FAQ & troubleshooting
Quick answers to the most common questions — magic-link sign-in problems, what each plan includes, monitoring frequency, sharing privacy, and how to get help.
Short answers to the questions that come up most often. If your question isn't here, the other guides in this section cover each part of the journey in more depth.
Signing in
My magic-link email hasn't arrived
Work through these in order — one of them resolves almost every case:
- Check spam and promotions. The email comes from a HomesToCompare address; the first one sometimes lands outside your inbox.
- Confirm the address. Sign-in only works for the exact email you entered — a typo means the link goes nowhere.
- Use the newest email. Requesting a new link invalidates the previous one, so always click the most recent message.
- Give it a minute. Delivery is usually instant but can take a short while; avoid requesting many links in a row.
The link says it's expired or invalid
Magic links are single-use and time-limited for security. If yours has expired, just request a fresh one from the account page and click that. Opening the link in a different browser or device than the one you're using can also cause this — request a new link in the browser where you want to be signed in.
Do I need a password?
No. HomesToCompare uses email magic links only — there's no password to set or forget.
Plans & billing
What does each plan include?
- Free — unlimited side-by-side comparisons. No AI, no monitoring.
- Basic (£10/mo) — adds daily monitoring, alerts, and AI assistance.
- Full (£20/mo) — adds deep AI analysis and up to 10 monitored search URLs.
Comparisons are unlimited on every plan — plans differ by AI and monitoring, not comparison count.
Will I be charged when I sign up?
No. The paid-plan trial lasts 30 days from email verification and no card is required until the trial ends. See Account and billing for the full detail.
How do I cancel?
From Account → Billing, open the Stripe portal and cancel. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period; you keep access until then, then drop back to the free account with unlimited comparisons.
Monitoring & comparisons
How often does monitoring check for new properties?
Monitoring runs daily and surfaces new matches on your monitor board under Pending. You can also trigger a fresh check yourself from the board. Monitoring is part of the Basic and Full plans.
Do I have to use the hunt flow, or can I just compare two listings?
Either works. Start a hunt to have the market watched for you, or paste two listing URLs directly to build a one-off comparison. Both routes are covered in Build a comparison.
Which property portals are supported?
You can paste listing URLs from the major UK portals. If a particular listing won't import, it's usually because the page structure isn't recognised yet — try the other listing's portal, or build the comparison from your monitor instead.
Sharing & privacy
Does the person I share with need an account?
No. A shared comparison link opens straight away with no sign-up — see Share and decide together. Anyone with the link can view that comparison, so only share it with people you want to see it.
Can I see what a finished comparison looks like first?
Yes — open the live example comparison to see the Overview, Details, and AI pages before you build your own.
Still stuck?
If something isn't working the way these guides describe, the quickest fix is usually to sign out and back in with a fresh magic link. Start fresh any time from the start page, or revisit any guide from the documentation home.