Alto alternative
An Alto alternative for independent estate and letting agents.
Alto is one of the most widely used estate agency systems in the UK, with a broad feature set, and plenty of agencies are well served by it. But if you are looking for something else, you are probably after one of three things: a lower or simpler bill, a system that is quicker to learn, or the freedom to leave when you like. Foundation is a CRM for sales and lettings built for independents, and it may be worth an afternoon of your time. The same goes if you are on Jupix.
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Why agents look beyond Alto
Alto does a great deal, and breadth is its strength. For a busy multi-negotiator office with property management, that breadth may be what you are paying for. Stay put if you use most of it.
For a one-office agency or a self-employed agent, the question is different. How much of the system do you use each week? Is the bill based on how many people use it? When does your contract let you leave? Answer those three and you will know whether it is worth looking elsewhere. Foundation is priced per agency, so adding a colleague does not change the plan you are on, and extra logins are a flat £10 a month each.
Foundation and Alto, side by side
These are the points independents usually compare. Alto's terms are theirs to set and can change, so check their current price and minimum term with them directly.
- Pricing: Foundation's CRM is £49 a month per agency on Growth and £89 a month on Signature, published on the website. Ask Alto for a like-for-like figure for your number of users.
- Contract: Foundation is month to month and you cancel from Settings.
- Setup: Foundation has no setup fee, and most of it can be done in an afternoon.
- Trying it first: Foundation has a 7-day free trial with no card and a live demo with no sign-up.
- Your data: Foundation lets you export your data as CSV at any time.
- Scope: Alto has the broader set of features. Foundation concentrates on what a single office does every day.
What a single office gets in Foundation
- Contacts, properties, viewings, offers and sales progression in one place, chain by chain.
- Applicant matching, appraisals with comparables and e-signature.
- Automatic email and SMS follow-ups, and a daily list of who to call.
- Lettings in the same database, set up for the Renters' Rights Act: periodic tenancies, deposit cap checks, compliance dates and section 13 rent increases.
- Rent, arrears, tenant repair reporting and landlord statements.
- An instant valuation tool on your website, built on HM Land Registry sold prices, so new leads arrive in the CRM.
- Your logo, colours and contact details on everything a client sees.
- An app for iPhone and iPad.
Moving from Alto or Jupix
Send us an export from your current system and we import your contacts, properties and tenancies for you. You check it before you rely on it, and you can run both systems side by side until you are happy.
Two things to do early: find your contract's notice period, and ask your supplier how to get a full export of your data. Your Rightmove feed has to move as well, which needs your authorisation, so we plan that step with you.
How to switch CRM without losing your data
What it costs
Growth is £49 a month with the full sales and lettings CRM and follow-ups. Signature is £89 a month and adds portal feeds, social posts, local SEO, reports, invoicing and three logins. Extra logins are £10 a month. There are no setup fees and no per-listing fees.
If you need Rightmove, choose Signature. Listings go out once your first payment has cleared, not during the free trial.
Questions agents ask
What is a good alternative to Alto for a small agency?
Foundation is built for independent UK agencies and self-employed agents: sales and lettings in one system, priced per agency, month to month. It does less than Alto overall and concentrates on what a single office does every day.
Is Foundation cheaper than Alto?
It depends on your team size and what you pay now, so compare your own bill. Foundation's CRM is £49 a month per agency on Growth and £89 on Signature, with no setup fee, and extra logins are £10 a month.
Can I move from Alto or Jupix to Foundation?
Yes. Send us an export from your current system and we import your contacts, properties and tenancies for you.
Does Foundation work with Rightmove?
Yes, on Signature. Listings go to Rightmove from the property record, once your first payment has cleared.
Can I try Foundation while I am still on Alto?
Yes. The 7-day free trial needs no card, and there is a live demo you can open with no sign-up. Keep your current system until you are ready.
Is there a contract?
No. Foundation is month to month or yearly if you prefer, and you cancel from Settings.