First Connect vs Firefly vs Ironpeak (Iron Peak): Fees & Appointments Compared

First Connect vs Firefly vs Ironpeak

New independent agents on r/InsuranceAgent often ask which of these three to start with. Here is what each one publishes.

Name	Fees / requirements	Appointments / ownership	Carriers	Contract / exit	Sources
First Connect	Zero onboarding fees, zero subscription fees	not published	Carrier Store: access to 150 partners across home, auto, commercial, life	not published	[1]
Firefly Agency	Upfront fee plus monthly fee (cost of comparative rater + management system); 90% commission split on all new business and renewals	Direct appointments with 12+ carriers	not published	No commission split required on agent's own outside carriers	[1] [2]
Ironpeak (formerly The Iroquois Group)	No initiation, franchise, monthly dues or termination fees	Members write directly with each carrier using own code; agency name on policies; no equity taken	25+ core carrier partners plus specialty/niche carriers	Members may sell agency to whomever, whenever	[1] [2] [3]

Name

Fees / requirements

Appointments / ownership

Carriers

Contract / exit

Sources

First Connect

Zero onboarding fees, zero subscription fees

not published

Carrier Store: access to 150 partners across home, auto, commercial, life

not published

[1]

Firefly Agency

Upfront fee plus monthly fee (cost of comparative rater + management system); 90% commission split on all new business and renewals

Direct appointments with 12+ carriers

not published

No commission split required on agent's own outside carriers

[1] [2]

Ironpeak (formerly The Iroquois Group)

No initiation, franchise, monthly dues or termination fees

Members write directly with each carrier using own code; agency name on policies; no equity taken

25+ core carrier partners plus specialty/niche carriers

Members may sell agency to whomever, whenever

[1] [2] [3]

The plain-English take: First Connect publishes zero onboarding and subscription fees and gives you a carrier marketplace. Firefly charges an upfront fee and a monthly fee but publishes a flat 90% commission and direct appointments. Ironpeak charges no fees and has you write under your own carrier codes, but it is built for established agencies (it says members primarily write small commercial, middle market and preferred personal lines). Very new agents usually fit First Connect or Firefly. Agencies with an existing book fit Ironpeak.

Facts are taken from the cited sources and can change. Always read the actual contract.

First Connect vs Firefly vs Ironpeak

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