Compass
Compass is the largest U.S. residential real estate brokerage, operating a 340,000+ agent technology platform across all 50 states following its 2026 acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate, and earning transaction-based commission revenue from home buying, selling, title, and mortgage referral services.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Compass does
Compass is a U.S. residential real estate brokerage and technology platform founded in 2012 by Robert Reffkin and headquartered in New York. Following the January 2026 close of its $1.6 billion acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate, Compass operates as the largest residential real estate brokerage in the United States, with 18% national market share, 340,000+ agents operating as independent contractors, and coverage in all 50 states. The company controls 30-40% of residential unit sales in Boston, Washington D.C., Chicago, Austin, and San Diego, and holds a portfolio of franchise and acquired brands including Coldwell Banker, Sotheby's International Realty, ERA, @properties, and Christie's International Real Estate.
The core product is a proprietary agent-facing platform that supports the full transaction lifecycle, anchored by the 3-Phased Marketing Strategy: Compass Private Exclusives (off-market distribution to the 340K-agent network), Compass Coming Soon (syndicated pre-market exposure to Compass.com and Redfin.com), and full public launch. Adjacent products include Compass Concierge (home-improvement financing repaid at closing), Compass One (integrated transaction platform), Compass Plus (senior services), title and escrow services (First Alliance Title, Consumer's Title, LegacyTexas Title, KVS Title), and AI-powered virtual staging through Edensign. Distribution is layered through the Compass.com consumer platform, the Rocket Mortgage partnership (which routes nearly 20% of Rocket's purchase volume through Compass agents), and a Redfin listing syndication reaching 60 million buyers.
Compass's revenue model is transaction-based: the company takes a percentage of commissions earned by agents on buy-side and sell-side residential transactions, supplemented by ancillary services revenue from title, escrow, and mortgage referral partnerships. Q1 2026 revenue was $2.70 billion, with $61 million in record adjusted EBITDA representing a 280% year-over-year improvement, supported by a raised $500 million three-year cost synergy target from the Anywhere integration. The company is publicly traded on NYSE under ticker COMP, was founded in 2012, and employs between 1,001 and 5,000 corporate staff in addition to its independent contractor agent network.
Compass firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Compass
- Legal name
- Compass, Inc.
- Website
- https://compass.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Compass is the largest U.S. residential real estate brokerage, operating a 340,000+ agent technology platform across all 50 states following its 2026 acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate, and earning transaction-based commission revenue from home buying, selling, title, and mortgage referral services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Compass industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Residential Real Estate Brokerage
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (531210), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Traditional Residential Brokerage (Existing Homes) (BPAJAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury & High-End Residential Brokerage (BPAJAAAC), Debt & Structured Finance / Mortgage Brokerage (BPAJABAK)
Keywords
Where Compass is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Compass business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Real Estate Commission Revenue: Compass generates revenue by taking a percentage of real estate transaction commissions through its agent network. The company operates as a residential real estate brokerage with agents conducting buy-side and sell-side transactions across the U.S.
- Ancillary Services: Revenue from related services including title, escrow, mortgage referrals (via Rocket partnership), and other transaction-related services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Transaction-based commission model for real estate services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Compass product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Compass operates a technology-enabled residential real estate brokerage that connects home buyers and sellers through a network of 340,000+ independent agents. The company earns commissions on real estate transactions facilitated through its proprietary platform, complemented by ancillary services such as title and escrow, mortgage referrals via the Rocket Mortgage partnership, and pre-sale home improvement financing through Compass Concierge.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Compass Private Exclusives: Off-market listing service allowing sellers to test pricing with 340,000 agents without public days on market or price drop history
- Compass Coming Soon
- Compass Concierge
- Compass Exclusives
- Compass 3-Phased Marketing Strategy
- Compass Development Marketing Group
- Compass One
- Compass Plus
- Compass Academy
Products and services
- Compass Residential Brokerage Platform Core residential real estate brokerage service connecting home buyers and sellers through a 340,000+ agent network across all 50 U.S. states. Includes agent-driven buy-side and sell-side transaction services with proprietary technology and brand support.
- Compass Concierge
Quantifiable outcome
- 2.9% higher closing price for pre-marketed listings
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Compass
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Compass technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability6 records
Feature3 records
Compass partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Realtor.comcoreZillow and Realtor.com formed a partnership to share pre-market listings (Realtor.com Preview) to counter the Compass-Redfin alliance, positioning the two portals against Compass's listing network.
