An Xplan alternative built around growing your firm
Glimzer is the growth CRM for financial advice firms, built to help you win more clients, grow revenue and see where to act next. Start with Pipeline alongside your existing CRM, or bring everything across when you're ready.
30 minutes. No sales pressure.
Why switch
Why firms look at alternatives to Xplan.
Said plainly, and with credit where it's due.
Iress Xplan is one of the most capable platforms in UK advice. It is enterprise-grade, deeply customisable, and used by some of the UK's largest wealth firms. For firms with the scale and resource to configure and run it, it can be a sound choice. We don't describe Xplan's features, pricing or terms here; they change, and Iress's own documentation is the right source. Instead, the comparison below shows what Glimzer does and what to confirm with Iress directly.
Advisers who come to us usually want something simpler: a system that works out of the box, is quick to use day to day, and shows them how the firm is performing across pipeline, introducers and revenue. That is the job Glimzer is built for.
The comparison
Glimzer and Xplan at a glance.
We don't describe Xplan's features, pricing or terms here; they change, and Iress's own documentation is the right source. Each row shows what Glimzer does and the question to put to Iress so you can compare like for like.
| Glimzer | What to check with Xplan | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Growth CRM: see and grow your firm, not just store it. Pipeline, business performance and introducer tracking in one place. | Ask what the platform is primarily designed around, and whether growth visibility or record-keeping leads the product. |
| Sales pipeline built for advice | Kanban stages, heat and health scoring, weighted pipeline value, expected fees, and a clear next step on every opportunity. | Ask how new business is tracked day to day: stages, lead scoring, weighted values and expected fees on each opportunity. |
| Business-performance reporting | See how the firm is performing and where to act: pipeline, revenue and activity at a glance. | Ask what firm-level dashboards and reports are included as standard, and what needs exports or extra BI tools. |
| Introducer & referral tracking | First class: see who referred each client and which relationships drive new business. | Ask whether introducer and referral tracking is built in or needs an add-on, and how source-of-business is reported. |
| Configurable workflows | Pipeline stages, reviews and tasks set up around how your firm works. | Ask how workflows, tasks and custom fields are configured, who does that configuration, and what it costs. |
| Runs alongside your existing CRM | Yes. The sales pipeline runs standalone alongside your current system; expanding to the full CRM later is optional. | Ask whether any module can be licensed standalone alongside your current system, or whether it is all-or-nothing. |
| Investment platform data | Multiple UK investment platforms through a single FINIO integration. | Ask which platform valuation feeds your firm would actually use, how they are delivered, and whether they cost extra. |
| Migration | We migrate you ourselves. Free fast migration is a current design-partner offer (subject to change). | Ask who carries out the migration, how long it typically takes, what it costs, and what you are expected to do yourselves. |
| Contracts | No lock-ins, no long contracts. Leave anytime. | Ask about minimum terms, notice periods and auto-renewal before you sign, and get the answer in writing. |
| Pricing transparency | Role-based monthly prices published on our pricing page. | Ask for full pricing in writing, including seats, add-ons, onboarding and anything usage-based. |
| Data residency | Data hosted in UK data centres, encrypted at rest and in transit. | Ask where client data is hosted, whether it ever leaves the UK, and what certifications back that up. |
| Support | Hands-on, founder-level support from a team that knows UK advice. | Ask what support is included in the licence, its hours, and any response-time or uptime commitments. |
Xplan is a trademark of its respective owner; Glimzer is not affiliated with or endorsed by Xplan. This page does not describe Xplan's features, pricing or terms; those change and are best confirmed directly with Xplan from their own documentation. If anything here is inaccurate, email contact@glimzer.com and we'll correct it promptly.
Fit
Who each platform suits.
Xplan may suit
Larger firms and networks that want a deeply customisable front-to-back office platform and have the resource to configure and maintain it. If that's your firm, it may well be the right tool.
Glimzer is built for
Growth-minded UK advice firms across wealth and financial planning, pensions and investments: especially firms that win business through referrals and introducers.
Honesty first
When Glimzer is not the right fit.
We'd rather tell you now than after a demo.
You need an enterprise platform with every front-to-back module under one roof and deep custom configuration. Glimzer is deliberately focused on pipeline, clients and the day-to-day running of an advice firm.
You're a large enterprise or network that needs specific deep integrations we don't yet offer. Ask us, and we'll tell you honestly.
Growth and pipeline visibility genuinely aren't priorities for your firm right now.
Start small
You don't have to switch all at once.
Add Glimzer's pipeline to your existing setup first.
Run Glimzer's sales pipeline standalone alongside Xplan or whatever you use today. Prove the value on new business, with Kanban, heat scoring, weighted value and expected fees. You can expand to the full Glimzer CRM later if you want to. No lock-ins and no long contracts: leave anytime.
Migration and terms.
We migrate you ourselves, and free fast migration is a current design-partner offer (subject to change). Separately, and always: no lock-ins, no long contracts; leave anytime. See our published pricing for the full terms.
Recognised by the judges of the Financial Regulation Innovation Lab, a programme run in partnership with FinTech Scotland and the FCA · Member of FinTech Scotland, the NatWest Accelerator and Manchester Digital · Connects to multiple UK investment platforms through a single FINIO integration
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Can I migrate my data from Xplan to Glimzer?
Yes. We handle migration personally and work with you to move your data across cleanly, whichever system you are coming from. Free fast migration is a current design-partner offer (subject to change).
Do I have to replace Xplan all at once?
No. You can run Glimzer's sales pipeline standalone alongside your existing system, and expanding to the full Glimzer CRM later is optional.
Is there a contract or lock-in with Glimzer?
No. There are no lock-ins and no long contracts: you pay monthly and can leave anytime, and you can export your data in standard formats whenever you like.
Where is my data stored?
All data is hosted in UK data centres and encrypted in transit and at rest. Glimzer is Cyber Essentials certified and ICO registered.
How is Glimzer different from a broad back-office suite?
Glimzer is a growth CRM: it is built to show advisers how the firm is performing and where to act, across pipeline, introducers and business performance, rather than primarily to store records. It works out of the box without a configuration project, and is best suited to growth-minded UK advice firms.
Glimzer vs Xplan
The dimension-by-dimension comparison for evaluators.
CRM for financial advisers
The growth CRM for UK financial advice firms and financial planners.
Sales pipeline for financial advisers
Kanban, heat scoring, weighted value, fees and next steps.
Pricing
Monthly, role-based pricing. No lock-ins, no long contracts.
See whether Glimzer fits your firm.
Book a 30-minute demo and we'll show you the product and be honest about whether we're the right move for your firm.
No sales pressure.