One of the most critical decisions you’ll make as a real estate professional is which brokerage to work with. And in the modern market, choosing the right brokerage isn’t just about commission splits. Agents today are evaluating technology, revenue share models, stock incentives, training ecosystems, and long-term wealth-building opportunities. Basically, they want a brokerage that provides the tools and financial incentives to give them a successful career and a balanced life.
Two brokerages that often come up in this conversation are REAL Broker and simpliHŌM.
Both position themselves as innovative alternatives to traditional franchise models. Both offer competitive splits. Both include revenue share. Both promote stock-based incentives.
But the structure behind those offerings (and how they translate into real-world agent income) differs in important ways.
In this article, we are breaking down not only these financial structures, but also the tech stacks, tools, and training that each company offers agents.
REAL Broker vs. simpliHŌM: Company Overviews
REAL Broker
Founded in 2014, REAL Broker began as a cloud-based real estate brokerage built around the idea that agents could operate without the overhead of traditional brick-and-mortar offices.
The company has expanded rapidly across the United States and Canada, positioning itself as one of the fastest-growing publicly traded real estate brokerages in North America. REAL trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol REAX, which adds a layer of financial transparency and public reporting that differentiates it from many privately held competitors.
Over the past several years, the company has leaned heavily into technology innovation, revenue share, and stock-based incentives as core pillars of its growth model. As of 2025, REAL has surpassed 32,000 agents across the United States and Canada, ranking #5 in sales volume and #6 in transaction sides according to RealTrends. The brokerage’s growth has been fueled by its low overhead model, nationwide consistency, and focus on AI and automation to streamline every part of the real estate process.
simpliHŌM
simpliHŌM was founded in 2018 by Sean Miku and is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee.
The brokerage was built with a mission of simplifying the real estate process for both agents and clients, combining competitive commission structures with agent-focused benefits. simpliHŌM has grown primarily across the Southeast and continues expanding into additional markets, promoting a culture-driven model that emphasizes community, support, and financial opportunity. The company highlights its simplified compensation plans, revenue share structure, and equity incentives as part of its long-term vision for growth.
REAL Broker vs. simpliHŌM Technology
REAL Technology
Explained
REAL Broker positions itself as a technology-first brokerage, integrating artificial intelligence and proprietary tools to simplify every aspect of the real estate process. With over 130 full-time developers dedicated to product innovation, REAL’s ecosystem enables agents to operate efficiently from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.
REAL’s suite of in-house and partnered technology includes:
reZEN – A back-office and transaction management platform and app that integrates compliance, commission processing, and agent support in one place.
Leo Ai– An AI-powered assistant that provides support to agents, analyzing data about their businesses, and eventually aims to handle contracts and client communication.
Real Wallet – A financial hub offering business checking, tax-planning tools, and a rewards program that agents can use to offset fees and caps.
REAL Signature – An in-house digital signature platform integrated into reZEN.
Lofty CRM – Offered through a partnership, providing websites, CRM, and AI-powered marketing tools.
Integrated Services – Through Real Title and Real Mortgage, agents can manage multiple aspects of a transaction within the same digital environment.
By developing much of its tech stack in-house, REAL ensures seamless integration, fewer third-party logins, and faster updates. The company’s emphasis on automation and data-driven tools empowers agents to save time, operate leaner businesses, and deliver a better client experience. (Source)
simpliHŌM Technology Explained
simpliHŌM positions its technology as practical and agent-accessible rather than heavily proprietary. Through its HŌMHQ platform and bundled service offerings, agents receive access to CRM tools, marketing resources, virtual staging solutions, digital advertising support, and AI-driven enhancements designed to streamline daily workflows. At the same time, agents are encouraged to use their preferred tools if there are platforms that already support their activities.
simpliHŌM provides agents access to:
- CRM systems
- Marketing tools
- Digital billboards and branding resources
- Virtual staging
- AI tools
- HŌMHQ platform for operational access
REAL vs simpliHŌM Caps, Splits, and Fees
REAL Broker Splits, Caps & Fees Explained
REAL Brokerage keeps its commission model straightforward and agent-focused, emphasizing transparency to let producers keep more from every deal. The core setup is an 85/15 split, where agents retain 85% of their gross commission income (GCI) and the brokerage takes 15% until the annual cap is reached.
Once capped, agents pocket 100% of commissions moving forward, minus a flat transaction fee per side. This structure scales with your business type, making it flexible for solos, teams, or high-volume players.
Key details at a glance:
- Split: 85/15
- Annual Cap: $12,000 solo and team leaders, $6,000 or $4,000 for team members.
