Does the plugin use the RESO Web API or RETS for Canadian MLS feeds, and is there any difference in performance or data freshness between those options?

MLSimport connects to Canadian MLS and DDF® feeds only through RESO Web API endpoints, not old RETS logins, so the plugin never uses RETS in Canada. You enter an API URL, client ID and secret, and a token from a RESO-style feed, including CREA’s DDF Web API or a RESO-compliant Canadian board. MLSimport then turns that JSON or OData stream into local WordPress posts. Web API supports frequent incremental syncs, so freshness depends more on board or DDF rules and your chosen sync schedule.

How does this WordPress plugin connect to Canadian MLS and DDF data?

This plugin connects to Canadian listing data only through RESO Web API feeds, not legacy RETS.

MLSimport expects Canadian boards and CREA’s DDF to provide RESO Web API access that follows OData and JSON rules. The setup asks for an API endpoint URL, a client ID, a client secret, and usually an access token or server token, not a RETS login URL. Once those details are saved, the plugin calls the RESO Web API, pulls property data, and saves each listing into WordPress as a real post type.

Many Canadian boards now feed listings into CREA’s DDF, which exposes a RESO-compliant DDF Web API endpoint that MLSimport can read. Other boards publish their own RESO Web API servers directly, and this setup also works there, as long as they follow the RESO spec. At first this sounds broad. It is. MLSimport already works with hundreds of RESO-compliant MLS organizations across North America, so most RESO-aligned Canadian boards fit in.

The table below sums up how the plugin talks to Canadian data sources and what each side must provide for a clean connection.

From a site owner’s view, once the correct RESO endpoint and keys are in MLSimport, the plugin handles paging through OData results, mapping fields, and creating posts. Your theme and hosting only deal with local WordPress data, not remote feeds, which keeps daily work simpler.

Does this plugin use RESO Web API or RETS for Canadian MLS feeds?

This plugin uses only RESO Web API access for Canadian MLS feeds.

MLSimport is built strictly for RESO Web API, so Canadian and US clients are told not to send RETS logins because the plugin cannot use them. The connection screen expects a RESO-style API URL, client ID, client secret, and token, which match how CREA’s DDF Web API and modern Canadian boards secure their feeds. When someone pastes a RETS URL, the plugin setup just stops there because there is no RETS connector.

For Canadian boards that already follow the RESO Web API standard, including CREA’s DDF platform, this design keeps setup clear and uniform. MLSimport only needs the correct RESO endpoint and keys from your MLS(Multiple Listing Service) or DDF account, and then it can import listings on a schedule. But where a Canadian board is still RETS-only and has no RESO endpoint yet, this setup cannot connect. The site must wait until that board exposes a RESO Web API feed before anyone can use the plugin there.

Is there any difference in data freshness between RESO Web API and RETS with this plugin?

With this plugin, RESO Web API usually delivers fresher listings than a similar RETS-based workflow.

MLSimport uses scheduled incremental sync jobs that can run as often as once per hour against RESO Web API feeds. Because the Web API supports changed-since style queries, each sync only pulls records that actually changed, which keeps each run light enough for frequent updates. Older RETS setups often depended on large XML exports once or a few times per day, which pushed shorter intervals onto both the MLS and the web host.

In Canada, CREA’s DDF rules can still cap how fast changes from local boards reach the DDF Web API, no matter how often the plugin polls. So a listing may hit a board’s system quickly but take longer to show inside DDF itself, and no plugin can fix that delay. MLSimport gives you the tools to keep your own copy updated on an hourly schedule. But real-world freshness is still a mix of your board’s update timing, DDF’s own timing, and the sync interval you choose in the plugin.

How does RESO Web API affect performance and hosting needs compared to RETS?

Using the Web API cuts server strain compared to RETS-style full database imports.

Because MLSimport talks to RESO Web API endpoints, it can pull listings in small pages and only fetch changed records instead of huge full database dumps. That means your host doesn’t have to process massive XML files or parse giant RETS payloads that keep CPU and memory stressed. For many Canadian sites with a few thousand listings, a mid-range VPS with about 2 GB RAM is usually enough for smooth imports.

The plugin’s import code reads OData JSON chunks, writes posts, and then moves on without loading everything into memory together. This keeps resource spikes short. Compared to classic RETS jobs that might run once nightly for many minutes or hours, these smaller, frequent Web API tasks fit better on typical WordPress hosting. MLSimport also skips RETS-specific libraries, so you don’t need special server modules just to keep imports steady over time.

How does using RESO Web API in Canada impact SEO, UX, and long‑term reliability?

A RESO Web API site tends to gain stronger SEO and longer-term stability than RETS-heavy setups.

MLSimport turns RESO Web API listing data, including Canadian feeds, into normal WordPress posts that search engines can crawl and index. Because the data lives locally, your theme’s search, map widgets, and filters can run right on that content, which gives faster pages and simpler user paths. I should reframe that. Faster is nice, but the real win is control. Relying on the RESO standard, which CREA’s DDF is moving toward, also helps protect your site from future RETS shutdowns across Canadian boards.

• Local posts from Web API data let each listing page use unique title tags and meta descriptions.
• Using stored listing records means your WordPress theme can power fast searches without extra remote calls.
• The RESO Web API standard is replacing RETS across North America and matches CREA DDF’s roadmap.
• Building on RESO today lowers the risk of feed changes breaking your Canadian site later.

FAQ

Can MLSimport work if my Canadian board only offers CREA DDF access?

Yes, MLSimport can work when your CREA DDF account has RESO Web API access turned on.

As long as CREA grants Web API credentials for your DDF feed, you can add that endpoint and keys in the settings. MLSimport will then pull DDF data into WordPress on the schedule you choose. If your DDF account still uses older delivery methods, you’d first ask CREA support to activate the DDF Web API before connecting the site.

What happens if my Canadian MLS is RETS-only with no RESO Web API yet?

If your Canadian MLS is RETS-only, MLSimport cannot connect until a RESO Web API endpoint exists.

The plugin has no RETS engine inside, so a RETS URL and username and password will not work for imports. In that case, you either wait for the board to launch RESO Web API or ask them when that change is planned. Once a RESO-compliant endpoint and credentials are available, you can add them to MLSimport and start syncing listings into WordPress.

How fresh will listings look to buyers and sellers when using hourly Web API syncs?

For most buyers and sellers, hourly Web API syncs give more than enough listing freshness.

Many Canadian MLS systems and DDF itself do not change data minute by minute, so pulling every hour usually catches new and updated listings quickly. With MLSimport, an hourly schedule balances freshness and server load well for common sites. But if your board has tighter limits or slower upstream updates, real delays will mostly come from that source, not from the plugin’s sync process.