Updated January 20, 2026· 10 min

7 Best Ad Tools for Real Estate in 2026

The essential guide to ad tools that help real estate professionals generate buyer and seller leads. From lead gen platforms to AI creative tools, find what drives closings.

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Key Takeaways

  • BoomTown (#1) provides the complete lead gen to close system for serious teams and top producers - expensive but comprehensive.
  • Benly (#2) helps agents understand what advertising works in their market and create effective ads without marketing expertise.
  • Follow-up systems matter as much as lead generation - the best leads in the world are worthless without response within minutes.
  • Match your investment to your production: new agents need fundamentals, not expensive lead gen platforms.
  • Track cost per closing, not cost per lead - this is the metric that determines whether marketing is actually profitable.

Real estate marketing has transformed. The agents and brokerages winning today combine digital advertising with CRM automation and AI-powered follow-up. The right tools turn ad spend into closed transactions, not just leads that go cold.

We evaluated ad tools specifically for real estate: lead generation capabilities, MLS integration, CRM with nurturing automation, and the unique needs of agents marketing listings and their personal brand. This guide covers the 7 best ad tools for real estate - whether you are a solo agent or a large brokerage.

Our methodology: We tested each tool focusing on real estate needs: lead quality and volume, CRM and nurturing capabilities, listing marketing features, and ROI for agents at different production levels. Ratings reflect feedback from 60+ real estate professionals.

Quick Comparison

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#ToolBest ForPriceRating
1
BoomTown
Lead Gen Platform$1,000/mo
4.4
2
BenlyBenly
AI Creative Intelligence$99/mo
4.5
3
Ylopo
AI + Lead Gen$695/mo
4.3
4
Zillow Premier Agent
Buyer LeadsVaries by ZIP
4.0
5
Follow Up Boss
Real Estate CRM$69/mo
4.5
6
Curaytor
Full-Service Marketing$1,500/mo
4.2
7
Adwerx
Listing Retargeting$99/mo
4.1

Detailed Reviews

#1

BoomTown

Best for Lead Gen Platform

4.4

$1,000/mo

BoomTown provides an all-in-one real estate marketing platform: IDX website, lead generation ads, and CRM with automated nurturing. It is designed for agents and teams serious about digital lead generation, with predictive analytics helping prioritize which leads to focus on. For real estate professionals wanting a complete system, BoomTown delivers.

Key Features

  • IDX website with lead capture
  • PPC lead generation management
  • CRM with AI lead scoring
  • Automated nurturing sequences
  • Team lead routing
  • Performance analytics
Best for: Teams and top producers wanting complete lead gen systems
Visit Website
#2
Benly

Benly

Our Pick

Best for AI Creative Intelligence

4.5

$99/mo

Benly helps real estate agents understand what advertising works in their market. Its AI analyzes competitor real estate ads, identifies patterns in effective listing and agent brand campaigns, and helps generate professional ad variations. For agents without marketing expertise, Benly provides the intelligence to create ads that compete.

Key Features

  • AI-powered real estate ad analysis
  • Competitor ad intelligence
  • Ad variation generation
  • Multi-platform coverage
  • Listing ad templates
  • Agent brand creative support
Best for: Agents wanting to improve ad creative without agencies
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#3

Ylopo

Best for AI + Lead Gen

4.3

$695/mo

Ylopo combines AI-powered digital advertising with lead nurturing via text and email. Its strength is generating leads through Facebook and Google while using AI (Raiya) to engage them automatically via conversational text. For tech-forward agents who understand lead nurturing matters as much as lead generation, Ylopo provides the system.

Key Features

  • AI-powered digital advertising
  • Raiya AI text assistant
  • Dynamic listing ads
  • IDX home search
  • CRM integration
  • Behavioral remarketing
Best for: Tech-savvy agents wanting AI-powered lead gen and nurture
Visit Website
#4

Zillow Premier Agent

Best for Buyer Leads

4.0

Varies by ZIP code

Zillow Premier Agent connects you with active buyers searching on Zillow. In many markets, Zillow has the highest buyer intent - people actively looking at homes. The leads are shared among Premier Agents in your ZIP codes, so speed and follow-up matter enormously. For buyer-focused agents in active Zillow markets, it remains a significant lead source.

