How Lottie works and what it means for your occupancy
Insights into the digital marketplace model of Lottie and how to differentiate your service.
Lottie is a digital marketplace for care homes and home care agencies, founded in 2021 and now partnered with over 6,000 UK care services. It operates differently from directories like Carehome.co.uk. Families search by care type, location, budget, and CQC rating, and can see real-time bed availability and pricing where providers have listed it. Lottie then connects families with providers directly. Understanding how Lottie's model works matters before you decide how much to invest in your presence there.
Lottie's business model
Lottie charges providers in two ways depending on the arrangement: a pay-per-query lead generation fee, and in some configurations, a percentage of the residency value for placements made through the platform. It also offers Found by Lottie, a CRM and enquiry management system, on a subscription basis starting around £150 per month.
This is a different model from Carehome.co.uk, where you pay a subscription and enquiries are yours to manage independently. With Lottie, the platform is more involved in the introduction and, in some cases, tracks whether a placement is made.
What families see on Lottie
Families can filter by care type (residential, nursing, dementia, respite), weekly cost, CQC rating, facilities, and lifestyle preferences such as pet policies. They can see real-time bed availability for providers that have integrated this. Profiles include photography, video, and virtual tours where available.
Lottie's approach is consumer-facing in a way that the older directories are not. The platform is designed to feel more like a booking service than a listings database. Families who use it are typically further along in the decision process and looking for confirmation of availability and cost, not just an overview.
What providers need to do on Lottie
Profile completeness matters as it does on every directory, but pricing transparency is particularly important on Lottie. The platform asks providers to list weekly fees or at least a fee range. Profiles that leave this blank are less competitive because families filter by budget and profiles without pricing are excluded from those results.
Real-time availability, where a provider has integrated it, is a meaningful differentiator. A family searching for urgent care who can see a home has current availability will contact that home first.
Lottie compared to traditional directories
| Feature | Carehome.co.uk | Lottie |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue model | Annual subscription | Per-lead or residency fee |
| Primary audience | Broad — all care seekers | Self-funders, digitally engaged families |
| Ranking factor | Subscription tier + review score | Availability, pricing transparency, profile quality |
| Referral fees | No | No for families, yes for providers |
| CRM integration | No | Yes (Found by Lottie) |