No. The plugin never adds hidden MLS, board, or data access fees on top of what your MLS already charges. You pay a clear subscription for the software, while any MLS-side costs like IDX access or setup stay between you and your MLS or association. In short, the plugin sits between your WordPress site and the MLS RESO API, and your board still controls and bills every data fee directly.
Does this plugin itself add any hidden MLS or data access fees?
The plugin subscription covers only the software service and never includes or hides MLS board data fees.
MLSimport runs on a simple subscription model after the free trial and stays around $49 per month as a rule of thumb. The price covers the cloud service that talks to your MLS RESO API, pulls listings into WordPress, and keeps them synced. The plugin does not wrap, bundle, or quietly pass through any MLS-side IDX or API fee inside that subscription.
When you enter your MLS API keys in MLSimport, your board still bills your IDX or API access straight to you or your brokerage, if they charge any. The plugin never charges per listing, per photo, per lead, or based on closed deals. You can import hundreds or thousands of listings, and the cost from MLSimport stays the same, so scale does not trigger surprise data surcharges. Ongoing updates and support are included and not split out as a separate maintenance line item.
| Cost area | Who charges it | How MLSimport handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Plugin subscription | MLSimport | Flat monthly fee for sync and support |
| MLS IDX or API monthly fee | Your MLS or association | Never bundled or marked up |
| MLS one-time setup fee | Your MLS or data platform | Paid directly by member not via plugin |
| Per listing or per photo costs | Rare MLS-side only | No per item charges in plugin |
| Commission or lead percentage | None for data | No success based billing at all |
This breakdown means you always know which company bills which part. MLSimport handles software and sync, and your MLS handles any data access they choose to charge, with no mystery blend between the two.
What typical MLS-side fees might I still pay alongside this plugin?
Any remaining costs usually come from your MLS IDX or API policy, not from the integration plugin itself.
Some MLS boards add a small monthly IDX or RESO API fee, often around $20 per month, on top of your normal dues. For example, NTREIS members often see that type of recurring charge when they request data access, and that bill goes through their association, not through MLSimport. In many regions, boards treat IDX as a member benefit and don’t add extra monthly cost at all.
MLSimport connects only after you’re approved and given API credentials by your MLS(Multiple Listing Service), which is where any setup or activation fee can appear. Many boards charge a one-time amount in the $50 to $300 range when you first request an IDX or RESO feed. Canadian members often use CREA DDF with no added monthly fee, while some local systems charge only for more advanced VOW feeds instead of public IDX. With this setup, the plugin just uses whatever access you already pay for, without changing the fee structure, and that part can feel a bit confusing at first.
How do my hosting, WordPress theme, and site scale affect total costs?
Most infrastructure costs depend on your hosting choices and traffic, not on the MLS integration layer.
Running a real estate site with imported listings usually needs better hosting but still stays in a clear price band. A realistic range is about 20 to 50 dollars per month for a managed WordPress or VPS plan that can handle frequent imports and searches. That spending goes to your host, not to MLSimport, and it mostly depends on how many visitors and how many listings you push through the site.
Many users pair MLSimport with a premium theme like WPResidence, which has a one-time cost around 69 dollars for a license. If you later grow past roughly 10,000 listings, you might upgrade server resources for speed, but the plugin itself does not add volume-based pricing. Listing images are loaded from remote URLs or CDNs (content delivery networks), so your storage use rises far more slowly than if every photo landed in the WordPress media library. That keeps hosting bills more predictable.
Can one-time MLS setup work or custom integration introduce extra expenses?
Custom work costs usually relate to your specific site design and MLS paperwork, not to the feed itself.
When your MLS already exposes a normal RESO Web API, MLSimport usually connects with no extra development fee from the plugin side. Any cost to get legal approval, broker signatures, or admin processing comes from the MLS or association, since they issue your credentials and agreements. Agencies you hire may charge separately for first-time configuration, field mapping, or design tweaks around the imported listings. That work sits outside what the plugin automates, and it can stack up if your layout is complex.
How do regional MLS policies in the U.S. and Canada influence extra fees?
Local MLS rules and delivery platforms largely decide any extra data access fees you’ll see.
Across the U.S., some large MLS boards attach small recurring IDX or API fees, while many roll basic IDX into standard membership with no extra charge. In Canada, CREA DDF access is free for members, but some regional platforms add costs only when you use advanced or VOW-style data. When you use MLSimport, you still follow those local rules, because the plugin talks to the exact RESO endpoint your board provides.
Where boards push data through third-party systems, those platforms can add pass-through connection charges on your MLS or vendor bill. In areas with more than one MLS, you might also face a separate approval and fee for each data source you want to use. MLSimport works on one MLS feed per site, so you line up each approved connection on the MLS side first, then plug it into the plugin without changing how those regional fees are set.
- Some large U.S. MLS include IDX in regular dues, while others add a small monthly data fee.
- Canadian members often pay nothing for CREA DDF, but some boards bill for advanced VOW feeds.
- Boards using outside data platforms can pass through extra connection or platform charges to members.
- Regions with more than one MLS may need separate approvals and fees for every feed you access.
FAQ
Does the plugin ever collect or pass through my MLS or association fees?
No. MLS and association fees always stay between you and your board, never inside the plugin invoice.
The subscription you pay for MLSimport covers only the software, the cloud sync service, and support. Any IDX, RESO API, or setup fee gets billed by your MLS, your association, or their chosen data platform. At first that may sound like an extra step. It isn’t, and that clean split makes it easier to see what part of your monthly cost is software and what part comes from board policy.
Are there limits where more listings, photos, or API calls make the plugin cost jump?
No. Higher counts of listings, photos, or normal API traffic do not trigger a higher MLSimport price tier.
The subscription is flat and not tied to listing volume, media volume, or lead count. If your site grows from 500 to 15,000 listings, your hosting plan might need more power, and your MLS could care about API usage rules, but the plugin bill itself stays the same. That means you can plan scale and performance upgrades without worrying about sudden software surcharges, even if other vendors in your stack change prices.
What happens to imported listings and costs if I cancel the plugin subscription?
If you stop paying, data sync stops and you should remove IDX data to stay within MLS rules.
When a MLSimport subscription ends, the plugin no longer updates or refreshes your listings from the MLS feed. Most MLS rules say you can’t keep showing IDX data if you lose access, so the safe path is to unpublish or delete imported properties after canceling. Your hosting and MLS dues remain separate, so ending the plugin plan does not stop those other charges, which can feel a bit annoying but is normal.
How can I estimate my total monthly cost with this setup?
You can estimate by adding your hosting bill, any MLS IDX fees, and the flat MLSimport subscription.
Start with hosting, which is usually between 20 and 50 dollars per month for a solid real estate site. Add any board-side IDX or API fee your MLS lists, which can be zero or around 20 dollars in many cases. Then include the plugin subscription, and, if you use one, any agency maintenance retainer. That gives you a realistic full monthly number before you commit, even if some MLS decisions still feel out of your hands.
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