LPT vs Century 21: Which is Best for Realtors?

LPT Realty and Century 21 represent two fundamentally different approaches to brokerage. LPT is a cloud-based company built on flat-fee and capped commission plans, zero royalty fees, and a revenue share program. Century 21 is a global franchise brand with decades of name recognition, physical office presence, and a traditional split structure where the brokerage takes a percentage of every deal.

Agents comparing these two are usually asking a pointed question: does the Century 21 brand deliver enough additional business to justify paying a royalty on every transaction for the life of your career, or would a flat-fee cloud model keep far more of your income?

This comparison breaks down every fee, real cost at $250K GCI, passive income opportunities, and what each brokerage actually offers day to day. Both options have genuine strengths – the right choice depends on your market, your production level, and how you want to structure your career.

Commission Structure

LPT Realty

LPT Realty offers two distinct plans so agents can choose the structure that fits their production volume:

Blueprint Plan (BP):

• 80/20 split until you reach the annual production cap
• $15,000 cap – once you have paid $15K to the brokerage, you keep 100% of your commission
• $195/transaction post-cap fee on every closed transaction after capping
• No franchise or royalty fees
• E&O insurance included at no additional cost
• $89/month and $500/year

Beyond Blueprint Plan (BB):

• $500/transaction flat fee – no split, you keep the rest
• $5,000 annual cap – once you have paid $5K in transaction fees, you keep 100%
• $195/transaction post-cap fee on every closed transaction after capping
• No franchise or royalty fees
• E&O insurance included at no additional cost
• $149/month and $500/year

The BB plan is typically more cost-effective for higher producers. The BP plan can work better for agents with fewer but larger transactions.

Century 21

Century 21 is a franchise system, and commission terms vary by office. Reported ranges across the network:

• 70/30 to 90/10 split depending on your office and negotiated terms. The top-end Relentless plan can reach 90/10, but most agents start lower.
• 6% to 8% royalty fee paid to Century 21 corporate – this applies even after reaching any local cap
• Kickstart cap: approximately $22,500. The Relentless plan cap can reach $200,000 depending on office.
• Monthly desk fees of $0 to $350 depending on office
• Transaction fees of $95 to $295 per transaction (separate from the royalty)
• E&O insurance varies by franchise office – often an additional agent cost

The royalty fee is the most important detail to understand. Century 21 charges agents a royalty percentage on top of the company split, and this fee continues even at the highest production levels. The effective cost is higher than the advertised split alone suggests.

Total Annual Cost at Different Production Levels

LPT Realty Fee Schedule

Century 21 Fee Schedule (Ranges by Office)

What an Agent Producing $250,000 in GCI Actually Pays

Assuming 25 transactions averaging $10,000 GCI each:

LPT Realty – Beyond Blueprint Plan (BB):

• Transaction fees to cap ($500 x 10): $5,000
• Post-cap transaction fees ($195 x 15): $2,925
• Monthly fees ($149 x 12): $1,788
• Annual fee: $500
• Total cost: approximately $10,213
• Net to agent: approximately $239,787 (95.9%)

LPT Realty – Blueprint Plan (BP):

• Commission to brokerage (20% until $15K cap): $15,000
• Post-cap transaction fees ($195 x 25): $4,875
• Monthly fees ($89 x 12): $1,068
• Annual fee: $500
• Total cost: approximately $21,443
• Net to agent: approximately $228,557 (91.4%)

Century 21 (mid-range estimates, 80/20 split + 7% royalty):

• Commission to brokerage at 80/20 split: $50,000
• Royalty fee (approximated at 7% of GCI, partially embedded in brokerage share, remainder ~$17,500): accounted within split
• Effective royalty/commission cost (blended 80/20 with royalty at $250K): approx. $43,750
• Monthly desk fees (~$175 x 12): $2,100
• Transaction fees (~$195 x 25): $4,875
• E&O estimate (~$46/transaction): $1,150
• Estimated total cost: approximately $47,875
• Estimated net to agent: approximately $202,125 (80.9%)

Estimated difference: approximately $27,662 to $37,674 more in the agent’s pocket at LPT Realty at this production level, depending on which LPT plan is used.

The gap is driven primarily by Century 21’s royalty structure. LPT charges no royalty on any transaction, ever. Century 21 agents pay a royalty to corporate on top of their office split, which adds up to a meaningful sum at any production level. The more you produce, the more that royalty costs you in absolute dollars.

At higher production, the difference grows. An agent producing $500K GCI would pay roughly $16,000 to $28,000 total at LPT (depending on plan) versus potentially $90,000+ at Century 21 under a similar mid-range structure. LPT’s cap limits your maximum brokerage cost. Century 21’s royalty has no equivalent ceiling that brings it close to LPT’s numbers.

Revenue Share and Passive Income

LPT Realty

LPT Realty distributes 50% of company dollars through a 7-tier revenue share program:

Revenue share is based on company dollars (LPT’s portion of closed transactions). It vests over time with stock awards at 60%, 80%, and 100% at years 3, 4, and 5 respectively. LPT revenue share is willable to heirs, creating a potential income stream that can outlast your active selling career.

Century 21

Century 21 does not offer revenue share, profit share, or any passive income program for agents. There is no retirement income path tied to agent attraction and no willable income stream through the brokerage.

All income at Century 21 comes from commissions earned on closed transactions. When you stop selling, your income from the brokerage stops. This is the standard model that most traditional franchise brokerages follow.

