Instashowing positions itself as a simpler, more affordable ShowingTime alternative with no annual contracts. That is a fair description of Showing Bell too, so the useful comparison is not the pitch. It is the design decisions underneath.
Two differences drive most of it: who the product treats as the decision-maker, and which kinds of property it assumes.
| Instashowing | Showing Bell | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchased by | The agent, directly | The agent, directly |
| Default approver | Agent-side workflow | The seller, by text |
| Seller account required | Varies | Never |
| Automatic approval chasing | Varies | Built in at 4 and 8 hours |
| Land and vacant parcels | Supported | First-class |
| Short-term rental calendar sync | Not offered | Airbnb and VRBO iCal |
| Coverage | Broad US | Nationwide |
| Entry price | $15/mo, or $9 billed annually (2 listings) | $9.99 a month (1 listing) |
Comparisons reflect each product’s publicly described model as of August 2026. Products change. Check the vendor directly before deciding, and treat any competitor page, including this one, as one side of the story.
Who approves the showing
In Showing Bell, the seller approves by text, with no account. That one choice drives the rest. We chase a seller who does not answer. We fall back to your team when a listing has no seller on file. We tell you when your seller has gone quiet twice.
You can keep it on your side if you want. Set the listing so your team approves, or so it books itself. But the seller path is the one we built first.
Which properties it assumes
Showing Bell does not assume a house. Land with a locked gate, commercial, new construction before the MLS entry, and short-term rentals with live booking calendars are all first-class. The Airbnb and VRBO iCal sync in particular is unusual: booked nights block themselves and the checkout evening opens on its own once the cleaning window passes.
Where it is built
Working listing agents built Showing Bell in Idaho, and it now works in every state. That start still shows, mostly for the better. The settings assume a seller who may be a rancher and rarely on a phone. They assume an owner three states away, and a property that may have no front door at all.
Instashowing has been national much longer and has more users. If what matters to you is that buyer agents already know the steps, that is them.
How to actually choose
Both of us sell directly, in every state, so geography no longer decides this. The question is whether your sellers should be approving their own showings and whether you carry property that is not a standard house. Yes to either points at Showing Bell. No to both means the two products will feel similar and you should pick on price and interface.
Questions agents ask before choosing
Is Showing Bell available outside Idaho?
Yes. It was Idaho-only through launch and opened to every state in August 2026. Each listing carries its own timezone, so approval reminders and feedback chasing respect the property local hours rather than Mountain Time.
Which one is cheaper?
Usually Instashowing, and we would rather say so than have you find out. They publish $15 a month for two active listings, or $9 a month billed annually, and $29 a month for unlimited listings. Showing Bell is $9.99 for one active listing, $19 for three, and $49 for unlimited listings. If you carry several listings at once and price is the deciding factor, their $29 unlimited tier is still the cheaper buy. Pick us because your seller approves by text without an account, because you list land or short-term rentals, or because you want the 30-day trial instead of seven. Prices change, so check both sites rather than trusting a competitor page, including this one.
Do I have to make my seller the approver?
No. Each listing can route approval to the seller, to your team, or confirm automatically. Seller approval is the default because it is the thing that actually gets you out of the middle, but it is a per-listing setting.