Real Estate Commission Calculator
Compare your net take-home across 12 major US brokerages. Real 2026 splits, caps, royalties, and fees.
Your numbers at eXp Realty
Total brokerage costs: $0. Excludes self-employment tax, MLS dues, marketing budget, transaction coordinator fees, and per-deal lender/title splits.
Compare across all brokerages — same $120,000 GCI / 12 transactions
| Brokerage | Model | Split | Estimated net |
|---|---|---|---|
| flat-fee | 100/0 | $116,160 | |
| 100-commission | 100/0 | $115,824 | |
| cap | 85/15 · cap $12,000 | $106,920 | |
| cap | 80/20 · cap $16,000 | $102,200 | |
| cap | 70/30 · cap $21,000 | $96,000 | |
| split | 80/20 | $96,000 | |
| 100-commission | 95/5 | $90,000 | |
| split | 70/30 | $84,000 | |
| split | 70/30 | $81,000 | |
| split | 60/40 | $72,000 | |
| split | 60/40 | $72,000 | |
| split | 50/50 | $57,000 |
Best-fit isn't always highest take-home. Consider lead programs, training quality, tech stack, and brand recognition. Side-by-side brokerage comparisons →
How brokerage commission models work
When you close a deal, the buyer-broker and seller-broker firms split the gross commission first. The cut that lands at your brokerage is what we call Annual GCI in this calculator — gross commission income. Your brokerage then keeps a slice of that GCI based on its commission model. The slice can be a fixed split, a split with an annual cap, a flat per-transaction fee, or some hybrid of all three.
The big differentiators between brokerages:
- Split-based (Coldwell Banker, Century 21, Sotheby's): brokerage keeps a fixed percentage for life. Best when you're lower-volume and value training/leads/brand over net take-home.
- Cap-based (eXp Realty, Keller Williams, Real Brokerage): brokerage keeps a percentage only until you hit an annual cap, then you keep 100% for the rest of your anniversary year. Best for productive agents — the cap effectively limits brokerage cost.
- 100% commission / flat-fee (Re/MAX, Realty ONE, HomeSmart): you keep nearly all commission but pay a monthly desk fee and per-transaction fee. Best for the highest-volume agents — at low volume the monthly fee eats your margin.
- Hybrid programs: revenue share (eXp), stock programs (eXp, Real Brokerage), profit share (Keller Williams), sponsorship residual (EXIT). These compound over time and can materially change the long-term math.
FAQ
What's the difference between a split-based brokerage and a cap brokerage?+
A split brokerage takes a fixed percentage of every commission for the life of your career (e.g. Coldwell Banker keeps 30-40%). A cap brokerage takes a percentage only until you hit an annual cap (e.g. eXp's $16,000 cap), after which you keep 100% until your anniversary. High-volume agents win with cap models; lower-volume agents often net more on traditional splits depending on fees.
Why does Re/MAX show as 95/5 instead of 100/0?+
Re/MAX advertises as a "100% commission" brokerage but most offices retain a small percentage to fund local operations on top of the monthly desk fee. The effective split is closer to 95/5 plus the desk fee. Treating it as 100/0 would understate the real cost.
Does this include the buyer-broker / seller-broker split?+
No. The "Annual GCI" input is the gross commission income that lands at your brokerage — already after the buyer-broker / seller-broker split between firms. This calculator only models the cut your brokerage takes from your half.
What about MLS dues, marketing, and self-employment tax?+
Excluded. This calculator models brokerage costs only. Plan to budget another $200-$500/mo for MLS dues + association fees + lockbox, plus 15.3% self-employment tax on net income, plus your marketing spend.
How accurate is the data?+
Splits and fees are sourced from public 2026 recruiting pages, 10-K filings (for publicly-traded brokerages), and 2025-2026 industry comparison reports. Where splits vary widely by office or market center, we use the most-commonly-published default and note the variability. Verify with the brokerage directly before signing.
Want to dig deeper?
Compare specific brokerages side-by-side or estimate income by city:
Sources
- eXp Realty Public Recruiting
- EXPI 10-K (2024)
- KW Public Recruiting
- COMP 10-K (2024)
- REAX Investor Relations
- NAR Member Profile (income statistics)
Data verified 2026-05-20. Calculator is for illustrative comparison only and is not financial advice.