Thinking about selling your online business? Thankfully, it’s easier than ever to do so with numerous marketplaces and brokers available to help. Whether you’re aiming to sell or acquire a digital asset, the sheer volume of listings means you don’t need to navigate this alone. These platforms have a wide range of potential buyers, making it a prime time for website flipping or acquiring a profitable online business.
Online marketplaces vary widely in terms of sales processes, pricing, and support offered. Understanding each platform's benefits, fee structures, and buyer reach is essential before making a choice.
Comparison Table: Top Online Business Marketplaces
| Marketplace | Best For | Fees | Notable Features | Sales Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flippa | Digital assets (SaaS, blogs) | $29+ listing fee, 5-15% | Expert valuation, 250K+ buyers | <$50K+ |
| Empire Flippers | Established businesses | $297 listing fee, 15% | Vetted listings, 82% success rate | <$700K+ |
| Motion Invest | Quick sales <$20K | 15% commission | Motion Invest buys if no third-party sale | <$20K |
| Acquire | Bootstrapped startups | None | Quick deals, no commission | <$500K ARR |
| GetAcquired | SaaS startups | Not public | Verified with Stripe, Google Analytics | SaaS businesses |
| Investors Club | High-quality sites | $247/year, $747 lifetime | 24-point buyer report, exclusivity | $20K-$100K+ |
| Niche Investor | Niche blogs | Varies | Curated blogs, verified monetization | Varies |
| Latona’s | High-value businesses | Not public | Professional services, $1M-$5M deals | $1M-$5M+ |
| BitsForDigits | Partial buyouts | None | Anonymous listings, flexible sale terms | 1%-99% of biz |
| Little Exits | Small projects <$10K | $249 Premium membership | Instant purchases, Stripe integration | <$10K |
This table provides a clearer comparison of the top marketplaces, focusing on established platforms for buying and selling various types of online businesses.
Here’s a breakdown of the top platforms for buying and selling online businesses:
Flippa
Flippa is a leading online marketplace for buying and selling digital assets like websites, domains, and apps. Founded in 2009, it has facilitated over $500 million in transactions. The platform hosts over 3,000 new listings monthly, ranging from $50 to multi-million dollar deals.
Flippa claims a user base of over 2 million entrepreneurs and investors. It operates on a commission model, typically charging 5-15% of the sale price, with additional fees for premium services.
Best for: Selling various digital assets
Fees: Flippa charges a listing fee starting at $29, plus a success fee ranging from 5% to 15% of the total sale.
Empire Flippers
Empire Flippers has facilitated over $200 million in transactions and focuses on established businesses, such as Amazon stores and SaaS companies. They charge a 15% commission on sales under $700,000 and offer vetted listings, a high success rate, and excellent customer support. Unlike other marketplaces, they exclusively deal with businesses that have proven revenue and traffic.
Empire Flippers is a well-established online marketplace for buying and selling websites, e-commerce stores, and other digital businesses. It caters to a wide range of business sizes, from small affiliate sites to larger, more complex operations. The platform is known for its rigorous vetting process, ensuring the quality and legitimacy of listings.
Empire Flippers offers comprehensive services including valuation, due diligence, and migration support. They likely generate revenue through commission on successful sales and may offer additional premium services to facilitate deals.
Best for: Established online businesses
Fees: $297 listing fee, 15% commission on final sale.
Motion Invest
Motion Invest is perfect for those looking to sell smaller websites with proven profitability. This platform’s focus is on quick transactions, often involving affiliate or Adsense-driven websites that generate $500 to $5,000 per month. Sellers benefit from fast deals, with Motion Invest even purchasing sites themselves if you're looking for a guaranteed sale.
It focuses primarily on established sites with existing traffic and revenue streams. The platform likely offers services such as website valuation, vetting of listings, and facilitation of transactions between buyers and sellers.
Motion Invest may cater to investors looking for passive income opportunities through acquiring revenue-generating websites. Its value proposition likely includes simplifying the process of website acquisitions and providing a curated selection of vetted online properties.
Best for: Quick sales under $20,000
Fees: 15% commission on final sale.
Acquire (formerly MicroAcquire)
Acquire cuts out brokers to create a straightforward marketplace for SaaS, ecommerce, and affiliate businesses with under $500,000 ARR. There are no fees or commissions, and deals can be completed in 30 days or less. The platform emphasizes transparency and is ideal for first-time sellers looking for quick exits.
Acquire is a marketplace platform focused on facilitating the buying and selling of small to medium-sized online businesses. It connects entrepreneurs looking to sell their startups or digital businesses with potential buyers seeking acquisition opportunities. The platform likely offers tools for valuation, due diligence, and secure communication between parties.
Acquire aims to streamline the often complex process of business acquisitions, potentially offering services like deal structuring and escrow. Its value proposition centers on making business transactions more accessible and efficient for both sellers and acquirers.
Best for: Bootstrapped startups
Fees: None.
