What Top of Mind is and what changed in 2024-2025
Top of Mind Networks was an independent mortgage technology company that made Surefire CRM. Surefire was historically marketed as the #1 most-used mortgage CRM with an 18.4% market share among third-party mortgage CRM tools. The company was acquired by Black Knight Financial Services, which itself was then acquired by Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in 2023. As of 2025, Top of Mind is fully absorbed into the ICE Mortgage Technology platform. The standalone topofmind.com domain now redirects to mortgagetech.ice.com.
Customers searching for “Top of Mind alternative” or “Surefire alternative” in 2026 are typically doing one of three things: (1) looking for a mortgage CRM that is not bundled with the ICE / Encompass ecosystem, (2) trying to avoid the forced migration from Encompass CRM to Surefire that ICE initiated in January 2025, or (3) evaluating switching after a price increase or feature change tied to the ICE acquisition.
BNTouch as a Top of Mind / Surefire alternative
BNTouch and Surefire (Top of Mind) sit in the same broad mortgage CRM category but with very different parent-company situations. BNTouch is independent, has operated since 2003, and is not owned by a Loan Origination System (LOS) provider or a data conglomerate. Surefire is now part of ICE Mortgage Technology, the company that also owns the Encompass LOS. When a single vendor owns both your CRM and your LOS, the product strategy, integrations, and roadmap optimize for that vendor’s broader portfolio rather than your specific needs.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | BNTouch | Surefire (Top of Mind, now ICE) |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Independent since 2003 | ICE Mortgage Technology (via Black Knight acquisition) |
| LOS integration | Works with Encompass, LendingPad, BytePro, Calyx Point, Arive, Floify; no bias | Optimized for Encompass (ICE-owned); integrates with others but with less depth |
| Pricing | $165/mo Individual, $95/seat Team (2-user min), Enterprise custom; published transparently | $150+/seat per month; pricing typically custom and behind sales gate |
| Setup time | Same-day for Individual, 30 days for Team White Glove migration | 30-90 days typical, ICE Professional Services billable for enterprise |
| Roadmap priority | Mortgage-specific customer feedback drives roadmap | ICE platform strategy drives roadmap; mortgage CRM is one of several ICE products |
| Encompass CRM migration | Optional: White Glove migration team handles full data export and field mapping in 30 days | Mandatory if you are an Encompass CRM customer: ICE force-migrating to Surefire starting January 2025 |
The Encompass CRM force-migration context
In late 2024, ICE Mortgage Technology announced that Encompass CRM is being sunset. Customers were given a guided pilot through end of 2024 and self-migration to Surefire starting January 2025. Customers who do not self-migrate within the ICE-specified window have the option of using ICE Professional Services at standard SOW rates (billable hours).
For Encompass CRM customers who do not want to follow the ICE-prescribed path, BNTouch is the natural independent alternative. The White Glove migration team specializes in Encompass CRM data export, field mapping into BNTouch, and 30-day implementation including LOS integration setup with whichever LOS you use (Encompass, LendingPad, BytePro, etc.).
When BNTouch is the right answer instead of Surefire
- You want CRM independence from your LOS provider.
- You are an Encompass CRM customer being force-migrated to Surefire and want a different path.
- You want transparent pricing and month-to-month flexibility.
- You operate at the solo-LO to mid-market scale (1-200 LOs) and do not need ICE-grade enterprise integration.
- You value direct access to the founder and a non-bureaucratic support model.
When Surefire is the right answer instead
Surefire is the right choice if your firm is already deeply integrated with the ICE Mortgage Technology stack (Encompass LOS, Velocify, other ICE products) and the single-vendor concentration is a feature, not a concern. For retail banks and large mortgage operations with 200+ LOs that have full-time IT teams and existing ICE contracts, Surefire is the natural extension.
Migration from Surefire / Top of Mind to BNTouch
BNTouch’s White Glove migration team has processes for moving from Surefire or Top of Mind. The standard 30-day migration covers: discovery and Surefire data export (Week 1), field mapping and import into BNTouch sandbox (Week 2), integration setup with your LOS and team training (Week 3), go-live with continued White Glove support (Week 4). Pricing for the migration is included with any BNTouch annual plan.
Frequently asked
Is Surefire still called Top of Mind?
Not really. Top of Mind Networks was the original parent company name. Surefire was the product. After Black Knight acquired the company and then ICE acquired Black Knight, the Surefire brand has been absorbed into the ICE Mortgage Technology platform. The standalone topofmind.com domain redirects to mortgagetech.ice.com. Most ongoing references in the industry are now to “Surefire” or “ICE Mortgage Technology Surefire.”
Is BNTouch cheaper than Surefire?
Yes for most use cases. BNTouch Team at $95/seat ($190/month minimum for 2 users) compared to Surefire at $150+/seat is typically 30-40% lower per-seat cost. For solo loan officers, BNTouch Individual at $165/month is the only published price; Surefire does not offer a published solo tier.
How long does the Surefire to BNTouch migration take?
30 days from kickoff to fully live for most brokerages. Includes Surefire data export, contact and pipeline migration, LOS integration setup, and team training. The BNTouch White Glove team handles the heavy lifting.
Do I have to migrate from Encompass CRM if I am on it?
ICE is sunsetting Encompass CRM and force-migrating customers to Surefire starting January 2025. You can follow the ICE path, pay ICE Professional Services to do it for you, or switch to an independent CRM like BNTouch and have the White Glove team handle the migration instead.
Related reading
- BNTouch vs Surefire detailed comparison
- Migrate from Encompass CRM to BNTouch
- Why an independent mortgage CRM matters
- Best mortgage CRM 2026: full comparison
Looking at all your options? See the full BNTouch Mortgage CRM overview (comparison table, pricing, LOS integrations) or the dedicated AI Mortgage CRM page for MAIA, Credit Pull Alerts, and HBPPA-compliant retention.
