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Real Estate · head to head

Lofty vs Zillow

Lofty logo

Lofty

Real Estate

AI-powered real estate CRM

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zillow logo

Zillow

Real Estate

Consumer property search site whose actual product, Premier Agent, is paid lead placement sold to agents and brokers, not the free listings buyers browse

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Lofty no pricing published on website; quote-based model requires request form submission; Zillow leads are frequently sold to multiple agents at once, so an agent is often bidding against competitors for the same buyer rather than buying an exclusive introduction.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lofty and Zillow actually diverge.

Attributes where Lofty and Zillow differ
AttributeLoftyZillow
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Real Estate).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Lofty

Nothing recorded that Zillow does not also cover.

Only in Zillow

  • Consumer listing search
  • Premier Agent placement
  • Lead connections
  • Performance dashboards
  • Zillow Flex
  • Agent profile and reviews

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Lofty

  • Generating buyers and sellers through 33+ channelsnot Zillow
  • Converting website visitors into qualified leadsnot Zillow
  • Booking appointments autonomously via AI Sales Agentnot Zillow
  • Managing transaction paperwork and sphere outreachnot Zillow

Zillow

  • An agent in a competitive metro wanting listing-page visibility on homes they do not personally representnot Lofty
  • A team wanting predictable lead volume to feed a follow-up system, accepting shared, non-exclusive leadsnot Lofty
  • A brokerage evaluating Zillow Flex as a pay-on-closing alternative to upfront advertising spendnot Lofty
  • A buyer or renter using the free consumer search, who is not Zillow paying customer at all and should understand that agent placement on a listing does not mean that agent represents the sellernot Lofty

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Lofty

  • No pricing published on website; quote-based model requires request form submission
  • Four tiers offered (Agent, Team, Broker, Enterprise) but specific seat counts or feature differences not disclosed

Zillow

  • Leads are frequently sold to multiple agents at once, so an agent is often bidding against competitors for the same buyer rather than buying an exclusive introduction.
  • Reported lead-to-close conversion of roughly 1 to 3 percent means most paid connections do not become closed transactions, and the advertising spend has no guaranteed return.
  • Cost per connection varies heavily by ZIP code and competition, so budgeting is unpredictable and can spike in desirable areas without warning.
  • The agent shown as a contact on a listing is frequently not the listing agent, which has drawn criticism for consumer confusion about who actually represents the seller.
  • Placement is rented, not owned; an agent who stops paying loses visibility instantly, unlike a website or CRM investment that continues to compound in value.

Pricing, plan by plan

Lofty

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Lofty review.

Zillow

On request
  • Premier Agent$undefined/month
    • Consumer search and listings are free; agents pay for lead placement
    • Average cost per connection roughly $139 (non-major metro) to $223+ (major metro)
    • Monthly spend commonly $200-600 small markets, $1,500-5,000+ major metros

Which should you pick?

Choose Lofty if

Nothing in the data separates Lofty from Zillow on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Lofty review

Choose Zillow if

  • You need consumer listing search.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want premier agent placement.
Zillow review

Questions people ask

Is Lofty or Zillow better?
Neither clearly leads. Lofty starts at On request and Zillow at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lofty or Zillow?
Lofty starts at On request and Zillow at On request.
Does Lofty or Zillow run on more platforms?
Lofty runs on Web. Zillow runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Lofty best used for?
Lofty is most often used for generating buyers and sellers through 33+ channels, converting website visitors into qualified leads, booking appointments autonomously via ai sales agent, managing transaction paperwork and sphere outreach. Of those, generating buyers and sellers through 33+ channels and converting website visitors into qualified leads are not what Zillow is typically brought in for.
What can Lofty do that Zillow cannot?
Zillow covers Consumer listing search, Premier Agent placement, Lead connections, Performance dashboards.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lofty: How much does Lofty cost?

Lofty does not publish pricing on its website. The platform offers four subscription packages: Lofty Agent, Lofty Team, Lofty Broker, and Lofty Enterprise, each tailored to different organization sizes. Customers must submit a Request Pricing form, and Lofty will contact them with personalized pricing based on user count and feature requirements.

Source
Zillow: Do home buyers or sellers pay Zillow?

No. Consumer search, Zestimates and listing browsing are free. Zillow revenue comes from agents and brokers paying for Premier Agent placement and leads.

Lofty: What Lofty plans are available?

Lofty offers four main subscription tiers: Lofty Agent for individual agents, Lofty Team for team operations, Lofty Broker for brokerage organizations, and Lofty Enterprise for large enterprises. All plans include CRM, email, texting, dialer, marketing automation, and AI tools.

Source
Zillow: Does the agent shown on a Zillow listing represent the seller?

Not necessarily. Premier Agent placement can show a paying advertiser as the contact even when they are not the actual listing agent.

Lofty: What add-on services does Lofty offer beyond the base subscription?

Lofty offers paid add-ons including Lead Generation Services, Power Dialer, text message packages, Hyperlocal SEO websites, website design, AI Agents (Sales, Social, Homeowner), direct mail, and digital advertising programs.

Source
Zillow: Is there a cheaper alternative to paid placement?

Zillow Flex offers a pay-on-closing model instead of upfront ad spend in select markets, trading a lower risk of wasted spend for a referral fee on closed deals.

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