eXp Realty Commission Split And Fees In 2023 (In-Depth Guide)
Are you curious about the eXp Realty commission split and other fees associated with becoming an eXp Realty agent, broker, or team leader?
In this post, I share in-depth all the costs and opportunities associated with when you join eXp Realty.
The commission split and fees I discuss in this article are exactly what I and every other eXp agent pay to the company.
If you would rather watch or listen to this content, check out the video or podcast below!
All Things Equal
The first thing to note about eXp Realty is that all agent’s commission splits are the same across the board. No agents receive exclusive deals, unlike many other real estate brokerages. All agents at eXp Realty pay the same commission split and fees regardless of tenure, transaction volume, etc.
This equal treatment embodies eXp Realty’s core value of transparency and ensures that all agents have the same opportunity to succeed.
eXp Realty Commission Split
All agents at eXp Realty receive an 80/20 commission split. This split caps at $16,000 gross commission paid into the company. When real estate agents earn $80,000 in gross commissions in a single year, they will pay 20 percent to eXp Realty.
That is a total of $16,000. $80,000 x 20 percent. Once an agent reaches their commission cap, that agent will receive 100 percent of their commission minus a capped transaction fee, risk management fee, and broker fee for the remainder of the year.
Revenue Share
One thing to point out when talking about eXp Realty’s commission split is revenue share. Revenue share is an opportunity for real estate agents to earn an additional income stream for helping to bring on other agents into the brokerage.
Revenue sharing is paid from eXp Realty’s side of the commission split, the 20 percent, and doesn’t cost agents anything extra. eXp Realty pays out 50 percent of the 20 percent every month to agents (the other 50 percent goes to paying eXp Realty’s overhead and profit).
For more information, check out my in-depth review of eXp Realty’s revenue share.
eXp Realty Fees
eXp Realty fees consist of monthly and transaction fees. I’ll cover each in more detail below.
eXp Realty does not charge desk, royalty, or franchise fees. Also, there are no minimum production or attraction requirements. So long as you stay current on your $85 monthly fee and all state licensing requirements, you can remain licensed at eXp Realty.
eXp Realty Monthly Fees
When you join eXp Realty, you’ll pay $149 for your first month of onboarding. After that, eXp Realty charges an $85 monthly fee. This cloud brokerage fee covers using kvCORE, Skyslope, Marketing Center, Workplace, and complete access to training and support.
kvCORE is eXp Realty’s lead generation and website solution for real estate agents. Outside of eXp, access to this system runs over $500 per month. This alone makes the $85 per month worth it. For more information, check out my Complete kvCORE Guide
eXp Realty Transaction Fees
After a real estate agent reaches their commission cap, they go to 100 percent and only pay $250 per transaction. If an agent pays $5000 in transaction fees after capping, they will move to a $75 transaction fee for the remainder of the anniversary year.
For example, you sell 60 homes in one year with an average commission of $6,000 per transaction. Here is how your eXp Realty commission split would work out:
- Transactions 1-14 would be on an 80/20 split with NO transaction fee.
- Transactions 15-34 would be on a 100/0 split with a $250 transaction fee.
Transactions 35-60 would be on a 100/0 split with a $75 transaction fee.
To explain, you would cap on your 14th transaction ($6,000 x 14 transactions = $84,000). Transactions 15-34 would be $250 for each transaction, totaling $5,000. Transactions 35-60 would be at $75 for each transaction.
Risk Management Fee (Errors & Omissions)
Many real estate agents are familiar with the term “errors and omissions.” At eXp Realty, we call this the risk management fee. The risk management fee varies by country, but it is $40 for each transaction in the US.
Once a real estate agent hits $500 in risk management fees paid for the year, the agent will no longer pay risk management fees for the remainder of the anniversary year.
Real Estate Broker Review Fee
All US agents pay a $25 real estate broker review fee per transaction. This fee does not cap. For agents in Canada, this fee is $29 per transaction.