Key Features

  • Buyer leads from Zillow searches
  • Listing exposure on Zillow
  • Agent profile and reviews
  • Lead phone alerts
  • CRM for lead management
  • Performance reporting
Best for: Buyer agents in markets where Zillow dominates searches
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#5

Follow Up Boss

Best for Real Estate CRM

4.5

$69/mo

Follow Up Boss is the purpose-built CRM for real estate lead management. It integrates with virtually every real estate lead source, automates follow-up sequences, and helps agents and teams never let a lead slip through the cracks. For real estate professionals using multiple lead sources, Follow Up Boss provides the centralized system.

Key Features

  • Real estate-specific CRM
  • 300+ lead source integrations
  • Action plans and automation
  • Team lead distribution
  • Calling and texting
  • Pipeline tracking
Best for: Agents and teams needing to manage leads from multiple sources
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#6

Curaytor

Best for Full-Service Marketing

4.2

$1,500/mo

Curaytor provides done-for-you real estate marketing: they create the content, run the ads, and optimize campaigns. For successful agents and teams who want marketing handled without building internal capabilities, Curaytor provides the execution. It is expensive but removes the marketing burden entirely.

Key Features

  • Done-for-you advertising
  • Content creation
  • Social media management
  • Website and landing pages
  • Strategic coaching
  • Performance reporting
Best for: Top producers wanting marketing handled completely
Visit Website
#7

Adwerx

Best for Listing Retargeting

4.1

$99/mo

Adwerx specializes in retargeting ads that follow potential buyers after they view your listings. It is simpler than full lead gen platforms but effective for listing promotion and agent branding. For agents wanting to stay top-of-mind without complex systems, Adwerx provides accessible digital advertising.

Key Features

  • Listing retargeting ads
  • Agent branding campaigns
  • Automated from MLS
  • Display and social ads
  • Simple setup
  • Reporting dashboard
Best for: Agents wanting simple listing retargeting and brand ads
Visit Website

How to Choose the Right Tool

Key Criteria

  • 1
    Production level - Are you a new agent, established producer, or team?
  • 2
    Budget reality - What can you sustain monthly including ad spend?
  • 3
    DIY vs. done-for-you - Do you want to run marketing or have it handled?
  • 4
    Lead sources - Do you need new lead sources or better nurturing of existing?
  • 5
    Focus - Are you buyer-focused, listing-focused, or both?
  • 6
    Tech comfort - How comfortable are you with marketing technology?

Questions to Ask

  • ?What is my annual GCI and sustainable marketing budget?
  • ?Do I struggle more with lead generation or lead conversion?
  • ?Do I have time to manage marketing or need done-for-you?
  • ?What lead sources am I currently using?
  • ?Is my business buyer-focused, seller-focused, or balanced?
  • ?How tech-savvy am I with marketing tools?

Frequently Asked Questions

New agents should focus on fundamentals: a basic CRM (Follow Up Boss), sphere marketing (email, social), and learning one advertising platform (Facebook or Google). Do not invest in expensive lead gen platforms until you have income to sustain them. Use Benly to learn from successful agents' advertising. Build skills before buying leads.
Paid leads can be worth it IF you have the follow-up systems and skills to convert them. The agents who succeed with paid leads call immediately (within 5 minutes), have automated nurturing for longer-term leads, and track their cost per closing - not just cost per lead. Without strong follow-up, paid leads are expensive and frustrating.
It depends on your time and budget. DIY (with Benly for creative intelligence) costs less but requires time to learn. Done-for-you (Curaytor) costs more but removes the burden. Middle ground (BoomTown, Ylopo) provides systems but you manage them. Top producers often graduate from DIY to done-for-you as their time becomes more valuable.
A common guideline is 10-15% of GCI on marketing. An agent earning $200K GCI might budget $20-30K annually for marketing. Start smaller to test what works before scaling. Track cost per closing, not just cost per lead - a $500 lead that closes is better than ten $50 leads that don't.
In many markets, yes - Zillow still has enormous buyer traffic. But success requires: immediate response (within minutes), strong follow-up systems, and calculating your actual cost per closing. Some ZIPs are overpriced relative to lead quality. Test cautiously and track your numbers carefully before committing significant budget.
Follow Up Boss is the most popular dedicated real estate CRM because it integrates with virtually every lead source and has strong automation. kvCORE (inside platforms like BoomTown) works well if you are in that ecosystem. The best CRM is the one you actually use consistently - pick one and commit to it.
Increasingly important. Video listing tours, market updates, and agent introduction videos perform well on social platforms. You do not need professional production - smartphone video with good lighting works. Benly can show you what video content works for other agents. Start simple and improve over time.

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Gaultier D'Acunto

Gaultier D'Acunto

Co-founder

Published January 20, 2026