Clever Real Estate vs. Redfin: Which Should You Choose?

About Clever | About Redfin | How they compare

Both Clever Real Estate and Redfin can help you sell your home while saving money on realtor fees. However, each company provides unique advantages to home buyers and sellers.

Clever Real Estate is an especially good choice when you want a top-notch agent at a discounted rate. The company offers:

• Pre-negotiated listing fees of 1.5% with highly rated agents from around the country, plus cash back savings of up to $500 for buyers
• A wide agent selection, with the ability to compare agents' credentials, service packages, and customer ratings before choosing
• And outstanding customer experience, with an average 5-star rating across review sites like Google, Trustpilot, and BBB

Redfin charges a variable listing fee of 1.5–2% while offering some unique perks, including:

• A heavily trafficked home search site, giving sellers high visibility and buyers an easy way to book home tours with its associate agents
• A luxury service package for homes valued at $850,000 and above ($1M+ in some markets)
• Additional savings for sellers who also buy a home with Redfin

However, Redfin's customer rating is slightly lower than Clever's, possibly due to its service model, which requires agents to handle 2–3x the transaction volume of a typical agent. Here's a closer look at how Clever and Redfin compare. 

» LEARN: Which companies offer the lowest commission rates? 

What is Clever Real Estate?

Clever Real Estate offers pre-negotiated commission savings with top-rated realtors from around the United States.

Agents come from well-known local and national brokerages and are vetted for experience and performance before being accepted into Clever's network. Agents introduce themselves via text or email, and clients can compare agent proposals side-by-side before choosing who they want to work with.

If you work with one of Clever’s partner agents to sell, you’ll pay a 1.5% listing fee (about half the typical rate) while getting the same full service that other agents provide. Buyers can also get $250 cash back — or $500 if they buy and sell with Clever.

» To get started with Clever, simply answer a few questions about your home sale or search — and get agent matches sent straight to your inbox.

What is Redfin?

Redfin is one of the largest discount brokerages in the U.S., with the most visited brokerage website in the country. It completed nearly 62,000 transactions in 2023 alone.[1]

Its discounted listing fees start at 1.5-2%, below the national average commission rate of 2.74%. If you buy and sell with Redfin, you’ll get a check after closing that will effectively lower your listing fee to 1%. Additionally, buyers can get 0.25% reduced from their buyer’s agent commission if they sign an agency agreement before the second home tour.

The Redfin home-finding app and website are very popular and a major way they attract new customers, reaching almost 50 million monthly users. Redfin has limited service coverage, however, and is usually more accessible in major metropolitan areas. 

When you work with Redfin, you’ll need to be comfortable with the fact that much of your transaction will be handled by Redfin team members who aren’t your lead agent. This team-based approach can streamline some steps of the process, but the service level may not be quite what you’re looking for.

Clever vs. Redfin: How they compare

Although Clever and Redfin are both strong options for sellers who want to save money on realtor fees, there are several key differences to take note of.

Listing fees: Redfin fees vary from 1–2%, while Clever offers a steady 1.5%

Clever’s listing fee of 1.5% compares favorably to the average real estate commission of 2.74%%. Despite the lower fee, sellers still get comprehensive listing services from its network of agents, who come from leafing local brokerages nationwide. 

Redfin’s listing fee varies from 1.5% to 2% between markets, so your savings will depend on where you live. Also, while Clever maintains its $3,000 minimum commission across all markets, Redfin’s minimum fees vary by location, ranging 

If you buy and sell with Redfin, you’ll get a 0.5% rebate after closing that will effectively reduce your listing fee to 1 or 1.5%.

Buyer savings: Clever offers cash back, Redfin a reduced buyer’s agent fee

If you’re using a buyer’s agent, a Clever partner agent will help you find properties in your budget, negotiate offers, coordinate closing, and more. For qualifying homes, you could also get $250 cash back at closing, or $500 if you both bought and sold a home with Clever.

Redfin also offers buyers savings, but in the form of a reduced buyer agent commission. So long as you sign an agency agreement before your second home tour and purchase a house within 180 days, you’ll get your buyer agent commission reduced by 0.25%.

Whether Redfin or Clever’s buyer savings are better for you depends on your situation. In many cases, sellers offer closing credits to cover buyer agency commission, so in that case Redfin’s reduced buyer’s agent fee won’t actually net you any savings and you’d be better off with Clever’s cash back.