Training and Professional Development

LPT Realty

• 24/7 support – agents can reach support around the clock
• Virtual training and onboarding through the LPT platform
• Cloud-based tools and resources included with membership
• All training resources included at no additional cost

Century 21

• C21 University – online training portal with courses across sales, marketing, and technology
• In-person training available at many offices
• Training quality and availability vary significantly by franchise office
• Some offices invest heavily in agent development; others offer minimal structured support

Century 21 has a longer-established training infrastructure due to its decades as a major franchise. C21 University provides consistent online resources across the network. LPT’s training is newer but comes with consistent 24/7 support access that many traditional brokerages do not offer. Newer agents considering either option should ask specifically about mentorship and local broker availability, as both brokerages delegate much of the daily hands-on training to individual offices or brokers.

Technology and Tools

LPT Realty

• Cloud-based transaction management and agent dashboard
• Marketing tools integrated into the agent platform
• All technology included with membership at no additional cost
• Location-independent – no physical office required

Century 21

• Access to the Century 21 global marketing platform and brand assets
• Property marketing through century21.com and affiliated channels
• Technology resources vary by franchise office
• The Century 21 brand name and global recognition are part of the value proposition

LPT’s technology advantage is its fully cloud-based infrastructure with no office overhead. Century 21’s advantage is its globally recognized brand and marketing reach through an established consumer-facing network. If your clients find agents through century21.com or respond to the name recognition, that is a real asset. If your clients find you through your own marketing, personal referrals, or digital channels, the brand delivers less incremental value.

Culture and Work Environment

LPT Realty: Cloud-First, Flexible Structure

LPT agents work from anywhere with no mandatory office presence, no desk fees, and the flexibility that comes with a fully virtual brokerage. The company is newer and growing quickly, which means culture is still forming at scale. The community tends to attract production-focused agents who prioritize low overhead and flexible structure over prestige or physical presence.

Century 21: Established Brand, Local Office Culture

Century 21 offices range widely – from small independent franchises to large regional operations. The brand carries significant consumer recognition, particularly with buyers and sellers who are less familiar with cloud-based brokerages. Office culture is determined largely by the franchise owner, which means your experience at one Century 21 office may be completely different from another. Agents who value in-person collaboration, established local presence, and brand recognition in their market may find Century 21 a comfortable fit.

Glassdoor reviews give LPT Realty approximately 70 reviews with a 3.5 overall rating and a notably higher 4.6 rating from agents specifically in the real estate agent role. Century 21 has approximately 1,400 reviews with a 3.9 overall rating. The Century 21 sample is much larger, which gives it more statistical weight, though both reflect the franchise model’s inherent variability across offices.

Stock, Equity, and Wealth Building

LPT Realty

LPT Realty is not publicly traded. However, it does offer agents stock awards as part of its compensation structure:

• Stock awards tied to performance and tenure milestones
• Vesting schedule: 60% at 3 years, 80% at 4 years, 100% at 5 years
• Revenue share income is willable, creating a passive wealth-building path

Century 21

Century 21 operates as a franchise under Anywhere Real Estate (HOUS on NYSE). Individual agents have no equity participation in the franchise or the parent company. There is no stock award program, no revenue share, and no passive income path tied to the brokerage. Wealth building at Century 21 comes entirely from commission income earned on closed deals.

Agent Support

LPT Realty

• 24/7 agent support – around-the-clock access for agents regardless of time zone or market
• Virtual broker access without scheduling constraints
• Consistent support quality across all agents nationally

Century 21

• Support structure varies by franchise office
• Some offices provide strong broker availability and administrative support
• Others operate lean with limited dedicated support staff
• The franchise model means each office determines its own support approach and hours

Who Should Choose LPT Realty

LPT Realty tends to be the stronger fit for agents who:

• Want low overhead and high net income – zero royalty and a clear cap mean predictable, low brokerage costs
• Produce at moderate to high volume – the BB plan in particular rewards agents closing multiple transactions per year
• Want 24/7 support without depending on a single local office or broker
• Are interested in building passive income through a 7-tier revenue share program with willable income
• Prefer working remotely without paying for office space or desk fees
• Do not rely on a national franchise name to win business – your personal brand and results drive your production

Who Should Choose Century 21

Century 21 tends to be the stronger fit for agents who:

• Work in markets where the Century 21 name resonates with buyers and sellers and directly influences client decisions
• Want an in-person office environment with local colleagues and face-to-face collaboration
• Are newer to the business and want structured in-office mentorship from an established franchise
• Value the global referral network that comes with a major franchise brand
• Believe the brand recognition generates enough incremental business to offset the royalty and higher total costs

The Bottom Line

This comparison comes down to one central question: does the Century 21 brand generate enough additional business to justify paying a royalty on every transaction you close?

Choose LPT Realty if you want low predictable costs, no royalty fees, 24/7 support, a revenue share program with willable income, and the flexibility to work from anywhere. The BB plan in particular offers some of the lowest effective brokerage costs in the industry for active producers. At $250K GCI, LPT BB agents keep roughly 95.9% of their income.

Choose Century 21 if you work in a market where the brand name is a meaningful differentiator, you want in-person office culture and local mentorship, or you are newer to the business and benefit from a structured local office environment with an established name. Be prepared to model the full cost including royalties – the total brokerage cost is significantly higher than the split alone suggests.

For most experienced agents focused on maximizing net income, the math favors LPT. The Century 21 model makes the most sense when the franchise brand, local office culture, or in-person support structure delivers genuine value that cannot be replicated in a cloud model. If you are exploring other cloud-based alternatives, eXp Realty offers a larger agent network with an established revenue share program. For a broader view, see our complete brokerage comparison guide.