Real Estate IndustryReviews

Traditional franchise brokerages

Independently owned offices license a brand and pay the franchisor fees. Splits are set by each office, so the franchisor rarely publishes them.

Last updated: 2026-10-20

Residential firms are listed unscored. Our published rubric was written for commercial service firms and software, and we have not published how it applies to residential brokerages. Firms are listed alphabetically, not ranked. See methodology.

Cloud and revenue-share · Traditional franchise

Real REMAX Group (Real and RE/MAX)

Unscored

Public (ticker REAX in the SEC tickers file). Formed by combining The Real Brokerage Inc. and RE/MAX Holdings, completed August 24, 2026.

One holding company now sits on top of two opposite models: Real’s capped 85/15 split with revenue share, and RE/MAX’s franchise system, which earns fixed fees per agent.

Profile and filings →

How franchise economics differ

RE/MAX’s 10-K describes most of its revenue as recurring continuing franchise fees, fixed monthly fees based on the number of agents in each franchise. The franchisor earns per agent, not per deal, and each independently owned office sets the agent’s split. RE/MAX 10-K. After the Anywhere merger Compass also runs one of the largest franchise systems, and its 10-K lists “the significant increase in our franchise business” as a risk. Compass 10-K.

Who each is actually for

From what each filing says, not from reviews. Where we had no source, we leave the cell out.

FirmFit signals from the filings
Real REMAX Group (Real and RE/MAX)Agents who want a published, capped split (Real). The terms are in the Annual Information Form.
Agents who prefer an office-based franchise with a global brand (RE/MAX): 148,660 agents in the network.

Private firms in this model

FirmModelWhat its own site saysMissingSource
Keller WilliamsTraditional franchiseCalls itself a franchise company with headquarters (KWRI) in Austin, Texas; each office is independently owned and operated. Leadership listed on its site: Gary Keller (Executive Chairman), Chris Czarnecki (CEO and President).No agent count, financials or agent fee schedule on the pages we could read.site · read 2026-10-20
United Real EstateTraditional franchiseDallas, Texas address; says it has 100+ offices nationwide (self-reported); each office independently owned and operated; offers franchises.No agent count, financials or fee schedule on its site.site · read 2026-10-20

Last verified 2026-10-20. Figures were re-read from the linked sources that day.

View changelog
  • Residential section published: hub, three model sub-hubs, six firm profiles, three comparisons. All firms unscored.

Sources

  1. RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., Form 8-K, completion of mergers with Real REMAX Group (filed 2026-08-24) · accessed 2026-10-20
  2. Real REMAX Group Inc., Form 8-K (filed 2026-08-28) · accessed 2026-10-20
  3. The Real Brokerage Inc., Annual Information Form FY2025 (Exhibit 99.1 to Form 40-F) · accessed 2026-10-20
  4. The Real Brokerage Inc., MD&A FY2025 (Exhibit 99.3 to Form 40-F) · accessed 2026-10-20
  5. The Real Brokerage Inc., Form 40-F for FY2025 (filed 2026-03-04) · accessed 2026-10-20
  6. RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., Form 10-K for FY2025 (filed 2026-02-19) · accessed 2026-10-20
  7. SEC company tickers file · accessed 2026-10-20
  8. SEC EDGAR XBRL company facts (revenue and net income as tagged in each annual filing) · accessed 2026-10-20
  9. Keller Williams Realty International, About Us · accessed 2026-10-20
  10. United Real Estate, home page · accessed 2026-10-20