Top 5 cloud-based real estate brokerages in 2026

Cloud brokerages have moved from a unique alternative to a real, scalable way to run an agent business. The pitch is straightforward: lower physical overhead costs, more flexible work, and an economic model that often includes caps, revenue share, and tech bundles.

But cloud-based doesn’t automatically mean cheaper – or better, for that matter. The best cloud based real estate brokerage for you depends on how you generate leads, how quickly you cap, what kind of training you need, and how much you value stock or revenue-share upside.

We wrote the following roundup for U.S.-based agents who are looking to compare virtual real estate brokerages and online real estate brokerages: the dollars, the support, and the day-to-day reality.

If you’re an agent comparing cloud models because your leads are increasingly online, it helps to understand what happens after an inquiry hits a website. This study on testing response times of the top 74 brokerages shows why speed-to-lead is still one of the biggest conversion levers – so keep it in mind when reading ahead!

Best cloud based real estate brokerage: our methodology

To keep this useful (and not just based on hype), we kept the following in mind:

• Brokerages must actively operate and recruit in the U.S., with publicly available U.S. fee information where possible
• Cloud-first model: The operating model must be primarily remote (training, support, compliance workflow, collaboration, etc.)
• Agent adoption and scale signals: We looked at overall market presence and scale context (ex. RealTrends Verified rankings show eXp among top brokerages by volume)
• SERP visibility and shortlist consensus: These five brands consistently appear in agent comparison research and online broker roundups (ex. The Close’s explainer of virtual brokerages, and multi-broker comparisons from agent-focused sites)
• Economics transparency: We prioritized brands with clear disclosures around splits, caps, monthly fees, and transaction fees (or reliable third-party summaries when official docs are limited)

Important note: fees can vary by state, team structure, and plan. So treat this post as a comparison framework before verifying the final numbers in the brokerage’s ICA and your state addenda before moving your license.

Quick comparison table

eXp Realty – who it’s best for, costs, main pros/cons

Best for: agents who want a big virtual community, structured online training, and are open to a revenue-share style growth path.

Costs and economics

• Commonly cited model: 80/20 split with a $16,000 annual cap (then reduced company dollar), plus a monthly cloud brokerage fee and per-transaction fees that may include broker review and risk management
• Training is a major differentiator: eXp University publishes a steady calendar of live sessions and onboarding tracks
• Support hours are fairly transparent: agent onboarding/support listed as 7 days/week, and tech support publishes coverage windows

Pros

• Robust virtual training ecosystem with frequent live sessions
• Clear published pathways for onboarding and support
• Scale and brand awareness: ex. eXp shows up as a top brokerage by volume in RealTrends Verified context

Cons

• Your true “all-in” cost depends on transaction count, when you cap, and state-by-state fee details
• If you want in-person coaching daily, you’ll need to be proactive about building a local community

REAL Broker – who it’s best for, costs, main pros/cons

Best for: producing agents who like lower cap math vs. other competitors, don’t want monthly fees, and value a simple operating model with revenue-share upside.

Costs and economics

REAL’s own support documentation outlines the U.S. fee structure:

• $249 sign-up fee
• 85/15 split until cap
• Company cap: $12,000 for agents/team leaders (with different caps for team members)
• $40 CBR fee on every transaction
• Post-cap transaction fee: $285 per sale and $125 per lease (reduced after Elite Agent status)
• Annual brokerage fee: $750, paid from first three transactions per anniversary year
• No monthly fee

Pros

• Transparent U.S. fee documentation
• No monthly fee helps part-time agents and low-volume agents protect their margin
• Team cap differentiation can matter if you run pods or partner agents

Cons

• Once you cap, transaction fees still matter a lot at high volume (as they do everywhere)
• Support is structured around broker team vs. centralized support; published hours are not as standardized as some competitors

LPT Realty – who it’s best for, costs, main pros/cons

Best for: agents who want choice between plan types (flat-fee style vs. split/cap style), especially if you’re changing production levels year to year.

