UpNest vs. Clever Real Estate: Which Offers More Value?

Jump to section: Pricing and savings | In-depth breakdown | Customer reviews

UpNest and Clever Real Estate are both online services that match you with top-rated, local real estate agents who can help you buy or sell your home. They're also both available nationwide and totally free to use as a seller or buyer.

But UpNest and Clever differ in two key areas: savings and customer service.

We did a deep dive into UpNest vs. Clever to help you understand how they stack up so you can choose the best value. Here's what you need to know.

Bottom line: Clever offers better value overall

Clever Real Estate offers more value than UpNest. Both match you with highly rated agents from legit brokerages like Keller Williams and Century 21 (in fact, many agents work with both companies). But Clever's pre-negotiated low rates blow UpNest's non-guaranteed rates out of the water.

Clever sellers get full service and support for a low 1.5% listing fee instead of the usual 2.5–3% rate (according to Clever, the average seller saves about $7,000). And eligible buyers can get cash back on their purchase price after closing.

UpNest doesn't offer any guaranteed built-in savings for sellers or buyers. It claims that realtors will lower their rates to be competitive in its online marketplace — but in reality, its rates are pretty similar to what you could manage on your own. UpNest's average listing fee for sellers is 2.2%. That's quite a bit higher than Clever's 1.5% fee and not much lower than the typical 2.5–3% rate.

💡 Our advice: Start with Clever. Clever matches you with the same agents as UpNest but offers much lower rates. If Clever can't find an agent you like, then you can always try UpNest or another brand.

Clever vs. UpNest: At a glance

» COMPARE: Best low commission real estate companies

Clever vs. UpNest vs. alternatives

When you compare Clever and UpNest to other top alternatives, Clever is still the clear winner. Clever offers the best overall savings and service of any nationwide full-service real estate company. UpNest scores high on the agent quality and selection front, but its average rates fall short of Clever (1.5%), Redfin (1.5%), and Ideal Agent (2%).

We recommend starting with the biggest possible savings and working your way down the list. If hands-on service and support are also a major concern, consider bumping Redfin to the bottom of your shortlist.

» MORE: Learn more about Clever

Clever vs. UpNest: In-depth breakdown

Clever and UpNest are both free, nationwide services that match home sellers and buyers with local real estate agents from name-brand brokerages like Keller Williams and Century 21. You tell them about your sale or purchase and needs, they recommend local agents, and you compare options and choose the best fit.

The key difference: Savings

Clever sends its partner agents a steady stream of new business, which gives it leverage to pre-negotiate low rates and built-in savings with the agents in its network. That means every seller and buyer gets the same savings, no matter what—and they can just worry about choosing the best agent for the job.

UpNest, on the other hand, looks to drive savings through competition: agents on UpNest’s platform submit proposals and compete for new business. In theory, this “marketplace model” generates lower rates for sellers and rebates for buyers. In practice, it’s pretty similar to the “open market” outside of UpNest’s platform, which means your rates might not be super different than what you’d get on your own.

Clever vs. UpNest: Pricing and savings

Savings for home sellers

Clever’s seller fees and average savings are among the best of any nationwide, full-service real estate brand. Clever pre-negotiates 1.5% listing fees for sellers nationwide, meaning you’d pay half the price compared to if you’d found that same agent on your own.

UpNest’s rates vary by market and home sale, making it hard to pin down an actual price point. But based on mystery shopping and data on UpNest’s website, expect an average listing fee of about 2.2% — pretty similar to the typical market rate of 2.5–3%.

Savings for home buyers

Clever offers cash back to qualifying buyers in the 41 states that allow commission rebates and cash back incentives for home buyers. As a home buyer, you'll get matched with top buyer's agents in your area. You can interview as many agents as you'd like until you find the right fit — or walk away at any time with no obligation.

» Try Clever: Match with the best buyer's agents in your area today

UpNest handles buyer savings the same way it handles its listing fee discounts: the agents decide what to offer. Not all UpNest agents will offer rebates, and you’ll have to compare different offerings across different proposals vs. the experience and qualifications of the various agents. Note that these rebates also typically come as credits, which require lender approval and can usually be spent only in certain ways (buy points on the mortgage, cover closing costs, etc.)

Clever vs. UpNest: Customer experience

Clever and UpNest both match you with agents quickly (within a few hours at most) and have easy-to-use platforms. But Clever’s process is more personalized. You can talk to a licensed Clever Concierge who will ask you about your situation to give you better matches. With UpNest, everything is automated, which leads to fewer customized matches. There’s also not much available support if issues arise.

That said, many agents work with both Clever and UpNest. And these agents offer their clients the same service and support through these platforms as they would if a client found them independently. But when you work with Clever and UpNest, you’ll pay less commission. Working through Clever, you’ll pay roughly one-third the listing fee rate that you’ll pay through UpNest.

Agent quality and experience

Agent quality and experience are evenly matched between Clever and UpNest. But Clever applies a more tailored approach to matching clients with agents. That means you're more likely to see agents who align with what you want in your match results. Regardless, sellers and buyers can benefit from shopping around and interviewing top candidates to find a good fit.

Clever and UpNest partner with many of the same real estate professionals, and both agencies set stringent qualification standards. Their criteria include positive customer reviews, responsiveness, exceptional communication, and winning real estate sales backgrounds. In addition, Clever looks for a minimum of five years of experience, while UpNest sets the bar at three years.

Agent selection and availability

Clever and UpNest are equally matched when it comes to market coverage. Both companies have nationwide networks of over 14,000 agents. Clever and UpNest both start by matching you with two to three agents. If none are a good fit, you can request more agents to interview. Since agent selection and availability are comparable, Clever wins our vote with its guaranteed, built-in savings.

Customer reviews

Clever beats UpNest in customer satisfaction. Clever has a 5/5 average customer rating versus UpNest’s 4.6/5 average rating. UpNest has more total reviews, but it's also been around longer than Clever. It’s worth mentioning that a common complaint by UpNest customers is unresponsive customer service. In contrast, Clever’s dedicated concierge team of fully licensed customer service representatives is a key benefit.

Quick summary: Clever vs. UpNest

Although Clever and UpNest are both nationwide agent matching services, Clever offers its customers the most significant and consistent value.

How Clever and UpNest are the same

• Match sellers and buyers with top-rated real estate agents from conventional, name-brand brokerages
• Work with only highly qualified agents with legit track records
• Offer nationwide coverage with a large pool of real estate agents to choose from
• Provide their matching services free of charge with no obligation
• Offer built-in savings for home sellers and buyers as an added benefit

Why we pick Clever over UpNest

• More built-in savings: Clever guarantees the most built-in savings (1.5% listing fee vs. UpNest’s 2.2% average).
• Better customer service: Clever has better customer satisfaction ratings and a dedicated concierge customer support team.

FAQ about Clever vs. UpNest