10 Best Real Estate Brokerages for New Agents in 2026

The best real estate brokerage for new agents in 2026 is the one that trades a slice of your commission for real training, because your first year is about learning deals, not maximizing splits. For most new agents, that means Keller Williams or eXp Realty. For agents who want benefits and salary-like stability, it means Redfin.

This guide compares the 10 biggest names, what they pay, what they charge, and who each one fits. It also covers the news that changed this list: Compass now owns four of the brands on it.

TL;DR: Big-name brokerages are usually the right first move because they offer structured training, mentorship, and brand trust while you learn the business. Keller Williams and eXp lead on training and capped splits. Realty ONE Group pays the most per deal but supports you the least. And as of January 2026, Coldwell Banker, Century 21, and Sotheby's all answer to Compass.

A real estate brokerage is the licensed company a new agent must work under to legally represent buyers and sellers. If you're still deciding whether brokerage life is for you, here's what it's like to work at a real estate brokerage.

What changed in 2026 (read this first)

The biggest shakeup in decades hit this list in January 2026: Compass completed its acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate on January 9, 2026, according to Compass' SEC filing. That puts Coldwell Banker, Century 21, Sotheby's International Realty, Corcoran, ERA, and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate under one roof. Compass' Q1 2026 earnings release counts more than 300,000 professionals across the combined network.

Two more moves matter. Rocket Companies completed its acquisition of Redfin on July 1, 2025, per Rocket's SEC filing. And in April 2026, The Real Brokerage agreed to acquire RE/MAX Holdings, with the deal expected to close in the second half of 2026, according to RE/MAX's Q1 2026 report.

For you, the practical takeaway is this: the brand on the sign matters less than the office you join. Splits, fees, and mentorship are still set locally. Ask for everything in writing.

How the top 10 compare

Is Keller Williams good for new agents?

Yes. Keller Williams is the strongest pick for most new agents because the entire company is built around education and mentorship. KW is the largest real estate franchise in the U.S. by agent count, and its KW University coursework, productivity coaching, and mentor pairing are designed for people closing their first deals.

The money works like this: agents start on a 70/30 split. A commission cap is the maximum a brokerage collects from your commissions each year. Once you hit it, you keep 100% until your anniversary date. KW caps vary by market center, so ask your local office for the exact number. KW also runs a profit-sharing program that pays agents a slice of office profits.

The trade-off is size. Popular market centers are crowded, and you'll compete with teammates for the same neighborhoods.

eXp Realty

eXp Realty is the best fit for new agents who want flexibility and don't need an office. It's a virtual-first brokerage with an 80/20 split and a $16,000 annual cap, after which you keep 100% for the rest of your anniversary year. New agents typically work through a mentorship program at a reduced split on their first few transactions.

eXp has been busy. According to eXp World Holdings' Q1 2026 earnings report, the company had 82,332 agents as of March 31, 2026, and closed 91,598 transactions in the quarter. In May 2026, it acquired the NextHome franchise network and changed its stock ticker to AGNT, signaling a push beyond the pure cloud-brokerage model.

The downside is the same as the upside: no offices. If you learn best face to face, eXp will feel lonely. Stock awards and revenue share are nice, but don't pick a brokerage for perks you'll only earn at high volume.

Redfin

Redfin is the best choice for new agents who want a paycheck, benefits, and leads instead of pure commission. Redfin agents are W-2 employees with health insurance, 401(k) matching, and covered business expenses. Leads come from Redfin's site traffic, so you spend your time closing instead of prospecting.

Redfin has been part of Rocket Companies since July 1, 2025, per Rocket's SEC filing. Under the Redfin Next plan, agents earn higher splits on self-sourced deals and lower splits on company-generated leads.

The trade-off is autonomy. You build Redfin's brand, not yours. Entrepreneurial agents tend to outgrow it.

Compass

Compass is built for luxury markets and proven producers, which makes it a stretch for most first-year agents. Splits are negotiated individually, and negotiating power comes from a track record you don't have yet.

That said, Compass is now the biggest player in American real estate. Its Q1 2026 earnings release reports 84,187 agents in its owned brokerage, $97.3 billion in brokerage transaction volume for the quarter, and a combined network of more than 300,000 professionals after the Anywhere acquisition. Its tech platform is a real advantage, and it's rolling out to the acquired brands through 2026 and 2027.

If you're set on luxury and can land a seat on a productive Compass team, it can work. Otherwise, build your first 2 years somewhere with structured training.

Is Coldwell Banker good for new agents?

Coldwell Banker is a solid choice for new agents who want a famous brand and an actual office to walk into. Training is a real strength. Coldwell Banker University offers structured onboarding and ongoing coursework, and the brand's century-plus reputation helps a rookie win listing appointments.