Commission Split and Fees Example
In the example above, where an agent does 60 transactions. Their total eXp Realty Commission Split paid for the year would equal:
- $16,000 – Commission Cap
- $5,000 – $250 Transaction Fees
- $1,875 – $75 Transaction Fees
- $500 – Risk Management Fees
- $1,500 – Broker Review Fees
- $24,875 – Total eXp Realty Fees
How would you like to earn $16,000 of those fees back? Read below about the ICON agent award program and see how you can do that when joining eXp Realty.
eXp Realty Mentor Fees
Agents who’ve completed less than three transactions in their current market will be enrolled in eXp Realty’s mentor program. Agents in the mentor program are assigned a certified mentor who will help assist with the agent’s first three transactions at eXp Realty.
Mentees pay an additional 20 percent split on these first three transactions, which pays the mentor and mentor program (which consists of additional training modules for the mentee).
Once the mentee closes three transactions with eXp Realty, they graduate from the mentor program and are not subject to the additional 20 percent split.
eXp Realty Personal Deals
At eXp Realty, agents can complete three personal transactions per year without paying the 20 percent split to eXp Realty.
Agents are only responsible for paying a $250 transaction fee, a $40 risk management fee, and a $25 broker review fee for the personal deal.
A personal transaction consists of only the deals for which the eXp Realty agent is personally on the contract.
eXp Realty Seller Fees
eXp Realty does not charge any additional fees to clients. Agents can determine their commission rate and any additional fees to their clients. However, the rate and fees charged to the client are then split with eXp Realty at the typical commission split.
If an agent wishes to discount their commission rate and that agent has not reached their commission cap, the minimum transaction split to eXp Realty is $500. Therefore, an agent can reduce their commission ultimately to $0 to the client. Still, the agent would be responsible for paying eXp Realty $500 for that transaction, plus the broker review and risk management fee.
ICON Agent Program
As agents at eXp Realty, we can earn our $16,000 cap back each year in the form of eXp Realty stock. You can qualify for the ICON Agent Program in two ways, based on your production at eXp Realty. Please note that it’s one or the other, not both. Additionally, you need to satisfy the cultural requirement explained below.
Cap Plus $5,000 in Capped Status Transaction Fees
The first way is “$16,000 paid in company cap plus capped status transactions in the same anniversary year resulting in capped status transaction fees of not less than $5,000.”
$500,000 Annual Gross Commission Income Plus ICON Qualifying Fee
The second way you could qualify to become an ICON agent is by achieving an “Annual gross commission income of $500,000 or more with a minimum of 10 closed transactions and payment of an “ICON Qualifying Fee.” This fee equals $5,000 less capped transaction fees paid during the same anniversary year.
For more information, check out my in-depth post on the ICON program at eXp Realty.
Team Leader Fees at eXp Realty
If you’re a team leader, you have a few options for structuring your team at eXp Realty. These options include a self-organized, standard, or mega-ICON team.
Self-Organized Team
A self-organized team is the least formal team structure at eXp Realty. You provide a team roster to eXp Realty, and any agents, including yourself, can market as the team. Each agent has a $16,000 commission cap and pays their individual $85 monthly fee. You can share commissions per transaction on any deal that warrants it.
Standard Team
A standard team is more formalized than a self-organized team at eXp Realty. A team agreement is required. Additionally, the team leader must meet a production requirement of $6,000,000 in gross commission income from the previous year.
This team allows team agents to receive a half-cap of $8,000 instead of the normal $16,000 cap. However, note that the team agent must split 25% of each closed transaction with the team leader.
Mega ICON Team
A Mega ICON team is a team that has ten or more agents who all receive a quarter cap of $4,000. The Mega ICON team leader is responsible for a minimum of $56,000 of company dollars to be paid into the company by the end of the year. ($4,000 x 10 agents + $16,000 for their cap).
For more information, check out my detailed post on the different eXp Realty team structures.
Wrapping Things Up
In conclusion, the eXp Realty Commission Split is very generous compared to most brokerages. Especially when considering the ICON Agent Program, eXp Realty is unique. Combine this with all the tools and training that eXp Realty provides to real estate agents, and you get an excellent opportunity to grow your career in real estate.
Do you have any questions related to eXp Realty’s Commission Split? Put them in the comments below, and I will happily answer them!
