With so many real estate brokerages out there competing not only for listings but for you, the real estate agent, it can be tough to know which one is the right fit for you. Choosing the best real estate company to work for is a very personal and important decision, as it can affect your production, mindset and longevity in the industry.
Perhaps you’re newly licensed and looking to join the right firm for you, or you’re a seasoned real estate professional thinking about making a change. Check out our picks for the top real estate companies in the industry and what makes each one unique. We’re here to help you make the best decision for you!
Our top 9 national brokerages |
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| Brokerage | Best for | Commission split *not including fees* | Learn more |
| A more inclusive split structure | Range: 50/50 to 90/10 | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| A well-known brand | Range: 50/50 to 90/10 | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| A traditional model | Range: 50/50 to 90/10 | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| Modern, high-end branding | Range: 60/40 to 95/5 | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| Recruiting other agents | 80/20 until you reach the $16,000 cap | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| Ongoing training & education | 70/30 or 80/20 until you reach the cap (cap varies per office) | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| An independent brokerage model | Range: 60/40 to 95/5 | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| AI-driven tools & technology | 85/15 until you reach the $12,000 cap | Jump to Details ↓ | |
| International presence & prestige | Typically 70/30, but it can vary | Jump to Details ↓ | |
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Berkshire Hathaway: Best for a more inclusive split structure
Warren Buffett’s empire would not be complete without the real estate arm: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS). As a charitable benefactor of The Sunshine Kids Foundation, Berkshire Hathaway agents and staff focus their fundraising activities to support group activities for children with cancer. This brokerage is a great choice for agents who prefer to take home a smaller amount in their split in exchange for an inclusive fee structure, meaning you’ll generally see fewer charges for marketing materials. What you’ll get: technology and a CRM, training, leads (depending on the individual office) and use of the company name.
One thing that differentiates BHHS from other brokerages is its REthink Council. This is a group of industry leaders (all Berkshire Hathaway agents) who have been carefully selected to join a council dedicated to inspiring the next generation of top-producing leaders in the network. If community and charity sounds like you, and it’s worth the 50/50 split (although all things in real estate are negotiable), then your new home may be with BHHS.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: 224,485
- Sales volume: $136 billion
- Agent count: 37,745
Pros & Cons
- Charitable giving focus
- Inclusive split and fewer marketing costs
- Opportunity to join their REthink council
- Higher splits, starting at 50/50
Visit Berkshire Hathaway
Century 21: Best for a well-known brand
Founded in 1971 and one of the most well-known brands in real estate, Century 21 (C21) has pivoted and adapted to stay relevant over the decades, not an easy task. For agents who want a well-established household name as their brokerage, C21 is a good choice. They recognize and reward their top agents through a variety of programs, such as Top Agent Retreat and national awards ceremonies.
One unique factor is that for the better part of the past decade, Century 21 agents have dominated the rankings of the “Top 250 Latino Agents Report”. This report, released by NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals®), recognizes outstanding real estate agents and teams from around the country. C21 works to expand the demographics within the real estate profession, offering mentorship and scholarships to Latino/Latina agents.
What you’ll get: training through C21 University, access to their productivity platform to help you stay on track to meet your goals and an online marketing studio with easy-to-use templates for your marketing materials.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: N/A
- Sales volume: N/A
- Agent count: 135,000+
Pros & Cons
- An established, highly recognizable brand
- Scholarships and mentoring for Latino/Latina agents
- Ongoing education through C21 University
- Marketing and productivity platforms
- Higher splits
- Potentially different experiences from office to office, as each one is a franchise
Visit Century21
Coldwell Banker: Best for a traditional model
Coldwell Banker (CB) is the oldest national real estate brokerage on our list, founded in 1906. Consistent branding and a solid national reputation make CB one of the best companies for real estate agents to join if you want a traditional brokerage model. The brokerage is known for its longevity in the market, its professional agents, and its consistent branding.
If you are an agent with strong systems (that are brokerage agnostic), a solid business plan and don’t necessarily need training or mentoring, Coldwell Banker may be the right next move for you. Layering your existing expertise on their market share and name recognition could be just what your business needs to reach the next level.