- Post-Cap Transaction Fee: $285 per transaction. (Drops to $100 after you or your team leader hit Elite Agent)
- CBR Fee: $50 fee per transaction for broker review & compliance
- Annual Fee: $900 annual fee (Paid $300 out of the first three transactions of the year)
Check out this REAL Fee Calculator to see how much it would cost to run your business at REAL.
simpliHŌM Splits, Caps & Fees Explained
At simpliHŌM agents have two paths they can take for their caps. simpliPRENEUR with a $7,500 cap and simpliSHARE with a $15,000 cap. The biggest differences being that for you to be a team leader, receive revenue share or earn some of the stock awards, you have to be with the simpliSHARE path.
The core commission split is 85/15, meaning agents retain 85% of their gross commission income (GCI) while the brokerage receives 15% until the selected annual cap is reached.
Once capped, agents move to 100% commission for the remainder of their anniversary year. SimpliHŌM also charges a monthly fee, which covers technology, marketing tools, and operational support.
Key details at a glance:
- Split: 85/15
- Annual Cap: $7,500 or $15,000 (plan dependent)
- Transaction Fee: 0.1% of contract price per transaction (minimum $199 / maximum $399)
- Monthly Fee: ~$99/month access fee
- One-Time Setup Fee: ~$199
Key Differences
REAL $12,000 cap is less expensive compared to simpliSHARE $15,000 cap, and REAL’s team member cap of $6,000 and $4,000 is less expensive than the simpliPRENEUR $7,500 cap.
However, at REAL only team members can choose these lower cap amounts, while at SimpliHOM anyone can choose the lower cap path. REAL also does not charge any monthly fees, and their transaction fee only applies after an agent caps, not while they are paying their cap.
Agent upside after cap: Once capped at REAL, agents retain 100% of their commissions for the remainder of their anniversary year, paying only the flat post-cap transaction fee — with no monthly platform fees continuing in the background. At simpliHŌM, agents also move to 100% commission after reaching their selected cap, but the monthly fee and percentage-based transaction fee continue. For high-volume producers, minimizing ongoing fixed and variable costs after cap can meaningfully impact net income.
REAL Broker vs. simpliHŌM Revenue Share
Both brokerages offer passive income through agent attraction — but the mechanics differ. Passive income opportunities have become more popular in recent years, with many agents growing their overall income by expanding their networks. Here is what that option might look like at each company.
REAL Broker Revenue Share Explained
REAL has one of the more generous revenue share systems in the cloud brokerage space. 60% of their monthly revenue goes back to agents in the form of revenue share. This is more than any other cloud brokerage and allows them to pay more per agent than anyone else. At REAL, you can earn up to $4,000 a year in passive income for every capping agent you attract to the company.
How Much You Can Earn per Tier
The percentages are how much you will earn from each commission from the agents you sponsor. This is taken out of the 15% that REAL takes.
| Tier | % of commission | Max Rev Share per year |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | 5% | $4,000 |
| Tier 2 | 4% | $3,200 |
| Tier 3 | 3% | $2,400 |
| Tier 4 | 2% | $1,600 |
| Tier 5 | 1% | $800 |
Unlocking Higher Tiers
By default, only Tier 1 is unlocked (i.e., you can earn revenue share only on agents you directly bring in). To start earning from deeper layers (Tier 2, 3, etc.), you must unlock those tiers through one of three paths:
Producing Tier 1 Agents Path: Recruiting a certain number of producing Tier 1 agents
5 producing Tier 1 agents ➝ unlock Tier 2
15 producing Tier 1 ➝ unlock Tier 3
20 producing Tier 1 ➝ unlock Tier 4
25 producing Tier 1 ➝ unlock Tier 5
Attractor Path: Unlock tiers based on total size of your network (across all tiers), regardless of producing criteria
Tier 3 at 750
Tier 4 at 1,000
Tier 5 at 1,500
Producer Path: Unlock tiers by hitting your own production milestones
When you “cap” (i.e. hit your own $12,000 company dollar cap), you automatically unlock up to Tier 3 for the remainder of your capping year.
If you reach “Elite Agent” status, you can unlock up to Tier 5 for the remainder of your capping year.
REAL Williable Revenue Share
At REAL, any revenue share an agent ears is completely willible. This means agents can build generational wealth and can leave passive income to anyone the designate, including children or grandchildren.
