Should you’ve spent months (or years!) constructing an app, extension, script or SaaS, and also you’re able to money out as a substitute of operating an organization, excellent news: There at the moment are dozens of marketplaces the place you’ll be able to checklist a accomplished venture and discover a purchaser. These vary from full startup acquisition websites to community-driven classifieds and even newsletters. Many platforms focus on “micro” acquisitions (offers within the $10K–$100K vary) and cater to solo devs or small groups who need a one-time exit with out fundraising or long-term dedication. Every market works slightly in a different way, so right here’s a listing of 10 locations you have to strive. We’ll cowl how they work, key options, professionals/cons, and who they’re greatest for, so you already know what to anticipate. So, let’s get began:
1. Purchase.com (previously MicroAcquire)
Hyperlink: https://purchase.com/
Purchase.com (the rebranded MicroAcquire) is the most important identify proper now for purchasing and promoting on-line companies. It’s a SaaS/startup market the place founders can checklist their corporations and join with vetted consumers. The positioning is free for founders (you’ll be able to create an inventory and set your information with out up-front value), whereas consumers pay a subscription to see vendor contact particulars. All listings are screened by Purchase’s workforce earlier than going stay, and consumers solely see an nameless teaser (“NDA’d” profile) till the founder approves them. In observe, Purchase.com gives lots of hand-holding: you get an skilled acquisition advisor, authorized templates, escrow integration (by way of Escrow.com), advertising and marketing outreach and even a valuation software to assist worth your corporation. The closing charge (paid solely if you promote) is round 6–8% of the sale worth, and there could also be a small month-to-month itemizing charge ($25–$100) relying in your deal measurement.
2. Microns.io
Hyperlink: https://www.microns.io/
Microns.io is a micro-SaaS market that focuses on smaller offers so it’s best for tiny apps or scripts price just a few hundred up to a couple hundred thousand {dollars}. Each itemizing on Microns is vetted by the workforce, which verifies income and site visitors to assist keep away from scams. The platform affords an escrow service known as “Switch by Microns” for safe funds, and makes a publication of scorching listings to a premium subscriber base. It’s greatest for solo devs or hobbyists with tiny apps, plugins, or aspect tasks that herald some revenue.
3. SideProjectors
Hyperlink: https://www.sideprojectors.com/
SideProjectors is a pleasant neighborhood market for promoting aspect tasks. It is sort of a free listings board constructed by builders for builders. You may put up your venture (internet app, script, aspect SaaS, and so forth.) with an outline, screenshots, income knowledge, and hyperlinks, and consumers can contact you instantly. There are not any itemizing charges and no fee – SideProjectors merely connects you. Not like Purchase or Microns, there’s no vetting or escrow. Which means you don’t pay something to checklist, however you additionally do your personal due diligence and cost settlement. SideProjectors doesn’t even deal with funds – when somebody’s , you negotiate and shut the deal privately. It’s additionally good in the event you’re simply testing the waters, because it’s 100% free to strive however it has decrease site visitors in comparison with massive websites and it’s important to do all work by yourself.
4. Flippa
Hyperlink: https://flippa.com/
Flippa is the unique and largest public market for purchasing and promoting web sites, apps, and on-line companies. It’s been round for over a decade and has a large viewers of consumers. You may checklist just about something: cell apps, browser extensions, SaaS companies, e-commerce shops, content material websites, Amazon FBA retailers and extra. Good for mid-sized offers ($10K–$250K). Flippa’s mannequin is extra like eBay or Shopify’s market – you checklist an asset, and both public sale it off or set a buy-it-now worth. They supply analytics widgets (e.g. Google Analytics, income experiences) that homeowners can allow to show site visitors/income to consumers. Additionally they supply an escrow service (Flippa Escrow) to securely deal with giant transactions. On the opposite aspect, it prices a hit charge (round 15% of sale worth) plus itemizing charges for premium options.
5. TransferLot
Hyperlink: https://transferslot.com/
TransferLot is a more moderen market for promoting aspect tasks and small on-line companies. It combines a free itemizing interval with publication promotion. At the moment, every new itemizing on TransferLot is free for the primary two weeks, and there’s no transaction charge for sellers. If you’d like prolonged publicity, you’ll be able to pay a small charge (round $20) to proceed itemizing or get featured. The primary catch is that solely non-e-commerce, passive-income websites may be listed – they prohibit conventional retail or dropshipping. TransferLot additionally runs a weekly electronic mail to consumers highlighting the latest listings, so it’s geared towards traders in search of fast turnkey tasks. There isn’t a built-in escrow on TransferLot, so like SideProjectors you’ll have to rearrange cost individually and be cautious.
