Kw Worldwide, Ltd.

What Kw Worldwide, Ltd. does

KW Worldwide, Ltd. is the international master franchise division of Keller Williams Realty, LLC, a privately held real estate franchise company founded in 1983 by Gary Keller and headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company facilitates Master Franchise Agreements that extend Keller Williams' agent-centric model, training, and proprietary systems beyond the United States and Canada. It serves entrepreneurs and business leaders who operate licensed regional franchises, as well as the real estate agents and brokers working within those market centers.

The core technology stack consists of three proprietary platforms: KW Command (a CRM and productivity platform for agents with a Referrals applet enabling cross-border agent-to-agent introductions), Command MC (a market center management platform for franchise leadership), and Connect (an online learning portal). These are supplemented by Keller Williams University training, the Profit Share and Growth Share wealth-building systems, Keller Home Loans, and support programs including KW Cares and KW Next Gen.

KW Worldwide generates revenue primarily through Master Franchise licensing fees and ongoing royalties, with revenue mechanics structured around capital requirements that vary by region. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales complemented by major annual and regional events (Family Reunion, Mega Camp, Franchise Systems Orientation, and webinars). As of the latest available data, the company has awarded Master Franchise Agreements to more than 60 regions across 5 continents, supporting 260+ Market Center Locations and a global network of 200,000+ agents.

Name

Kw Worldwide, Ltd.

Legal name

Keller Williams Realty, LLC

Website

https://kwworldwide.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Master Franchise Licensing: KW Worldwide generates revenue by awarding Master Franchise Agreements to qualified candidates. Capital requirements vary based on selected regions and markets. Franchisees pay licensing fees and ongoing royalties to operate KW franchises in their territories.
2. Profit Share (U.S. and Canada): Associates can earn passive income through Profit Share, receiving a percentage of profits generated by market centers they help grow in the U.S. and Canada
3. Growth Share (International): International associates benefit from Growth Share, earning passive income from the growth of Keller Williams outside U.S. and Canada through a collaborative wealth-building model

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KW Worldwide, Ltd. is the international division of Keller Williams Realty, LLC and facilitates Master Franchise Agreements that unlock Keller Williams' real estate models, training, proprietary technology platforms, and operating systems in markets outside the U.S. and Canada. The company has awarded franchise agreements to more than 60 regions across 5 continents, with 260+ Market Center Locations and 200,000+ agents globally, providing Master Franchisees with the complete operational framework, technology stack, and wealth-building systems needed to build real estate businesses in their territory.

Product overview

Kw Worldwide offers an international real estate franchise platform built on proprietary technology and time-tested models. The core offering includes KW Command and Command MC as the primary technology platforms for agents and market center leaders respectively, along with a Referrals feature enabling agent-to-agent referrals globally. Training and education are delivered through KW University and the Connect online learning portal. Additional products include Profit Share and Growth Share systems for wealth building, Keller Home Loans for financial services, and KW Cares and KW Next Gen support programs. The company operates through a network of regional master franchises across more than 60 regions worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master Franchise Agreement
• KW Command
• Command MC
• Connect Online learning portal providing Keller Williams agents, staff, and franchisees with access to courses, training content, and educational resources from Keller Williams University and beyond.
• Keller Williams University Comprehensive training and education program providing real estate agents, brokers, and franchise owners with instructor-led and online courses covering sales skills, leadership, business operations, and the Keller Williams models.
• Keller Home Loans Home loan services offered to Keller Williams clients and agents, providing mortgage origination and financing solutions integrated into the KW real estate ecosystem.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60+ regions awarded Master Franchise Agreements globally
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Keller WilliamscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKW Worldwide is the international division of Keller Williams Realty, the world's largest real estate franchise by agent count. Founded in Austin, Texas in 1983 by Gary Keller, Keller Williams provides the time-tested models, systems, training, and technology that KW Worldwide adapts for international markets through its Master Franchise model.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves25 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ERA Real Estate: ERA Real Estate operates a global real estate franchise system with master franchise partners in international markets, directly competing with KW Worldwide for the same franchisee talent pool.
• RE/MAX: RE/MAX is one of the world's largest real estate franchise networks, operating a global master franchise model directly comparable to KW Worldwide. Both compete for the same master franchisee pool across international markets and share a licensing/royalty revenue model.
• Engel & Völkers: Engel & Völkers is a Hamburg-headquartered real estate franchise with strong international presence and a master franchise/licensing model comparable to KW Worldwide, particularly in Europe.
• Sotheby's International Realty: Sotheby's International Realty is a global luxury real estate franchise network that licenses its brand to independent affiliate owners worldwide, mirroring KW Worldwide's master franchise approach but with a luxury focus.
• Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate: Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate is a franchise network leveraging a strong media brand and franchise model to recruit agents, directly comparable to KW Worldwide's brand-and-franchise positioning.
• Century 21 Real Estate: Century 21 operates a global real estate franchise system with a similar master franchise structure, brand-driven value proposition, and international royalty/licensing economics. It is a core head-to-head competitor for prospective master franchisees.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a global real estate franchise network operating a licensing and master franchise model directly comparable to KW Worldwide, with strong brand association.
• Coldwell Banker Real Estate: Coldwell Banker is a long-established global real estate franchise brand owned by Anywhere Real Estate, with comparable master franchise international expansion and a focus on brand-driven agent recruitment.

Broad incumbents

• Compass: Compass is a large U.S.-headquartered real estate brokerage with growing international presence and proprietary technology. It competes with KW Worldwide for high-performing agents, though it is not primarily a franchise/licensing business.
• eXp Realty: eXp Realty is a cloud-based real estate brokerage with an agent-centric revenue share model that mirrors KW Worldwide's Profit Share mechanic. While not a traditional franchise, it competes for the same international agent talent pool with a different cost structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KellerWilliamsWorldwide
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/keller-williams-worldwide

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kw Worldwide, Ltd.