Bear Team vs eXp Realty: an honest comparison for Orlando agents
eXp Realty is one of the largest brokerages in the world, and if you're an Orlando agent, someone has probably tried to recruit you there. It's a legitimately strong model — and it's built for a specific kind of agent. Here's the honest side-by-side, using eXp's publicly documented numbers, so you can decide which kind you are.
The strange coincidence: both caps are $16,000
eXp agents pay 20% of every commission until they've contributed $16,000 in an anniversary year, then keep 100% minus a post-cap fee. Bear Team agents pay company dollar until they've contributed $16,000, then advance to the next tier of the ladder — 60/40 to 70/30 to 80/20 to 90/10. The ceiling on what the brokerage collects is the same number. What's different is everything around it.
Side by side
- Commission split: eXp — 80/20 flat, every agent. Bear Team — 60/40 graduating to 90/10.
- Company-dollar cap: eXp — $16,000 (anniversary year). Bear Team — $16,000 (then you advance a tier).
- Monthly fees: eXp — $85/month technology fee. Bear Team — $0 — no desk, tech, or monthly fees.
- Per-transaction costs: eXp — $25 broker review; ~$250/deal after capping. Bear Team — $150 flat per closing.
- E&O insurance: eXp — Agent-paid fees apply. Bear Team — Covered by the brokerage.
- Office & support: eXp — Fully virtual (eXp World). Bear Team — Boutique Orlando office, in-person broker & training.
- Equity / passive income: eXp — EXPI stock awards + 5-tier revenue share. Bear Team — None — the value is in the split ladder and support.
Where eXp genuinely wins
Honesty first: eXp's flat 80/20 beats Bear Team's starting 60/40 on a per-deal basis early in the ladder. If you're a high-volume, fully self-sufficient agent — your own lead flow, your own systems, no need for an office or hands-on broker support — eXp's math is strong, and the stock awards and five-tier revenue share add upside no boutique can offer. Agents who love recruiting can build real passive income there. If that's you, eXp deserves your consideration.
Where the eXp math gets quieter
The $85 monthly technology fee is $1,020 a year, owed in the months you close nothing. The $25 broker review fee rides on every transaction, and after you cap, roughly $250 per deal keeps coming off the top. None of that is hidden — eXp is transparent about it — but the recruiting pitch leads with "80/20 and stock," not with the fixed overhead. As our fee guide shows, fixed costs hit hardest at moderate production — which is exactly where most Orlando agents live.
The support question nobody puts in a spreadsheet
eXp is fully virtual. Training happens in eXp World — extensive, but on a screen, and even reviewers who like the model note that new and mid-production agents can find it isolating. Bear Team is the opposite bet: a boutique Orlando office where the broker knows your files, training is in person through BearTeam Academy, leads are part of the deal, and E&O is covered rather than billed back. Our starting split is lower because that support costs money. The question isn't which model is cheaper on deal one — it's which one has you closing more deals by this time next year. Agents producing 3–20 deals a year usually grow faster with real support; agents at 50 deals usually don't need it.
Revenue share and stock, honestly
eXp's revenue share pays from company dollar when agents you sponsor close deals, five tiers deep, and EXPI stock awards land at milestones like your first closing and capping. For builders, it's real. But it only pays if you actively recruit, and stock value carries market risk. If you'd rather sell homes than build a downline, value those programs at close to zero and compare the brokerages on splits, fees, and support — the things that pay you on every closing either way.
How to actually decide
Take your last 12 months of production and run it through both structures — eXp's 80/20 with the monthly and per-deal fees, and Bear Team's ladder with $0 monthly and $150 per closing. The calculator does the Bear Team side in five minutes, and the full split structure is on the commission page. If you're mid-move, our Florida switching guide covers the mechanics step by step.
Frequently asked questions
What is eXp Realty's commission split and cap?
eXp agents keep 80% of each commission with 20% going to the brokerage until they've paid $16,000 in company dollar for their anniversary year. After capping, agents keep 100% minus a post-cap transaction fee (around $250 per deal, reducing after $5,000 paid). Public sources also list an $85 monthly technology fee and a $25 per-transaction broker review fee.
How is Bear Team's model different from eXp's?
Both cap company dollar at $16,000, but the shape differs. eXp is a flat 80/20 with a monthly fee, fully virtual. Bear Team starts at 60/40 and graduates to 90/10 as you produce, charges zero monthly fees and a flat $150 per closing, covers E&O, and operates as a boutique Orlando office with in-person broker access, training, and leads.
Who nets more — an agent at eXp or Bear Team?
Early in the ladder eXp's 80/20 keeps more per deal; Bear Team's model spends that difference on support — training, leads, mentorship, and covered E&O — and eliminates the roughly $1,020 a year in monthly fees. Which nets more depends on your volume and how much the support grows your production. Run your own last 12 months through both structures before deciding.
Is eXp's revenue share worth it?
Revenue share pays you from eXp's company dollar when agents you sponsor close deals. It's real income for agents who actively recruit and build a downline — and close to zero for agents who don't. If you have no interest in recruiting, weigh the two brokerages on splits, fees, and support alone.
eXp figures are from public sources (exprealty.com and independent brokerage guides) as of July 2026 and can change — confirm current terms with eXp directly. Bear Team figures are our actual plan. eXp Realty is a registered trademark of its owner; this independent comparison is not affiliated with or endorsed by eXp. Not financial advice.
Run both models on your production
Your last 12 months through eXp's structure and Bear Team's ladder, side by side — then talk it through with Tom. No pressure, just the math.