What you’ll get: a trusted national brand with a proven track record of longevity, access to Coldwell Banker’s Global Luxury division, and the chance to participate in CB’s newest endeavor: the AI Innovator of the Year Contest, where one CB agent will be recognized for their use of AI in their business.
Features (2023 data from Coldwell Banker)
- Transactions: 464,950
- Sales volume: $243 billion
- Agent count: 100,000+
Pros & Cons
- A global presence, with locations in over 45 countries
- Charitable contributions to many organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
- Consistent branding and reputation
- Historically, not known for their training program
- Higher splits
Visit Coldwell Banker
Compass: Best for modern, high-end branding
Elevated, modern branding is one reason agents choose to join Compass. Compass also offers a proprietary customer-facing dashboard that doubles as a CRM. For agents seeking a higher-end branded experience for both themselves and their clients, Compass is worth exploring. Compass has spent a lot of money on national ad campaigns, which helps their brand recognition.
One important thing to note: as of September 2025, it was announced that Compass will be purchasing Anywhere Real Estate, Inc., the parent company of Coldwell Banker, C21, Sotheby’s, and other large real estate brokerages.
What you’ll get: sleek, sexy branding, a national marketing campaign to increase brand recognition and an all-in-one client dashboard.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: 228,785
- Sales volume: $231 billion
- Agent count: 37,144
Pros & Cons
- Cutting-edge technology and client-facing dashboard
- Elevated brand recognition
- “Private Exclusives” – a physical or digital book for pre-market and off-market listings
- Potentially, language in some of the contracts stating an agent will owe money if they leave the company (read your contracts carefully!)
- Prioritizes the company’s brand over the agent’s personal brand
Visit Compass
eXp Realty: Best for recruiting other agents
For agents who either double as influencers in the real estate industry or are simply looking to add another income stream via revenue share, eXp could be the right fit.
For every new agent that joins under a sponsor, that sponsor receives 3.5% of the new agent’s gross commission. Some recruiting agents also offer training and mentorship programs for the agents they bring over to eXp. However, some agents just do the recruiting for the revenue stream, so do your homework before signing on the dotted line.
eXp is one of the cloud-based brokerages on our list, making it an attractive option for agents who are always on the go and want to attend meetings online. But if you are a bit more old school and prefer sitting in a room with folks, eXp may not be right for you.
What you’ll get: revenue-sharing opportunities, an online training platform and the ability to expand your team into multiple states without paying multiple franchise fees.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Sales volume: $152 billion
- Agent count: 65,342
- Cloud-based brokerage
Pros & Cons
- Access training, classes and communication virtually
- Opportunity to build another income stream through recruitment
- Easier to build out your team in multiple states
- No physical offices
- Overly zealous recruiting efforts can be a turnoff for some
Visit eXp Realty
Keller Williams Realty: Best for ongoing training & education
As the largest real estate company, Keller Williams (KW) has built a reputation as being the best brokerage for new agents. The brokers and lead agents do a great job mentoring new agents, helping them build a strong foundation and set them up for success. I’d argue the high level of training and education makes KW an attractive choice for agents at any production level, though, not just newbies.
Keller Williams has worked to step up their technology and tool game so that it can better compete with the more cutting-edge brokerages. Between the proprietary platform, KW Command, and the recent partnership with Canva, KW holds their own when it comes to technology. KW also offers profit-sharing, so agents who want to bring in others can benefit financially and build a secondary income stream.
What you’ll get: KW truly feels like a family; having been part of the brokerage myself for the past 12 years, I can personally speak to this. Everyone from local leadership to Gary Keller himself is extremely accessible, always putting the agents first and making us feel like part of a large yet caring community. KW Cares is the brokerage’s in-house charity, supporting our agents in times of need (personal crisis, natural disasters, etc).
If you’re learning-based and like the idea of physical office locations, want to build a strong foundation in real estate, plus want to join a brokerage with a capping model to keep more of your income, check out your local KW office.
