Home › For agents › Flat-fee brokerages
Flat-fee brokerages, compared
Best flat-fee real estate brokerages for agents A set fee.
Not a cut.
On fees published in 2026, two plans let you keep 100% for a flat fee per deal. AXEN Realty Pro: $500 a closing, capped at $6,000 a year, plus $295 a sale and $50 a month. LPT Realty Business Builder: $500 a deal, capped at $5,000, plus $195 a deal and $500 a year. HomeSmart, United Real Estate and Realty ONE Group set fees by plan or office.
No card. Nobody calls you unless you ask. Your license stays where it is until you decide.
Published fees: AXEN as of November 2026, the others as published September 2026. Full table below.
- $0 split
- Flat fee per deal
- Cap yearly
Short answer
Who charges what: flat-fee and split brokerages
Figures as of .
A flat-fee brokerage takes a set dollar amount per deal. A split brokerage takes a share of every check. Here is what each one publishes on its own pages.
| Brokerage and plan | How it charges | Yearly cap | Other fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| AXEN Realty (Pro) | Flat $500 a closing, no split | $6,000, then $0 file fees until your anniversary | $295 admin fee a sale; $50 a month |
| AXEN Realty (Elite) | Flat $1,000 a closing, no split | $12,000 | Same as Pro; pays more rev share |
| LPT Realty (Business Builder) | Flat $500 a deal, no split | $5,000 | $195 transaction fee every deal; $500 a year |
| LPT Realty (RevShare Partner) | 80/20 split | $15,000 | $195 a deal; $500 a year |
| Fathom Realty (EDGE) | 93/7 split | $9,000 | $165 a deal after cap; $350 minimum fee; $35 E&O a sale; $75 a month |
| Real Brokerage | 85/15 split | $12,000 (solo agent) | $285 a deal after cap ($100 for Elite); $50 review a deal; $900 a year |
| eXp Realty | 80/20 split | $16,000 | $250 a deal after cap ($75 after $5,000); $25 review and $60 risk fee a deal; $85 a month |
| Epique Realty | 85/15 split | Solo cap not on its own page | "As low as $99/month"; 0.1% transaction fee |
| HomeSmart | 100% plans with a transaction fee (its own blog) | Set by plan or office; not on one published schedule. Ask for it in writing. | |
| United Real Estate | No fee amounts on its join page | Set by plan or office; not on one published schedule. Ask for it in writing. | |
| Realty ONE Group | 100% commission, a monthly fee and a transaction fee | Set by plan or office; not on one published schedule. Ask for it in writing. | |
| Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Compass | Split | Set by each office or agent; no company-wide schedule. Ask for it in writing. | |
AXEN fees as of November 2026, from axenrealty.com/plans. Other brokerages' fees as published in September 2026, each from the company's own page or filing (links in Sources). HomeSmart, United Real Estate and Realty ONE Group were checked on November 15, 2026: none lists dollar amounts on its own join page. Fees change, so get the current schedule in writing.
01Plain words
Flat fee, split and capped split: what each means
Figures as of .
Three ways a brokerage gets paid. Same $10,000 check in each one.
- Flat feeYou pay a set dollar amount per deal. You keep the rest. On a $10,000 check, a $500 fee costs $500.
- SplitThe brokerage keeps a share of every check. On a $10,000 check, an 80/20 split costs $2,000.
- Capped splitA split that stops once you pay a yearly amount, the cap. After that, you pay a smaller fee per deal.
"Flat fee" here means what the agent pays the brokerage. It is not a discount for home sellers. Most flat-fee brokerages also stop the fee at a yearly cap, and most add a monthly fee and a per-file fee. Add all three. More in what a flat-fee brokerage is and brokerages where you keep your whole commission.
02The math
What 20 closings cost at each brokerage
Figures as of .
Say you close 20 deals a year, with $10,000 of commission each. Published fees only. Sign-up fees and MLS dues left out.
Total paid to the brokerage in one year
How each total is built
| Plan | The math | Total | If the per-deal fee is passed to the client |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPT Business Builder | 10 x $500 = $5,000 cap, + 20 x $195 = $3,900, + $500 a year | $9,400 | $5,500 |
| Fathom EDGE | $9,000 cap, + 7 x $165 = $1,155, + 20 x $35 = $700, + $900 a year | $11,755 | Not applicable |
| AXEN Pro | 12 x $500 = $6,000 cap, + 20 x $295 = $5,900, + $600 a year | $12,500 | $6,600 |
| Real Brokerage | 15% to the $12,000 cap, then post-cap, review and yearly fees | $17,320 | Not applicable |
| eXp Realty | 20% to the $16,000 cap, then post-cap, review, risk and monthly fees | $21,270 | Not applicable |
The honest read: on this math, using fees published in September 2026, LPT Business Builder costs less than AXEN Pro: $9,400 vs $12,500, or $5,500 vs $6,600 when both pass the per-deal fee to the client. Fathom EDGE costs a bit less than AXEN Pro too. Both flat-fee plans cost far less than an 80/20 or 85/15 split at this volume.
Line-by-line versions: AXEN vs eXp vs Real, AXEN vs LPT Realty and AXEN vs Fathom Realty. Run your own numbers in the fee calculator.
03Straight talk
When each one wins
Figures as of .
No brokerage is cheapest for every agent. Your deal count, your check size and the help you need decide it.
- Lowest fees at 20 deals: LPT Business BuilderIt has the lowest cap here, $5,000. Check what support is included before you count on it.
