vFound vs iLost
iLost and vFound serve different desk requirements. Both tools publish found items for guests to search. The practical choice is who handles a return: iLost documents integrated shipping, while vFound leaves postage with your staff and gives each venue a branded guest website.
We publish vFound. This is a review of the linked public documentation, not an independent hands-on test of iLost. Confirm the required tier, hardware and full price with each provider.
iLost facts checked against its public website on 23 October 2026.
Side by side
| Feature | vFound | iLost |
|---|---|---|
| AI features | vFound AI: photo auto-fill, a privacy guard, matching with reasons, photo search, a lost report chat, claim checks, translation and reply drafts | Not publicly statedSource |
| Matching reports to items | vFound AI ranks likely matches with a reason for each. Staff decide | Staff compare the owner's claim description with the item's characteristics, then match the owner.Source |
| Public found items page | Yes: every venue has its own photo-led public website | Organisations' found items are searchable by the public on ilost.co, 24 hours a day.Source |
| Online lost reports | Yes, with possible matches shown straight away and an email each time a likely match is logged, for 90 days | Its help centre says only found items are displayed and lost item reports cannot be submitted.Source |
| Guest languages | English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Swedish, Turkish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese and Arabic | Public found-item overview available in 19 languages.Source |
| Ownership claims | Private identifying details and staff-only photos; an AI claim check for staff. Staff decide each claim | Owners submit a claim with control features; the organisation that registered the item reviews and handles it.Source |
| Returns | Pickup booking and manual shipping; claims are free and return postage is separate | Owner collects by appointment or pays for courier shipping booked by iLost, which charges a handling fee.Source |
| Item labels and storage | QR labels for items and storage bins | Not publicly statedSource |
| Reporting | Analytics and weekly AI insights | Not publicly statedSource |
| Branding | Venue name, colors and cover photo, a website widget, and a subdomain of your own website | Organisation page on ilost.co; where agreed, scripts add a search bar, button and found-item overview to customer websites.Source |
| API and webhooks | REST API with scoped keys and signed webhooks | Publishes iLost for Business API documentation with API-key authorisation; webhooks not publicly stated.Source |
| Integrations | Slack, Microsoft Teams and Google Chat alerts | Hotel page cites many custom integration settings; named third-party integrations not publicly stated.Source |
| Security and roles | Owner, manager, staff and viewer roles, each with their own login | ISO 27001 certified; business site shows ISO 9001, GDPR, PCI DSS and WCAG 2.1 badges; SSO and two-factor not stated.Source |
| Apps | Browser based on any phone, tablet or computer; nothing to install | Completely web-based system with no installation required; native apps not publicly stated.Source |
| Pricing | US$75/month per venue, billed yearly (US$900 a year) | Not publicly stated; business terms say fees follow the offer, customer contract or iLost price list.Source |
| Free trial | 14 days, self-serve, valid card required | Not publicly statedSource |
| Ownership decisions | AI suggests matches and claim checks; staff decide each claim. | Staff compare the guest description with the found item before matching the owner.Source |
Choose iLost if
- You want a provider to book return shipments and coordinate carrier pickup.
- You want guests to search items published on iLost.
Choose vFound if
- You want your own branded venue catalogue with guest photo search.
- You want staff to control claims, collection and any postal return.
Try the actual desk journey
vFound does not book a courier or sell return labels. If managed shipping is essential, evaluate iLost before changing your process.
The front desk decides the claim, then records the return.
Read more
- Photograph a fictional found bag and report a matching loss from the guest page. Check what the guest can see before staff approve a claim.
- Try one pickup booking and one manually recorded postal return. Decide who will pack the item, buy postage and answer tracking questions.
Use fictional sample records for rehearsal. This screen illustrates vFound, not the other product.
“I think that’s mine.”
Brown leather wallet · reception
“There’s a small star stitched inside, next to the card pocket.”
- Guest submits a claim
- Your team verifies ownership
- Return arranged and recorded
Plan a careful switch from iLost
Keep the original evidence under your venue’s retention policy. Verify the destination records before retiring the old system; no one-click migration is promised.
Read more
- Ask iLost which records and attachments your contract lets you export; keep a private archive of claims and return evidence. No automatic iLost migration is promised.
- Map a small synthetic CSV to the vFound found-item import and use its dry run before saving. Reconcile storage labels and open claims separately.
- Choose a cutover date, count physical items against the new list and keep old private claim links available until outstanding claims are resolved.
Meet vFound Lost & Found
Photograph found items, publish them on your own guest website and return them to their owners.
See everything in vFound Lost & FoundPicture your venue’s website.
Try your name and colours. Watch it become yours.
Illustrative preview. Your web address is confirmed during setup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between vFound and iLost?+
iLost describes itself as the search engine for lost and found items: organisations register found items and owners search a public overview in 19 languages. vFound gives every venue its own lost and found website, lets guests report losses and see matches, and adds vFound AI. Each iLost fact on this page links to its source.
Can guests report a lost item on iLost?+
iLost’s help centre says only found items are displayed and it is not possible to submit a lost item report on the platform. On vFound, guests can report a loss, see possible matches straight away and get an email each time a likely match is logged over the next 90 days.
How much does iLost cost?+
iLost does not publish business prices on the pages we checked; its business terms refer to the initial offer, the customer contract or its price list. vFound Lost & Found is US$75/month per venue, billed yearly at US$900, with a 14-day free trial.
Can I bring my records across to vFound?+
vFound imports found items from a CSV file, up to 2,000 rows at a time, with a dry run that shows what will be created before anything is saved. Ask iLost which exports your account permits, then preview a synthetic CSV in vFound. Importing inventory does not transfer private links, claims or historical evidence.
What should we test before replacing iLost with vFound?+
Photograph a fictional found bag and report a matching loss from the guest page. Check what the guest can see before staff approve a claim. vFound does not book a courier or sell return labels. If managed shipping is essential, evaluate iLost before changing your process.
Will our existing iLost links and history move automatically?+
No automatic transfer of private links or historical evidence is promised. Ask iLost which records and attachments your contract lets you export; keep a private archive of claims and return evidence. No automatic iLost migration is promised.
Try vFound Lost & Found with your own desk.
Start a 14-day free trial of vFound Lost & Found. A valid card is required; cancel before day 14 to avoid the yearly charge.
Start your 14-day free trial