MEMO vs Top Producer (2025): Modern CRM Alternative for Real Estate Agents

Last updated: December 2025

Quick Answer

Top Producer is a legacy real estate CRM platform (established 1991) with traditional desktop-first design and basic contact management. Best for agents comfortable with older interfaces who prioritize familiarity over modern UX.

MEMO is a lightweight Personal Relationship Manager (PRM) built around The Stack - a daily prioritized list that lets you "win the day in 3 taps." Mobile-first, modern design, built for 2025. No pipelines, no endless task lists, no guilt.

Bottom line: If you've been using Top Producer for years and it works, great. But if you're frustrated by the outdated interface, scared by data loss incidents, or struggling with the mobile app, MEMO is the modern alternative you've been waiting for.

Try MEMO Free for 14 Days → | Read Full Comparison ↓

Table of Contents

At a Glance: MEMO vs Top Producer

Feature Top Producer MEMO
Best for Traditional agents comfortable with older interfaces Solo agents wanting modern, mobile-first experience
Core strength Familiarity, 30+ years in market The Stack (prioritized daily list that ends)
Daily workflow Task list, calendar, contact lookup Connect with 3 people (Short List), then you're done
Interface Desktop-first (Windows 98 aesthetic) Mobile-first (2025 design)
Established 1991 (34 years old) 2024 (1 year old)
Starting price ~$40/month $49/month flat
Contract Monthly or annual Monthly, cancel anytime
Contact organization Categories, groups, custom fields 4 roles (Client, Partner, Vendor, Referrer) + 2 Orbits
Reminders Task lists with due dates, calendar sync The Pulse (drift tracking without guilt)
Data enrichment Manual form filling The Daily Deal (gamified 5-card data game)
Built-in texting ❌ No ❌ No (use your phone)
Built-in calling ❌ No ❌ No (use your phone)
Email integration ✅ Yes (Outlook, Gmail sync) ❌ No (we don't automate relationships)
Pipeline stages ✅ Yes (customizable) ❌ No (we track humans, not deals)
Task management ✅ Yes (traditional to-do lists) The Stack (prioritized, finite, guilt-free)
Quick capture Desktop entry (5-7 clicks) FAB - instant memo (3 taps, 10 seconds)
Mobile experience ⚠️ App exists but clunky ✅ Yes (thumb-optimized, red light test)
Data reliability ⚠️ Recent incidents (Template Library loss 2024) ✅ Cloud-synced, modern infrastructure
Learning curve Familiar if you've used it; outdated if you haven't 10 minutes (minimal setup)
Philosophy Traditional desktop CRM (1990s approach) Remember humans, win the day in 3 taps

The Top Producer Reality: What Long-Time Users Won't Tell You

Let's be clear upfront: Top Producer has been around for 34 years. Thousands of agents have used it successfully. Some have built their entire careers on it.

That's worth respecting.

But longevity doesn't mean it's the right tool for 2025.

The Problem: You've Been Loyal. It Hasn't Been Loyal Back.

Recent incidents from actual Top Producer users:

The Template Library Disaster (2024):

"I've spent hundreds of hours over the years building my system on TP 8i... In the past 2 weeks, TP has lost ALL of their clients' Template Libraries. Unrecoverable. I'm horrified." — 19-year Top Producer user

This isn't a hypothetical. This happened. Recently. To thousands of agents.

Years of customization. Gone.

The Mobile App Reality:

"The mobile app is barely functional. I can look up contacts but trying to add a note or update anything? Forget it. I'm usually back at my desktop." — Active Top Producer user

The Interface Problem:

"It is just a 'clunky' program. It needs to be streamlined." — Verified review

The Aging Platform:

"Top Producer feels like software from 2005 because it basically is. They've added features over the years but the core UI hasn't changed. It shows." — Agent switching to modern CRM

Why Are You Still Using It?

Let's be honest about why agents stay with Top Producer:

  1. Inertia - "I've used it for 10+ years, it's familiar"
  2. Sunk cost - "I've invested so much time customizing it"
  3. Fear of switching - "What if I lose my data?"
  4. Brokerage requirement - "My broker makes us use it"
  5. Comfort with old - "I don't like learning new software"

These are all understandable reasons.

