Comparison
Alto is the installed base. Thousands of UK agencies run on it. SortX is the next generation: an agent-first operating system where AI agents do the routine work and staff supervise. Same lifecycle, fundamentally different architecture.
| SortX | Alto | |
|---|---|---|
| Core platform | ||
| AI agent workforce (20+ named agents) | ||
| Cloud-native, browser-based | Partial | |
| Sales pipeline | ||
| Lettings workflow | ||
| Property management | ||
| Client accounting | ||
| AI and automation | ||
| AI-drafted communications | ||
| AI inbox triage | ||
| Automated referencing chase | ||
| Chain graph with AI progression | ||
| Emergency repair triage | ||
| Invoice verification agent | ||
| Compliance | ||
| AML/CDD with evidence | Basic | |
| Right to Rent tracking | ||
| Material information (NTS) | Partial | |
| Gas, electrical, EPC clocks | ||
| Deposit protection automation | Manual | |
| Integrations | ||
| Rightmove / Zoopla / OTM | ||
| Xero / Sage | Sage | |
| DocuSign / e-signatures | Limited | |
| Goodlord / HomeLet referencing | Limited | |
| WhatsApp Business | ||
| Open API | Limited | |
Where SortX wins
Where Alto wins
Alto is the workhorse CRM that built the UK estate agency software category. It works. Agencies know it, staff are trained on it, and the data is there. Moving off Alto is a serious decision because the migration cost is real.
SortX does not compete on the same axis. It is not a slightly better CRM. It is a different product category: an agent-first operating system. The CRM tables exist because the agents need a system of record. But the primary product is the AI workforce that reads every channel, does the routine work, logs evidence and escalates exceptions.
If Alto works and the bottleneck is not the daily routine, stay on Alto. If the bottleneck is staff doing the same chase, the same draft, the same check hundreds of times a week, SortX removes that bottleneck.
The honest play: run SortX alongside Alto for a quarter. Let the agents handle one workflow. Measure the hours recovered. Then decide.
Yes. SortX provides structured migration tools for property records, contacts, tenancies, compliance history and accounting data from Alto exports.
Yes. Many agencies pilot SortX on one workflow or branch while keeping Alto as the primary system, then expand based on measured results.
Alto is per seat. SortX is per activity. Quiet branches pay less on SortX because agents only charge when they do work. Busy branches may pay more, but the agents handled the work that would have required additional headcount.
Book a 30-minute demo and we'll walk through your actual day with both products side by side.