Lofty vs BoldTrail (kvCORE) (2026): Features, Pricing, Contracts and Which to Choose

Lofty vs BoldTrail comes down to fit. BoldTrail, formerly kvCORE, has back office and recruiting modules Lofty does not list, and the friendlier published renewal terms. Lofty has an AI sales agent that works your leads, more published add-on prices and a month-to-month agreement type in its terms.

Neither publishes plan prices, so you will compare quotes. BoldTrail rates higher on G2 and Capterra. Both score poorly on Trustpilot and BBB, and both auto-renew fixed-term contracts for a year.

For this Lofty vs kvCORE comparison I read both companies' terms, product pages and help articles, plus four rating sites, mostly on 6 November 2026. A few Lofty pages were read on 27 October 2026, dated where used.

Where I stand: I am a Realtor with Samson Properties in Virginia, and I run Jamil Academy, which sells training to agents. I am a Lofty affiliate, as the box below explains, and I have no BoldTrail link. This is not a hands-on test of either platform. The eBook block near the end is my own product.

Lofty vs BoldTrail: the quick verdict

Short answer: BoldTrail fits brokerages and larger teams that want CRM, back office and recruiting in one system. Lofty fits agents and teams who want an AI sales agent and add-ons with published prices. That is my reading of the sources, not a test result.

Here is every row where the sources show a difference, whichever way it points. BoldTrail wins more of them.

Sources: InsideRE Terms of Service; Lofty Terms of Use, Lofty help center and Lofty IDX plugin page (read 27 October 2026); G2; Capterra; boldtrail.com; lofty.com; BoldTrail blog "kvCORE vs Lofty", read 6 November 2026.

That last row needs a caveat. BoldTrail's own blog says Lofty is "more intuitive to navigate," but the third-party ease-of-use scores do not show Lofty ahead.

My view: if you run a brokerage or a large team, BoldTrail's back office and terms are hard to ignore. If you are a solo agent who wants AI to follow up with leads, Lofty is worth a demo. The order form sets your real contract either way.

What are Lofty and BoldTrail (formerly kvCORE) now?

Short answer: BoldTrail is the new name for kvCORE and Inside Real Estate's wider suite. Lofty is the platform from Lofty Inc., formerly Chime Technologies. "BoldTrail vs Lofty" and "Lofty vs kvCORE" are the same comparison.

The kvCORE to BoldTrail rename

Inside Real Estate's original announcement now redirects to a resource center home page, so I could not read it. Trade press covered it on 20 June 2024. HousingWire: "Inside Real Estate is rebranding its kvCORE platform to BoldTrail." Inman: it was "leaving behind its 16-year-old kvCORE name."

RISMedia added: "The Inside Real Estate suite of products will fold into BoldTrail."

Sources: HousingWire, RISMedia and Inman, 20 June 2024, third-party news, read 6 November 2026.

BoldTrail's blog confirmed it in April 2026: "If you're on kvCORE, you're migrating to BoldTrail ... not switching to a competitor." It calls the change "part of the platform evolution rather than a price-increase event." Brokermint is now "Integrated as BoldTrail BackOffice module."

Source: BoldTrail blog, "kvCORE vs BoldTrail: What's Actually Different?" (7 April 2026), read 6 November 2026.

The 2024 news does not say BoomTown was renamed. A March 2026 release says Streams is available "first for BoldTrail users, and shortly after for BoomTown users," so BoomTown still reads as a separate product.

What BoldTrail includes now

Inside Real Estate, of Murray, Utah, sells four parts. The BoldTrail Platform holds IDX websites, Smart CRM, lead engine, marketing automation and analytics. The others are BoldTrail BackOffice, BoldTrail Recruit and the BoldTrail Marketplace of add-ons.

The front office comes as BoldTrail, BoldTrail PLUS and BoldTrail PRO. PLUS adds AI search alerts and insights. PRO includes both optional add-ons: Listing Machine and Design Center, and the Present CMA builder. No package page shows a price.

