NotLost Alternative: A Public Photo Catalogue With Published Prices
NotLost is an established UK lost property platform with image recognition, postage and courier handling and an API. vFound takes a different route: a public branded catalogue guests search themselves, instant match suggestions when they report a loss, and prices published on the site.
The essentials
- NotLost is well established in the UK, with image recognition, postage invoicing, courier booking and an API.
- NotLost describes lost report forms that staff match; vFound also lets guests browse a public catalogue and see possible matches instantly.
- vFound publishes its prices (US$79 or US$129 a month); NotLost’s pricing is not published on its site.
- Large UK operators needing an API or managed postage may be better served by NotLost.
The short answer
If you want guests to search your found items themselves and to see prices before any sales call, vFound is a NotLost alternative worth testing. Each venue gets a branded public catalogue, guests who report a loss see possible matches straight away, and plans cost US$79 or US$129 a month with a 14-day trial.
NotLost does several things vFound does not, and those are set out plainly below.
How NotLost works
NotLost is UK web-based lost property software sold on subscription by I’ve Been Found Ltd of Epsom, Surrey. It targets hotels, universities, shopping centres, offices, theme parks and transport networks, and runs in the browser.
According to its features page, NotLost uses image recognition to help staff log items and suggests matches between lost reports and found items. Guests submit online lost report forms and staff do the matching; public browsing of found items is not described. For returns, staff confirm a collection or send a postage invoice, guests can pay postage through a self-checkout, and courier booking is integrated. Its UK G-Cloud listing includes an API with OpenAPI documentation.
The strengths are clear. NotLost has been running since 2014, and its public customer list includes TfL, The O2, Westfield, Landsec, London City Airport and AEG Festivals. It holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating from 12 reviews on Capterra. Its FAQ says it is English only but can be used in every country, and that it offers a range of plans billed monthly or annually. Prices are not published on its site.
Where vFound differs
Guests search a public catalogue. Every vFound venue gets its own branded lost and found website at yourvenue.vfound.io, with your name, colours and cover photo, plus printable QR code signs. Guests search by keyword, category and date at any hour, with no account and no app. On Pro, the catalogue is photo-led; staff can still keep any photo private for verification. Starter lists items as text.
Guests see possible matches the moment they report. Instead of waiting for staff to work through a report, a guest who describes a loss instantly sees possible matches to check by photo, and gets one email if a matching item is logged later. Staff see every report and can turn one into a claim. Suggestions come from text and category, and the person confirms by the photo.
Prices you can read before you call. Starter is US$79 a month or US$474 a year. Pro, with photos, unlimited items and unlimited team members, is US$129 a month or US$774 a year. The 14-day trial is self-serve and needs no card.
No charges to guests. vFound charges guests nothing, and the venue sets any shipping arrangement. vFound does not take postage payments, book couriers or offer an API, so if those matter, NotLost covers ground vFound does not.
NotLost and vFound side by side
| NotLost | vFound | |
|---|---|---|
| Public browsing of found items | Not described on its features page | Yes. Branded page per venue; photo-led on Pro |
| Guest loss reports | Online lost report forms; staff do the matching | Guests see possible matches instantly, then one email if a match is logged later |
| Logging help | Image recognition helps log items | Staff log in any browser; phone photo capture on Pro |
| Match suggestions | Suggests matches between lost reports and found items | Suggested by text and category; the person confirms by photo |
| Postage and couriers | Postage invoices, guest self-checkout for postage, integrated courier booking | Venue sets any shipping arrangement; guests pay vFound nothing |
| API | Yes, with OpenAPI docs (G-Cloud listing) | No |
| Languages | English only; usable in every country | English |
| Pricing | Not published; monthly or annual plans | US$79 or US$129 a month; US$474 or US$774 a year |
| Free trial | Up to one month, per its G-Cloud listing | 14 days, no card, self-serve |
| Track record | Since 2014; TfL, The O2, Westfield and others; Capterra 4.8/5 from 12 reviews | No public figures |
Positioning reflects each vendor’s public materials as of September 2026; confirm current features and prices with the vendor before deciding.
Who should choose which
Choose NotLost if you are a UK transport network, shopping centre estate or event organiser that needs an API, integrated courier booking and guest postage payments, if image recognition would speed up logging at your volumes, if you buy through G-Cloud, or if named references at comparable operators matter to your procurement team.
Choose vFound if you want guests to answer their own question by searching a branded catalogue, you want people who report a loss to see possible matches immediately, you want to know the price before you talk to anyone, or you want to be set up the same day on a self-serve trial. Guests never pay vFound to recover an item.
Try vFound free for 14 days, or compare the field in our best lost and found software guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best NotLost alternative?
For venues that want guests to browse found items on a public branded page and see possible matches as soon as they report a loss, vFound is a photo-first alternative with published pricing. If you need an API, courier booking or postage payments, NotLost may suit you better.
How much does NotLost cost?
NotLost does not publish prices on its site. Its FAQ describes a range of plans billed monthly or annually, so you need to contact the vendor for a quote. vFound costs US$79 or US$129 a month, or US$474 or US$774 a year.
Does vFound use image recognition like NotLost?
No. vFound suggests possible matches from the text and category of a guest’s report, and the guest confirms by looking at the photo. NotLost states that it uses image recognition to help log items and suggest matches.
Can guests browse found items with NotLost?
NotLost’s features page describes online lost report forms that staff match, and does not describe public browsing of found items. Every vFound venue has a public page guests can search by keyword, category and date.