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Kyle,
Thank you for sharing what is the most professional explanation of eXp I’ve seen on the web.
Jeff Boswell
Greenville, NC
You’re welcome Jeff! I appreciate those kind words.
Can you go over whether there any upfront fees or costs? Or are marketing costs etc covered in the transactions with exp?
Sure, Megan! The startup costs for eXp Realty in the US are $149 and then it’s $85/month after that. In Canada, it’s $199 and $139/month thereafter.
Hi Kyle,
Thank you for the information. I’d like to see the breakdown on a new agent’s commissions with a mentor. New agents as in brand new to real estate (0 transactions). It’s unclear based on contradicting materials I’ve read that seem to be official eXp info if a new agent splits an additional 10 or 20% on top of eXp’s 20% and whether or not that is for the first three or five transactions? With and without the mentor waiving their fee (it appears this is optional) and for how long the additional eXp University 10% in lieu of mentor’s share is applied if the mentor does waive. 3 deals? 5 deals? If an agent sells four $670k homes in their first four transactions do they still cap while being a mentee? Continue to pay university/eXp 10%? If so for how long?
“ Team leaders may waive the mentor/mentee financial commitment making the split 70/30 instead of 60/40. The company split of 20% applies toward agent cap and the remaining 10% is paid to eXp University.
• Should mentee complete eXpand curriculum and mentor or State Administrative”
– from eXP Expand Mentoring program overview
With 60/40 commissions for either 3 or 5 deals or first year? and the added caveat of required education this feels like a loop hole to keep newbies pinned down at smaller splits.
The point is, it’s a very different game than what is being described here for most agents the first 12 months out.
Why join right away as a new agent with this requirement and split when I have an option to be 80/20 at another brokerage similar cap and fees? What on earth could eXp possibly provide to make up for that extra 20% (or more?) that I’d lose in the first year? 20% that could be put right back into my business.
Obviously 90% of new agents will not have this issue there first year but those of us who know they could perform at this level due to market, farm, contacts and previous business experience may be better off saving 20% to build their business and move over to eXp after to participate in revenue sharing.
On the fence for sure.
Sell me.
Hey Jeffrey! Great questions. It certainly looks like I can add more to this post to make fees for brand new agents more clear. Here are my answers to your questions:
Agents that have sold less than 3 deals in the previous 12 months are required to join the eXp Realty Mentor program. That is if they are not joining eXp Realty as part of a team. If they are part of a team, they do not pay anything to the mentor program or mentor but come under whatever split the team leader may have. Keep in mind that some team leaders at eXp do not charge a split (self-organized teams, like myself) so the brand new agent could come on at the normal 80/20 split with eXp. Typically, this would involve the agent naming that team leader as their sponsor into the company so then the sponsor would at least earn a revenue share from the new agent’s deals.
However, if the agent comes into eXp on the mentor program, they do pay an additional 20% for their first 3 closed transactions. 10% goes to their mentor, 10% goes to the mentor program.
Regarding your question about what the benefits of joining with a mentor are, I would say they are great. I myself am a certified mentor and I can honestly say the value I bring to a new agent for helping them get through their first 3 deals is worth well over the 10% I receive and even over the 20% they pay. Typically an agent’s first few deals (from my experience) are low dollar deals $100k – $200k sales price. They may make around $4500 commission. That means my average take as a mentor is $450. For all the calls, going over contract paperwork with them, and talking to the agent about how to handle their appointments, etc… it’s actually not a whole lot for what a successful, experienced agent could make for their time. Again… just my opinion.
Your situation may be different and perhaps you won’t need all the hand-holding.
That said, after an interview with an agent I can usually tell who will be able to support themselves and find answers to questions. For those agents, I have them join my self-organized team and get their mentor fee waived. They are still on my team and part of my revenue organization therefore it’s a win-win for both sides and thus I still, of course, supported those agents fully.
If you are already speaking with someone that you would be naming as your sponsor, then speak with them about further options. If you would like to discuss further with me how we could get you set up at eXp and have the mentor fee waived, head over to my partner page and fill out the app so we can speak. https://go.kylehandy.com/partner/
Is the profit sharing program still active?