Source: boldtrail.com home page and front office package comparison, read 6 November 2026.

What Lofty includes now

Lofty Inc. is based in Phoenix, Arizona. Its pricing page lists Lofty Agent, Lofty Team, Lofty Broker and Lofty Enterprise, each "Request Pricing." Every plan shows a customizable IDX website, a mobile app, mass and auto texting, a basic dialer and a set of AI tools.

Source: lofty.com/price-packages, read 27 October 2026 and re-checked 6 November 2026.

My view: if you are on kvCORE today, BoldTrail says your data moves with you. Compare BoldTrail as it is now, not kvCORE as you remember it.

How do Lofty and BoldTrail features compare?

Short answer: both cover the core: IDX website, CRM, texting and a mobile app. BoldTrail adds back office, recruiting and AI home search. Lofty adds an AI sales agent and publishes more add-on prices.

The table uses each company's own pages, plus Capterra for free trials. "Not stated" means I did not find it, not that the feature is missing.

Sources: lofty.com/price-packages; Lofty IDX plugin page and Lofty help center (read 27 October 2026); boldtrail.com package and platform pages; BoldTrail blog "kvCORE vs Lofty"; Capterra, read 6 November 2026.

Websites and MLS reach

BoldTrail's own comparison concedes that "Lofty offers more flexibility in website customization and personal branding." On MLS reach, BoldTrail's claim is larger. The two counts come from different pages and countries, so ask each demo whether your MLS is live.

Back office, recruiting and teams

This is BoldTrail's clearest lead. BackOffice covers transaction management, commission automation, eSignature, QuickBooks and agent onboarding. Recruit adds recruiting dashboards. Both are "priced separately from the front-office CRM."

BoldTrail's blog says "Lofty doesn't offer a native back-office solution." I found no Lofty back-office module either. For teams, Lofty publishes "$299/month per Team" and "$299/month per office."

Sources: BoldTrail pricing blog (5 June 2026) and "kvCORE vs Lofty" blog (10 April 2026), read 6 November 2026; Lofty help center, read 27 October 2026.

My view: if your brokerage needs commission accounting in the same system, only BoldTrail shows it. For a website, CRM and texting, both cover it.

How do the AI tools compare?

Short answer: Lofty sells an AI agent that talks to your leads. BoldTrail's AI, on its own pages, mostly helps the agent and the buyer: drafting messages, flagging hot leads and plain-language home search. Both have announced MCP connectors for outside AI tools, and BoldTrail's names ChatGPT and Claude.

Sources: lofty.com/price-packages, Lofty help center and RISMedia (5 October 2026), read 27 October 2026; boldtrail.com, BoldTrail help center, InsideRE Terms of Service and RISMedia (13 October 2026), read 6 November 2026.

Lofty's AI

Lofty's pricing page lists AI tools on all four plans, including Lofty Cowork, Custom AI Agents and AI Lead Scoring. Its AOS FAQ adds: "Some AI features are included in core plans while others are available as upgrades."

The main upgrade is the Sales Agent: "Your very own virtual ISA, working 24/7 to capture and convert more leads into appointments." It is free for 10 leads, and Pro is $60 a month for 200 leads. I found no Lofty feature like HomeSearchAI.

BoldTrail's AI

BoldTrail's Smart Assistant "can craft compelling content" for texts, emails and call scripts, which you can "edit the message to your liking, or send as is!" The help article warns that "All AI bots are subject to 'hallucinations'." It does not describe AI texting leads on its own.

HomeSearchAI "lets buyers search using natural, conversational language" and can send alerts "based on natural language." Streams, launched 31 March 2026, is "an AI-powered mobile app designed to help real estate agents respond faster."

Sources: BoldTrail help center, "Smart Assistant, Powered by AI" (2 September 2026); boldtrail.com/ai-search; Streams release (31 March 2026), read 6 November 2026.

