade's favorite restaurant?" → Quick answer or skip
  • "When is Meg's birthday?" → Date picker or skip
• Swipe left to skip, right to answer
• 2 minutes per day = 35 enriched profiles per week
• The psychology: Gamification makes data entry feel like progress, not homework

Winner: MEMO (makes boring work fun), FUB (traditional forms)

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The "Win the Day" Philosophy

Follow Up Boss measures productivity by:

• Activities logged (calls, texts, emails)
• Pipeline movement (leads advanced)
• Completion percentage (tasks cleared)
• "Days active" (how often you log in)

MEMO measures success by:

• Did you complete The Short List? (3 people)
• If yes: You won the day ✓
• Everything else (Daily Deal, Focus Stacks) is optional

Why this matters:

The average solo agent in Follow Up Boss feels perpetually behind. The task list never ends. There's always someone "overdue." The pipeline always needs attention.

The average MEMO user completes The Short List in 15-20 minutes over coffee. The app literally says "You won the day." They feel productive, not guilty.

Same outcome (stayed in touch with sphere), different feeling.

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Mobile Experience

Follow Up Boss:

• Full-featured iOS and Android apps
• Can do everything desktop can do
• Dashboard shows pipeline, tasks, activity feed
• Many taps to navigate between sections
• Complete but not optimized for one-handed use
• Feels like "desktop crammed into mobile"

MEMO:

• Mobile-first design (iOS, Android only - desktop coming 2026)
• Opens to The Stack (today's priorities)
• Thumb-optimized (all actions within thumb reach)
• FAB for instant memo capture
• 3-tap philosophy ("Win the day in 3 taps")
• Designed for use at red lights, coffee shop, open house
• No desktop needed (your sphere isn't at your desk)

Winner: MEMO (purpose-built for mobile), FUB (feature parity across devices)

Pros & Cons

Follow Up Boss

Pros:

• ✅ All-in-one platform (texting, calling, email built in)
• ✅ Strong team features and lead routing
• ✅ Zillow and Realtor.com integration
• ✅ Robust automation and drip campaigns
• ✅ Detailed activity tracking and reporting
• ✅ Established platform (10+ years in market)

Cons:

• ❌ Overwhelming for solo agents (too many features)
• ❌ Creates guilt with overdue tasks and declining metrics
• ❌ Expensive ($828-1,188/year)
• ❌ Complex setup (2-3 weeks to configure)
• ❌ Annual contracts typical
• ❌ Feels like work, not helpful
• ❌ Mobile app is feature-complete but cluttered

MEMO

Pros:

• ✅ Simple, fast, guilt-free interface
• ✅ Mobile-first (log memos at red lights)
• ✅ No task lists or pipeline pressure
• ✅ Affordable ($588/year)
• ✅ No contract (cancel anytime)
• ✅ 10-minute setup
• ✅ Shows what you KNOW, not what you OWE
• ✅ Built specifically for solo sphere agents

Cons:

• ❌ No built-in texting/calling (use your phone)
• ❌ No email automation (by design)
• ❌ No team features
• ❌ No Zillow integration
• ❌ No pipeline tracking
• ❌ Not suitable for high-volume lead operations
• ❌ Mobile-only (desktop coming 2026)

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Choose Follow Up Boss If You...

• Run a team of 5+ agents and need lead distribution
• Process high volumes of internet leads (Zillow, Realtor.com, etc.)
• Want built-in texting, calling, and email in one platform
• Need automated drip campaigns
• Like pipeline stages and deal tracking
• Thrive on comprehensive task lists (50+ items doesn't stress you)
• Have budget for $69-99/month per user
• Don't mind complexity in exchange for features

Choose MEMO If You...

• Are a solo agent (or small team that works independently)
• Build business on referrals and sphere (80%+ of deals)
• Feel overwhelmed by traditional CRMs (too many features, too much guilt)
• Want a daily goal you can actually complete ("win the day in 3 taps")
• Prefer simple, fast mobile experience over feature completeness
• Already have a phone for texting/calling
• Like gamification (Daily Deal makes data entry fun)
• Value peace of mind over metrics
• Want to spend $49/month, not $70-100/month

Still Not Sure? Try This

Question 1: Where do most of your deals come from?

• Internet leads (Zillow, realtor.com) → Follow Up Boss
• Referrals from past clients → MEMO

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

• Productive (I love checking tasks off) → Follow Up Boss
• Guilty (I'm always behind) → MEMO

Question 3: What's your team size?

• 5+ agents sharing leads → Follow Up Boss
• Just me → MEMO

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Pricing Comparison (2025)

Follow Up Boss Pricing

Plan	Price	What's Included
Standard	$69/user/month	Core CRM, basic features
Plus	$89/user/month	+ Advanced automations
Pro	$99/user/month	+ All features, priority support

Annual cost (solo agent): $828 - $1,188/year

Setup fee: None
Contract: Typically annual
Per-user pricing: Yes (gets expensive for teams)

MEMO Pricing

Plan	Price	What's Included
Solo Agent	$49/month	Everything. No tiers.

Yearly cost: $588/year ($490 with annual plan)

Setup fee: None
Contract: Month-to-month (cancel anytime)
Per-user pricing: No (flat rate)

The Real Cost Over 3 Years

Follow Up Boss (Standard plan):
$69/month × 36 months = $2,484

MEMO:
$49/month × 36 months = $1,764

You save $720 over 3 years by switching to MEMO.

