Portal leads versus AgentFaro
Portal leads give you active buyers and sellers in exchange for a success fee on your commission. AgentFaro builds your own independent website and presence so you get recommended by AI assistants and Google instead.
The facts
| Portal leads | AgentFaro | |
|---|---|---|
| What the Zillow Preferred fee is charged on | Gross Commission Income | Not applicable |
| Zillow Preferred success fee, share of the commission | 15-40% | $75 a month for a solo agent; $400 a month plus $30 per agent seat for a team |
What portal leads give you
When a visitor asks about a listing, the platform routes the inquiry to a participating agent.
This approach delivers active people who are looking to buy or sell a home right now. You do not need to build a website or wait for search engines to notice your work. The platform handles the technology and brings the traffic straight to your phone.
What portals cost
On Zillow Preferred, that agent pays a share of the commission when the sale closes.
Zillow Preferred charges a success fee of 15-40% of the gross commission income on a sale it sends you, depending on the ZIP code and sale price.
That fee comes out of every closed transaction that started on the platform.
What portals leave out for AI search
A portal profile lives on the portal's site, not yours, so the reputation it builds stays with the portal.
When someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or Google AI Overviews for an agent, the assistant reads many sources.
Your own site and Business Profile are the ones you control.
When portal leads still make sense
Portal leads make sense when you want immediate inquiries and have the margin to share your commission on every closed deal.
They fit agents who prefer paying per transaction over building long-term digital assets that stay yours if you cancel your plan.
Sources
Questions
Why should I choose AI search marketing over portal leads?
Portal leads require sharing a portion of your commission on every closed deal. AI search marketing builds your own website and business profile so you earn recommendations without giving up a share of your income.
Do I still own my website if I work with you?
Yes. Your site runs on a domain that is yours to keep, and you can edit your business facts whenever you need to. Cancelling your plan makes the site dormant rather than deleting it.
How do clients find me through AI assistants?
Assistants read your structured data, answers, and Google Business Profile when people ask for a local agent. We set up these briefing files and sync your presence across platforms so assistants can recommend you accurately.