BoldTrail's terms bill AI usage as "Communication & AI Token Fees" with no published rates. Lofty publishes its Sales Agent prices, so its Sales Agent cost is easier to estimate before the call.

My view: if you want software to hold the first conversation with a new lead, Lofty sells that on its own pages. If you want buyers to search your site in plain language, BoldTrail has the named product.

What do Lofty and BoldTrail cost?

Short answer: neither publishes plan prices. Both quote after a sales call. Lofty publishes many add-on prices. BoldTrail publishes almost none, and says onboarding, Marketplace add-ons, BackOffice and recruiting can add to the bill.

BoldTrail pricing

• "BoldTrail doesn't publish a standard pricing page with fixed monthly tiers."
• "Contact BoldTrail directly for a quote specific to your situation."
• "BoldTrail BackOffice and the recruiting module are priced separately from the front-office CRM."
• "BoldTrail has historically charged an onboarding fee for setup and implementation support."

Source: BoldTrail blog, "BoldTrail Pricing: What It Costs and What You Get" (5 June 2026), read 6 November 2026.

Its terms add an "Implementation Fee" billed "on the signing date of the Agreement," monthly "Communication & AI Token Fees" and MLS fees "billed as incurred." No amounts are published.

[Third party, weak] Third-party sites report about $499 a month for a solo BoldTrail agent. The source I read is a second-hand summary, and I did not read its originals. Lofty's compare page repeats $499, but that is competitor content. I treat it as unverified.

Sources: InsideRE Terms of Service 4.1 (updated 10/30/2025); AIToolsBakery (4 September 2026), third party; lofty.com/compare/boldtrail, competitor content, read 6 November 2026.

Lofty pricing

Lofty's four plans each say "Request Pricing," and "Lofty pricing varies based on your choice of platform package, seat count, optional upgrades and lead-gen programs." But it publishes many add-on prices:

Sources: lofty.com/price-packages, read 6 November 2026; Lofty help center add-on articles, read 27 October 2026.

More on Lofty's plans and add-ons is in my Lofty CRM pricing breakdown. For both next to ten other systems, see what 12 real estate CRMs and platforms cost.

Ad programs

Sources: lofty.com/price-packages and Lofty "Lead Generation FAQs"; BoldTrail PropertyBoost help article (27 July 2026); InsideRE Terms of Service 4.1(v), read 6 November 2026.

On 6 November 2026, Lofty's FAQ said that if the total ad budget is less than $700, a flat $150 a month management fee applies. The page has read differently before, so confirm the threshold with Lofty.

My view: get both quotes in writing with every line item: platform, seats, setup, usage and ads. BoldTrail's unpublished token and implementation fees are the bigger unknown.

How do the contracts and cancellation terms compare?

Short answer: both auto-renew fixed-term contracts for a year and both say fees paid are non-refundable. On the published terms, BoldTrail is friendlier at renewal: 30 days' notice and a 5% renewal cap, against Lofty's 90 days and 10%. Lofty's terms do include a month-to-month agreement type.

Sources: InsideRE, LLC Terms of Service (updated 10/30/2025), read 6 November 2026; Lofty Terms of Use (last updated 17 August 2026), read 27 October 2026. A 6 November re-read did not load Lofty's terms tab.

The key clauses, quoted

• BoldTrail renewal: it renews "for consecutive twelve (12) month periods" unless you give "written cancellation notice to IRE at least thirty (30) days" before the term ends.
• BoldTrail cap: "any such fee increase shall not exceed five percent (5%) more than the fees applicable in the preceding annual term"
• Lofty renewal: "auto-renewed for a one-year period" unless terminated in writing "at least ninety (90) calendar days prior to the contract end date."
• Lofty cap: increases "will not exceed the lower of ten percent (10%) per twelve (12)-month period", with notice "at least one hundred twenty (120) calendar days in advance".
• Lofty promotions: "If you received a discount or other promotional offer, we shall have the right to automatically renew your subscription to such Services at the full applicable Fee."
• Lofty, after the deadline: leaving costs "the remaining value of your current Committed Term plus the full value of the upcoming Renewal Term".