Check out REAL Revenue Share Calculator to get an estimate of how much you can earn.
simpliHŌM Revenue Share (simpliSHARE)
simpliHŌM promotes a 7-level revenue share structure with up to 80% of the revenue share pool distributed across tiers. Agents unlock deeper levels as they personally sponsor additional agents to their tier 1.
To unlock tiers of revenue share, you’ll need the following:
- 5 front line agents unlocks tiers 1-5
- 20 front line agents to unlock tier 6
- 30 front line agents to unlock tier 7
Rev share is paid as a % of company dollar
- Level 1 = 15%
- Level 2= 25%,
- Level 3= 10
- Level 4=5%
- Level 5=5%
- Level 6=10%
- Level 7=30%
The extended 7-tier model creates depth potential for large networks, but payout predictability depends on downline structure and production volume.
(Source)
REAL vs. simpliHŌM Stock Awards & Equity
Equity participation is where the long-term wealth-building conversation really begins. This is where agents can create assets that actually change their family’s future. How does it all work?REAL Broker Stock Awards
- Capping Award: Receive 15 shares of REAL stock each year after reaching the $12,000 annual cap (7 for team members, 5 for mega-team members).
- Sponsoring Award: Earn 7 shares when a sponsored agent closes their first transaction (3 for team members, 2 for mega-team members).
- Elite Agent Performance Award: Top producers who qualify for Elite status will receive $12,000 in free stock each year.
- Elite Agent Cultural Award: Elit Agents also qualify for the cultural award of an additional $8,000 in free stock by giving back to the REAL community or their local community. Typically agents teach monthly classes or host masterminds.
- Stock Purchase Plan: Agents may elect to contribute a portion of each commission check toward purchasing REAL stock at market value and receive a 10% match before you cap and a 15% match after you cap. Source
simpliHŌM Stock Awards
- Capping Award: 250 shares for reaching $7,500 cap, $1,000 shares for $15,000 cap
- ACE Awards: To qualify close 25 transactions or earn $500k in GCI
- Production Award: 500 shares
- Cultural Award: 500 Shares
- Training Award: 500 Shares
- Participation Award 500 Shares
REAL vs simpliHŌM Training
Most successful agents want to grow and thrive over the course of their career. One of the best avenues for that growth is continued education and daily support from their brokerage. Brokerages support their agents in different ways. We’ll break down what you can expect from REAL and simpliHŌM based on each company’s published materials and agent reviews.REAL Broker
- REAL Academy – A robust online education hub featuring both live sessions and on-demand recordings focused on business growth, branding, compliance, leadership development, and production strategies. Agents can participate from anywhere using the REAL desktop platform or mobile app.
- Weekly Masterminds – Ongoing virtual collaboration calls led by high-performing REAL agents across the U.S. and Canada. These sessions dive into topics such as digital marketing strategies, database growth, investment opportunities, and team expansion.
- Mentorship Program – Agents have the option to enroll in a structured mentorship program where they partner with experienced top producers for hands-on guidance. Participation is voluntary, mentors are selected by the mentee, and compensation is typically structured as a percentage of the mentee’s first few closed transactions.
- REAL Events – REAL holds their annual RISE event each year in a new city. This is where they have top producers and keynote speakers teaching agents for 2 days and REAL makes their latest announcements. Learn more here.
- Further Togeather Events – REAL also encourages agent-organized events and provides infrastructure, tools and templates, and even access to keynote speakers. Learn more here.
- Agent BreakThru Series – REAL hires nationwide coaches to teach 6 week courses to REAL agents. Learn more at here.
- Workvivo: This is a social media platform just for agents at REAL. In here you can find groups about specific topics where you can ask questions, live streams of training, and the ability to message anyone in the company.
simpliHŌM Training
- CE Classes: Simply home provides free CE classes to agents to renew their real estate licences
- HŌMHQ: This is where their online training programs, full contract-to-close services, and regular events and training sessions.
- Community: Access to the simpliHŌM community to ask questions and network with agents.
Final Thoughts: Which Brokerage Is Right for You?
Both REAL Broker and simpliHŌM are thriving companies that offer compelling advantages for modern agents. The differences in financial models, benefits, and technology may be the difference-maker for professionals trying to find their perfect fit.simpliHŌM may appeal to agents who:
- Prefer a slightly lower cap and are not focused on stock or revenue share
- Want to get in early into a new cloud brokerage
- Want a 7-tier revenue share model
REAL Broker may appeal to agents who:
- Want a seamless technology platform to run their businesses on
- Be part of the fastest growing publicly traded brokerage in America
- Want to network and receive training from top producers
- Prefer no recurring monthly desk fees
- Focus on build multiple income streams