Features (per the Real Estate Almanac data 2024)
- Transactions: 828,875
- Sales volume: $370 billion
- Agent count: 145,000+
Pros & Cons
- Best training and mentorship for new agents
- KW Cares, a charitable foundation for KW agents in need
- Powerful technology and marketing tools
- Higher fees than some of the cloud-based brokerages
Visit Keller Williams
RE/MAX: Best for an independent brokerage model
If you’ve been in the business for a long time and don’t need any extras – you just want to sell real estate, RE/MAX may be a good choice. Their tagline is “Work For Yourself. Never by Yourself.”
Their agents also do the most transactions per agent – 11.9 sides in 2024, according to RealTrends data. According to their recruiting page, RE/MAX agents earn an average of $250,000. According to NAR, that’s more than five times the national average. Let’s be clear, it’s unlikely you will make $250K out of the gate, but based on the coaching and training plans RE/MAX has in place, it seems to be an attainable goal to (at least) regularly break six figures.
What you’ll get: If you are someone who likes to be supported on your journey, then RE/MAX may also have the secret sauce. Their agent-to-staff ratio is 9:1, higher than most other brokerages. Some agents hire their own transaction coordinator to handle this, but if not, it helps to have brokerage staff trained to assist you.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: N/A
- Sales volume: $713 billion
- Agent count: 146,000+
Pros & Cons
- Highest transaction count per agent
- Strong, recognizable national brand
- High agent-to-staff ratio
- Not as much training and support for new agents as other brokerages
- National brand is promoted more than the agent’s individual brand
Visit RE/MAX
REAL: Best for AI-driven tools & technology
A relative newcomer to the real estate industry, REAL is worth checking out. Currently operating in all 50 states and Canada, REAL has quickly grown its footprint in markets traditionally dominated by the more established brokerages. But what is really setting them apart, particularly for newer and younger agents, is their technology.
Their innovative technology tools include mobile platforms for working on the go. They also have leveraged automation and AI to streamline processes and remove administrative hassles that can be a major pain point for agents.
REAL was founded in 2018 and went public in 2020. That is 1/20th of the time Coldwell Banker has been in business. For some agents and clients, this doesn’t matter. For them, it’s the quality of the agent. However, there are some people who trust a brand, and name recognition and market share are deciding factors in who they choose. For agents looking for a new brokerage, you may feel the same way.
What you’ll get: REAL agents seem to excel in sharing knowledge, building community and having fun. They are a small but growing group, and it could be exciting to get in on the ground level with them and grow alongside all the other agents.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: 90,298
- Sales volume: $42 billion
- Agent count: 24,140
- Cloud-based brokerage
Pros & Cons
- Innovative technology, using AI
- Tight-knit community feel amongst agents
- Fast-growing newer brokerage offering stock options and agent incentives for recruiting
- Relatively unknown brand in some markets
- No physical offices
Visit REAL
Sotheby’s International Realty: Best for international presence & prestige
Sotheby’s Realty is known for luxury real estate and an international client base. What started as a global art auction company has grown into one of the top luxury brokerages. For agents who work internationally or are selling ultra-luxury listings and want to attract buyers from around the world, hanging your license with Sotheby’s could be the best choice for you.
Across the globe, Sotheby’s International Realty is renowned for its luxury listings, wealthy clients and high-end agents. This doesn’t mean every agent there is strictly a luxury agent, but know that a significant portion of them are. Sotheby’s is the #1 profiled luxury real estate brand with over 60,000 media placements in 2022.
What you’ll get: While Sotheby’s provides above-average branding and marketing tools for its agents, at the higher end of luxury, most agents are likely investing in their own marketing and tools to support their clients.