Two things to check before signing. First, most Coldwell Banker offices don't cap commissions, so you'll split with the house on every deal, forever. Second, Coldwell Banker is now a Compass brand following the January 2026 merger, and offices include both company-owned and franchised locations, so splits and fee stacks vary widely. Get the fee sheet in writing.

Century 21

Century 21 works for new agents who value name recognition and structured mentorship over a fat split. Many offices start new agents near a 50/50 arrangement, plus a franchise royalty fee on each deal, with better splits unlocked as production grows. Each office is independently owned, so terms vary more than at almost any other brand on this list.

Like Coldwell Banker, Century 21 became a Compass brand in January 2026. Day to day, that changes little for now, but expect new tech tools as Compass integrates its platform across franchise brands in 2027.

Sotheby's International Realty

Sotheby's is the luxury-prestige play, and it's better suited to your second brokerage than your first. Affiliates set their own splits and fees, the clientele expects polish, and business runs on referrals that new agents haven't earned yet. In 2024, the brand reported $157 billion in global sales volume, which tells you the deal sizes and the expectations.

Sotheby's also joined the Compass family in the January 2026 merger. If high-end is your long-term lane, start at a training-first brokerage, then move up. Here's how to change brokerages when you're ready.

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices offers brand prestige with more new-agent support than Sotheby's, but conservative starting economics. New agents often start around a 60/40 split, and some offices add royalty and transaction fees on top. The REsource Center training and marketing tools are legitimately useful for a first-year agent.

One point of confusion worth clearing up: BHHS is owned by Berkshire Hathaway's HomeServices of America, not by Anywhere, so it was not part of the Compass deal. It remains one of the largest independent networks in the country.

RE/MAX

RE/MAX pays experienced agents the most and supports new agents the least, and in 2026 it comes with a big asterisk. The classic model pairs a very high split with a monthly desk fee, which is great when you're closing monthly and painful when you're not. Newer programs like Aspire give rookies lower-fee on-ramps, so ask each office what they offer.

The asterisk: according to RE/MAX Holdings' Q1 2026 report, the company had 149,192 agents worldwide and 47,443 in the U.S., and it has agreed to be acquired by The Real Brokerage in a deal expected to close in the second half of 2026. If you join a RE/MAX office this year, you're also joining whatever comes next.

Realty ONE Group

Realty ONE Group is the best-known 100% commission brokerage, which means you keep your full commission and pay flat monthly and per-transaction fees instead of a split. For a high producer, the math is unbeatable. For a brand-new agent, those fees come due whether you close or not.

The company does offer training through ONE University and transaction tech through zONE, but the model assumes you can generate your own business. If you can't yet, a split-based brokerage that invests in you is the cheaper option in year 1, even though it looks more expensive on paper.

How do I choose a brokerage as a new agent?

Choose the brokerage that maximizes your learning in year 1, not your take-home per deal. A 100% commission on zero closings is still zero. Compare offices on these 6 factors, in this order:

1. Training and mentorship. Ask exactly who will mentor you, on how many deals, and at what split.
2. Fees, in writing. Monthly fees, transaction fees, royalty fees, tech fees, E&O insurance. Get the full stack.
3. Split and cap. A capped split (KW, eXp) beats an uncapped one over time.
4. Leads. Does the office feed new agents leads, or are you on your own from day 1?
5. Office culture. National, boutique, and virtual brokerages feel completely different. Here's how those three models compare.
6. Local production. Interview the manager and 2 agents who started there in the last 2 years.

One more 2026-specific note: since August 17, 2024, NAR's settlement rules require written buyer agreements before touring homes, according to the National Association of Realtors. Ask every brokerage you interview how they train new agents on buyer presentations. The offices with a sharp answer are the ones taking training seriously.

What's the best brokerage for part-time agents?

Virtual and low-fee brokerages fit part-time agents best because you're not paying for a desk you rarely use. eXp Realty is the standard answer: no desk fees, online training you can attend after your day job, and a cap structure that doesn't punish low volume. Some Century 21 and Coldwell Banker offices also welcome part-timers, but confirm that monthly fees won't eat your occasional commissions.

The takeaway

Your first brokerage is a 2-year decision, not a marriage. Pick the office that will teach you the most, learn everything, and renegotiate or move once you have a track record. Agents switch brokerages all the time, and the good ones switch from a position of strength.

Interview at least 3 offices before you sign anything, and bring the 6-factor checklist above.

Most new agents fail because nobody taught them how to actually run the business. That's what our Career Course covers: lead generation, buyer presentations, and your first listing, taught live. Start the US Realty Training Career Course and walk into any brokerage interview with a plan.