Side
Side is a real estate brokerage platform that enables top-producing agents, teams, and independent brokers to launch and operate their own branded boutique companies while Side provides the licensed broker of record, proprietary transaction management technology, and back-office support across 19 U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Side does
Side is a San Francisco-based real estate brokerage platform founded in 2017 by Guy Gal, Ed Wu, and Hilary Saunders. The company enables top-producing real estate agents (typically with $2M+ in annual production), team leads, and independent brokers to launch and operate their own branded boutique companies while Side acts as the licensed broker of record and provides the underlying technology, compliance, and back-office infrastructure. Side does not compete as a consumer-facing brokerage; instead, it serves as the wholesale platform layer beneath hundreds of independent agent brands.
The core product is the Side App, a proprietary cloud-based transaction management platform that integrates offer drafting, document handling, compliance checks, and real-time business dashboards into a mobile-first workflow. In April 2026, Side embedded four AI features directly into the Side App: AI Document Validation, AI Offer Extraction, AI Auto-Tagging of signature fields, and a conversational Reporting with AI Insights engine. Adjacent products include the Side Marketing Studio, branded partner websites, Side Coaching, the Own It Podcast, and integrations with Collov AI (virtual staging) and Move Concierge (relocation services).
Side generates revenue through a combination of recurring platform/technology fees paid by partner companies and transaction-based fees tied to the $25.77B in total sales volume the platform processed in 2025. The company operates across 19 U.S. states with licensed managing brokers in each, supports 500+ partner companies and 3,700+ agents, and reported $89M in revenue for 2024 (up from $74.4M in 2023). To date, Side has raised over $250M in venture funding, including a $50M round in June 2021 led by Tiger Global at a $2.5B valuation, and has publicly stated intent toward an IPO.
Side firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Side
- Legal name
- Side Real Estate, Inc.
- Website
- https://side.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Side is a real estate brokerage platform that enables top-producing agents, teams, and independent brokers to launch and operate their own branded boutique companies while Side provides the licensed broker of record, proprietary transaction management technology, and back-office support across 19 U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Side industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real Estate Brokerage Platform
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Real Estate Brokerage (Buy/Sell) (FSAEAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Real Estate Transaction Advisory & Due Diligence (FSAEAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Side is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Side business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Brokerage Services Platform Fees: Side generates revenue by providing brokerage-as-a-service to partner companies. Top agents and teams pay to use Side's platform, technology, back-office support, and broker of record services while maintaining ownership of their own companies.
- Transaction-based Revenue: Revenue is generated from transaction volumes processed through the platform. Side partners close significantly higher transaction volumes than industry averages (5x the average REALTOR), contributing to platform revenue.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Side product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Side is a real estate brokerage platform that enables top-producing agents, teams, and independent brokers to create and grow their own branded boutique real estate companies. Partners own their own businesses while Side provides broker of record services, the proprietary Side App transaction management platform, AI-powered document and offer automation, branded websites, marketing tools, compliance support, recruiting, and back-office operations.
Product overview
Side is a real estate brokerage platform that enables top-producing agents, teams, and independent brokers to create and grow their own boutique companies. The core product is the Side App, a proprietary transaction management platform that integrates multiple systems into a single workflow. Side provides a comprehensive platform including technology (Side App, branded websites, Marketing Studio), business support services (broker of record, compliance, recruiting), community programs (Side x Side events, Own It Podcast, coaching), and compensation programs (Revenue Share, Builder program). Recent additions include AI-powered features launched in April 2026: AI Document Validation, AI Offer Extraction, AI Auto-Tagging, and Reporting with AI Insights. The platform also integrates with partners like Collov AI for virtual staging and Move Concierge for relocation services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Side App Proprietary cloud-based transaction management application that integrates multiple systems into a single workflow, enables mobile transaction handling, generates offers, drafts listing agreements, and provides real-time business visibility for real estate agents and partner companies.
- Side Marketing Studio Marketing platform enabling Side partners to design, build, and scale marketing campaigns, with a Business Dashboard for real-time production forecasting, lead source analysis, team progress, and performance metrics.
- Side Coaching Coaching program that allows agents to learn from successful real estate leaders, covering entrepreneurship and sales mastery topics for real estate professionals.
- Branded Partner Websites Branded website service enabling Side partner companies to establish their own boutique brand identity with custom websites for each partner company.
- AI Document Validation AI-powered feature within the Side App that checks files in real time for missing information and disclosures, helping agents catch issues before submission instead of fixing them later under deadline pressure.
- AI Offer Extraction AI-powered feature that scans uploaded offer packages and converts them into structured deal summaries within the Side App, enabling agents to move quickly from offer intake to client strategy.
- AI Auto-Tagging AI-powered feature that detects and places signature, initial, and date fields across contract packages automatically, turning a repetitive desktop task into a mobile-friendly action.