GetAcquired
Specializing in SaaS startups, GetAcquired is a marketplace that ensures thorough due diligence by verifying businesses with tools like Stripe and Google Analytics. While listings aren’t public, registered users can access a variety of vetted SaaS businesses.
SideProjectors is a unique marketplace platform that focuses on side projects, early-stage startups, and small online businesses. It caters primarily to developers, designers, and entrepreneurs looking to buy, sell, or collaborate on nascent digital ventures. The platform offers a wide range of projects, from pre-revenue ideas to small, profitable websites.
SideProjectors emphasizes community engagement, allowing users to not only buy and sell projects but also find co-founders or collaborators. With its low-cost listings and developer-friendly environment, SideProjectors serves as an accessible launchpad for innovative digital ideas and small-scale entrepreneurship.
Best for: SaaS businesses
Fees: Not publicly listed until closer to the transaction.
SideProjectors
SideProjectors offers a free platform for listing side projects, making it ideal for creators looking to either sell their project or find collaborators. There are no listing or transaction fees, and the platform allows users to quickly list their projects by connecting with their ProductHunt page.
SideProjectors is a marketplace for buying and selling side projects, startups, and small online businesses. Founded in 2013, it focuses on smaller, often early-stage ventures. The platform has facilitated thousands of transactions, with project prices typically ranging from $100 to $50,000.
SideProjectors boasts a community of over 50,000 entrepreneurs and developers. It operates on a freemium model, offering basic listings for free and charging for premium features. The site sees hundreds of new projects listed each month across various categories like SaaS, mobile apps, and websites.
Best for: DIY side projects
Fees: None.
Investors Club
Investors Club specializes in high-quality sites in the $20,000-$100,000+ range. Buyers gain access to detailed 24-point reports covering areas like SEO, traffic, and growth potential. Sellers sign an exclusivity agreement, ensuring that their business isn’t listed elsewhere.
Investors Club is an exclusive, curated marketplace for buying and selling profitable online businesses. It operates on a membership model, catering to verified, serious investors. The platform specializes in high-quality, vetted listings of established digital businesses, including e-commerce stores, content sites, and SaaS companies.
Investors Club provides detailed due diligence reports for each listing and offers personalized deal alerts to its members. With its focus on premium offerings and thorough vetting process, Investors Club aims to connect qualified buyers with lucrative online business opportunities.
Best for: High-quality sites with detailed reporting
Fees: Buyers pay a $247/year or $747 lifetime membership fee. No seller fees.
Niche Investor
Founded by Chelsea Clarke, Niche Investor curates a selection of profitable blogs with unique content. Sellers benefit from personalized support and verified monetization stats.
Latona's is a boutique mergers and acquisitions firm that also operates as a marketplace for established, profitable internet businesses. They specialize in larger, more complex transactions, typically focusing on e-commerce stores, SaaS companies, content websites, and domain portfolios. Latona's offers full-service brokerage options, providing detailed financials and analytics for each listing.
The platform is known for its expertise in facilitating deals for well-established online businesses, catering to serious buyers and sellers looking for professional guidance in high-value transactions.
Best for: Niche blogs
Fees: Varies by deal.
Latona’s
Latona’s specializes in big deals, typically in the $1 million to $5 million range, with a focus on content sites, SaaS, and eCommerce businesses. With a highly curated list of businesses, Latona’s offers professional services and in-depth insights.
Latona's is a boutique mergers and acquisitions brokerage specializing in online businesses, established websites, and domain portfolios. Founded in 2008, it focuses on businesses with annual revenues ranging from $500,000 to $30 million. Latona's has facilitated over $500 million in transactions since its inception.
The platform typically lists 50-100 vetted businesses at any given time. Latona's operates on a success-fee model, generally charging 10-15% of the final sale price. The company claims a closing rate of over 90% for businesses that enter due diligence, significantly higher than industry averages.
Best for: High-value businesses ($1M+)
Fees: Commission rates and listing fees not publicly available.
Little Exits
Little Exits is a specialized marketplace for buying and selling small online businesses, typically valued under $10,000. It caters to first-time entrepreneurs, side project creators, and experienced individuals looking for accessible entry into digital business ownership.
The platform offers a diverse range of assets including websites, apps, and SaaS products, with a straightforward process for listing and purchasing. Little Exits emphasizes community engagement through its active forums and provides educational resources to support users in navigating small-scale business transactions.
Best for: Small businesses under $10,000
Fees: Buyers must pay a $199 Premium membership fee to access detailed metrics and make offers.
Final Thoughts
The online marketplace for buying and selling businesses has grown rapidly, offering many options today. It doesn't have to be a difficult or time-consuming process.
As a buyer, it’s crucial to do thorough research. Look into the niche and the value the business brings. Make sure key metrics like verified revenue are available. Check recent software reviews and use valuation calculators to ensure a fair price. Also, identify opportunities for growth, such as using backlinks or marketing tools, and consider your exit strategy.
Good luck!