Your site’s selling price (or whether it sells at all) will depend on which listing platform you choose. Website broker platforms assist you in determining the best price for your website by evaluating it and showing it to possible purchasers.
These are our top three recommendations for Online Business Transaction Platforms: Choosing, Selling, and Buying Profitable Websites
Flippa
Flippa is an open auction website marketplace that works much like eBay: Anyone can see your listed website and bid on it. The platform is one of the first of its kind and has a unique catalog of recently sold sites that can help you compare your prices or bids. The platform offers sales contracts and a sales support team for you to streamline your buying and selling process, and has helped users sell over 250,000 sites.
The platform provides four distinct price options for sellers. Prices range from $29 to $499. This is in addition to the “success fee” that it charges.
For $29, you can get a discounted escrow, a standard reach, and a three-month listing period.
You can receive a 2x boosted reach, unlimited listing duration, and free escrow for just $299. You can get unlimited listing duration, 4x and 8x boosted reach, and free escrow for $399 and $499, respectively.
The value of your website determines the success fee you must pay.
You will pay a commission of 10% to 15% of your sale price if you choose to use a broker. Flippa offers a free website valuation tool that you can use to determine the potential value of your website before listing it for sale.
If you’re a buyer on Flippa, you can easily view available websites and their net profit. Remember that Flippa buyers must personally verify the details listed by contacting the seller directly.
Listing price: $29 to $499, plus a listing fee (reduces if the value of your website is higher)
Sale commission: 10% to 15% of the sale price.
Empire Flippers
Empire Flippers exclusively features websites with a minimum monthly monetization profit of $1,000. The platform meticulously vets websites, analyzing their earning history and traffic, establishing itself as one of the more reliable website marketplaces. With a track record of selling over $422 million worth of websites and a 75% sales success rate, Empire Flippers allows users to list their sites without any upfront cost, charging a percentage of the sale price based on the business’s listing price. Due to its rigorous screening processes and high rejection rates, Empire Flippers offers buyers access to some of the most legitimate websites for sale.
Listing price: None
Sale commission:
- 2% for sites above $10 million
- 5% for sites between $5 million and $10 million
- 8% for sites between $2 million and $5 million
- 12% for sites between $1 million and $2 million
- 15% for sites below $1 million
FE International
As a professional merger-and-acquisitions adviser, FE International specializes in website broker services, primarily for SaaS, e-commerce, and content publishing businesses. With over 1,200 completed acquisitions totaling over $1 billion, the company offers comprehensive assistance for buying or selling an SEO-optimized site. This includes exit planning, valuation analysis, accounting, legal support, strategic negotiations, due diligence, post-sale considerations, and more. Boasting an impressive 94.1% success rate, FE International was recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in America in 2020, 2021, and 2022. The platform charges an average commission of 2.5% on sales, varying based on the deal size.
Listing price: None
Sale commission: 0% to 14%
Other Noteworthy Website Brokers
Building a website from scratch is time-consuming, and buying an established one requires trust to avoid scams. Several online marketplaces can assist in these operations. Consider the following trustworthy website brokers for your website purchase or sale:
- BizBroker: With over 15,000 pre-qualified potential buyers and a 95% closing rate, BizBroker specializes in selling websites and internet businesses with valuations between $150,000 and $20 million.
- BuySellEmpire: A private online marketplace requiring a minimum monthly profit of $1,500, BuySellEmpire facilitates the sale of various business websites, charging a commission ranging from 4% to 7% based on the transaction size.
- Quiet Light: Recognized as a successful M&A adviser, Quiet Light has brokered over 600 online business sales since 2006, with asking prices ranging from $87,000 to $20 million. The platform’s analysts and advisers have firsthand experience in buying and selling websites.
- Transferslot: A curated marketplace where side project founders and website owners can expose their products to a trusted buyer community, offering a unique exposure approach to potential buyers.
- MicroAcquire: Facilitating anonymous connections between website sellers and buyers for free, MicroAcquire boasts a network of over 120,000 trusted buyers and targets startups with below $500,000 ARR.
- Exchange Marketplace: Focusing on buying and selling Shopify stores and e-commerce businesses, Exchange Marketplace offers a valuation tool and secure transaction handling, allowing sellers to create private or public listings.
- Trustiu: A professional online marketplace with a successful track record, Trustiu assists in buying and selling websites, charging an 8% to 10% commission once the deal closes.
- Hello Exit: Formerly known as Digital Acquisitions, Hello Exit employs a refined four-step process to assist in selling websites, offering services like exit consultation, business valuation, marketing, negotiation, and escrow services.
Tips for Website Buyers and Sellers
Whether you’re a seller or buyer, here are some tips to ensure a successful website sale or purchase:
For Sellers:
- Get multiple valuations from different sources to maximize profit.
- Compile necessary data, including monthly revenue and site traffic, in advance.
- Consider platforms charging commissions, as they are incentivized to help sell your site for a larger sum.
For Buyers:
- Conduct due diligence even when working with trusted marketplaces.
- Understand your target demographics and ensure the website aligns with them.
- Find out which platform powers the site to gauge ease of maintenance and editing.