Lofty's compare page does not match the terms

Lofty's "Lofty vs BoldTrail" page labels Lofty's contracts "Flexible" and BoldTrail's "Longer commitments." That page is competitor content and cites no source. It conflicts with the published terms, where BoldTrail has the shorter notice window and the lower cap.

Lofty's monthly agreement type is real flexibility. But term length for both is set in each order form, so neither compare page can tell you which contract you will get.

Source: lofty.com/compare/boldtrail, competitor content, read 6 November 2026.

My view: put your notice deadline in your calendar the day you sign. With Lofty it falls about three months before the end. Both companies draw auto-renewal complaints, as the ratings section shows.

Check your exit cost and renewal dates (calculator)

Short answer: if you leave early, both sets of terms say the remaining fees may be due. Enter your quote to see the amount, your notice deadline and the highest renewal price the published cap allows. The fee starts at zero because neither company publishes plan prices.

How the check counts

• Remaining fees: your monthly fee times the months left in the term (term minus months paid). Both sets of terms say remaining fees may be due if you leave early.
• Notice deadline: Lofty's terms need written notice at least 90 calendar days before the term ends. BoldTrail's need at least 30 days.
• Renewal cap: your fee plus 10% for Lofty or 5% for BoldTrail. This is the most the published cap allows, not a forecast.
• Past Lofty's deadline: the check adds 12 months at today's fee, because Lofty's terms add "the full value of the upcoming Renewal Term".

My view: run this before your demo with a rough quote, then again with the real number. If the exit cost would hurt, ask for a shorter term or the monthly agreement in writing.

What do ratings and complaints say?

Short answer: BoldTrail rates higher than Lofty on G2 and Capterra, including customer service. Both are rated "Bad" on Trustpilot and F on BBB, and both draw auto-renewal complaints. These are third-party sites, and scores change.

Sources: G2 product pages (modified 5 November 2026) and G2 compare page (14 August 2026, support and ease scores); Capterra (19 October 2026); Trustpilot; BBB, all third party, read 6 November 2026.

BoldTrail has about 3.8 times as many G2 reviews and 4.4 times as many on Capterra. Ease of use is level on G2 and slightly in BoldTrail's favor on Capterra, so these scores do not show Lofty ahead on ease.

Trustpilot warns on both pages: "This company hasn't invited customers recently, so reviews may not be representative." BBB complaint counts are higher for Inside Real Estate, but it is older and also covers BoomTown and Brokermint customers, so raw counts are not a fair comparison.

Complaints on both sides, quoted

These are individual reviewers, not findings. The same themes, renewals, cancellation and support, show up for both.

• BoldTrail, Capterra (5 October 2026): "BEWARE THE AUTORENEWAL!"
• BoldTrail, Capterra (20 May 2026): "Support and customer service slow to get back to you"
• Inside Real Estate, Trustpilot (10 August 2026): "Impossible to cancel even when doing it within their terms."
• Lofty, BBB review (1 October 2026): "Lofty is a contract scam, I signed up for 6 months to test drive their website capabilities."
• Lofty, BBB review (31 July 2026): "Terrible onboarding, hidden fees, and non-existent customer service."

Source: Capterra, Trustpilot and BBB review pages, third party, read 6 November 2026.

My view: BoldTrail's higher support scores are the strongest point in its favor here. The complaints on both sides point to the same fix: know your renewal date and get every promise in the order form.

Integrations, your data and switching

Short answer: both connect to the usual tools, including Zillow, Realtor.com, Follow Up Boss, Dotloop, DocuSign and Zapier. BoldTrail even lists Lofty on its integrations page. The bigger difference is what happens to your data when you leave.

Sources: lofty.com/integrations and Lofty help center (read 27 October 2026); boldtrail.com/integrations; InsideRE Terms of Service 3.4, read 6 November 2026.

