Pricing note (September 2026): The featured individual-agent offer is $0/month with a two-year commitment, a $750 annual fee, and reduced caps of $7,000 (simpliPRENEUR) or $14,000 (simpliSHARE). Flexible month-to-month pricing is $99/month with standard $7,500/$15,000 caps. simpliMILITARY has a $5,000 cap and $0/month platform fee; the $750 annual fee applies. A 0.1% broker fee applies per transaction ($199 minimum, $399 maximum).
Most agents evaluate brokerages by the split. That's the wrong starting point.
The split is one number. Your actual take-home is the result of five or six numbers working together — some buried in the fine print, some never mentioned on the recruiting call. An 85/15 split at one brokerage and an 85/15 split at another can produce take-home figures that differ by $8,000 or more per year at identical production volume. The split is the headline. The fee structure is the story.
This article breaks down every line item that affects your net commission in 2026, runs the math across the major brokerages, and shows where the gaps actually live.
The Fee Categories That Matter
Before comparing brokerages, you need a consistent framework. Six cost categories determine your annual take-home:
- Commission split — the percentage the brokerage takes from each transaction before cap
- Annual cap — the dollar ceiling on what the brokerage collects from your split
- Monthly platform or technology fee — flat recurring cost regardless of production
- Per-transaction fee — a fixed or percentage-based charge on every deal, sometimes continuing after cap
- Royalty or franchise fee — a percentage taken off the top before the split is even calculated, common at franchise brokerages
- Add-on tool costs — CRM, transaction coordination, virtual staging, e-signature, and showing management billed separately
The last two categories are where agents get surprised. A brokerage with a low cap can still cost more annually if it charges a franchise royalty on every deal or bills separately for tools you use on every transaction.
Brokerage-by-Brokerage Fee Breakdown
Keller Williams
Keller Williams says split and cap terms are set by each market center. Royalty, technology, desk, and transaction charges may also vary. A complete local fee sheet is required for an accurate comparison.
For an agent closing 20 deals at an average commission of $8,000 per side, GCI is $160,000. Apply the specific market center's split, cap, royalty, and recurring fees to that same production scenario. A national estimate would imply uniform terms that Keller Williams does not publish.
eXp Realty
eXp takes 20% from each transaction and caps at $16,000 annually. Technology fees run approximately $85 per month — $1,020 per year. Transaction coordination isn't bundled. Neither are CRM tools, virtual staging, or other production software.
At $160,000 GCI, eXp collects $16,000 in split fees before cap, plus $1,020 in monthly fees. Transaction coordination and any other separately purchased tools should then be added using the agent's actual vendor quotes. Total annual brokerage cost before those personal tool subscriptions is $17,020.
The 80/20 split is the first drag. The $16,000 cap is the second. The unbundled tool stack is the third. For a full breakdown of how eXp's structure stacks up, the Commission Split Showdown 2026 runs that math side by side.
REAL Broker
REAL uses an 85/15 split — same as simpliHŌM — but caps at $12,000. There's no monthly fee. Per-transaction fees apply. Transaction coordination isn't bundled, and its stock awards are in a publicly traded company already priced by the market.
No monthly fee sounds attractive. But at 20 transactions per year with no bundled TC, you're still sourcing and paying for coordination, CRM, and production tools out of pocket. The $12,000 cap is also 60% higher than simpliHŌM's simpliPRENEUR entry plan. The REAL Broker commission split breakdown covers how that structure plays out in practice.
Fathom Realty
Fathom's Max plan caps at $9,000 with a per-transaction fee structure. Fathom Share caps at $12,000 and takes a 12% split. Neither plan includes structured equity, AI marketing tools, or bundled transaction coordination. Support is business hours only.
The per-transaction fee model means your cost per deal doesn't stop after cap — it runs on every transaction. That detail matters more than it sounds. An agent closing 25 deals a year pays that fee 25 times regardless of where they are in their cap cycle. The Fathom Realty commission split article walks through how that adds up over a full production year.
Compass
Compass uses negotiated splits with no published national cap. The brokerage takes a percentage on every transaction with no ceiling. There's no revenue share program and no equity for agents. The effective annual cost scales directly with production — the more you close, the more Compass collects, indefinitely.
For a high producer, that's the most expensive model on this list.
