Both brokerages run an 85/15 split. Both are cloud-based. Both pitch themselves as the agent-first alternative to Keller Williams and eXp. So why does the same agent keep more money at simpliHŌM?
The cap. REAL Broker caps at $12,000. simpliHŌM's simpliPRENEUR plan caps at $7,500. That $4,500 difference is real money you hand to a brokerage before your split disappears. This article shows exactly where it goes — transaction by transaction.
The Fee Structures, Side by Side
Before running any numbers, here are the raw structures for each brokerage.
| simpliHŌM — simpliPRENEUR | REAL Broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Split | 85/15 from transaction one | 85/15 from transaction one |
| Annual cap | $7,500 | $12,000 |
| Monthly / platform fee | $99/month ($1,188/year) | $0 |
| Per-transaction fee | 0.1% of contract price ($199 min / $399 max) | $285 (post-cap) / included in split pre-cap |
| Transaction coordination | Included free | Not included |
| Cap resets on | Agent anniversary date | January 1 |
REAL Broker's per-transaction fee structure varies by plan. The $285 post-cap transaction fee reflects the standard REAL Pro plan as of 2026. Verify current REAL Broker fee schedules directly with the brokerage.
The Scenario: Agent A, 20 Transactions, ~$7,500 Average Commission
Agent A closes 20 transactions in her anniversary year. Average gross commission per transaction: $7,500. Total GCI: $150,000.
She's evaluating simpliHŌM's simpliPRENEUR plan against REAL Broker. Same production. Same market. Different brokerage costs.
simpliHŌM: Month-by-Month Walkthrough
Transactions 1–5: Building Toward the Cap
Each transaction: $7,500 gross commission. 15% split to simpliHŌM = $1,125 per transaction. Broker fee: 0.1% of contract price. Assume average contract price of $375,000 = $375, within the $399 max.
Transaction 1: $7,500 − $1,125 − $375 = $6,000 Transactions 2–5: Agent keeps $6,000 each
Running cap tally after 5 transactions: $5,625 paid to brokerage (split only).
Transaction 6: The Cap Hits
After transaction 5, Agent A has paid $5,625 in split. She needs $1,875 more to hit $7,500. Transaction 6 contributes $1,125 — bringing the running total to $6,750. She needs $750 more.
Transaction 6 gross commission: $7,500. 15% = $1,125. Only $750 remains before cap.
Transaction 6: $7,500 − $750 − $375 = $6,375
The moment she pays that $750, the split disappears entirely.
Running cap tally: $7,500. Cap hit on transaction 6.
Transactions 7–20: 100% Commission
From transaction 7 forward, Agent A pays zero split. She still pays the broker fee per transaction ($375 in this scenario).
Transactions 7–20 (14 transactions): $7,500 − $375 = $7,125 each 14 × $7,125 = $99,750
simpliHŌM Annual Cost Summary
Split paid to brokerage: $7,500 Broker fees (20 transactions × $375): $7,500 Platform fee (12 months × $99): $1,188 Total brokerage cost: $16,188 Agent A cash take-home: $133,812
Adding Back the Transaction Coordination Value
simpliHŌM includes free transaction coordination on every deal. Industry-standard TC fees run $300 to $500 per transaction. At a conservative $375 average across 20 transactions, that's $7,500 in services Agent A doesn't pay out of pocket.
Cash take-home: $133,812 TC value included: $7,500 Effective take-home: $141,312
You can count it or not. The cash number is $133,812. The full economic picture is $141,312. Both figures appear in this article — nothing is hidden.
REAL Broker: The Same 20 Transactions
REAL Broker runs the same 85/15 split. The cap is $12,000. No monthly fee. No bundled transaction coordination.
Transactions 1–11: Paying Toward a Higher Cap
Each transaction: $7,500 gross commission. 15% split to REAL = $1,125 per transaction.
After 10 transactions, Agent A has paid $11,250 in split. She needs $750 more to hit $12,000.
Transaction 11: 15% of $7,500 = $1,125. Only $750 remains. Transaction 11: $7,500 − $750 = $6,750
Running cap tally: $12,000. Cap hit on transaction 11.
REAL Broker's cap hits 5 transactions later than simpliHŌM's.
