Follow Up Boss vs LionDesk: Which CRM is Best for Real Estate Agents?

Choosing the right Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is a critical decision for any real estate professional. It's the central hub for your leads, contacts, and deals. A great CRM streamlines your workflow, while the wrong one creates friction. In the debate of Follow Up Boss vs LionDesk, agents are often comparing two of the most popular platforms in the industry, each with a distinct philosophy on how to manage a real estate business.

Follow Up Boss positions itself as a powerful, streamlined lead management system designed for teams that prioritize speed, automation, and integration with other best-in-class tools. On the other hand, LionDesk offers an affordable, all-in-one solution packed with built-in features like video email, landing pages, and a power dialer, making it attractive to solo agents and small teams who want everything under one roof. This guide breaks down every critical aspect of the liondesk vs follow up boss comparison to help you decide which platform will best serve your business needs in 2026 and beyond.

Quick Summary

• Best for Solo Agents & Budgets: LionDesk is the more affordable, all-in-one option, providing built-in tools like video email, texting, and landing pages without needing third-party subscriptions.
• Best for Scaling Teams: Follow Up Boss excels at lead management for growing teams, offering superior lead routing, team accountability features, and deep integrations with over 250 other real estate tools.
• Core Philosophy Difference: LionDesk aims to be the single platform you need for most marketing and sales tasks. Follow Up Boss acts as the central nervous system that connects all your other specialized tools.
• User Experience: Follow Up Boss is widely praised for its clean, intuitive, and action-oriented interface. LionDesk is feature-rich, which provides great value but can present a steeper learning curve for some users.

Follow Up Boss vs LionDesk: At a Glance

Before we dive deep into the specifics, here is a high-level look at how these two real estate CRMs stack up against each other.

Feature	Follow Up Boss	LionDesk
Primary Audience	Growing Teams & Brokerages	Solo Agents & Small Teams
Pricing	Starts higher, scales with team size	More affordable entry-level plans
Core Strength	Advanced Lead Routing & Integrations	All-in-One Built-in Features
Video & Texting	Integrated Texting, relies on partners for video	Built-in Video Email & Texting
Landing Pages	No, requires integration	Yes, built-in builder
User Interface	Clean, minimalist, action-focused	Feature-dense, comprehensive
Mobile App	Highly-rated iOS & Android apps	Functional iOS & Android apps
Integrations	Extensive (250+ native integrations)	Good (integrates via Zapier & API)

An Introduction to Follow Up Boss

Follow Up Boss (often called FUB) was built with a clear focus: lead conversion. It's not trying to be an all-in-one marketing suite, a transaction coordinator, or a website builder. Instead, it aims to be the absolute best at consolidating leads from any source, automating follow-up, and giving team leaders the tools they need to manage agent performance.

The platform's philosophy is rooted in integration. It acts as a central hub that connects to your lead generation sources (Zillow, Realtor.com, your website), your marketing tools, and your transaction management software. This allows agents and teams to build a custom tech stack with their favorite tools while using FUB as the single source of truth for all client communication and lead nurturing.

Its design is clean and uncluttered, prioritizing speed and ease of use. The entire system is built around taking action on leads quickly. This makes it a favorite among high-producing teams and brokerages where speed-to-lead is a critical metric for success.

An Introduction to LionDesk

LionDesk takes a different approach. It aims to provide a comprehensive, all-in-one platform that gives agents most of the tools they need right out of the box, and at a very competitive price point. It’s designed to be a complete business solution, especially for individual agents or small teams who may not have the budget or desire to subscribe to multiple different software tools.

Beyond standard CRM functionalities like contact management and drip campaigns, LionDesk includes features that often cost extra or require separate tools. These include a power dialer, video email and texting, and even a landing page builder. This makes it an incredibly high-value proposition for agents looking to maximize their toolset while minimizing their monthly software expenses.

LionDesk's interface is packed with these features, giving users a wide array of options for marketing and communication. Its AI assistant, Gabby, helps automate initial lead follow-up, and its robust communication tools are designed to help agents connect with clients in more personal and engaging ways.