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What Real Agents Say About Follow Up Boss

Expensive for solo agents

"The platform is priced for all the bells and whistles it comes with, but that can be a bit pricey for a smaller team or an independent agent." — Verified Follow Up Boss user review

The mobile app is problematic

"The app sucks and the most simple things like logging calls and looking up people don't work properly a good portion of the time." — Verified Follow Up Boss user review

Why Agents Leave Traditional CRMs

According to industry research, 73% of real estate agents either don't use CRMs or are dissatisfied with current options. The primary complaint: systems are too complex for relationship-focused agents who build business on referrals rather than pipeline velocity.

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How to Switch from Follow Up Boss to MEMO

The 3-Week Hybrid Approach (Recommended)

Most agents don't switch cold turkey. They run both for 2-3 weeks:

Week 1: Import & Explore

1. Export your contacts from FUB (Contacts → Export → CSV)
2. Import CSV into MEMO (takes 5 minutes)
3. Start exploring MEMO's interface
4. Keep using FUB for active deals

Week 2: Dual Logging

1. When you have a thought about someone, log it in MEMO (not FUB)
2. Notice how much faster MEMO is
3. Start checking MEMO first thing in the morning
4. Still use FUB for scheduled tasks

Week 3: MEMO-First

1. You're opening MEMO first, FUB out of habit
2. FUB's task list feels like homework
3. MEMO's drift view feels helpful

Week 4: Cancel FUB

1. Export any remaining notes from FUB
2. Cancel your FUB subscription
3. Save $20-50/month
4. Stop feeling guilty

What Data Transfers?

✅ Transfers easily:

• Contact names, emails, phones
• Custom fields (via CSV mapping)
• Basic notes (import as first memo)

⚠️ Requires manual export:

• Activity history (calls, texts, emails)
• Email drip campaign sequences
• Task lists

❌ Doesn't transfer:

• Pipeline stages (MEMO doesn't use pipelines)
• Lead scores (MEMO doesn't score people)
• Team permissions (MEMO is solo-focused)

Need Help Migrating?

Email support@memoforagents.com - we'll help you export from FUB and import into MEMO. Usually takes one phone call.

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Is MEMO really better than Follow Up Boss?
Not "better" - different. FUB is better for teams and lead-heavy operations. MEMO is better for solo agents who hate traditional CRMs and focus on sphere business.

Can I use both?
Yes, many agents run both during a trial period. Most end up choosing one within 2-3 weeks.

Does MEMO integrate with Follow Up Boss?
No, but you can export from FUB and import into MEMO.

FAQ

Why doesn't MEMO have built-in texting?
Your phone already has great texting. MEMO gives you the context (what to say), you use your native messaging app. This keeps MEMO simple and avoids "yet another inbox."

What about email drip campaigns?
MEMO doesn't do automated emails. We believe if an app can send it, it's not meaningful. You write the email, MEMO reminds you who to send it to.

Can I track pipeline stages in MEMO?
No. MEMO doesn't believe in pipelines. People aren't stages. They're just people in your sphere.

Does MEMO have a desktop version?
Not yet. MEMO is mobile-first (coming desktop 2026). Follow Up Boss has full desktop and mobile parity.

Pricing

Does MEMO have an annual plan discount?
Yes! It's $49/month, or $490/year (2 months free). Simple, transparent pricing.

What if I'm locked into a FUB contract?
Try MEMO for free while you finish your FUB term. Many agents find they stop opening FUB within 2 weeks even while still paying for it.

Is there a setup fee?
No. MEMO is $49/month, no setup costs.

Migration

Will I lose my Follow Up Boss data?
No. Export your FUB data before canceling. You can import into MEMO or keep it as backup.

How long does it take to switch?
Importing contacts: 5 minutes. Getting comfortable with MEMO: 2-3 days. Fully switching workflow: 2-3 weeks.

Can I switch back to FUB if I don't like MEMO?
Yes. No contracts. Cancel MEMO anytime.

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Other Alternatives to Follow Up Boss

If neither MEMO nor Follow Up Boss feels right, consider:

LionDesk - Mid-tier option with texting/calling, less expensive than FUB but still feature-heavy ($25-65/month)

Realvolve - Workflow automation focused, similar price to FUB ($69-99/month)

Top Producer - Legacy platform, familiar to veteran agents but outdated interface (~$40/month)

Wise Agent - Budget-friendly but basic features ($29-49/month)

CINC - Lead generation + CRM combo, expensive but strong for new construction/lead buying ($500+/month)

Google Sheets + Phone Contacts - Free but requires discipline. If you've tried CRMs and hated them all, sometimes simple is best.

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Related Searches

People searching "MEMO vs Follow Up Boss" also search for:

• Follow Up Boss alternatives for solo agents
• Simple CRM for real estate agents
• CRM without task lists
• Sphere-based real estate CRM
• Follow Up Boss pricing too expensive
• Best CRM for referral-based real estate business
• MEMO vs LionDesk
• MEMO vs Realvolve

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The Bottom Line

Choose Follow Up Boss if: You're a team, you process high volumes of internet leads, and you want all communication tools in one platform.

Choose MEMO if: You're a solo agent, you focus on sphere business, and you want a CRM that doesn't make you feel guilty.

Still not sure? Try MEMO free for 14 days. No credit card. See if it feels different. If it doesn't, no hard feelings.

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Try MEMO Free for 14 Days

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

Start Your Free Trial →

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

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Have questions? Email us at support@memoforagents.com