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Real Estate Agent Commission Splits in Ontario, Explained (2026)
3 min readPublished Updated
Quick answer
Real estate commission splits in Ontario are the share of each commission you keep versus your brokerage. Common models are percentage splits (a 70/30 split means you keep 70%), capped models with monthly or annual fees, and flat or transaction-fee models. Which nets you most depends on your deal volume, the leads and support provided, and every fee — so calculate your true annual take-home, not just the headline split.
The three main split models
Each model trades support for take-home. High-split and capped models often come with less hands-on support; lower splits often fund leads, marketing and training. Check what each brokerage actually provides rather than assuming.
- Percentage split: you keep a set share of each commission (for example 70%), sometimes rising as you produce more.
- Capped model: you pay the brokerage's share, and/or fees, until you reach an annual cap, then keep more or all of each commission until the cap resets.
- Flat-fee or transaction-fee: a fixed fee per transaction or per month regardless of price.
The fees that change the math
- Desk or monthly fees
- Transaction or admin fees per deal
- Technology and CRM fees
- Marketing you would otherwise pay for yourself
- Franchise or brand fees, where applicable
- RECO's mandatory insurance premium and registration fees, which every salesperson pays
How commission reaches you under TRESA
In Ontario the commission on a deal is paid to the brokerage, not to you. The Trust in Real Estate Services Act, 2002 says a salesperson may accept remuneration for trading only from the brokerage that employs them; the brokerage then pays you under your split. Commission rates between clients and brokerages are negotiable, and your split is a separate agreement between you and your brokerage.
How to calculate your real take-home
Estimate your annual deals and average commission. Apply the split, subtract all fees, then add back the value of leads and marketing the brokerage provides (what you would pay to generate the same yourself). The brokerage with the highest net — not the highest split — is the better deal for you.
Why leads change the comparison
A lower split at a brokerage that sends you enquiries can out-earn a higher split where you generate every lead yourself — or it may not, if few enquiries arrive or they carry a referral fee. When comparing offers, ask how many enquiries agents actually receive, how they are allocated, and what they cost.
Summitly's split and fees
Summitly (Coldwell Banker Summit Realty) has two packages for your own business. Package A is a 95/5 split with a $200 + HST monthly fee and $799 + HST on each of your first 4 completed transactions in a calendar year. Package B is 90/10 with $125 + HST a month and $499 + HST on the first 4, moving to 95/5 for the rest of the year after $100,000 GCI. A $500 minimum brokerage share applies per completed transaction, starting with transaction 5 in each calendar year; see your agreement for tax treatment and details. To receive brokerage leads, agents join the Leads Plan: $299 + HST a month, no transaction fees, 90/10 on their own deals, and 50/50 on deals from leads the brokerage provides.
Key takeaways: agent commission splits in Ontario
- Splits come in percentage, capped, and flat-fee models.
- Headline split is not take-home — fees and leads decide it.
- Commission is paid to your brokerage, which pays you under your split.
- Model a full year of deals net of every fee.
- Leads and marketing can be worth more than a higher split — ask what they cost.
Agent commission splits in Ontario: frequently asked questions
What is the average real estate commission split in Ontario?
No regulator or official body publishes an average split. Splits are set in each agent's agreement with their brokerage, and actual take-home depends on desk, transaction, technology and franchise fees and on the leads provided, so compare full written offers rather than a single percentage.
Is a 100% commission brokerage better?
Only if you generate your own leads and need little support. You still pay fees or a cap and may get less training and marketing, so newer agents can net more at a supportive lower-split brokerage. Model both.
How do I compare two brokerage offers?
Calculate annual take-home for each: deals × average commission × split, minus all fees, plus the value of leads and marketing provided. Compare the nets, not the splits.
Sources
Published by Summitly, the website of Coldwell Banker Summit Realty, Brokerage, registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO); an independently owned and operated Coldwell Banker franchise. Broker of Record: Waqar Afzal. Questions or corrections: our contact form. How we write and check these pages: editorial policy.
Cite this guide
Summitly Editorial. (2026, June 4). Real Estate Agent Commission Splits in Ontario, Explained (2026). Summitly (Coldwell Banker Summit Realty, Brokerage). https://www.summitly.ca/guides/real-estate-agent-commission-splits-ontario
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Summitly is the technology platform of Coldwell Banker Summit Realty, Brokerage, a brokerage registered with the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), 310-3100 Steeles Ave W, Vaughan, ON L4K 3R1. Each Coldwell Banker office is independently owned and operated. Agents join as self-employed, commission-based independent contractors, not employees; terms are those of the brokerage's agent agreement, and fees are before HST. Verify any brokerage or agent on the RECO public register.