- A coordinator on every file: AXENThe $295 admin fee pays a Deal Desk coordinator and a state broker review on every sale.
- Few, small deals: maybe a splitFixed fees hurt most on small checks. A split with no monthly fee can cost less.
- Big checks: a flat feeA split grows with the check. A flat fee stays the same, so it wins as checks get bigger.
- Revenue share on any plan: AXENAXEN pays it on Pro and Elite. LPT says only RevShare Partners (80/20) earn it.
- Already near a cap: wait or askMoving mid-year can mean paying toward a new cap. Ask for credit in writing.
Questions to ask any flat-fee brokerageSix of them. Get every answer in writing.
- What is the flat fee per deal, and what is the yearly cap?
- What do I pay after the cap, per deal?
- What do I pay each month or year, and per file?
- Is a transaction coordinator included, or do I pay for one?
- What does a small deal, a lease or a referral cost?
- How am I paid on deals that close after I leave?
04If you are looking
What AXEN Realty charges, and what the fee includes
Figures as of .
No split. You keep your whole commission and pay a flat fee per closing that stops at a yearly cap.
What the fee includes
- A transaction coordinator on every fileA Deal Desk coordinator works every sale. The $295 admin fee pays for it.
- A state broker reviewA licensed broker in your state reviews your file.
- Mortgage, title and insurance you never have to useAXEN has affiliated companies. You and your clients are free to use anyone.
- Revenue share, 5 levels, no quota$100 a level per closing on Pro, $200 on Elite, until that agent caps. Not a promise of income.
As of November 2026: the Mega plan is for teams of 5 or more agents doing $50 million a year. Small sales: under $2,500 of commission, the file fee is 10% of it. See every rule on AXEN pay plans. AXEN is not the cheapest on fees alone for every agent, and the math above shows it.
05Straight answers
Questions agents ask about flat-fee brokerages
Figures as of .
What is a flat-fee real estate brokerage?
A brokerage that charges you a set dollar fee per deal instead of taking a share of your commission. You keep the rest of each check. Most also stop the fee at a yearly cap and add a monthly fee and a per-file fee.
Which brokerages charge a flat fee per transaction?
As published in 2026, AXEN Realty and LPT Realty's Business Builder plan charge a flat fee per deal with no split: $500 a closing capped at $6,000 a year at AXEN (Pro), $500 a deal capped at $5,000 at LPT. HomeSmart, United Real Estate and Realty ONE Group sell 100% plans with fees set by plan or office.
What is the best flat-fee real estate brokerage for agents?
The one that costs least at your volume and still includes what you need. On 20 closings at $10,000 each, fees published in 2026 come to $9,400 at LPT Business Builder and $12,500 at AXEN Pro ($5,500 and $6,600 if the per-deal fee is passed to the client). AXEN includes a transaction coordinator on every file.
Is a flat-fee brokerage cheaper than a split?
Usually, once your checks are big. On 20 closings at $10,000 each, fees published in September 2026 came to $21,270 at eXp's 80/20 split and $17,320 at Real's 85/15, against $9,400 to $12,500 at the flat-fee plans. With a few small deals a year, a split can cost less.
What does AXEN Realty charge agents?
As of November 2026: no split. Pro is $500 a closing, capped at $6,000 a year, then $0 file fees until your anniversary. Elite is $1,000 a closing, capped at $12,000. Both add a $295 admin fee per sale, which many agents pass to the client, and $50 a month.
What is the difference between a flat fee and a capped split?
A flat fee is the same dollar amount on every deal. A capped split takes a percentage of each check until you have paid a yearly cap, then a smaller fee per deal. The split costs more as your checks get bigger.
Does a flat-fee brokerage include a transaction coordinator?
Some do and some do not, so ask in writing. As of November 2026, AXEN's $295 admin fee pays for a Deal Desk coordinator on every sale. The other brokerages here do not list one in their published fees.
Where every number comes from
Sources
- AXEN Realty: pay plans and every fee, as of November 2026.
- LPT Realty: transaction fee schedule (help center, checked September 21, 2026 and November 15, 2026) and LPT's program summary dated January 2024, the newest LPT plan document we found.
- Fathom Realty: commission plans, checked September 21, 2026.
- Real Brokerage: fee schedule (updated August 31, 2026) and its Annual Information Form filed with the SEC on March 4, 2026.
- eXp Realty: income and fees page (checked November 15, 2026) and its policies, Exhibit 10.14, filed with the SEC on August 4, 2026.
- Epique Realty: join page, checked September 21, 2026.
- Realty ONE Group: join page, checked November 15, 2026. It names a monthly fee and a transaction fee with no dollar amounts, and says each office is independently owned.
- United Real Estate: join page, checked November 15, 2026. No fee amounts listed.
- HomeSmart: its join page (homesmart.com/join) refused our check on November 15, 2026, so no HomeSmart figure is used here. Its own blog (March 7, 2023) describes 100% plans with a transaction fee and no amounts.
- Keller Williams: KW says each market center owner decides the split.
Costs only, not an earnings claim. Your income depends on your own sales. Every company can change its fees at any time; confirm each fee in writing before you sign. Company names are trademarks of their owners, who do not endorse this page. See our editorial policy.
Keep reading
More for agents
Guides
Compare more
AXEN next to other brokerages
See every fee before you pick.
Then run your own year. The cheapest brokerage is the one that fits your deals.
Costs only, not an earnings claim. AXEN fees as of November 2026; other brokerages' fees as they published them in September 2026. Confirm every fee in writing before you sign.