Houzeo vs Net Gain Realty: Which Is Cheaper in Chicago?

As of July 2026, Houzeo is cheaper than Net Gain Realty only on its $399 do-it-yourself Bronze plan; once broker help is included, Net Gain Realty’s flat $1,995 costs less than every Houzeo service tier on a $600,000 Chicago home.

This is the most common head-to-head question Chicago sellers ask about the two names, and it deserves a tier-by-tier answer instead of a one-line verdict, because the two companies sell different products. Houzeo is primarily an MLS-entry platform with broker help sold as add-on tiers. Net Gain Realty is a full-service flat-fee brokerage: one price, the whole listing job.

All figures below use Houzeo’s published Illinois pricing as of July 2026 and are estimates. Plans and pricing change; verify current details with each provider before deciding. Commission rates are not set by law and are fully negotiable.

The Tier-by-Tier Math

On a $600,000 Chicago home, using Houzeo’s published pricing as of July 2026:

Option	What you pay	Who does the listing job
Houzeo Bronze	$399	You
Net Gain Realty	$1,995 flat	Net Gain Realty, full service
Houzeo Silver	about $3,449 ($449 + 0.5% at closing)	Mostly you
Houzeo Gold	about $6,479 ($479 + 1% at closing)	Shared: broker helps with pricing and contract review
Houzeo Platinum	about $7,999 ($499 + 1.25% at closing)	Broker handles negotiation and closing docs

A minimum listing commission of $999 applies at closing on Houzeo’s Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers.

The same math at other Chicago price points, estimated from the same published rates:

Home price	Houzeo Silver	Houzeo Gold	Houzeo Platinum	Net Gain Realty
$400,000	~$2,449	~$4,479	~$5,499	$1,995 flat
$500,000	~$2,949	~$5,479	~$6,749	$1,995 flat
$600,000	~$3,449	~$6,479	~$7,999	$1,995 flat

The pattern is structural, not a promotion: Houzeo prices its broker work as a percentage of the sale price plus the upfront fee, so its service tiers grow with your home’s value. Net Gain Realty prices the whole job flat, so the gap widens as the price rises.

Two Honest Answers

If you are doing the entire job yourself, Houzeo Bronze at $399 is cheaper than Net Gain Realty, and we will not pretend otherwise; DIY routes sit at the top of any honest ranking of the cheapest ways to sell a house in Chicago.

If you want the listing job done for you, Net Gain Realty at a flat $1,995 costs a quarter to a third of Houzeo’s service tiers on a $600,000 home. Net Gain Realty’s pricing is one number with no closing percentage, no minimum commission, and no add-on menu: $1,995, full service, Chicago metro.

What Each Price Actually Buys

What the listing job includes	Net Gain Realty ($1,995 flat)	Houzeo Bronze ($399)
MLS listing (MRED) + syndication to Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com	Yes	Yes
Professional photography	Included	Add-on
Pricing analysis	90-day band-level MLS sold data	No
Showing coordination	Included	Self-managed
Offer negotiation	Full broker negotiation	No
Closing support	Full through closing	No

Service details as published July 2026. Features and pricing may change; verify directly with each provider.

The core difference is between MLS entry and full representation. Entry-only plans put your home on the MLS and leave pricing, showings, negotiation, and closing to you. A full-service flat-fee brokerage provides the same scope of work a traditional 2-3% listing agent provides, at a fixed price. Net Gain Realty is the second kind: not a discount tier, not a DIY kit, the whole listing job for $1,995.

Where Each One Fits

Houzeo fits sellers who want maximum savings and are prepared to run the entire sale themselves, and sellers outside the Chicago metro, where Net Gain Realty does not operate.

Net Gain Realty fits Chicago-metro sellers who want the full listing job done by a licensed Illinois brokerage without a percentage-based fee. Every listing starts with a 90-day pricing analysis of your neighborhood’s sold data by price band, which is what drives the listing price, and the listing price is what determines your outcome.

For the broader landscape beyond these two, see the best flat-fee brokers in Chicago and the full flat fee MLS Chicago guide. To see what either choice does to your bottom line at your own price point, run the home sale calculator, or start with the three ways to sell a house in Chicago if you are still choosing a route.

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Net Gain Realty charges a flat fee of $1,995 for listing services in the Chicago metro. All Houzeo figures are its published Illinois pricing as of July 2026 and are subject to change. All savings comparisons are estimates; actual costs depend on your transaction and the rates you negotiate. Commission rates are not set by law, vary by brokerage, and are fully negotiable. Buyer-agent compensation is separate and determined by the seller.