Transactions 12–20: Post-Cap at REAL Broker
Post-cap, REAL Broker charges $285 per transaction (standard REAL Pro plan).
Transactions 12–20 (9 transactions): $7,500 − $285 = $7,215 each 9 × $7,215 = $64,935
REAL Broker Annual Cost Summary
Split paid to brokerage: $12,000 Post-cap transaction fees (9 × $285): $2,565 Monthly fee: $0 Transaction coordination (20 × $375, paid separately): $7,500 Total brokerage cost: $22,065 Agent A take-home: $127,935
Excluding TC costs, the take-home rises to $137,100 — but that only holds if Agent A absorbs the coordination work herself or declines to count it.
The Direct Comparison
Same agent. Same production. Different brokerage.
| simpliHŌM (simpliPRENEUR) | REAL Broker | |
|---|---|---|
| Split paid to brokerage | $7,500 | $12,000 |
| Broker / transaction fees | $7,500 | $2,565 |
| Platform fee | $1,188 | $0 |
| Transaction coordination | $0 (included) | $7,500 (external cost) |
| Total brokerage cost | $16,188 | $22,065 |
| Cash take-home | $133,812 | $127,935 |
| Difference | +$5,877 | — |
Agent A keeps $5,877 more per year at simpliHŌM on identical production. That gap compounds every year she stays, because the cap resets on her anniversary date rather than January 1. A strong Q4 doesn't get absorbed into a new year's cap — those transactions count toward the year she earned them.
For a closer look at what happens once the cap resets, what happens after you cap walks through the mechanics in detail.
What REAL Broker Doesn't Include
The $5,877 gap is the cash math. The structural comparison goes further.
No bundled transaction coordination. Every TC at REAL Broker is a separate line item. At simpliHŌM, it's built in. Across 20 transactions, that's 300+ hours of administrative work Agent A is either absorbing herself or paying someone else to handle.
No pre-IPO equity. REAL Broker offers REAX stock — publicly traded, already priced by the market. simpliHŌM grants pre-IPO RSUs and Convertible Bonus Certificates when agents cap. simpliPRENEUR agents receive 250 equity units on cap. simpliSHARE agents receive 1,000 RSUs plus a $15,000 CBC each year they cap. That equity carries a valuation the public market hasn't set yet.
5-tier revenue share vs. 7 levels. REAL Broker's revenue share runs 5 tiers. simpliHŌM's runs 7 levels, paying up to 24% of adjusted GCI at Level 7 for agents with 30 or more direct recruits. If you're building a team or actively recruiting, the depth of that program matters.
No named coaching. simpliSHARE includes daily coaching with Bill Pipes through G3 Nation. Comparable standalone coaching programs run thousands per month. REAL Broker offers no equivalent bundled option.
The 2-Year Commitment Option
If your production is consistent, simpliHŌM's optional 2-year commitment changes the math further.
The $99/month platform fee is waived entirely. The simpliPRENEUR cap drops from $7,500 to $7,000. The simpliSHARE cap drops from $15,000 to $14,000.
Waiving the monthly fee alone saves $1,188 per year. Combined with the lower cap, Agent A's total brokerage cost on the 2-year commitment drops to approximately $14,500 — versus $22,065 at REAL Broker on the same production.
The 2-year commitment is available to any simpliPRENEUR or simpliSHARE agent. It's not limited to high producers or ACE agents.
The simpliSHARE Scenario for Higher Producers
Agent A closes 20 transactions at $7,500 average. But what if she closes 30 at $10,000 average? That's $300,000 GCI.
At that production level, simpliSHARE is the relevant plan. The cap is $15,000 ($14,000 on the 2-year commitment). The split disappears around transaction 12 or 13 depending on commission size. From that point forward, she pays only the broker fee per transaction — $399 maximum — plus the $99/month platform fee.
At $300,000 GCI on simpliSHARE, she also caps and receives 1,000 RSUs plus a $15,000 Convertible Bonus Certificate — equity she accumulates every year she hits the cap. REAL Broker offers no equivalent.