But they're not good reasons.

The Three Red Flags That Mean It's Time to Switch

Red Flag #1: Data Loss Incidents

If a CRM loses your template library (or any data), that's a fundamental failure. Your relationships are your business. Software that can't protect your data can't protect your livelihood.

Red Flag #2: Mobile Is An Afterthought

Top Producer was built in 1991 for desktop. The mobile app was bolted on later. It shows. In 2025, mobile should be the primary experience, not a clunky afterthought.

Red Flag #3: Technical Debt Is Showing

"Clunky." "Outdated." "Feels like Windows 98." When users describe your software this way, it means the platform has aged past its useful life.

You deserve modern software.

Detailed Feature Breakdown

Daily Workflow: The Stack vs Top Producer's Task List

Top Producer:

MEMO: The Stack

How The Stack works:

  1. The Short List (The "Must-Do")

    • Maximum 3 people
    • Prioritized by MEMO's Pulse system (who's drifting + who's most important)
    • One tap to see their context (last memo, birthday, home anniversary)
    • One tap to log a touchpoint or reach out
    • When you finish: The list says "You won the day ✓"
    • The liberation: You're allowed to be done. The list ends.

  2. The Daily Deal (The "Candy")

    • 5 random cards from your sphere
    • Each card asks one quick question: "Does Andrew have a partner?" "What's Wade's favorite restaurant?"
    • Swipe left to skip, swipe right to answer
    • Takes 2 minutes, makes your future suggestions smarter
    • Completely optional - if you did The Short List, you already won

  3. Focus Stacks (The "Extra Credit")

    • Specific drawers for specific goals:
      • "Missing Birthdays" (fill in gaps)
      • "Drifting" (people you haven't talked to in a while)
      • "Referral Sources" (your MVPs)
    • No red badges. You enter these voluntarily
    • For the go-getters who want to optimize beyond the daily 3

Winner: MEMO (if you want finite goals and mobile-first), Top Producer (if you're comfortable with desktop task lists)

Contact Management

Top Producer:

MEMO: The Sphere

Winner: Top Producer (if you love extensive customization), MEMO (if you want clarity over complexity)

Staying in Touch: The Pulse vs Top Producer Tasks

Top Producer:

MEMO: The Pulse

The Difference in Practice:

Scenario: You haven't talked to Sarah in 3 weeks

Top Producer:

MEMO's Pulse:

Winner: MEMO (if guilt doesn't motivate you), Top Producer (if structured tasks work for you)

Quick Capture: FAB vs Top Producer Entry

Top Producer:

On Desktop:

  1. Find contact in left panel (scroll or search)
  2. Click their name
  3. Click "New Activity" button
  4. Select activity type from dropdown (Call, Email, Meeting, etc.)
  5. Enter date/time
  6. Enter notes in text area
  7. Click "Save"

On Mobile App:

  1. Open app (wait for load)
  2. Navigate to contacts
  3. Search for contact name
  4. Tap their profile
  5. Find "Add Activity" (buried in menu)
  6. Select type
  7. Enter notes
  8. Save

MEMO: The Floating Action Button (FAB)

  1. Tap FAB (always visible, bottom-right corner)
  2. Dictate or type: "Son made varsity basketball"
  3. Start typing name to tag: "Sar..." → Sarah appears
  4. Tap Sarah
  5. Done

The Red Light Test: Can you log a thought at a red light before the light turns green?

Winner: MEMO (purpose-built for speed), Top Producer (structured but slow)

Data Enrichment: The Daily Deal vs Top Producer Forms

Top Producer:

MEMO: The Daily Deal

Math:

Winner: MEMO (makes boring work fun), Top Producer (traditional but thorough if you have discipline)

Mobile Experience: The Critical Difference

Top Producer:

Desktop Application:

Mobile App:

Why the mobile app struggles:

MEMO:

The Reality Check:

Where do you actually work?

Which CRM is built for where you actually are?

Winner: MEMO (purpose-built for mobile), Top Producer (better on desktop if that's your primary workspace)

Data Reliability and Modern Infrastructure

Top Producer:

MEMO:

The Trust Question:

After the Template Library incident, can you trust Top Producer with your data?