Key Features of Follow Up Boss: A Deep Dive

Follow Up Boss's feature set is intentionally focused on lead management and team collaboration. It forgoes bells and whistles in favor of powerful, refined tools that directly impact conversion rates.

Advanced Lead Routing & The Pond

This is where FUB truly shines for teams. Leads can be routed instantly based on a variety of rules, including source, zip code, or price point. The "First to Claim" option sends a new lead notification to a group of agents, and the first one to respond gets the lead. The Pond account is a shared pool of leads that agents can claim, ensuring no opportunity is ever missed. This system promotes speed and accountability.

Smart Lists

Instead of static contact lists, FUB uses dynamic Smart Lists. These lists automatically update in real-time based on criteria you set. For example, you can create a list of "New leads from Zillow contacted in the last 24 hours" or "Past clients not contacted in 90 days." This makes daily prospecting simple and ensures you're always talking to the right people at the right time.

Action Plans & Automations

FUB's automation engine allows you to create multi-step follow-up campaigns that include emails, text messages, and tasks for the agent. These Action Plans can be triggered automatically when a new lead comes in or when a contact's stage changes. This ensures consistent, long-term nurturing for every lead without manual effort.

Team Collaboration and Reporting

For team leaders and brokers, FUB provides unparalleled visibility into agent activity and performance. Dashboards show calls made, texts sent, and response times for each agent. Leaderboards create friendly competition, and detailed reports help identify top performers and areas for coaching. All communication—calls, texts, and emails—is logged in a central timeline for each contact, giving everyone on the team full context.

Key Features of LionDesk: The All-in-One Powerhouse

LionDesk's value is in the breadth of its built-in features. It provides a complete toolkit for agents to manage their database, market their services, and handle transactions.

Multi-Channel Communication

LionDesk stands out with its native video email and video texting capabilities. This allows agents to send personalized video messages directly from the CRM, which can significantly boost engagement and build rapport. It also includes a single-line power dialer and bulk texting features, making it easy to communicate with a large database efficiently.

AI Lead Follow-Up Assistant

LionDesk's AI assistant, Gabby, can engage new leads automatically via text message. She works to qualify the lead by asking questions about their timeline, motivation, and whether they're working with an agent. This 24/7 assistant ensures every lead gets an immediate response and saves agents time by filtering out unresponsive or unqualified inquiries.

Landing Page Builder

A feature rarely found built into a CRM at this price point, LionDesk includes a simple drag-and-drop landing page builder. Agents can create pages for property listings, home valuation requests, or event registrations to capture new leads directly into their CRM without needing a separate tool like Leadpages or Instapage.

Transaction Management

LionDesk includes a built-in transaction management tool. You can create deal plans with key dates, track documents, and manage all the details of a transaction from contract to close. While not as advanced as dedicated platforms like Dotloop or SkySlope, it's a valuable inclusion for agents who want to keep everything in one system.

Pricing Comparison: Follow Up Boss and LionDesk

Pricing is a major factor in the follow up boss or liondesk decision, and the two platforms have very different structures. It's important to note that software pricing changes, so you should always visit their official websites for the most current information.

Follow Up Boss Pricing Structure

Follow Up Boss is positioned as a premium product, and its pricing reflects that. It's typically priced per user, per month, with different tiers that unlock more advanced features.

• Grow Plan: Aimed at small teams, this plan includes the core CRM features, Smart Lists, Action Plans, and integrations.
• Pro Plan: Designed for larger teams, this adds advanced lead routing (like the Pond), more robust reporting, and phone support.
• Platform Plan: For large brokerages, this top-tier plan includes everything in Pro plus a dedicated success manager and API access for custom solutions.

The cost is higher than LionDesk, but the investment is often justified by teams who need its powerful collaboration and lead management tools to handle a high volume of leads effectively.

LionDesk Pricing Structure

LionDesk is known for its affordability and high value. It also offers several tiers, but the entry point is significantly lower than Follow Up Boss.

