Look, I get it. If you’re running a serious real estate business, your CRM choice usually comes down to two titans: Follow Up Boss (FUB) and Lofty (formerly Chime).
It’s the most common debate I hear in mastermind groups. It’s not about finding a CRM that just “works”….it’s about choosing a philosophy for how you run your business in 2026.
I’ve personally fought with both. I’ve seen teams fail on one and explode on the other. This isn’t a feature checklist; this is my raw, battle-tested take on who needs which platform.
Comparing Follow Up Boss vs. Lofty
1. Follow Up Boss – The Conversion Command Center
If you’re reading this, you probably already know FUB. It’s the platform I use for my own team, and there’s a reason for that: It’s the best in the business at telling agents who to call and when.
The Good (Why I Love FUB)
- Insane Integrations: FUB is an open platform. It’s a “hub” that effortlessly pulls leads from over 200 sources (Zillow, your website, Facebook, etc.). It doesn’t care where your lead comes from… it just puts it in one spot. This is its superpower.
- Accountability & Simplicity: The interface is clean, intuitive, and built for team management. My agents aren’t wasting time navigating complicated menus. The Smart Lists and reporting are superior, making it simple to track agent performance and ensure no lead is left behind.
- Superior Support: User reviews consistently rate FUB’s customer support much higher than Lofty’s. When you’re managing a team, responsive support is non-negotiable.
The Honest Catch (The FUB Pitfall)
FUB is not an all-in-one. You are signing up for the best CRM on the market, but you have to bring your own website and possibly your own advanced marketing tools.
- Alex’s Anecdote: I watched a team switch from Lofty to FUB simply because they were tired of paying for Lofty’s built-in website when they wanted a better, custom site. FUB gave them the freedom to pick their website and just plug it into the CRM that converts best.
2. Lofty – The AI-Powered Ecosystem
Lofty is for agents who want to buy one big box and have everything inside – the website, the CRM, the marketing, and a side of AI.
The Good (Why Lofty is a Powerhouse)
- The All-in-One Pitch: Lofty is genuinely comprehensive. It gives you an SEO-optimized IDX website, built-in marketing automation, a CMA tool, and a robust CRM. You pay one bill, and you get a complete system.
- AI-Driven Nurturing: Lofty’s greatest strength is its specialized AI. It offers AI agents and intelligent automation, making it a true AI-first platform. This is fantastic for agents who want the system to handle the initial, natural-language conversations automatically.
- Native Lead Generation: The platform is built to generate leads through its own tools, making lead flow incredibly seamless from the website directly into the Smart Plans.
The Honest Catch (The Lofty Pitfall)
Lofty is expensive and can feel complex. It’s generally a higher-priced CRM, which is a barrier for smaller teams. And because it’s a closed ecosystem, if you decide you don’t like their website or their social studio, you’re stuck paying for them anyway. The learning curve is steep due to its extensive feature set.
- Alex’s Anecdote: A friend of mine running a six-person team looked at Lofty and backed away because the initial setup required so much customization and training. He needed to be selling, not spending a full week setting up his entire business architecture.
The Showdown: FUB vs. Lofty Comparison Table (2026)
| Feature | Follow Up Boss | Lofty (formerly Chime) | My Verdict |
| Business Philosophy | Conversion Hub. Bring your own leads/website. | All-in-One Ecosystem. We provide everything. | FUB for flexibility and focus. |
| Ease of Use | A+ (Intuitive & Simple) | B- (Feature-Heavy) | FUB wins. Better adoption rates for agents. |
| Lead Generation | Integrates 200+ Sources. Best-in-class distribution. | Native IDX Website + AI Lead Gen. Best creation and nurturing. | Lofty for native website traffic. |
| Core Automation | Action Plans, Smart Lists. Focus on simple, effective behavioral follow-up. | AI Agents, Smart Plans. True AI-first platform for hands-off communication. | Lofty for advanced, hands-off automation. |
| Pricing (10 Agents) | $499/month (Pro Plan) | Custom Quote (Usually starts well above $500/mo) | FUB is more transparent and usually cheaper for mid-to-large teams. |
| Scalability | Scales easily by adding users/tools. | Scales well, but the cost quickly becomes substantial. | FUB for cost-effective user growth. |
My Final Verdict: Who Should Choose Which in 2026?
The right answer depends entirely on the kind of agent you are.
👉 Choose Follow Up Boss If…
- Your team is already generating leads from diverse sources (PPC, Zillow, portals). You need a system to organize the chaos and hold agents accountable.
- You prioritize simplicity and ease of use. You want agents spending zero time learning software and 100% of their time calling.
- You hate being locked in. You want the freedom to choose your own lead generation tools and website builder. FUB is the open platform that makes everything else work better.
👉 Choose Lofty If…
- You need a fantastic IDX website and CRM built together. You want one bill for your entire tech stack and value seamless integration.
- You want to leverage AI heavily. You want the system to automatically handle complex initial conversations and nurture leads without constant human intervention.
- You are a small-to-mid brokerage looking for an all-inclusive system to provide to your agents right out of the box.
Don’t overthink it. Decide if you are the Hub (FUB) or the Ecosystem (Lofty), and then commit. The best CRM is always the one you actually use.
Read Also:
- 10 Best Real Estate CRMs in 2026
- 10 Best ERP Software & Tools in 2026
- 9 Best Employee Monitoring Software 2026
Author: Alex Vance