Costs and economics

Third-party comparisons and LPT materials consistently describe two main tracks:

• Business Builder plan: commonly framed as $500 per transaction with a $5,000 cap (tradeoff: fewer wealth-building extras)
• RevShare Partner plan: commonly framed as 80/20 with a $15,000 cap, designed to align more with rev-share models

On growth and strategy, LPT has been explicit about “agent choice” as a scaling lever, with reports highlighting the company’s rapid agent growth in 2024, supported by partnerships and expansion strategy.

Support and training

LPT’s help center content includes published call-hour windows in at least some support communications (M-F and Saturday blocks).

Pros

• Plan flexibility is real – useful if you swing from low production to high production
• Strong growth narrative and visibility in industry coverage

Cons

• Program documents can be time-bounded and state-specific – you need to verify current ICA terms
• Total cost can be hard to model without knowing your exact plan, transaction count, and fee schedule

Epique Realty – who it’s best for, costs, main pros/cons

Best for: agents who want an AI-heavy toolset and bundled benefits, and who are comfortable with a monthly fee model tied to tech and services.

Costs and economics (what’s publicly documented)

Epique’s compensation program document highlights the following:

• 85/15 split
• $149/month tech fee (with options that can reduce the effective monthly cost)
• 0.1% transaction fee (with cap milestones)

On the positioning side, HousingWire’s Tech100 profile emphasizes Epique’s AI platform, CRM, automation tools, and benefits messaging – including comprehensive benefits and growth across states.

Pros

• Heavy emphasis on AI tooling and productivity workflows
• Clear monthly fee disclosure in compensation materials

Cons

• Monthly fee and transaction percentage fee means low-volume agents should model carefully
• Because it’s newer at scale than some competitors, evaluate state coverage, broker bench depth, and compliance support in your market

Fathom Realty – who it’s best for, costs, main pros/cons

Best for: agents who want plan options that can resemble “100% commission” (via flat transaction fees) and still want a national platform with revenue share.

Costs and economics

Fathom’s commission plan page outlines (high level):

• Fathom Max plan: flat $465 transaction fee per sale with a $9,000 cap
• Fathom Share plan: 12% split (with a minimum) and a $12,000 cap
• Post-cap transaction fee: $165
• Annual fee: $700
• E&O fee: $35 per sale
• No monthly fees, plus training and support positioning

Pros

• Clear plan math – easy to model if you know your sales count and average GCI
• Feels familiar to agents who like the simplicity of keeping their commission while paying a transaction fee

Cons

• Your best plan (Max vs. Share) depends on your volume and price point – and property premiums/extra fees can apply
• If you need deep mentorship, confirm what’s local to your state/region

How to choose: decision checklist

Use this checklist to quickly narrow your “cloud brokerage for agents” shortlist.

1) Solo agent vs. team reality

• Solo, under ~80k GCI: monthly fees matter more than caps
• Solo, over ~80k GCI: caps and post-cap fees matter most
• Team: ask how caps work for team members vs. leaders

2) Lead source mix (sphere, online leads, referrals, relocation)

• Sphere/referrals: you may not need a lead-gen platform, but you do need smooth compliance, transaction flow, and support
• Online lead heavy: prioritize CRM quality, speed-to-lead tooling, and automation – and be honest about adoption

If you want a practical operating model for handling internet leads once they come in, our real estate lead management playbook breaks down routing, SLAs, and the KPIs to review weekly.

3) Training needs

• If you want structured, frequent online classes, eXp’s published training cadence is a strong benchmark
• If you already have a team training engine, you might optimize for economics and transaction processing instead

4) Stock, revenue share, and wealth building appetite

• Do you actually want to recruit and mentor, or do you only want to sell homes?
• If you want optional upside, models with revenue share can be compelling – but only if you know you’ll participate consistently

5) Market coverage and compliance depth

• Cloud models still rely on local broker coverage; confirm your state’s broker bench, escalation paths, and review times
• Ask: “What does compliance review look like on a Saturday?” (then verify in writing where possible)

Case study: $150k GCI solo agent vs. $5M GCI team

These examples are simplified on purpose so you can see what actually drives cost. Use them as a template, not a quote.

Assumptions (keep them consistent!)