Counts are self-reported and measured differently, so I do not rank on them. If you pair either with Follow Up Boss, my Follow Up Boss review covers what it does alone.

Getting your data out

BoldTrail's terms set a clock: it acts "Upon written request by you made within thirty (30) days after the date of termination" and "may delete Your Data after this thirty (30) day period." Request your export in writing as the contract ends.

Lofty's Lofty Front help article says "your lead data belongs to you" and shows an export under People. The Lofty terms excerpts I have give no data-return window, so ask for one on the demo.

Already on kvCORE? BoldTrail says "The migration is designed to preserve your existing CRM data, contacts, IDX site, and lead history."

My view: export your contacts to a spreadsheet every quarter, whichever you choose. It makes a future switch far easier.

eXp agents and brokerage-provided access

Short answer: if you are with eXp Realty, check with eXp before paying for either. Both platforms are tied to eXp.

BoldTrail's pricing guide says: "Eligible eXp Realty agents receive BoldTrail access as part of their brokerage relationship." It adds: "Confirm the current terms directly with eXp Realty, as access conditions can vary." Its eXp FAQ page redirected, so I could not read it.

A GlobeNewswire release from 1 July 2025 named Lofty a "preferred solution provider" in eXp's CRM of Choice program. The release says the program is "included within the existing monthly tech package." Both statements may be true at once.

Sources: BoldTrail pricing blog (5 June 2026), read 6 November 2026; GlobeNewswire (1 July 2025), read 27 October 2026.

For the brokerage itself, see my eXp Realty review.

My view: ask eXp which platform comes with the tech fee today, what costs extra, and what happens to your data if you leave eXp.

Which should you choose: solo agent, team or broker?

Short answer, and this is my opinion: solo agents who want AI follow-up should look hardest at Lofty. Brokers and large teams that need back office and recruiting should look hardest at BoldTrail. Small teams should demo both.

Sources: the sections above; BoldTrail blog "kvCORE vs Lofty" (10 April 2026), read 6 November 2026.

For brokers, BoldTrail is the only one of the two with commission accounting and a recruiting module on its own pages. For solo agents, ask whether the quoted BoldTrail package includes the AI search alerts that come with PLUS.

If neither fits, my guide to the best CRM for real estate agents compares other options. If Lofty is on your shortlist, the demo section below explains my Lofty referral page (affiliate link).

My view: pick the platform whose weak point you can live with. For Lofty, that is the longer renewal notice and weaker support scores. For BoldTrail, it is unpublished fees and no lead-facing AI on its pages.

Questions to ask on both demos

Short answer: ask both the same questions, and get the answers in the order form. These come from the gaps in each company's published terms.

• Both: What is my term, and what exact date is my notice deadline?
• Both: Is a month-to-month agreement available, and at what price?
• Both: What are the setup and usage fees for texts, calls and AI? Are they refundable?
• Both: Is my MLS live, and how long do I have to export my data after I leave?
• Lofty: If I sign with a promotion, what will I pay at renewal?
• Lofty: What is today's flat-fee threshold for small ad budgets?
• BoldTrail: What are the Communication and AI Token Fee rates and the implementation fee?
• BoldTrail: Does any AI respond to my leads on its own, or only draft for me?

My view: if a rep cannot answer a fee question on the call, ask for it by email before you sign.

How to book a Lofty VIP demo or a BoldTrail demo

Short answer: Lofty demos for referred visitors are booked on a VIP demo request page. BoldTrail quotes come through its sales team. Neither company shows a plan price.

My referral link opens a demo request page for referred visitors, headed "You've been personally referred." It lists "A personal tour from one of our top solutions advisors," "Guaranteed best pricing on new subscriptions and add-ons" and "Instant access to your account upon sign-up."

It says "A top Lofty advisor will reach out within 1 business day" and "No credit card required." "Guaranteed best pricing" is Lofty's wording, undefined, and its public pricing page uses similar wording for everyone. I would not read it as a special deal.

