Keller Williams Realty vs Re/MAX
Largest US brokerage by agent count with profit-share culture vs 100%-commission franchise with monthly desk fees.
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.
Keller Williams Realty
$96,000
estimated net take-home
Re/MAX
$90,000
estimated net take-home
Feature matrix
| Feature | KW | Re/MAX |
|---|---|---|
| Commission model | cap | 100-commission |
| Default split | 70/30 | 95/5 |
| Annual cap | $21,000 | — |
| Monthly fee | — | $2,000 |
| Per-transaction fee | — | — |
| Royalty fee | 6% | — |
| Training program | extensive | standard |
| Lead program | agent-sourced | agent-sourced |
| Stock awards | — | — |
| Profit share | ✓ | — |
| Sponsorship residual | — | — |
| Publicly traded | Private | RMAX |
| Approx agent count | 175,000 | 145,000 |
| Headquarters | Austin, TX | Denver, CO |
| Founded | $1,983 | $1,973 |
Best/worst fit for KW
Best for: Agents who value strong in-person training + long-term profit-share residuals
Worst for: Agents wanting stock equity or pure 100% commission models
Best/worst fit for Re/MAX
Best for: High-volume producers who can absorb the monthly desk fee comfortably
Worst for: Newer agents with <12 transactions/year — the desk fee eats the margin
FAQ
What's the biggest difference between Keller Williams Realty and Re/MAX?+
Keller Williams Realty runs on a cap model (70/30 split, $21,000 cap) while Re/MAX runs on a 100-commission model (95/5 split). One offers profit share; the other does not.
Which is better for new agents?+
Newer agents typically benefit more from extensive training + lead programs. Keller Williams Realty: extensive training, agent-sourced leads. Re/MAX: 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. Keller Williams 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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