Which Plan Fits Which Agent
simpliPRENEUR ($7,500 cap) fits agents closing 10 to 20 transactions per year with GCI under ~$75,000. The cap is lower than every direct cloud competitor. REAL Broker's cap is 60% higher. eXp's cap is 113% higher.
simpliSHARE ($15,000 cap) fits established producers closing 20+ transactions who want revenue share, equity grants, and named coaching. The 7-level revenue share and annual RSU/CBC grants make this the wealth-building plan.
simpliMILITARY ($5,000 cap) is available to veterans and active-duty military. At $5,000, it's the lowest cap in the market.
The Platform Fee Is Not a Hidden Cost
REAL Broker charges no monthly fee. That's a genuine advantage on paper. But the $99/month simpliHŌM platform fee covers Lofty CRM with IDX site and automated lead routing, Dotloop Premium, ShowingTime+, AI Virtual Staging, AI Headshots, AI Marketing, Automated Testimonials, the HOMhq platform hub, and free transaction coordination on every deal.
At REAL Broker, most of these tools are either not included or carry separate costs. The $99/month isn't overhead — it's a bundled stack that replaces tools you're likely already paying for individually.
The Structural Problem With a $12,000 Cap
REAL Broker's $12,000 cap isn't a footnote. It's a structural design choice that costs you $4,500 more per year than simpliPRENEUR's $7,500 cap before any other fees enter the picture.
Both brokerages run 85/15. The split isn't the differentiator. The cap is. And the cap determines how many transactions you close at a reduced rate before you start keeping everything.
At simpliHŌM, that threshold arrives 5 transactions earlier. For an agent closing 20 transactions a year, those 5 transactions are real dollars — not a theoretical edge.
FAQs
Does simpliHŌM really run an 85/15 split from the first transaction? Yes. Every plan starts on an 85/15 split from transaction one. No ramp-up period, no probationary split, no tiered structure that adjusts based on production. The split is 85/15 until you hit your cap — at which point it disappears entirely.
How does simpliHŌM's $7,500 cap compare to REAL Broker's $12,000 cap? REAL Broker's cap is 60% higher than simpliPRENEUR's $7,500. That means an agent at REAL Broker pays $4,500 more in split before they start keeping 100% of their commissions. On a 20-transaction year at $7,500 average commission, that difference translates to $5,877 more in take-home at simpliHŌM when all fees are accounted for.
What does the $99/month platform fee cover? Lofty CRM with IDX site and automated lead routing, Dotloop Premium, ShowingTime+, AI Virtual Staging, AI Headshots, AI Marketing, Automated Testimonials, the HOMhq platform hub, and free transaction coordination on every deal. The optional 2-year commitment waives this fee entirely.
Does REAL Broker offer pre-IPO equity? No. REAL Broker offers REAX stock, which is publicly traded. simpliHŌM grants pre-IPO RSUs and Convertible Bonus Certificates when agents cap. simpliPRENEUR agents receive 250 equity units on cap. simpliSHARE agents receive 1,000 RSUs plus a $15,000 CBC each year they cap. Pre-IPO equity carries a different risk and upside profile than publicly traded stock.
When does the cap reset at simpliHŌM? On your anniversary date — the date you joined simpliHŌM — not January 1. This matters if you close a strong Q4. At brokerages that reset on January 1, those late-year transactions count toward the new year's cap. At simpliHŌM, they count toward the year you earned them.
What is the 2-year commitment and who qualifies? The optional 2-year commitment is available to any simpliPRENEUR or simpliSHARE agent — not limited to high producers or ACE agents. Under the commitment, the $99/month platform fee is waived and the cap is reduced: simpliPRENEUR drops from $7,500 to $7,000, simpliSHARE drops from $15,000 to $14,000. Month-to-month remains the default.
Does simpliHŌM include transaction coordination on every deal? Yes. Free transaction coordination is included across all plans. REAL Broker does not include bundled TC. At industry-standard rates of $300 to $500 per transaction, that's a meaningful cost difference across a full production year.
The Bottom Line
Same split. Different cap. Different tools. Different equity structure.
On 20 transactions at $7,500 average commission, Agent A keeps $5,877 more per year at simpliHŌM than at REAL Broker — with transaction coordination included, pre-IPO equity on cap, and a full tech stack at $99/month.
The math isn't complicated. The cap is lower. The tools are bundled. The equity is pre-IPO. If you're currently at REAL Broker or seriously evaluating it, run your actual numbers against your actual production before you decide.
Run your numbers or schedule a call and see what you'd keep.