The Full Fee Comparison Table
| Brokerage | Split | Annual Cap | Monthly Fee | TC Bundled | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| simpliHŌM simpliPRENEUR | 85/15 | $7,500 | $99 | Included | Value units on cap |
| simpliHŌM simpliSHARE | 85/15 | $15,000 | $99 | Yes (free) | 1,000 value units + $15K CBC |
| REAL Broker | 85/15 | $12,000 | $0 | No | Public stock |
| eXp Realty | 80/20 | $16,000 | ~$85 | No | Public stock |
| Fathom Max | varies | $9,000 | $0 | No | None |
| Keller Williams | Varies by market center | Varies by market center | Varies locally | Verify locally | Profit share program |
| Compass | negotiated | No cap | varies | No | None |
The per-transaction broker fee isn't in this table because it varies by deal price. At simpliHŌM, it's 0.1% of the contract price with a $199 minimum and $399 maximum, applied on every deal including post-cap transactions. That fee exists at most brokerages in some form — the difference is whether it's disclosed clearly or buried in the closing statement.
The Line Item Most Agents Miss: Post-Cap Fees
Most brokerages present the cap as the finish line. Hit the cap, keep everything. That framing is incomplete at every brokerage on this list.
At simpliHŌM, the 85/15 split stops once you hit your annual cap. You keep 100% of commissions for the remainder of your anniversary year. But the per-transaction broker fee of 0.1% ($199 min, $399 max) continues on every deal — pre- and post-cap. On a $400,000 transaction, that's $399. On a $200,000 transaction, that's $199. For an agent closing 20 deals per year at an average price of $350,000, post-cap per-transaction fees total roughly $3,980 annually across all deals.
Not a hidden fee — it's disclosed. But it has to be in your math.
At eXp and KW, post-cap charges can continue even after the commission split changes. eXp publishes its national U.S. cap and fee structure; KW directs agents to the local market center for its terms. Whether capping is achievable at your production level—and which fees remain afterward—should be calculated from the actual agreement.
What the Monthly Fee Actually Buys
The $99 flexible month-to-month platform fee at simpliHŌM covers Lofty CRM with IDX site and automated lead routing, Dotloop Premium, ShowingTime+, AI Virtual Staging, AI Headshots, AI Marketing, Automated Testimonials, and transaction coordination. Including coordination avoids a separate per-deal fee and reduces administrative work.
At eXp, the published monthly technology fee covers its platform and specified tools. At REAL, there is no base monthly fee under the published U.S. plan. Keller Williams inclusions and local fees should be confirmed with the market center. In every case, compare the exact tools and services in the written agreement.
For an agent who currently pays for a coordinator on every deal, that separate line item can be material. At simpliHŌM, coordination is included. Compare the actual outside quote with the flexible plan's $1,188 annual platform charge or the featured two-year option's $750 annual fee before adding cap, split, and broker-fee differences.
The 2-Year Commitment Option Changes the Math Further
simpliHŌM's featured pricing uses a two-year Independent Contractor Agreement with a $0 monthly platform fee and a $750 annual fee. It sets a $7,000 simpliPRENEUR cap or $14,000 simpliSHARE cap. Flexible $99/month terms remain available with the standard $7,500 and $15,000 caps.
For an agent confident in their production volume, the 2-year option reduces annual platform charges by $438 after the $750 annual fee while also lowering the cap by $500 (simpliPRENEUR) or $1,000 (simpliSHARE). Combined annual cost reduction: $938 to $1,438 depending on the plan. The per-transaction broker fee still applies on every deal.
Flexible month-to-month pricing remains available. The featured two-year offer includes a $750 annual fee.
Where simpliHŌM Sits in the Fee Landscape
For an agent closing 20 deals per year at $8,000 average commission per side ($160,000 GCI), here's what annual brokerage costs look like across the simpliPRENEUR plan versus the two most common cloud alternatives:
simpliHŌM simpliPRENEUR:
- Split fees to cap: $7,500
- Monthly platform fee: $1,188
- Per-transaction broker fee (20 deals at avg $350K): ~$3,980
- TC cost: $0 (bundled)
- Total: ~$12,668
eXp Realty:
- Split fees to cap: $16,000
- Monthly tech fee: $1,020
- Separately purchased services: use current quotes
- Published split plus monthly fee: ~$17,020 before other services and transaction fees
REAL Broker:
- Split fees to cap: $12,000
- Monthly fee: $0
- Separately purchased services: use current quotes
- Published split contribution: $12,000, plus applicable transaction fees and other services
These figures are not yet an apples-to-apples total because each agreement has its own transaction fees and inclusions. Add those written terms and current outside quotes before calculating any savings.
