Real Estate Commission Split Calculator
Both splits: the listing agent and buyer's agent first, then your share against your brokerage.
Then your split with the brokerage
The amount above is what reaches your side of the deal, not what reaches you. It splits a second time between you and your broker.
Since the August 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is negotiated separately from the listing agreement rather than automatically split down the middle, so the split here does not have to be 50/50. Brokerage caps, referral fees, and franchise fees are not modelled here, and once you hit an annual cap your share of later deals goes up. Your entries save in this browser.
"Commission split" means two different things
This trips people up constantly, and the two meanings produce very different numbers.
The first split is between the two sides of the deal: the listing agent and the buyer's agent. That is the one most sellers mean when they ask how commission is split.
The second split is between an agent and their own brokerage. That is the one agents mean. When someone says they are "on a 70/30" or "just went to a 90/10", this is the split they are talking about, and it happens after the first one.
Both are on this page. Set the total and the listing/buyer share at the top, then set your brokerage tier below it to see what actually lands with you.
Why the first split isn't always 50/50
For decades, a single "total commission" rate got split evenly (or close to it) between the listing agent and the buyer's agent, because the split was often set in one MLS field. Since the August 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is negotiated as its own line item, separate from the listing agreement. That means the split you actually agree to can be 60/40, 70/30, or anything else, not just half and half.
The second split: you and your brokerage
Your side's commission does not reach you whole. The brokerage takes a share, and most agreements also take a flat transaction or desk fee off the top of your share.
Typical tiers, roughly in the order agents move through them:
| Split | Who it usually fits | What you are trading |
|---|---|---|
| 50/50 | First-year agents | The house supplies leads, training, and cover for your mistakes |
| 60/40 or 70/30 | Agents with a couple of years and their own pipeline | Some support, less hand-holding |
| 80/20 | Established producers | Mostly brand, systems, and compliance |
| 90/10 | High-volume agents | Little beyond the brokerage relationship itself |
| 100% plus fees | Self-sufficient agents | You keep the commission and pay monthly desk and per-deal fees instead |
Two things move the real number away from the headline split.
Caps. Many brokerages cap what they collect in a year. Once you have paid in your cap, later deals come to you at or near 100 percent. An agent on a "70/30 with a $23,000 cap" is on 70/30 in January and effectively on 100 percent by autumn if they sell enough. The calculator above models one deal at one tier, so run it twice if you want to see both sides of your cap.
Fees. A transaction fee, desk fee, franchise fee, or E&O charge can quietly cost more than the split does, especially on lower-priced homes. A $500 flat fee is 1.7 percent of a $30,000 commission and 12.5 percent of a $4,000 one. This is why a 100 percent shop is not automatically the best deal at low volume.
Worked example, both splits
A $450,000 sale with a 6% total commission ($27,000), split 55% to the listing agent and 45% to the buyer's agent:
| Side | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Listing agent | 55% | $14,850 |
| Buyer's agent | 45% | $12,150 |
| Total | 100% | $27,000 |
Now take the listing agent through an 80/20 brokerage split with a $500 transaction fee:
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Listing side commission | $14,850 |
| Brokerage keeps (20%) | $2,970 |
| Transaction fee | $500 |
| Agent keeps, before tax | $11,380 |
So a headline 6 percent on a $450,000 house ends up as $11,380 to the agent who listed it, before self-employment tax, marketing costs, and everything else that comes out of that. The gap between the number a seller sees and the number an agent banks is most of the reason the two groups talk past each other on this topic.
What counts as a good split
There is no split that is good in isolation. A 50/50 with real leads coming in beats a 100 percent shop where you generate everything yourself and still pay desk fees, up to a volume that is different for every agent. Work out what the brokerage actually supplies, price it, and compare that against what the extra percentage points are worth at your deal count.
How to use this
If you already know the total commission (either as a rate or a dollar amount), enter it and adjust the slider to match your actual split. If you're starting from scratch, use the main real estate commission calculator instead, which lets you set each side's rate independently from the start.
Frequently asked questions
- How is real estate commission split between agents?
- Twice. First between the listing side and the buyer's side, which since the August 2024 NAR settlement is negotiated separately rather than set as one MLS figure. Then each agent splits their side again with their own brokerage, commonly at 70/30, 80/20, or 90/10, usually with a flat transaction fee on top.
- What is a 70/30 commission split?
- The agent keeps 70 percent of their side's commission and the brokerage keeps 30 percent. On a $14,850 listing-side commission that is $10,395 to the agent and $4,455 to the house, before any flat transaction or desk fee.
- What is a good commission split in real estate?
- It depends entirely on what the brokerage gives you back. A 50/50 that supplies steady leads, training, and admin support can pay better than a 100 percent shop where you buy your own leads and pay monthly desk fees. Price what the brokerage actually provides, then compare it against the percentage points you are giving up at your deal volume.
- What is a commission cap?
- A ceiling on what your brokerage collects from you in a year. Once you have paid in your cap, your split on later deals rises, often to 100 percent minus fees. It is why an agent's effective split is usually better than their headline split by the end of a strong year.
- What percentage does a buyer's agent get?
- It is negotiated per deal now rather than fixed. Something close to half the total is still common, but the buyer's side share is set in the buyer's representation agreement and can be paid by the seller, the buyer, or split between them.
- Does the seller still pay the buyer's agent?
- Often, but it is no longer assumed. Since August 2024 the seller can offer buyer-agent compensation as a concession, the buyer can pay their agent directly, or the two can share it. It is a negotiated term of the specific deal.