Two modern brokerages with the same $12,000 cap. Where they diverge is in pre-cap fees, per-transaction structures, and what each offers beyond commission. Honest math, including the cases where Real's stock and rev share win.
Real Brokerage's published fee structure is consistent across all US markets. Figures below are from Real's support documentation and reputable third-party breakdowns as of 2026. See methodology & sources.
Both brokerages cap at $12,000. The structures to get there are different.
| Real Brokerage | Momentum Realty | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission split | 85/15 | 100% commission |
| Annual cap | $12,000 (15% portion) | $12,000 (0.2% portion) |
| Startup fee | $249 one-time | $0 |
| Annual fee | $750/year (collected $250 × first 3 transactions) | $0 |
| Per-transaction fee (pre-cap) | $40 CBR (broker review + E&O) | None (passed to customer) |
| Per-transaction fee (post-cap) | $285 ($129 for Elite Agents) | None (passed to customer) |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Franchise royalty | None (cloud, not franchise) | None (independent) |
| Stock awards | REAX stock for cap, sponsor closings, stock purchase plan | None (private brokerage) |
| Revenue/Profit share | 5-tier revenue share funded from 15% company dollar | Revenue share up to $2,400/year per referred agent, based on referred agent's production |
| Office model | Fully virtual | Hybrid: physical HQ + remote |
| Brokerage focus | National (US + Canada), fastest-growing public RE brokerage | Northeast Florida specialist, 270+ agents |
Sources: Real Brokerage figures from Real Brokerage support documentation and third-party fee breakdowns current as of 2026. Momentum figures from Momentum's public fee disclosure.
Both brokerages cap at $12,000, so the comparison comes down to pre-cap structure and per-transaction fees. Real's 15% split means you reach cap faster on smaller average commissions. Momentum's flat-fee structure is simpler to predict.
Illustrative example. Real figure excludes stock awards and revenue share, which can offset the cash difference. Real's post-cap fee drops from $285 to $129 for Elite Agents (those hitting $500K GCI or 20 post-cap transactions), which would shift the math at higher production. The closer Real and Momentum get on cash, the more the decision comes down to non-cash factors: stock, scale, model fit.
This is the closest cash comparison of any of our brokerage pages. Real Brokerage is genuinely competitive on fee structure. The real differentiation is non-financial: stock equity in a public company (Real) vs local depth and direct broker access (Momentum). For agents prioritizing equity in a growing public company, Real has a structural advantage. For agents prioritizing operator-level mentorship in their local market, Momentum has the advantage.
Our take-home pay calculator does the math on your specific situation. Honest math, including the cases where Real's stock value offsets the cash difference.
Run the calculator →Real and Momentum are the closest peers among the five brokerages we compare against. Both are modern, capped, and competitive on fees. Where they differ is in strategy and scale.
Momentum agents, on video, on why they made the move. No script, no marketing. Just the truth from agents who already switched.
Every brokerage has someone at the top who decides what the company does with the money you make for it. That structure shapes how decisions get made, how fast leadership returns your call, and whether the people running the place have ever sat across from a client. Worth knowing the difference.
This isn't about national versus local being inherently better or worse. It's about knowing what you're getting. A public company optimizes for shareholders. A franchise optimizes for franchise fees. An independent brokerage owned by working agents optimizes for the agents inside it, because there's no one else to optimize for.
The take-home pay calculator does the math on your specific GCI, split, and fees. Honest math, including when Real's stock value offsets the cash difference.