Are you an experienced luxury agent? Do you have an extensive network of high-net-worth individuals? Do you just want to sell luxury real estate? If so, Sotheby’s could be the right brokerage for you.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: N/A
- Sales volume: $157 billion
- Agent count: 26,100
Pros & Cons
- Prestigious brand recognition for luxury agents
- Access to an international community of luxury agents and clients
- Lack of robust training for new agents
- No cap
Visit Sotheby’s International Realty
Top boutique firms to watch
Now that we’ve covered the national brands, let’s dive into the top boutique real estate companies to watch as they grow. For agents looking for a smaller brokerage, one of these may be the best fit:
Our top boutique brokerages |
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| Brokerage | Best for | Commission split *not including fees* | Learn more |
| The Agency | A high-end boutique firm | Range: 70/30 to 90/10 | Jump to Details ↓ |
| Corcoran | A well-respected name | Range: 45/65 to 85/15 | Jump to Details ↓ |
| Fathom | A low cap & all-in-one real estate platform | 88/12 with a $12k cap | Jump to Details ↓ |
| LPT | A innovative, cloud-based brokerage | Either $500/deal with a $5k cap or 80/20 with a $15k cap | Jump to Details ↓ |
| Serhant | Ryan Serhant’s systems & models | Range: 50/50 to 90/10 | Jump to Details ↓ |
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The Agency: Best for a high-end boutique firm
The Agency has grown in popularity since it was featured on the Netflix series “Buying Beverly Hills.” This firm’s vibe is high-end while still feeling surprisingly down to earth (according to their website, their number one rule is “no assholes”). There are 130+ offices across 13 countries, and the company’s branding is on par with its high-end Beverly Hills roots.
What you’ll get: #1 staff-to-agent ratio (according to The Agency’s website), in-house marketing including a dedicated account manager for each agent, and an in-house PR team with over 2,000 press placements annually.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: 13,077
- Sales volume: $13.94 billion
- Agent count: 2,387
Pros & Cons
- High-end marketing and PR team
- Strong culture amongst agents, quality over quantity
- Reality TV renown
- No cap
Visit The Agency
Corcoran: Best for a well-respected name
Founded by the queen of NY real estate herself, Barbara Corcoran, this boutique real estate company has become an international franchise while retaining its intimate, family-like culture. For agents looking to partner with a well-known and well-respected name that’s stood the test of time, check out Corcoran.
What you’ll get: a strong name behind you, a full suite of marketing tools and your listings available on Corcoran.com (with almost 50 million views annually, per their brokerage’s site).
Features
- Transactions: N/A
- Sales volume: N/A
- Agent count: 4,500
Pros & Cons
- The Barbara Corcoran name
- Exposure for your listings on Corcoran.com
- Marketing tools for every agent
- No profit-share, revenue share, or equity options for agents
- No cap
Visit Corcoran
Fathom Realty: Best for a low cap & all-in-one real estate platform
Fathom got its start in North Carolina and operates now in 38 states as a cloud-based brokerage. They offer clients a comprehensive experience, incorporating mortgage, title, insurance, and SaaS as well as real estate brokerage services. Their IntelliAgent CRM system is an all-in-one tech platform designed to help simplify transactions on the agent’s end.
Fathom also has one of the lowest caps of any national brokerage – just $12k. They have several different compensation structures, allowing agents to choose which works best for them. For agents looking to keep their costs low, Fathom could be a great option.
What you’ll get: revenue-sharing opportunities for recruiting, choose your own commission structure, on-demand training plus in-person training and access to Fathom Health Group (health insurance plans).
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: 36,800
- Sales volume: $13.1 billion
- Agent count: 14,300
Pros & Cons
- Revenue share opportunities
- Training and mentorship programs
- Access to comprehensive CRM system and a suite of services for clients
- Additional fees for higher-priced sales
- Brand recognition isn’t as strong in some markets
Visit Fathom
LPT Realty: Best for an innovative, cloud-based brokerage
LPT stands for “Leadership, Profits, Technology” – that was my first question, too. They were founded in 2021 in Florida and are now in all 50 states. LPT was named one of the most innovative brokerages in 2024 and uses AI technology to stay ahead of the curve. Their AI bot integrates with Dotloop, assists with lead generation and creates branded marketing materials for agents in minutes.
If you’re looking to sell real estate and not recruit agents, LPT boasts the lowest cap in the industry right now – just $5k plus $500 per file. If you do want a more traditional model and the ability to earn revenue share, you’ll be on a 80/20 split with a $15k cap.
What you’ll get: the ability to choose your own comp plan, revenue-sharing opportunities, agent-centric branding and innovative technology through their Lofty CRM and AI tool (dezzy.ai).
