eXp Realty vs HomeSmart
Cloud-based brokerage with revenue share + stock awards vs Flat-fee transaction model — keep nearly all commission.
Reviewed by SofaBrain Editorial Team
Editorial Team · Last reviewed 2026-05-20
Net-income side by side
Computed at the realtor median: $120,000 annual GCI ÷ 12 transactions per year. Adjust the inputs on the live commission calculator.
eXp Realty
$102,200
estimated net take-home
HomeSmart
$116,160
estimated net take-home
Feature matrix
| Feature | eXp | HomeSmart |
|---|---|---|
| Commission model | cap | flat-fee |
| Default split | 80/20 | 100/0 |
| Annual cap | $16,000 | — |
| Monthly fee | $85 | $25 |
| Per-transaction fee | $25 | $295 |
| Royalty fee | — | — |
| Training program | extensive | standard |
| Lead program | agent-sourced | agent-sourced |
| Stock awards | ✓ | — |
| Profit share | — | — |
| Sponsorship residual | ✓ | — |
| Publicly traded | EXPI | Private |
| Approx agent count | 87,000 | 24,000 |
| Headquarters | Bellingham, WA | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Founded | $2,009 | $2,000 |
Best/worst fit for eXp
Best for: Self-directed agents who can self-generate leads + want revenue share and stock upside
Worst for: New agents needing local mentorship or a high-touch office environment
Best/worst fit for HomeSmart
Best for: Highest-volume agents — flat fee structure means margin grows linearly with volume
Worst for: Agents with <10 transactions/year — Realty ONE / eXp likely cheaper
FAQ
What's the biggest difference between eXp Realty and HomeSmart?+
eXp Realty runs on a cap model (80/20 split, $16,000 cap) while HomeSmart runs on a flat-fee model (100/0 split). One offers stock awards; the other does not.
Which is better for new agents?+
Newer agents typically benefit more from extensive training + lead programs. eXp Realty: extensive training, agent-sourced leads. HomeSmart: standard training, agent-sourced leads. The brokerage with more brokerage-provided leads + extensive training is usually the safer first move.
Which is better at high volume?+
At high volume (30+ transactions/year), cap-based and 100%-commission brokerages outperform split-based ones because the brokerage's share is capped while your output keeps growing. eXp Realty is the cap/100%-commission option in this pair.
Does this comparison include lender/title splits?+
No. We model the brokerage's cut of your gross commission income (GCI) after the buyer-broker / seller-broker split between firms. Lender, title, and ancillary splits vary deal-to-deal and aren't modeled here.
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