• CRM Starter: This entry-level plan provides the core CRM, email marketing, and basic features for a single user.
• CRM Pro+: This is their most popular plan, adding features like text messaging, the AI assistant, and the power dialer.
• CRM Elite: The top tier unlocks advanced features like video texting in bulk and more customization options.

LionDesk often runs promotions and offers annual discounts, making it one of the most budget-friendly yet feature-rich CRMs on the market. The value proposition is clear: you get a massive amount of functionality for a relatively low monthly cost.

Pro Tip: When comparing costs, factor in the price of any third-party tools you'd need to add to your chosen CRM. With Follow Up Boss, you might need a separate dialer or video tool. With LionDesk, those are often included, which could affect the total cost of your tech stack.

User Experience and Interface: A Tale of Two Philosophies

The look and feel of a CRM can dramatically impact agent adoption and daily use. This is another area where the follow up boss vs liondesk comparison reveals stark differences.

Follow Up Boss: Clean and Action-Oriented

Users consistently praise Follow Up Boss for its clean, intuitive, and fast interface. The design is minimalist, removing clutter so agents can focus on what matters most: responding to leads. The dashboard immediately shows you who you need to call, text, or email, guided by the Smart Lists feature.

This simplicity reduces the learning curve significantly. Most agents can log in and become productive within a few hours. The mobile app is also highly polished and mirrors the functionality of the desktop version, making it easy for agents to work on the go. The entire experience is designed around speed and efficiency.

LionDesk: Feature-Rich and Comprehensive

LionDesk's interface is designed to put its vast feature set at your fingertips. The dashboard is more comprehensive, showing not just tasks but also business analytics, recent activity, and shortcuts to its various tools. For a power user who wants to see everything at once, this can be very effective.

However, for new users, this density of information can sometimes feel overwhelming. There are more menus, buttons, and options to learn. While LionDesk provides excellent training resources, there is undeniably a steeper learning curve compared to Follow Up Boss. The trade-off for this complexity is having an enormous amount of functionality accessible from a single screen.

Integration Capabilities with Other Tools

A CRM's ability to connect with other software is crucial for building an efficient workflow. This is arguably the biggest philosophical difference between the two platforms.

Follow Up Boss: The Integration Hub

Follow Up Boss is built to be the center of your real estate tech stack. It boasts over 250 native integrations with lead sources, marketing platforms, transaction management systems, and more. If you generate leads from Zillow, Realtor.com, Ylopo, or CINC, FUB can pull them in instantly.

It connects seamlessly with tools like Mailchimp for newsletters, Slybroadcast for ringless voicemails, and Dotloop for transactions. The idea is that you choose the best tool for each job, and FUB orchestrates everything. This approach offers incredible flexibility and power but requires managing multiple subscriptions.

LionDesk: The Self-Contained Ecosystem

LionDesk, while offering an API and Zapier integration to connect with thousands of other apps, is designed to reduce the need for external tools. Its goal is to provide those functions internally. For example, instead of integrating with a video email service, it has one built-in. Instead of connecting to a separate landing page tool, it provides its own.

This makes it a simpler, more streamlined solution for agents who don't want to piece together a complex tech stack. The integrations are there if you need them, but the platform's core value lies in what's already included. This can be a huge advantage for those seeking simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

Customer Support Services Compared

When you're running your business on a piece of software, reliable support is non-negotiable. Both companies offer solid support, but through different channels and with different approaches.

Follow Up Boss Support

Follow Up Boss is known for its responsive and knowledgeable customer support team. Support is available via email and phone (for Pro and Platform plans). They are available 7 days a week during business hours. Users frequently report that the support staff understands the real estate industry and provides practical, actionable solutions. They also offer a comprehensive help center with articles and video tutorials, and their onboarding process is highly regarded.

LionDesk Support

LionDesk provides support primarily through live chat and email, and they also offer it 7 days a week. This is great for getting quick answers to simple questions. They also have a large library of help articles and videos. For more complex issues, some users prefer phone support, which isn't LionDesk's primary channel. However, their commitment to 7-day availability via chat is a strong point for agents working on weekends.