But if the seller doesn’t offer to cover buyer agent commission, then you’d probably get better savings by opting for Redfin.

Agent selection and availability: Clever is available nationwide, Redfin in major cities

Clever has partnered with 19,000 real estate agents, which makes it easy to find and choose a realtor. Partner agents often come from top brokerages, such as Berkshire Hathaway and Keller Williams. Clever usually has a partner agent available where you live, and if they don’t, they’ll try to recruit a local realtor for you (while still offering a 1.5% listing fee).

Clever also lets you compare multiple agents. This is a big plus since it increases your odds of getting matched with an agent who is the right fit for you. You can even request additional agent matches if you’re not sure about the first batch of agents Clever sends you.

Redfin, in contrast, has a much smaller agent network, with just 1,700 lead agents nationwide.[2] While in major metropolitan areas you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a Redfin agent, in more rural areas availability could be limited. While you’re free to compare Redfin agents, keep in mind that its smaller network means there may not be as many choices.

In markets where Redfin doesn't have a local office, Redfin will match you with one of its Partner Agents. However, these are simply traditional real estate agents who accept referrals from Redfin. Redfin Partner Agents don’t offer any of the savings that Redfin does.

Service model: Clever offers a higher degree of accountability while Redfin offers

Clever’s service model combines full-service with a higher degree of accountability. Clever's partner agents provide the same level of service that listing agents typically provide, including:

• Pricing guidance
• Photography
• MLS listing and description
• Home tours and open house
• Negotiation assistance
• Due diligence (i.e., inspections, appraisals, etc.)
• Closing assistance

However, you’ll have a Clever Concierge to help resolve any issues that arise and ensure a smooth transaction.

Redfin, in contrast, has a much different service model. While you’ll be assigned a Lead Agent, you’ll actually be working with a team of agents and staff members at Redfin depending on the stage of your transaction. For example, one person may conduct showings while another takes care of paperwork.

Redfin’s service will probably be a bit less hands-on and could prove difficult for sellers that want to work with just one agent and have more direct contact with them. Its team approach increases efficiency and can make some steps run smoothly. Unfortunately, it also means your questions for your Lead Agent may be relayed through an Associate Agent, which can lead to miscommunication and slower response times.

Customer reviews: Clever has consistently higher reviews on 3rd-party review sites

Online reviews for Clever are very positive, while Redfin’s reviews are more mixed. Both companies get top marks for the savings offered, with customers saying they appreciated the lower listing fees and buyer savings.

Redfin’s user-friendly tech was also a highlight for some customers who liked that they could schedule home tours easily via the app.

However, Clever generally came out ahead in terms of agent quality and customer experience. While many Redfin reviews said that Redfin agents were excellent at their jobs, a number of customers felt that the agents didn’t provide enough one-on-one support. Clever’s agents, by contrast, provided a more consistently high level of service, with customers saying that agents were knowledgeable, proactive, and easily available.

Also note that Redfin has a large number of highly positive reviews on its own website. While these reviews may be legitimate, we’ve included only reviews on third-party sites because we consider such sites to be generally more objective. 

Bottom line: Clever or Redfin?

Clever and Redfin both offer legit savings for sellers and buyers. Redfin's tech and team-based approach creates an efficient way to manage your transaction, but Clever’s service model has the advantage of providing more one-on-one support from your realtor, backed by Clever's concierge team.

When choosing a realtor, you should ultimately base your decision on the individual agent, not the brand they work for.

We suggest interviewing at least 2-3 agents to get a sense of whether they’re a good fit. When researching agents, focus on their local expertise, their track record of helping customers in similar situations as yours, and their strategy for helping you achieve your goals. 

💰 Compare top local agents from the brokerages you trust. Get a pre-negotiated listing fee of just 1.5% and cash back savings when you buy. Simply answer a few questions, and get agent profiles sent straight to your inbox — no hidden fees or obligation to move forward.

Related links

How to Find a Realtor: A good agent can make a big difference in how well your home sale or purchase goes — and how much you get or save for your house. Find out how to choose the right realtor for you.

Low Commission Real Estate Companies: Our Top Picks: Low commission real estate companies can help you save thousands on your home sale. Check out our ranking of the best low commission companies, and see what options are available in your local real estate market. 

The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers: Discount brokers can save you a lot of money, but some come with significant drawbacks. Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering a discount realtor.

How to nNegotiate Realtor Fees: Negotiating real estate fees centers on knowing the market and your situation and using that information while talking to multiple agents.