Reviews
How Do Strike Estate Agents Make Money?
Free online estate agents such as Strike offer to sell your home with no commission fee, and make their money instead from optional add-on services and referrals — things like premium listings, professional photography, accompanied viewings, and referral commission from mortgage brokers, conveyancers and other partners they recommend. The core sale can genuinely be free; the business model relies on a proportion of sellers taking paid extras or using referred services.
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- Nosale commission
- Add-onsfund the model
- Referralsoptional, shop around
The "free" agency model
Traditional high-street agents charge commission (around 1-1.5% + VAT) on completion. Free online agents flip this: they advertise no commission to win volume, then monetise in other ways. The headline sale really can be free — your property is listed on the major portals at no charge — but the company needs revenue from somewhere, and that comes from optional paid extras and referral arrangements with partners. Understanding this helps you judge whether "free" stays free for you.
Where the money comes from
| Revenue source | How it works |
|---|---|
| Add-on services | Premium listings, photography, floorplans, accompanied viewings |
| Mortgage referrals | Commission from a partnered mortgage broker |
| Conveyancing referrals | Commission from a recommended conveyancer |
| Other partner referrals | Surveys, insurance, removals |
A proportion of sellers take paid extras or use referred services, which funds the free core offering.
Is the sale genuinely free?
For many sellers, yes — if you list, do your own viewings, and arrange your own mortgage and conveyancing independently, you can sell without paying the agent. The model works because enough sellers opt for paid add-ons or use referred partners to subsidise those who do not. The key is to go in knowing which services are free and which are paid, so you can choose deliberately rather than drift into extras. There is nothing wrong with the model — it is just important to see the full picture.
What to watch for
To keep a "free" sale genuinely low-cost: decide up front whether you want paid extras (premium listing, accompanied viewings) or will handle those yourself; and remember that referred services are not obligatory — you are free to use your own mortgage broker and conveyancer, and shopping around can be cheaper than a referred partner. Compare the all-in cost (including any extras you genuinely need) against a fixed-fee or traditional agent, rather than just the headline "free".
Free agent vs other routes
A free or fixed-fee online agent suits a straightforward, mortgageable home where you are happy to do some of the work, on the open market. It is a different proposition from a cash buyer, which is not about saving the agent fee but about speed and certainty — completing in 7-28 days at a price below market value. Choose based on your priority: lowest cost and top price (free/online agent), or guaranteed fast completion (cash buyer). See online estate agents and is Strike really free?
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Written & reviewed by Lisa Hayes, Founder
Lisa Hayes is the founder of Ready Steady Sell and an independent UK home-selling expert with over a decade helping homeowners weigh cash house buyers, property investors and the wider fast house-sale industry — without pressure or hidden fees. Every guide is reviewed for accuracy under our editorial standards.
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Frequently asked questions
Straight answers, no sales talk
How do free online estate agents make money?
From optional add-on services (premium listings, photography, accompanied viewings) and referral commission from partnered mortgage brokers, conveyancers and other services, rather than sale commission.
Is selling with a free online agent genuinely free?
It can be, if you list, do your own viewings, and arrange your own mortgage and conveyancing. The model relies on enough sellers taking paid extras or referred services to fund the free core.
Do I have to use the agent’s recommended conveyancer or mortgage broker?
No — referred services are optional. You can use your own, and shopping around is often cheaper than a referred partner.
What paid extras do free agents offer?
Typically premium portal listings, professional photography, floorplans, and accompanied viewings, plus referrals for mortgages, conveyancing, surveys and removals.
Is a free agent cheaper than a fixed-fee agent?
It can be if you avoid the paid extras, but compare the all-in cost including any services you genuinely need against a fixed-fee or traditional agent.
Is a free agent the same as a cash buyer?
No. A free agent sells your home on the open market at low cost; a cash buyer purchases it directly for speed and certainty in 7-28 days, at a price below market value.