Jessica, I believe KW profit sharing is still active however, during this pandemic has been slashed quite heavily to sustain market centers. I could be wrong and would be happy for any KW agent to correct me in the comments but that’s what I’ve heard from the KW friends of mine. eXp Revenue share is still alive and well. In fact, I will say that I’ve had some of my best months in revenue share these past 4 months which has been a huge saving grace for me and my business.
I have a question regarding outstanding commissions should an agent leave EXP with firm deals that have not yet closed. I'm assuming that EXP would still pay out the commission to the departed agent?
That is correct. The departing agent still receives the same commission as agreed up in their independent contractor agreement.
Hey Kyle, Do you know if EXP requires their agents to be members of NAR? I can't find any information about it anywhere.
Thanks!
Ben, within the eXp independent contractor agreement it states “REALTOR AFFILIATION
Contractor shall maintain active membership in their local Association and/or Board of REALTORS affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS (“NAR”).” So I take that as yes, it’s required. Hope that helps!
Hi Kyle,
I have one personal pending transaction, would I still be entitled to 100% commission if I leave, I’m in good standing, but the agent guide states they can charge fees or reasign, it doesn’t seem logical since me & my husband are the Buyers. Thank you
Hey there Violet. I believe you’d still get paid out the 100% commission on this file even if you were to leave. Shoot a message over to your transaction coordinator on the file to be sure.
Hi Kyle can you confirm whether you can charge any commissions rates in Canada. Eg if an area standard is 5% to list a home can an exp agent choose to list at 3%.
Thanks
Great information, thank you so much! It's the most thorough explanation I've seen of Exp's commission splits, caps, agent ICON, and stocks. It answered many questions I've had. Awesome youtube channel too 🙂
Hello say I made 100,000 in commission how will be split works. can i get 16000 back in exp stock.
another example if i made 200,000 in commission how will be the split and can i get 16000 back in exp stock.
agents who make between 125k-200k what is the better option for them.
Please advice
Does EXP use live leads? For example, like opcity?
Or are the leads left up to the agent?
What are the commission splits or fees for an agent buying or selling their own property.
I am not currently an agent with eXp but have been doing a lot of research in the last month so take that into account here.
I heard on the video at https://buildingbetteragents.com/exp-realty-commission-splits/ (at the 1:50 mark of the video) that with eXp you get 3 "free" personal transactions, which boils down to you get 100/0 split and just pay the transaction fee.
Hi Kyle,
First off, you have an amazing site and the best I’ve seen at explaining the eXp model.
Correct if I’m wrong but wouldn’t it be transactions 15-34 at $250/per transaction totaling $5,000? If you count up starting with transaction 15, I count 20 transactions once I get to transaction 34. 20 x $250 = $5000. So I’m calculating that the $75 transaction fee starts with transaction 35. Thanks.
Stephen – You are correct. I’ll revise the number in my article from 35 to 34. Thank you for pointing this out and for the compliment!
No problem!
I am currently with a team at EXP. What will all my fees be I leave the team & go solo with EXP? Just wondering what the difference is..
Hi I just started with you today. I don’t have a sponsor . How would I go about doing that? No one has responded to me regarding this. Please give me a quick call or email when available, thank you,
Thanks so much for sharing this information. Do the numbers hold true for their commercial division? Or is that an entirely different fee structure?
Hello Kyle,
Amazing information! After you cap and are awarded $16,000 in ExP stock, how long do you have to hold it before you can sell it? Also, what is the maximum amount of stock you can earn in a single year? I was just a little confused because I understand you can earn $16,000 by capping but then there looks to be an additional $8000? Thanks!
For example, let’s say you sell 60 homes in one year with an average commission amount of $6,000 per transaction. Here is how your commission split would work out:
· Transactions 1-14 would be on an 80/20 split with NO transaction fee.
· Transactions 15-35 would be on 100/0 split with a $250 transaction fee.
· Transactions 36-60 would be on 100/0 split with a $75 transaction fee.
To explain, you would cap on your 14th transaction ($6,000 x 14 transactions = $84,000). Transactions 15-35 would all be at $250/per transaction totaling $5,000.