Best Use Cases for Follow Up Boss

So, who is the ideal user for Follow Up Boss? This platform is the best choice if you fit one of these profiles:

• Ambitious Real Estate Teams: If you're a team of 3 or more agents and are focused on growth, FUB's lead routing, agent accountability tools, and reporting are second to none.
• High-Volume Agents and Brokerages: For those generating hundreds of leads per month from various sources, FUB's ability to consolidate and automate follow-up is essential for maximizing conversion.
• Tech-Savvy Professionals: If you already have a set of tools you love (like a specific website provider or marketing platform) and want a CRM that can tie them all together, FUB is the perfect central hub.
• Leaders Focused on Performance: Team leaders and brokers who need clear visibility into their agents' activities to provide coaching and drive performance will find FUB's reporting invaluable.

Best Use Cases for LionDesk

LionDesk is an excellent fit for a different segment of the real estate market. Consider choosing LionDesk if this sounds like you:

• Solo Agents: If you're an individual agent, LionDesk provides an incredible amount of functionality for a single, low price. It can run most of your marketing and sales operations.
• Budget-Conscious Small Teams: For small teams looking to keep their overhead low, LionDesk offers multi-user plans that are very cost-effective while still providing powerful tools.
• Agents Focused on Video Marketing: If your strategy involves using personalized video to connect with clients, having video email and texting built directly into your CRM is a massive advantage.
• Those Seeking Simplicity: If the idea of managing and integrating 5-10 different software tools sounds like a headache, LionDesk's all-in-one approach offers a much simpler, unified solution.

FAQ: Follow Up Boss vs LionDesk

Here are some common questions agents ask when comparing these two CRM platforms.

Is Follow Up Boss a good CRM?

Yes, Follow Up Boss is widely considered one of the best CRMs specifically for real estate teams. Its strengths are its user-friendly interface, powerful lead routing capabilities, extensive integrations, and robust team management features. While it comes at a higher price point, high-producing teams often find the investment worthwhile due to its direct impact on lead conversion and agent productivity.

What is LionDesk best for?

LionDesk is best for solo real estate agents and small teams who need a powerful, feature-rich CRM on a budget. Its all-in-one model, which includes a power dialer, video email, AI follow-up, and landing pages, provides tremendous value. It's ideal for professionals who want a single platform to handle the majority of their marketing and client management tasks without subscribing to multiple services.

Can I switch from LionDesk to Follow Up Boss?

Yes, switching between CRMs is common as a business grows and its needs change. Both platforms allow you to export your contact data. Follow Up Boss has a dedicated onboarding team that can assist with the migration process to ensure a smooth transition. Many teams start with a platform like LionDesk and graduate to Follow Up Boss as they scale their lead volume and team size.

Which CRM has better automation?

Both CRMs have strong automation, but they excel in different areas. Follow Up Boss's automation is centered on lead lifecycle management, with sophisticated Action Plans and Smart Lists that guide agent activity. LionDesk's automation includes AI-powered conversational follow-up and multi-channel drip campaigns that incorporate email, text, and even tasks. The "better" automation depends on your specific goals: process and team management (FUB) versus direct-to-consumer marketing engagement (LionDesk).

Final Thoughts: Making the Right Choice for Your Business

There is no single "best" CRM for every real estate agent; the right choice depends entirely on your business model, budget, and goals. The Follow Up Boss vs LionDesk debate is a perfect example of this. Neither platform is objectively superior; they are simply built for different types of users.

If you are a solo agent or run a small team and your priority is getting the maximum number of features for the lowest possible cost, LionDesk is an almost unbeatable value. Its all-in-one approach simplifies your tech stack and provides powerful marketing tools right out of the box. It gives you everything you need to build and nurture your database effectively.

If you are a growing team or an established brokerage focused on scaling your operations, Follow Up Boss is the clear choice. Its specialization in high-speed lead management, advanced team features, and deep integration capabilities create a powerful engine for conversion. It’s an investment in a system designed to grow with you. Carefully evaluate your current needs and future ambitions to make the decision that will best support your success.