Agent quote:

"I've been a loyal customer for 19 years. I've defended Top Producer when other agents complained. But losing my templates - years of work - with no way to recover? I can't trust them anymore."

Winner: MEMO (modern infrastructure, no data loss incidents), Top Producer (needs to rebuild trust)

Pros & Cons

Top Producer

Pros:

Cons:

MEMO

Pros:

Cons:

Choose Top Producer If You...

Choose MEMO If You...

Still Not Sure? Try This

Question 1: Where do you do most of your work?

Question 2: How do you feel about Top Producer's mobile app?

Question 3: How do you react to the Template Library incident?

Question 4: Are you starting fresh or migrating?

What Real Agents Say About Top Producer

The Template Library Disaster (2024)

"I've spent hundreds of hours over the years building my system on TP 8i... In the past 2 weeks, TP has lost ALL of their clients' Template Libraries. Unrecoverable. I'm horrified." — Top Producer user, 19 years of loyalty

This is not a hypothetical. This happened in 2024. Years of customization, gone. For thousands of agents.

The Interface Problem

"It is just a 'clunky' program. It needs to be streamlined." — Verified Top Producer user review

The Mobile Reality

While Top Producer offers a mobile app, agents consistently report it's barely functional compared to the desktop experience. The platform was built in 1991 for desktop computers - and it shows.

Why Long-Time Users Finally Switch

The pattern we see:

  1. Agent uses Top Producer for 10-15 years
  2. Frustrated by outdated interface but loyal
  3. Major incident happens (data loss, mobile app failure)
  4. Finally switches to modern alternative

After 34 years, Top Producer's technical debt is showing. Legacy code, aging infrastructure, and desktop-first design are increasingly incompatible with how agents work in 2025.

How to Switch from Top Producer to MEMO

The Reality: Switching Is Easier Than You Think

You're probably overestimating how hard this is.

What you think switching means:

What switching actually means:

Total effort: ~1 hour over 2 weeks

The 3-Week Transition Plan

Week 1: Export and Import

Step 1: Export from Top Producer

  1. Open Top Producer (desktop)
  2. File → Export → Contacts
  3. Select fields to export (at minimum: name, phone, email, birthday)
  4. Save as CSV
  5. Time: 5-10 minutes

Step 2: Import to MEMO

  1. Open MEMO
  2. Settings → Import Contacts
  3. Upload CSV
  4. Map fields (name → name, phone → phone, etc.)
  5. MEMO imports your contacts
  6. Time: 5-10 minutes

Step 3: Keep using Top Producer

Week 2: Start Using MEMO's Short List

Morning routine:

  1. Open MEMO (on your phone, wherever you are)
  2. See The Short List (3 people)
  3. Pick one, reach out
  4. Log touchpoint via FAB
  5. Done

Throughout the day:

  1. Thought hits you at red light
  2. Tap FAB → Type → Tag → Done
  3. 10 seconds

End of week:

Week 3: Realize You're Not Going Back

What you notice:

What you do:

  1. Export any final notes from Top Producer (if you want them)
  2. Cancel Top Producer subscription
  3. Fully commit to MEMO

What Transfers from Top Producer

✅ Transfers easily:

⚠️ Requires manual work:

❌ Doesn't transfer (by design):

The Good News: Most agents realize their "years of customization" in Top Producer were overcomplicated. MEMO's simple structure forces clarity.

The Fear: "What If I Lose Something Important?"

Safety net strategy:

  1. Export EVERYTHING from Top Producer before canceling

    • Contacts (CSV)
    • Notes (if possible)
    • Templates (backup files)
    • Store on your computer/cloud drive

  2. Keep Top Producer login active for 1 month

    • Don't cancel immediately
    • Run both systems
    • Reference Top Producer if needed

  3. After 1 month, if you haven't logged into Top Producer once:

    • You don't need it anymore
    • Cancel it
    • Keep your export files as backup

Agent experience:

"I kept Top Producer active for a month 'just in case.' I logged in once to check something. By week 2, MEMO had more useful context than Top Producer ever did. Canceled TP at the end of the month. Haven't missed it."