Source: lofty.com/partners/affiliates/SJ-KWL9A, no form submitted, read 6 November 2026.

For BoldTrail, its pricing guide says to "Contact BoldTrail directly for a quote specific to your situation." Ask its sales team for a quote and a demo. I have no BoldTrail link and do not link other vendor sites here.

My view: book both demos in the same week with the same question list, then compare the answers side by side.

My affiliate relationship and how I handled it

Short answer: I am a Lofty affiliate with no BoldTrail link. To keep that from tilting the post, I built it on published terms and third-party ratings, and I put BoldTrail ahead wherever they do.

• BoldTrail's leads are stated plainly: renewal notice, renewal cap, ratings, support scores, BackOffice, Recruit, HomeSearchAI and the larger MLS claim.
• Lofty's claims are labelled: its compare page is competitor content, and I show where it conflicts with the terms.
• The offer is attributed: I quote Lofty's affiliate program and ask you to confirm it.
• The link stays in two places, both after the disclosure.

My view: an affiliate link is fine if the facts do the work. If the facts point to BoldTrail for your situation, choose BoldTrail.

What I could not verify

These are the gaps I hit. Be careful with any page that fills them with a confident number.

• Plan prices for either. Third-party BoldTrail figures trace to sources I did not read.
• Setup amounts, minimum terms and seat counts for either, and BoldTrail's AI token rates.
• BoldTrail's Leads360 and PropertyBoost fees, and whether it has a dialer.
• Lofty's Power Dialer price and any AI home search feature.
• Lofty's current Terms of Use text. The 6 November 2026 re-read did not load.
• Lofty's ad fee threshold, which has read differently on different days.
• Inside Real Estate's rename announcement and its eXp FAQ. Both redirect.
• BoldTrail BackOffice tier differences. The page needed JavaScript.
• Whether the Lofty affiliate offer applies to you. It is not shown on the referral page.

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Frequently asked questions

Is BoldTrail the same as kvCORE?

Yes. Inside Real Estate rebranded kvCORE as BoldTrail in June 2024, per HousingWire, RISMedia and Inman. BoldTrail's blog tells kvCORE users they are migrating to BoldTrail, not switching to a competitor.

Which is cheaper, Lofty or BoldTrail?

You cannot tell without quotes, because neither publishes plan prices. Lofty publishes more add-on prices. Third-party sites report about $499 a month for a solo BoldTrail agent, but that figure is unverified.

Which has better contract terms, Lofty or BoldTrail?

On the published renewal terms, BoldTrail: 30 days' notice and a 5% renewal cap, against Lofty's 90 days and 10%. Lofty's terms do include a month-to-month agreement type. Your order form sets the term.

Can I cancel Lofty or BoldTrail early?

Both sets of terms say fees paid are non-refundable, and leaving early can mean paying the remaining months. Lofty's terms add the next renewal term if you miss the 90-day notice deadline.

Is Lofty or BoldTrail rated higher?

BoldTrail, on G2 (4.5 vs 4.3) and Capterra (4.4 vs 3.8), as read 6 November 2026. Both are rated "Bad" on Trustpilot and F on BBB, with auto-renewal complaints about both.

Does Lofty have a back office like BoldTrail BackOffice?

Not as a stated module in the sources I read. BoldTrail BackOffice, formerly Brokermint, covers transactions, commission automation and QuickBooks. BoldTrail's own comparison says Lofty lacks a native back office.

Do eXp agents get Lofty or BoldTrail?

Possibly either. BoldTrail says eligible eXp agents get access through the brokerage. Lofty is a preferred provider in eXp's CRM of Choice program. Check the current terms with eXp.

What does the Lofty VIP demo include?

Lofty's referral page lists a personal tour, "Guaranteed best pricing on new subscriptions and add-ons" and instant account access. It does not define best pricing, so ask Lofty to put any offer in writing.