• Average commission per closing: $10,000 GCI
• Solo agent: $150,000 GCI = roughly 15 closings
• Team: $5,000,000 GCI = 10 agents at $500,000 each (roughly 50 closings each)
• We compare REAL vs. eXp because their cap math is publicly described and widely referenced.

Scenario A: $150k GCI solo agent

REAL – simplified

• Company dollar: cap at $12,000 (since 15% until cap)
• Annual brokerage fee: $750
• CBR fee: $40 x 15 = $600
• Post-cap sale transaction fee (assume cap reached after 8 closings, so 7 post-cap): $285 x 7 = $1,995

Estimated paid (excluding the one-time sign-up):
$12,000 + $750 + $600 + $1,995 = $15,345

eXp – simplified

• Company dollar: cap commonly cited as $16,000 at 80/20
• Monthly fee: commonly cited ~$85/mo = $1,020/yr
• Risk management and broker review fees exist and may cap; structure can vary by state and program
• Post-cap transaction fee is often cited (varies by program/state); assume $250 x 7 = $1,750 for illustrative purposes

Estimated paid:
$16,000 + $1,020 + $1,750 + (other per-transaction fees) = at least $18,770+

Takeaway: if you cap, the cap number is the big lever with Post-cap fees being the second lever. Monthly fees matter, but less than you think once you’re producing.

Scenario B: $5M GCI team (10 agents)

In this scenario, the math scales fast because caps are typically on a per agent basis.

REAL

• Caps: $12,000 x 10 = $120,000
• Annual fees: $750 x 10 = $7,500
• CBR fees: $40 x 50 closings x 10 agents = $20,000
• Post-cap sale fees: assume each agent caps after 8 closings, leaving 42 post-cap:
  
  • $285 x 42 x 10 = $119,700

Estimated paid: $267,200

eXp

• Caps: $16,000 x 10 = $160,000
• Monthly fees: $1,020 x 10 = $10,200
• Post-cap fees: assume $250 x 42 x 10 = $105,000
• Plus other transaction-level fees depending on state/program.

Estimated paid: $275,200+

Takeaway: for high-volume teams, “small” transaction fees easily become six figures. If you’re building a team, model your cost at the team’s expected transaction count, not just GCI.

FAQs

Cloud vs. brick-and-mortar: what’s the real difference?

A virtual brokerage sponsors agents without a traditional office footprint, operating through online platforms for training, compliance, collaboration, and support. That level of flexibility is a main driver of adoption.

Revenue share vs. profit share: what’s the difference?

They’re often used interchangeably in casual conversation, but they’re not the same:

• Revenue share: a portion of company revenue tied to agent attraction/downline production
• Profit share: a portion of company profits (after expenses), sometimes allocated by other rules as well

Always ask: “Is it paid on revenue or profit, and what can reduce the payout?”

What does “100% commission” actually mean?

Usually it means the brokerage isn’t taking a percentage split on the front end. Instead, you pay flat transaction fees, annual fees, and/or platform fees. Fathom’s plan options show how this model can work in practice.

How does compliance work in an online real estate brokerage?

Cloud doesn’t mean less compliance. It usually means digital submission, review, and audit trails. Pay attention to:

• Broker review process
• Document timelines
• Weekend coverage
• Escalation paths for urgent issues

REAL’s fee structure explicitly includes a compliance/broker review fee (CBR), which is a good reminder that compliance is always part of the cost structure.

The bottom line for 2026: how to match the brokerage to your agent profile and market

If you want a quick way to decide:

• You want structured online training, plus a large community: start with eXp (then verify your state’s exact fee schedule)
• You want transparent U.S. fee math, no monthly fee, and a lower cap: REAL is hard to beat based on pure economics
• You want plan flexibility that can fit different production seasons: LPT is built around agent choice, but verify plan docs and current fee schedules carefully
• You want AI-forward tooling and benefits bundles: Epique is positioning aggressively here – simply model the monthly fee and transaction fee impact at your volume
• You like flat-fee style simplicity and want to compare plan options: Fathom gives clear plan math and publishes a detailed breakdown