Overview

Frontstead Kit is an open-source toolkit for building branded real-estate portals, including portals aimed at niche lifestyle markets. It suits developers and agencies working with brokerages that need control over deployment and MLS synchronization. Its appeal is a defined self-hosted stack; teams should be prepared to operate it and rely on community support.

Key features

The kit combines a Next.js public portal, an Express 5 and Prisma REST API, and a separate worker for RESO Web API synchronization. The portal covers property search, listing pages, inquiries, consumer accounts, and favorites, while listing import and custom domains support a branded, populated site. This is a substantial starting point for a portal, but it is a development kit rather than a turnkey hosted product.

MLS connectivity supports MLS Grid, Trestle (CoreLogic/Cotality), Bridge Interactive, and Spark API (FBS). Display controls default to off, and configuration fails if an MLS board is unregistered rather than proceeding without attribution. Those safeguards matter for teams managing board-specific requirements, though they do not remove the need to handle MLS onboarding and compliance.

Typesense is optional for typo-tolerant search; without it, search falls back to PostgreSQL. Redis is also optional. The agent API is disabled by default, reducing exposure when those routes are not needed. Agent HQ is a separate license for commercial CRM capabilities, including contacts, transactions, tasks, campaigns, market reports, AI chat, CMA reports, and Gmail and Google Calendar integration.

Pricing

Frontstead Kit — free. The Apache-2.0 plan includes a self-hosted portal, API, and MLS worker. It is the natural choice for teams with the technical capacity to deploy and maintain their own stack; there is no free trial because the plan is free.

Frontstead Pro — custom pricing. It covers setup and launch, custom development, managed hosting, and MLS board onboarding and IDX/VOW paperwork. This is aimed at brokerages or agencies seeking implementation and operational help rather than a self-managed deployment.

Agent HQ — custom pricing. Each license permits one production client deployment, includes one year of updates, and grants perpetual use of the purchased version. It is the paid route to the additional CRM and marketing features; the Kit itself does not include them.

Platforms

Frontstead supports API, self-hosted, and web use. Node.js 22.12 and PostgreSQL are required, with Redis and Typesense optional. Docker Compose is the documented portable deployment baseline, and the kit does not assume a particular hosting platform. That flexibility helps teams fit the software to an existing infrastructure, but it also puts deployment and ongoing operations on the adopting team unless they choose Pro services.

Who it's for

Frontstead Kit is best suited to developers and agencies building branded portals for brokerages, especially those serving golf, waterfront, or other niche lifestyle markets. It is a weaker fit for teams looking for a managed, ready-to-run portal without self-hosting responsibilities. Support is community-based, with public repository issues directed toward reproducible defects and feature requests.

Pros and cons

Pros: A coordinated portal, REST API, and MLS worker provide a concrete foundation for a custom real-estate product.
Pros: Multiple RESO vendors, configurable search options, and Docker Compose give teams room to fit deployment and search to their stack.
Pros: MLS display safeguards and a disabled-by-default agent API make compliance configuration and route exposure explicit concerns.
Cons: Node.js and PostgreSQL are required, and self-hosting means the team must own deployment and maintenance.
Cons: Support is community-based, which may not suit teams that require a defined vendor support channel.
Cons: Agent HQ's commercial CRM features require a separate license, and Pro is a services-oriented plan rather than part of the free kit.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison of marketplace products, see Real Estate Marketplace Software.

Choose ConnectLinx instead if a hosted web product with a free entry plan is a better fit: its Free plan includes one agent user, one active listing, and up to four units or spaces.

Openfront Law Firm is another option to compare for a self-deployed product with a free plan.

Nipige Real Estate & Property offers a paid, hosted route, with its Starter plan priced at 699.00 USD per month and shared cloud hosting.

Tamaranga is worth considering if a paid platform with an optional renewal for updates, support, and AI Team is preferable; its standard service renewal is 2600.00 USD per once.

Choose PropertyApp instead if you want a one-time quoted scope, complete source-code handover, and self-hosting without recurring platform fees.

PadMapper is a free apartment search and listing option across web and mobile.

WREX offers free property listings for buyers and sellers, with paid individual plans starting at 19.99 USD per month.

RSMS is another paid option for web and mobile.

Verdict

Choose Frontstead Kit if your developers need an open-source foundation for a branded portal, MLS synchronization, and self-directed deployment. Its strongest case is the combination of portal, API, MLS worker, and multiple supported RESO vendors at no charge. Look elsewhere if you need vendor-backed support or a turnkey managed portal without taking responsibility for the underlying stack.

	Frontstead Kit	Nipige Real Estate & Property
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	Yes
Paid from	Free	$594.17/mo
Platforms	api, self-hosted, Web	Android, api, iOS, self-hosted, Web
Free plan	Yes	No
Listing import	Yes
Custom domain	Yes	Yes
Paid from		899 /mo
Lead routing		Yes
Payment collection		Yes

Frontstead Kit vs Nipige Real Estate & Property

Frontstead Kit

Nipige Real Estate & Property