NAR released its 2026 REALTORS® Technology Report recently, offering a new look at what agents spend on technology as AI use grows and cost remains a barrier to adoption.
Among the survey’s 1,165 usable responses, 36% said they spend $50 to $250 a month on technology, the largest single group. Another 19% spend $251 to $500, while 22% spend more than $500 and 18% spend less than $50 monthly.
The figures are benchmarks, not recommended budgets. Saving time is now the top reason agents adopt new technology, cited by 81% versus 66% in 2025; 71% cite improving the client experience, up from 64%. Cost remains a hurdle for 59% of respondents, second only to the learning curve at 63%.
Tech spending changed little from 2025
In NAR’s 2025 technology survey, 34% of respondents spent $50 to $250 monthly, 20% spent $251 to $500, and 24% spent more than $500. In 2026, those shares are 36%, 19%, and 22%, respectively.
MLS access remains the most widely used technology at 96%, followed by e-signature tools at 79% and showing-scheduling tools at 68%. CRM platforms are used by 46% of respondents.
NAR’s published findings do not break down which tools agents pay for directly versus those provided through a brokerage, MLS, or association, so identical monthly budgets can represent very different technology stacks.
How much should a real estate agent spend on technology?
NAR does not recommend a specific technology budget. Its figures show what respondents spend, not what an individual agent should spend.
For agents comparing their own costs, the survey works better as a benchmark than a spending target. A CRM, automation platform, or AI subscription has to justify its cost through lead management, time savings, or client service.
That is especially relevant as agents add more software without substantially increasing overall technology spending.
AI use is rising faster than tech budgets
Twenty-three percent of agents now use AI daily and another 25% use it weekly. Another 31% experiment with it occasionally, while 12% say they do not use AI and have no plans to.
Among agents using AI, listing descriptions are the most common use case at 75%, followed by social media posts at 56% and emails or follow-ups at 52%, according to NAR’s breakdown of agent technology use.
Results remain mixed: 55% said AI has had a positive effect on their real estate business, while 34% reported no impact. Agents weighing another AI subscription can compare those findings with the AI tools for real estate already available for content, lead generation, automation, and other routine work.
NAR’s numbers are a benchmark, not a target
NAR’s spending bands give agents a useful point of comparison, but they do not make a $500 monthly stack better than a $200 one.
Before renewing or adding a platform, agents can check what their brokerage, MLS, or association already provides, identify the problem the tool is supposed to solve, and determine whether it is actually being used.
For AI, the same rule applies: keep the tools that save measurable time or improve follow-up and client service. NAR’s data shows adoption is rising, but spending more is not the same thing as getting more value.