In the above example, this person would be at $78,000 after 13 transactions. He would hit his cap on transaction 14, but would his split of 80% be for the full $6000 even though he hit the $80,000 with just the first $2000?
Kyle, How hard it is to work for a cloud brokerage vs. a more traditional office brokerage? I’ve seen your page and LOTS of 5 star reviews online (https://www.exprealty.com and https://www.agentadvice.com) but haven’t found much that talks about what it’s like for new agents.
Is it hard to stay motivated? Do you miss the camaraderie? I haven’t taken the state real estate exam yet but thinking it may be hard to get started without an in person office.
Hey Alex! Great question. Personally, I find that I stay motivated more and love the camaraderie better at eXp Realty than when I had a brick-and-mortar office with my independent brokerage. Even though we are cloud-based, there are so many ways for agents to stay plugged in with each other. Workplace, eXp World, in-person events, zoom calls, etc… I find it’s the perfect balance of seeing people just enough. As far as the motivation, that has to come from within you. However, I will say that eXp has such great opportunities built into its model that they give you great incentives to stay motivated. And that’s all I need. For example, the ICON program for sales and the revenue sharing for building a team. Good luck with your exam! Let me know when you pass it and if I can be of help getting you onboard here with eXp!
Hey Alex,
Just wanted to reach out about the mentorship program percentage. In the article, you say it’s an additional 20% if you’re enrolled in the mentorship program. That struck me as odd as I am already an agent with eXp, and I reached out to the broker yesterday (24 Aug 2021). They confirmed that the percentage is actually 10%, not 20%, so I am not sure where that discrepancy comes from, but thought I would reach out and let you know.
Hey Kevin, I appreciate the comment however, your broker is incorrect.
This is straight from eXp’s corporate site: https://support.expcloud.com/portal/en/kb/articles/mentor-program-fee-breakdown
Commission Split Breakdown
The new agent (Mentee) agrees to the following commission split on their first three closed residential sales transactions:
20% of their gross goes toward their $16,000 eXp CAP
10% goes to the Certified Mentor
10% goes to the Mentor Program/ eXp Realty
The Mentor fees are calculated from the “Agent Split Before Expenses.” The Agent Split Before Expenses is not the same as Gross Commission Income. The expenses in reference are referral fees, broker review fees, administration fees, risk management fees, and the 20% to the eXp cap.
Why are the fees structured in this way?
The 10% mentor fee is to compensate the Mentor for their time investment and for assisting the Mentee on the contract process.
The 10% Mentor Program fee covers the costs of running the program.
IF you are on a team within eXp you may only need to pay 10% to the mentor program/exp if your team leader is your mentor and chooses to waive your mentor fee. (Typically they are charging a team split though). This is the only way it’s not 20% extra for those first three deals.
Do we still have to carry our own E&O policy or is that what the per transaction fee is?
Hey Scott. You do not need to carry your own E&O policy. That is what the $40/trans risk management fee is for. Cheers!
If you leave a real estate team, but you are still under eXp Realty, how does the commission split work if the team lead has not signed a release for separation?
If they’ve not signed a release for separation and a deal was written while still under the team agreement then it’ll pay out however the team agreement reads. Once separate occurs, you will be on the standard 80/20 split with $16,000 cap that all agents receive.
Hi Kyle,
I’m currently living in Idaho and taking a course to get a Utah Real Estate Agent license for the future potential of moving to Utah after I retire in a couple of years. Once I complete the course, I plan to get my license in Utah. I am also considering get a license in Idaho to gain some experience while we are still living here. Can I become an eXp agent in Utah without living there?
Hey Perry! Yes, most definitely. Many agents at eXp are licensed in states they do not live in. Best of luck!
Hi Kyle,
If I am a somewhat new realtor and would have to be put into the mentor program, and I have personal transactions, how would that work with having a mentor and regarding that mentor split? Considering we would get 3 personal 100% commission transactions a year. Thank You.
You would be required to pay the 20% mentor percentage on the personal transactions if they were part of the first three deals you do. (You would not need to pay the other 20% that would normally be the 80/20, since they would be personal deals).