Using an IDX on your real estate site is a great way to increase leads and make MLS listings more accessible to your clients. If you’ve looked into IDX before, you’ve probably seen IDX Broker and Showcase IDX pop up. But, which is the better choice?

Generally, real estate agents prefer Showcase IDX over IDX Broker due to their excellent customer support, modern technology, and SEO capabilities. However, IDX Broker has the edge in terms of MLS coverage and CRM integrations. The best choice comes down to what you need IDX to accomplish for you.

 Below, we’ll highlight all the advantages and disadvantages of using IDX Broker and Showcase IDX. Keep reading before choosing a platform!

What is IDX?

Internet data exchange, commonly known as IDX, allows real estate agents or brokers to display information from a multiple listing service (MLS) on their real estate websites. IDX is an umbrella term, encompassing the various policies, standards, and software related to MLS listings.

To incorporate IDX into your website, you need to be a member of at least one MLS database. IDX rules dictate where listing information can be displayed, how it can be displayed, and the exact information agents can include. There are many different IDX platforms available, and the best one to include on your website depends on your particular needs.

IDX Broker vs. Showcase IDX

While searching online for the best IDXs to include on your real estate website, you’ve probably come across IDX Broker and Showcase IDX. Both are great choices, but certain people prefer one IDX to the other. Now, let’s compare the two tools and highlight the pros and cons of each.

IDX Broker

IDX Broker is an IDX platform that was founded in 2003. Their headquarters are located in Eugene, OR. IDX Broker is the IDX platform of choice for many brokers, due to its expansive MLS coverage and great relationships with various marketing agencies.

This IDX tool offers a family of plugins engineered to collect and organize nationwide MLS listings, allowing you to seamlessly display property listings right on your website. They offer both Lite and Platinum plans for single agents, small teams, and whole offices. Now, let’s discuss some pros and cons of IDX Broker.

Pros of IDX Broker

Using IDX Broker is a great option for many real estate agents and teams. The biggest advantage of using this platform is its extensive MLS coverage. This platform boasts the largest MLS coverage of any IDX in the United States, all but ensuring that, no matter where your agency is located, you’ll be able to access your MLS with it.

IDX Broker also offers agent rosters for an additional monthly fee. This allows you to create a directory of all the agents at your company without having to create any additional pages in WordPress. Larger teams or offices typically find this tool incredibly useful.

As noted above, IDX Broker has strong relationships with different marketing agencies. These relationships allow the company to offer direct integrations with various customer relationship management (CRM) companies, including:

  • LionDesk
  • WiseAgent
  • Infusionsoft
  • Top Producer

In addition to CRM integrations, IDX Broker also allows you to integrate your site with other applications through Zapier.

Cons of IDX Broker

Even though IDX Broker is perfect for some real estate agencies, it does come with a few cons that you’ll need to weigh the pros against before making a final decision. One of the biggest complaints agents have about IDX Broker is how difficult it can sometimes be to get ahold of the support team. Some agents have reported that it sometimes takes weeks to receive a response or solution, which is definitely not ideal if you tend to rely on your support team for assistance.

One other thing you may want to note is that IDX Broker works on subdomains. This can compromise your local SEO, as Google will consider your search and MLS data sections as a different site than your main site. If local SEO is important for your company’s overall lead generation, you may want to consider an IDX that works with your existing domain.

Showcase IDX

Showcase IDX is another leading IDX plugin for WordPress-hosted real estate websites. Their only priorities are IDX and home searching, and this intense focus allows them to do their job exceptionally well.

This is another company that was founded in 2003, with headquarters in Bellingham, WA. They build complete websites for real estate agents and teams using their own IDX. Now that we’ve discussed some basic information on Showcase IDX, let’s highlight the pros and cons of using this tool for real estate.

Pros of Showcase IDX

One of the most important aspects of digital marketing for real estate agents is SEO. Unfortunately, many IDXs are lacking in this arena. Showcase IDX, on the other hand, was built with SEO in mind. All your search and MLS listing data will appear in search engines as native content right on your original domain. This helps independent agents often outrank bigger sites like Zillow and Trulia.

Another advantage of this IDX is its modern feel. While some IDXs often feel outdated or clunky to use, Showcase IDX outperforms almost all other IDX plugins and platforms, according to a study done by the Made in America Movement.

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of Showcase IDX is how much they truly care about their clients. Their support agents answer all client inquiries quickly, and they even do screen shares to solve more complicated problems. In addition, they offer simple, transparent pricing with no hidden fees.

Cons of Showcase IDX

Even though Showcase IDX is one of the top-performing IDXs available, it doesn’t come without its share of disadvantages. One downside is their MLS coverage. Even though Showcase IDX covers over one million agents, they don’t have the same capacities as IDX Broker. If the company’s coverage does not include your particular MLS just yet, you won’t be able to use it.

While it’s not important to some agents, it’s worth noting that Showcase IDX does not support Sold Data. Having access to this will not necessarily affect your SEO or user experience, but if you prefer having the option to include it on your site, you may want to look elsewhere.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right IDX to feature on your site is key to improving your real estate website as much as possible. Both IDX Broker and Showcase IDX are excellent choices, but the best option depends on your specific needs. Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of each before making a final decision.


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