Frequently Asked Questions

"I've used Top Producer for 15 years. Why should I switch?"

Because 15 years ago, Top Producer was state-of-the-art. In 2025, it's not.

Technology has changed:

Your business has evolved. Your tools should too.

The loyalty question: You've been loyal to Top Producer for 15 years.
What has Top Producer done to earn that loyalty lately?
Lost your templates? Given you a terrible mobile app?

You don't owe software loyalty. It should serve you.

"What about the Template Library? Can MEMO recreate that?"

First: MEMO doesn't use templates in the same way.

Top Producer templates were for:

MEMO's philosophy: If an app can send it, it's not meaningful.

We don't do:

What MEMO does instead:

The difference:

One is automated. One is human. Humans win.

"MEMO is more expensive. Is it worth $9/month more?"

Top Producer: ~$40/month
MEMO: $49/month
Difference: $9/month ($108/year)

Is modern software worth $9/month?

Ask yourself:

The real cost comparison:

Top Producer:

MEMO:

Net: You save time, stress, and make more money with MEMO despite the $9/month difference.

"My brokerage requires Top Producer. Can I use both?"

Yes. Many agents do exactly this.

Use Top Producer for:

Use MEMO for:

Two systems, each for its purpose:

"What if MEMO goes out of business? Top Producer has been around 34 years."

Fair concern. Two responses:

Response 1: Data portability

Compare to Top Producer:

Response 2: Modern business model

The better question: Would you rather use 34-year-old software that's showing cracks (data loss, clunky mobile), or modern software built for 2025?

"Can I try MEMO before canceling Top Producer?"

Yes. That's the recommended approach.

The overlap strategy:

  1. Keep Top Producer (don't cancel yet)
  2. Start MEMO trial (14 days free, no credit card)
  3. Import contacts to MEMO
  4. Use both for 2 weeks
  5. See which one you naturally reach for
  6. Cancel the one you're not using

Most agents know within 3-5 days which one they prefer.

If you've been opening MEMO every morning and haven't touched Top Producer in a week, that's your answer.

"What about my custom fields and categories in Top Producer?"

Top Producer's customization is both its strength and its weakness.

The strength: You could create dozens of custom fields, categories, codes The weakness: After 10 years, you have:

MEMO forces simplicity:

Agent experience after switching:

"I thought I'd miss my custom Top Producer setup. Turns out, the simplicity of MEMO is better. I was maintaining complexity for complexity's sake. MEMO's structure actually makes more sense."

If your custom fields are truly essential, you can export them and reference separately. Most agents find they don't need them.

"Is the mobile app really that important?"

Yes. Because that's where you are.

Where agents actually work in 2025:

Top Producer is built for the 20%. MEMO is built for the 80%.

The red light test:

Top Producer: No (not at desk, or mobile app too slow)
MEMO: Yes (designed for this exact moment)

That thought = That referral = $15,000

Mobile isn't a nice-to-have. It's where your business happens.

Other Alternatives to Top Producer

If neither MEMO nor Top Producer feels right, consider:

Follow Up Boss - More expensive but more powerful for teams ($69-99/month)

LionDesk - All-in-one platform with texting, calling, video ($25-65/month)

Wise Agent - Budget-friendly, similar price to Top Producer ($29-49/month)

MEMO - Modern mobile-first alternative (that's us)

Google Sheets + Phone Contacts - Free but requires discipline. If you've used Top Producer for years and are ready to simplify radically, sometimes nothing is better.

People searching "MEMO vs Top Producer" also search for:

The Bottom Line: You Deserve Modern Software

Choose Top Producer if:

Choose MEMO if:

Still not sure? Run both for 2 weeks. See which one you naturally open every morning.

The one you avoid? Cancel it.

Try MEMO Free for 14 Days

No credit card. No contract. No guilt if you decide it's not for you.

If you're frustrated with Top Producer's outdated interface and terrible mobile app, MEMO is the modern alternative built for how you actually work.

Start Your Free Trial →

Or Read the MEMO Manifesto → to understand our philosophy first.

Have questions? Email us at support@memoforagents.com