IDX vs VOW: What Canadian Realtors Need to Know

If you want live MLS listings on your website, you'll run into two acronyms: IDX and VOW. They are not interchangeable, and your real estate board treats them differently.

IDX — public listing search

IDX (Internet Data Exchange) shows active public listings to every visitor, no login required. It's the standard way to put a searchable map and listing gallery on your site. Sold prices and some data fields are typically not shown under IDX display rules.

VOW — registered-visitor search

A VOW (Virtual Office Website) shows more data — including sold prices and fuller history — but only to visitors who register and agree to your terms of use, establishing a broker-consumer relationship. VOW feeds are powerful lead-capture tools because the registration itself creates a contact.

Which should you choose?

Most agents start with IDX for reach, then add VOW when they want sold data and a registration wall to capture serious buyers. You can run both. Either way, your board requires a signed data-access agreement before the feed is switched on, and MLS listing content generally must remain in the board's language even on a bilingual site.

Getting connected

To connect a feed you'll need active board membership, your MLS/agent ID, and the signed IDX or VOW agreement (for example with TRREB/PropTX or via CREA's national DDF). On AgentsWise, the IDX setup screen walks you through each step and our team requests and verifies the feed for you. Learn more on the features page.