The simpliSHARE plan adds daily coaching through Bill Pipes via G3 Nation, digital billboards, custom branded sign panels, 1,000 value units upon capping, and a $15,000 Convertible Bonus Certificate each year you cap. Those don't show up on a fee comparison table — they're additions to the value side of the ledger. For agents weighing HomeSmart's 100% commission model against a bundled plan, the HomeSmart commission split article runs that comparison directly.
The Cap Reset Detail That Changes Your Annual Strategy
One structural detail that belongs in every fee comparison: when does the cap reset?
At most brokerages, it resets on January 1. At simpliHŌM, it resets on your join anniversary. That detail matters more than it sounds.
If you join simpliHŌM in March, your cap year runs March to March. An agent who caps in August has four months of 100% commissions before the reset. An agent at a calendar-year brokerage who joins in March starts a cap race with only nine months on the clock — then resets to zero in January regardless of when they capped.
Your own production clock, not the calendar, is the variable that determines when you hit 100%.
FAQs
What fees does a real estate brokerage charge beyond the commission split?
Most brokerages charge some combination of a monthly platform or technology fee, a per-transaction broker fee, and in some cases a franchise royalty. Many also bill separately for CRM software, transaction coordination, virtual staging, and e-signature platforms. The split percentage is only one of several cost inputs that determine your actual take-home.
What is a brokerage cap and how does it affect my net commission?
A cap is the maximum dollar amount a brokerage collects from your commission split in a given year. Once you hit it, the split stops for the remainder of that cap period, although other fees may continue. The flexible simpliPRENEUR plan caps at $7,500, REAL's published U.S. plan at $12,000, and eXp's published U.S. plan at $16,000. Keller Williams caps vary by market center.
Do brokerage fees continue after I hit my annual cap?
At most brokerages, including simpliHŌM, per-transaction fees continue after cap. At simpliHŌM, the 85/15 split stops at cap and you keep 100% of commissions — but the per-transaction broker fee of 0.1% ($199 minimum, $399 maximum) applies on every deal, including post-cap transactions. Factor that into any annual cost calculation.
Is transaction coordination typically included in brokerage fees?
It varies. simpliHŌM includes transaction coordination on every deal as part of its platform. For any competitor, confirm whether coordination is included in the written plan, offered locally, or purchased separately; do not assume national availability from a general brokerage description.
What is the difference between a franchise royalty fee and a commission split?
A franchise royalty is a separate charge that may be assessed alongside the commission split. Its calculation and cap should be confirmed in the local franchise agreement before comparing it with a cloud brokerage's published terms.
How does the cap reset date affect my annual take-home?
If your cap resets on January 1, you race a calendar year regardless of when you joined. At simpliHŌM, the cap resets on your join anniversary, so your 100% commission window is tied to your own production timeline. An agent who caps in August keeps 100% of commissions through their anniversary month the following year.
What is a per-transaction broker fee and how much does it typically cost?
A per-transaction broker fee is a flat or percentage-based charge applied to each closed deal, separate from the commission split. At simpliHŌM, it's 0.1% of the contract price with a $199 minimum and $399 maximum, applied on every transaction including post-cap deals. Other brokerages structure this fee differently — some embed it in the split or cap rather than disclosing it as a separate line item.
The split is the number agents quote. The fee stack is the number that determines what actually clears. Run every line item — split, cap, monthly fee, per-transaction fee, royalty, and tool costs — before you evaluate any brokerage offer.
For a full plan comparison and current pricing, visit joinsimplihom.com.
Sources and date
Competitor plan details were checked on September 24, 2026 against official materials: eXp World Holdings' 2025 annual report, The Real Brokerage's 2025 Annual Information Form, Keller Williams' official cap guidance, Fathom Realty's careers FAQ, and Compass' 2025 annual report. Local, team, and negotiated terms can vary; verify the current agreement before making a brokerage decision.