- Reporting with AI Insights Conversational AI reporting engine within the Side App that allows agents and team leaders to ask plain-language questions about performance, growth, and lead trends, receiving real-time insights, observations, and actionable recommendations.
- Collov AI Virtual Staging AI-powered virtual staging tools that create photorealistic spaces and video walkthroughs, reducing staging time by up to 70% and costs by up to 90%, available to Side partner agents through Collov AI integration.
Quantifiable outcome
- Partners grow 44% year-over-year on average between years 1 and 2
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Side
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Side technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability5 records
Feature7 records
Side partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- ZillowflagshipSide is an inaugural partner in Zillow Preview, a program displaying pre-market real estate listings publicly on Zillow and Trulia before official MLS listing. Participating agents receive elevated search placement, free connections from buyer inquiries, and potential 10% commission bonus for transactions closed through Zillow's Preferred agent network.
- Collov AIcorePartnership enables over 3,700 Side agents to access Collov AI's virtual staging tools that create photorealistic spaces and video walkthroughs. The technology reduces staging time by up to 70% and costs by up to 90%.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Side competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Compass: Compass is a tech-enabled residential real estate brokerage that empowers agents with proprietary technology, marketing tools, and an agent-centric platform. It directly competes with Side for top-producing agents and team leaders in overlapping U.S. markets, using a similar tech-stack-plus-brand-support model.
- eXp Realty: eXp World Holdings operates a cloud-based, agent-ownership brokerage with a revenue-share model and global agent network. Its cloud-stock and revenue-share economics are highly analogous to Side's agent-ownership and Builder revenue-share program, making it one of Side's closest comparables.
- The Real Brokerage: The Real Brokerage is a publicly traded, tech-enabled residential brokerage offering agents equity participation, revenue sharing, and a modern technology platform. Its agent-ownership economics, technology-led positioning, and growth-via-revenue-share model directly parallel Side's partner approach.
- The Agency: The Agency is a boutique luxury and residential real estate brokerage built around agent-driven, branded teams with proprietary technology and marketing support. It competes with Side for top-producing boutique teams seeking brand autonomy combined with platform-level resources.
Broad incumbents
- Redfin: Redfin is a technology-driven residential brokerage and portal that combines an agent network with a consumer-facing platform. It overlaps with Side in tech-enabled residential brokerage but operates a much broader, lower-tier consumer model rather than a top-1% curated agent network.
- Coldwell Banker: Coldwell Banker is a large, established franchise brokerage network with national brand recognition and technology tools for affiliated agents. It serves the same end customers (residential buyers/sellers) as Side partners but operates as a traditional franchise rather than a curated platform.
- Sotheby's International Realty: Sotheby's International Realty is a global luxury residential brokerage network affiliated with the Sotheby's auction brand. It competes for high-end agents and teams that Side targets, but as a franchise with broader luxury focus rather than a tech-led boutique platform.
- Compass Anywhere (franchise arm): Compass's franchise program extends its brand and technology to independent brokerages nationally. It is a comparable offering for independent brokers considering conversion to a tech-enabled platform, directly competing with Side's broker-of-record partnership model.
Emerging players
- HomeLight: HomeLight is a real estate technology platform providing agent matching, transaction tools, and financial services for buyers, sellers, and agents. It has partial overlap with Side on the agent enablement side but is not a brokerage, making it an adjacent rather than direct competitor.
Others
- Zillow Group: Zillow Group is the largest U.S. residential real estate search platform and a Side partner through the Zillow Preview program. While not a direct brokerage competitor to Side, it is the dominant upstream demand channel and a critical ecosystem participant for Side's partner agents.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Side social profiles
Digital presenceSide financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Side leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Side funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors18 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Side M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Side
What does Side do?
Side is a real estate brokerage platform that enables top-producing agents, teams, and independent brokers to create and grow their own branded boutique real estate companies. Partners own their own businesses while Side provides broker of record services, the proprietary Side App transaction management platform, AI-powered document and offer automation, branded websites, marketing tools, compliance support, recruiting, and back-office operations.
Is Side a public or private company?
Side is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Side founded?
Side was founded in 2017. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Side based?
Side is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Side make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Brokerage Services Platform Fees are the primary driver. The others are transaction-based Revenue.
Who are Side's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Compass, eXp Realty, The Real Brokerage and The Agency. Broad incumbents are Redfin, Coldwell Banker, Sotheby's International Realty and Compass Anywhere (franchise arm). HomeLight is listed as an emerging player. Zillow Group is listed as an others.
Does Side have an API?
No public API is recorded for Side.
What industry is Side in?
Side's product category is Real Estate Brokerage Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAJAA, Residential Real Estate Brokerage (Buy/Sell), with a secondary code of FSAEAJAJ, Real Estate Transaction Advisory & Due Diligence. Its NAICS code is 53121 and its SIC code is 6531.