iHomefinder vs. IDX Broker: Which IDX Real Estate Solution Is Best For You?
Decisions, decisions…
When it comes to IDX providers, two names are often at the tip of agents’ tongues: IDX Broker and iHomefinder.
If you’re reading this, you’re likely commissioning an IDX website and weighing whether to go with one or the other. It can be challenging — both are equally compelling options, after all.
To help you figure out which one best suits your business’ needs, we’ve come up with this head-to-head comparison.
iHomefinder vs. IDX Broker: Which is Better?
Coverage
The first thing you should check when selecting an IDX provider is coverage. Fortunately, both IDX Broker and iHomefinder have extensive coverage, so there’s a great likelihood that the MLS board you’re subscribed to is available with either IDX provider.
Important Note:
Requesting an MLS board to be added can take a few weeks, so make sure to put in your request early.
Key Takeaway:
By sheer number of MLS boards, IDX Broker has the edge. That said, the ability to request any MLS board makes this less of an issue. Before making a choice, consider the other factors we’ll be discussing shortly.
Pricing
With all the costs associated with running a real estate business, it’s perfectly reasonable to compare prices for IDX providers, whose monthly fees can quickly add up. How much should you expect to shell out for IDX Broker and iHomefinder?
IDX Broker
IDX Broker has two tiers of service, namely its Lite and Platinum plans. Furthermore, it offers Lite and Platinum plans for both agents, teams, and offices.
First, let’s look at the agent plans. Its Lite Plan starts at $55/month and is geared toward agents with basic needs, though it does include all the core functionalities you’d expect of an IDX provider (see features below). Meanwhile, the Platinum plan starts at $90/month and adds market reports and sales data — crucial information that you can use to generate comparative reports.
But what if you run a team of agents or have an office with dozens of members? That’s where the group plans come in. Depending on your situation, you might save more by opting for a group plan rather than adding users a la carte. What’s more, group plans come with very useful tools, including the ability to assign leads to specific agents. Here’s a comparison of the pricing for Agent, Team, and Office Plans for both the Lite and Platinum tiers. You can also find a detailed checklist of all features here.
iHomefinder
In contrast, iHomefinder only offers individual and team plans — no two-tiered offering unlike IDX Broker, which simplifies the decision process.
Disclosure:
Since iHomefinder is an Agent Image partner, they offer special discounts to our clients. Individual accounts start at $39.99/month, while team plans (two or more users) begin at $49.99/month. Otherwise, the non-discount rate is $150/month for individual accounts and $165/month for team plans, which gives you up to 115% in savings.
Unlike IDX Broker, iHomefinder includes market report functionality even with its lowest-priced Individual plan. Both individual and team plans also offer access to iHomefinder’s vaunted MarketBoost lead generation suite, which has functionalities like dynamically updated market reports, daily listing alerts, and monthly market reports. The two packages likewise come with pre-built IDX pages for faster implementation, while the Team plan lets you create agent and office pages. Check out the full suite of features here.
Key Takeaway
If you’re an Agent Image customer, iHomefinder provides excellent value due to its discounted rates for individual and team accounts. If not, its non-promo prices are significantly higher than those of IDX Broker.
In this case, IDX Broker is the more compelling choice since its Lite plans are both under $100. These, however, lack market reports so you may want to upgrade to a Platinum plan; it will cost more, but it’s still much lower than iHomefinder’s non-discount rates.
Search Functionality & IDX Pages
Pulling data from the MLS is only the beginning; IDX solutions should also offer robust search functionality to help buyers find the right property.
The good news is that both IDX Broker and iHomefinder have powerful search capabilities. That includes both basic and advanced search filters, as well as cutting-edge features like interactive maps and polygon search filters, which allow buyers to manually draw a boundary on the map where they want to search for listings. Both also have quick search widgets that can be integrated into websites.
The catch? It’s how the two providers deliver the home search experience.
Key Takeaway:
In terms of search functionality, both IDX Broker and iHomefinder are evenly matched. Those worried about SEO, however, might favor iHomefinder since it integrates IDX pages directly onto your site instead of using subdomains or i-frames.
Customizability
By and large, IDX Broker and iHomefinder offer equal levels of customization. That is, you can modify the look of IDX pages to match your website’s design, include custom search filters, tweak lead forms, add widgets, customize property listings pages, and more.
Key Takeaway:
As far as customization is concerned, you can’t go wrong with either option. Those looking to create customizable offline marketing materials might lean toward IDX Broker, however.
Lead Capture & Engagement
Both IDX Broker and iHomefinder provide robust lead capture and nurturing functionality. These include basic features, such as lead alerts, contact pages, signup forms, automated emails, saved property searches, lead notes, booking showings, home valuation, etc. That said, we did find some standout features for both:
Key Takeaway:
With powerful lead capture and engagement capabilities, IDX Broker and iHomefinder prove why they’re beloved and trusted by agents. They’re both excellent choices but do take a look at their individual lead capture features to see which one suits your workflow best.
IDX Broker vs. iHomefinder Comparison
Still can’t decide which provider to choose? Here’s a quick rundown of what’s the same, what’s different, and what’s noteworthy between IDX Broker and iHomefinder.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
IDX stands for Internet Data Exchange. It's a system that allows real estate agents to display up-to-date property listings directly on their websites. This helps agents attract potential buyers and sellers, saving them time and effort compared to manually inputting listings.
Unlike traditional listing websites where anyone can post properties, IDX is exclusive to real estate professionals. It provides real-time data, advanced search features, and integration capabilities, allowing agents to offer their clients a more personalized and effective property search experience. Agents can also personalize the search experience by adding filters or by matching the search box to their site’s design.
When selecting an IDX provider, agents should prioritize factors like coverage area, pricing plans, ease of use, customization options, lead generation tools, mobile compatibility, and customer support. Comparing features and costs from different providers is essential to finding the best fit.
Yes, many IDX providers offer integration capabilities with popular real estate tools like CRM systems, email marketing platforms, and social media. This integration helps streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and enhance overall productivity for real estate agents.
Aside from allowing agents to display real-time listing information on their real estate websites, IDX solutions are also bundled with rich lead-generation features. For instance, both IDX Broker and iHomefinder have lead alerts, automated emails, saved property searches, and signup forms. In short, the up-to-date listings attract prospects but lead-generation features nurture them into actual clients.
Which IDX provider will you choose?
An IDX feed is one of the most powerful tools you can have on your website, which is why your choice of provider is of utmost importance. We hope that by giving you a side-by-side comparison between IDX Broker and iHomefinder, we’ve made narrowing down your options easier.
Ready to have a game-changing IDX website? Agent Image offers flexible packages to agents just like you!
For a FREE consultation, call 1.800.979.5799
or send a message here.
Disclaimer:
Please note that Agent Image is not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned in the preceding article. This list was created solely for informational purposes, and is not to be considered a direct endorsement from the Agent Image team. All products and features described are accurate as of June 18, 2024.