- SoFi (Social Finance)minorSoFi launched a Real Estate Advisory Council convening over 50 agents from top brokerages including Compass to provide market insights and product input for SoFi's home equity products.
- Rocket Companies / Rocket MortgagecoreStrategic partnership enabling Compass listings to become visible on Redfin, including private exclusive listings. Rocket Pro wholesale lending division extends 100 bps broker credit to Compass agents, with nearly 20% of Rocket's purchase business coming through Compass agents.
- HomeServices of AmericacoreHomeServices of America partnership with Zillow covering 75,000 agents and nearly 200,000 listings, announced alongside Zillow ending its dispute with Compass.
- RedfincoreCompass listings, including Coming Soon properties, are syndicated to Redfin.com, reaching 60 million buyers. This partnership is central to Compass's 3-Phased Marketing Strategy, with Redfin accepting Compass's pre-market listings.
- AssurantminorAssurant has expanded its home warranty relationships with Compass as one of several key real estate brokerage partners including Best Buy and Lowe's.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Compass competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anywhere Real Estate: Pre-merger direct competitor and now a wholly-owned Compass subsidiary. Anywhere Real Estate owned Coldwell Banker, ERA, Sotheby's International Realty, and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, making it the closest comparable in residential brokerage scale and franchise model before acquisition.
- eXp World Holdings: Cloud-based residential real estate brokerage operating primarily through independent contractor agents. Directly competes with Compass for agent recruitment using a virtual model and high commission split, making it one of the closest tech-enabled brokerage peers.
- Redfin: Online-first residential real estate brokerage that competes directly with Compass's traditional agent-led model. Now a strategic listing syndication partner, but still a direct competitor for tech-savvy buyers and sellers seeking lower-commission alternatives.
- HomeServices of America: Largest residential brokerage subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, operating under Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and other brands. Recently formed a partnership with Zillow covering 75,000 agents and 200,000 listings, positioning it as a direct competitor and counterweight to Compass's listing syndication advantage.
- RE/MAX Holdings: Global residential real estate franchise network with thousands of agents across the US. Competes with Compass for agent recruitment via franchising and brand recognition, and is highly comparable in residential transaction volume and franchise-agent model.
- Keller Williams Realty: Largest residential real estate franchise by agent count in the US, with a tech-forward platform and profit-sharing model. Directly comparable to Compass in agent recruiting strategy, technology investment, and tech-enabled brokerage positioning.
- Coldwell Banker: One of the oldest US residential real estate franchises, now owned by Compass via the Anywhere Real Estate acquisition. Historically a direct competitor in residential brokerage with significant brand recognition and comparable agent network scale.
- Sotheby's International Realty: Luxury-focused residential real estate brand now partly owned by Compass (51% stake in franchisee parent). Direct competitor in the high-end residential market with strong global brand positioning in luxury transactions, similar to Compass's Christie's International Real Estate brand.
Broad incumbents
- Zillow Group: Leading residential real estate portal that is increasingly moving into brokerage via Zillow Offers and partner-agent programs. Not a traditional brokerage but a key competitor and counterweight to Compass in listing syndication, having filed antitrust litigation against Compass.
- Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: Residential real estate franchise network owned by HomeServices of America (Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary). Operates a franchise model similar to Coldwell Banker and offers overlapping luxury and traditional residential services competitive with Compass.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Compass social profiles
Digital presenceCompass compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Compass financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Compass leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Compass subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Compass funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds12 records
Investors30 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Compass M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A33 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Compass
What does Compass do?
Compass operates a technology-enabled residential real estate brokerage that connects home buyers and sellers through a network of 340,000+ independent agents. The company earns commissions on real estate transactions facilitated through its proprietary platform, complemented by ancillary services such as title and escrow, mortgage referrals via the Rocket Mortgage partnership, and pre-sale home improvement financing through Compass Concierge.
Is Compass a public or private company?
Compass is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Compass founded?
Compass was founded in 2012. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Compass based?
Compass is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Compass make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Real Estate Commission Revenue is the primary driver. The others are ancillary Services.
Who are Compass's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anywhere Real Estate, eXp World Holdings, Redfin, HomeServices of America, RE/MAX Holdings, Keller Williams Realty, Coldwell Banker and Sotheby's International Realty. Broad incumbents are Zillow Group and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
Does Compass have an API?
No public API is recorded for Compass.
What industry is Compass in?
Compass's product category is Residential Real Estate Brokerage. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJAAAA, Traditional Residential Brokerage (Existing Homes), with a secondary code of BPAJAAAC, Luxury & High-End Residential Brokerage. Its NAICS code is 531210 and its SIC code is 6531.