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: 36,369
- Sales volume: $13.86 billion
- Agent count: 14,664
Pros & Cons
- Innovative technology and AI assistant
- Choose your own comp plan
- Revenue-sharing opportunities
- No physical offices
Visit LPT
SERHANT: Best for Ryan Serhant’s systems & models
If you’re a real estate agent in NYC, teaming up with SERHANT almost seems like a no-brainer. If you’re in any of the other eight states Ryan’s company serves, you’ll definitely want to explore the brokerage, where you’ll learn the proven techniques of one of the industry’s most impressive leaders, not to mention SERHANT’s new AI-powered app that acts as your own personal real estate assistant.
Ryan Serhant’s presence on TV and social media have propelled his career in real estate, and he has leveraged this in his brokerage. SERHANT has a full-service, in-house production studio that will help agents create content strategically designed and specific to their target audience.
What you’l get: aside from all the flash and hashtags, SERHANT. has a strong command of the market in most of New York City, due in part to its dedicated neighborhood knowledge. Their agents are well-versed in all things specific to the areas of the city they work in. If you are a city dweller or city lover, there’s a good chance SERHANT is the right fit for you.
Features (per RealTrends data 2024)
- Transactions: 2,821
- Sales volume: $3.67 billion
- Agent count: 962
Pros & Cons
- Strong name recognition
- More exposure for agents’ listings through their ADX (amplification data exchange) with over 9 million followers worldwide
- Local knowledge, specifically of NYC real estate
- Not available in all 50 states (yet)
Visit SERHANT.
How to choose the best real estate company for you
Selecting the right real estate brokerage for you is more nuanced than simply hanging your license with the company that offers the lowest split. Here are the additional things you’ll want to consider before you make your decision:
Factor 1: Culture and size of the brokerage/office
How important is a strong office culture to you? For some agents, it doesn’t make any difference. For others, feeling a sense of community and teamwork within a brokerage is very important.
Consider the size of the individual office, as well. Do you prefer a smaller office with just a few dozen agents or a larger one with hundreds? There are pros and cons to each. Smaller offices can feel more like a family, yet they can also be prone to drama. Larger offices tend to offer more opportunities for collaboration amongst agents, yet sometimes agents can feel lost in the shuffle.
Factor 2: Cloud-based versus physical offices
Do you like being in the office sometimes? If you’re a newly licensed agent, going into a physical office can be helpful, as there are usually other agents around who you can ask questions of and learn from.
For some, having a higher split and a lower cap is worth sacrificing a physical office, especially if you are someone who will never use the office. Instead, keep more of your money and create a killer home office.
Factor 3: Training, support and ongoing education
I know some experienced agents can occasionally discount the importance of a strong training curriculum, but it’s especially important today to affiliate with a brokerage that stays up-to-date on the latest law and policy changes.
Think of the past year: we’ve seen changes to buyer agency, and some of our forms have even changed. I can’t tell you how many agents I’ve encountered who still don’t have a concrete understanding of the changes. I don’t blame them; I blame their brokerage. Choose a company with strong local leadership that will train its agents and help them stay informed as the industry continues to evolve.
Factor 4: Technology
While the core of a real estate transaction will always remain rooted in human-to-human relationships (hopefully, anyway), a strong technology platform can make your job as an agent much easier and more streamlined. When shopping for brokerages, ask about their technology offerings.
If you can, speak to a few of their agents and ask if they use the tech provided by the brokerage and what they think of it. This will give you a more complete picture of what to expect should you choose that brokerage.
Factor 5: Ask about the offboarding process and read contracts carefully
It may sound strange, but one of the most important considerations when you are choosing a real estate brokerage is how they treat agents who leave the company. Will you owe the brokerage any money? What happens with your clients and your database? Is there a non-compete clause?
I’d go as far as to ask agents who have left the company you’re considering about their offboarding process. How were they treated? Were there any surprises? Be sure to read any contract you sign very carefully, and maybe even have an attorney review it first.
The full picture
Choosing the best real estate company isn’t easy, but the more research you do upfront, the better decision you will make. Be careful not to fall into the common trap of choosing a company simply because you know one person there. Start with the data we provided, then go do your homework. Interview several companies, and always trust your gut instincts.
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