6. Empire Flippers
Hyperlink: https://empireflippers.com/
Empire Flippers is a brokerage and market for worthwhile on-line companies. It’s a hybrid between Flippa and a standard M&A dealer. They vet each itemizing totally and solely take websites that meet sure standards (sometimes at the very least $1,000/month in revenue or extra). Empire Flippers has an skilled workforce that verifies your financials, site visitors, and different knowledge earlier than itemizing. While you promote, you get a devoted account supervisor to information you thru valuation and shutting. Additionally they have an built-in escrow and may deal with due diligence paperwork.
7. Alternative Overload
Hyperlink: https://www.opportunityoverload.com/
Alternative Overload shouldn’t be a full-fledged market web site, however a high-volume publication that highlights startup for-sale listings. Every week they publish a roundup of attention-grabbing companies (apps, SaaS, websites, and so forth.) on the market. As a vendor, you’ll be able to pay a one-time charge (presently $10) to have your venture featured in a difficulty. The entry is a really quick blurb (just a few traces) in an electronic mail despatched to ~10,000+ subscribers who want to purchase or make investments. This service was began by a maker who efficiently bought a venture by way of it, and he claims one $10 itemizing can generate many inquiries. There’s no escrow or built-in platform primarily, you’re paying for visibility.
8. BuyMicroStartups
Hyperlink: https://www.buymicrostartups.com/
BuyMicroStartups is a more moderen platform that calls itself a market for high-potential micro-startups. It was began by a few indie makers who noticed a niche for smaller offers. The concept is to combination attention-grabbing small companies that would develop with some funding. Listings are reviewed earlier than approval, and there’s a deal with high quality. Notably, they promise zero commissions for each consumers and sellers – the whole sale worth goes to the events. Additionally they supply a premium membership for consumers, which provides early alerts on new listings and direct connections to sellers. So when you have a promising venture, itemizing it on BuyMicroStartups will expose it to traders seeking to take small “bets”. It’s nonetheless a rising platform, so site visitors is modest.
9. SellMyApp
Hyperlink: https://www.sellmyapp.com/
SellMyApp is a specialised market for cell app supply code (principally clones of in style apps or templates) and, by extension, absolutely developed cell apps. Based in 2013, it has turn into one of many largest platforms for purchasing and promoting Android and iOS app code. It began as a easy classifieds web site (you paid a small charge to checklist your app for 30 days), however has since developed right into a full market with hundreds of listings. Sellers can add their supply code, set a worth, after which consumers (sometimes builders seeking to launch their very own app) can buy the code with a full license. This isn’t promoting your total enterprise or product – it’s promoting copies of your app’s code. You solely earn every time somebody buys the code, quite than a lump-sum exit. It’s additionally helpful for quick-cash when you have a accomplished app you now not need to keep – you’ll be able to checklist it and doubtlessly earn hundreds by way of a number of gross sales.
10. FE Worldwide
Hyperlink: https://www.feinternational.com/
FE Worldwide is likely one of the oldest and most respectedM&A advisors for SaaS, e-commerce, and content material companies. They perform like a dealer: working instantly with mid-to-large corporations to arrange them on the market and discover consumers. Since 2010 they’ve bought over 1,200 companies. FE Worldwide offers principally within the six- to seven-figure vary (and even increased). Should you use FE, you’ll get an skilled advisor assigned to your case who will assist with valuation, due diligence, advertising and marketing your itemizing to the suitable traders, and navigating the closing course of. It’s just for massive video games – if your corporation is simply too small (beneath ~$100K/yr revenue) or pre-revenue, FEI gained’t work with you.
Wrapping Up
This brings us to the tip of this text. Should you’ve been sitting on a aspect venture, script, or small app that’s bringing in even slightly income, there’s possible a purchaser on the market for it. You don’t want VC funding or a co-founder. Only a working product, some trustworthy metrics, and the willingness to checklist.
Kanwal Mehreen Kanwal is a machine studying engineer and a technical author with a profound ardour for knowledge science and the intersection of AI with drugs. She co-authored the e book “Maximizing Productiveness with ChatGPT”. As a Google Technology Scholar 2022 for APAC, she champions range and educational excellence. She’s additionally acknowledged as a Teradata Range in Tech Scholar, Mitacs Globalink Analysis Scholar, and Harvard WeCode Scholar. Kanwal is an ardent advocate for change, having based FEMCodes to empower girls in STEM fields.
