From what I can tell, getting a passport is easier than getting a Real ID. While you still need to show up at a Post Office or wherever in person if you've never had one before, you only need a birth certificate or equivalent and a photo ID.
The last time I renewed mine, I did everything from home, including using the State Dept smart phone passport photo app (Protip: also an excellent app for doing CCW and other "gun permission" photos that require passport photos).
