Picture by Creator | CanvaFor those who’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 possibly can record a accomplished venture and discover a purchaser. These vary from full startup acquisition websites to community-driven classifieds and even newsletters. Many platforms concentrate on “micro” acquisitions (offers within the $10K–$100K vary) and cater to solo devs or small groups who desire a one-time exit with out fundraising or long-term dedication. Every market works a little bit in another way, so right here’s an inventory of 10 locations you have to strive. We’ll cowl how they work, key options, execs/cons, and who they’re finest for, so you realize 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 title proper now for purchasing and promoting on-line companies. It’s a SaaS/startup market the place founders can record their firms and join with vetted consumers. The location is free for founders (you possibly can create a list 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 crew earlier than going stay, and consumers solely see an nameless teaser (“NDA’d” profile) till the founder approves them. In apply, Purchase.com supplies a number of hand-holding: you get an knowledgeable acquisition advisor, authorized templates, escrow integration (by way of Escrow.com), advertising outreach and even a valuation instrument to assist worth your enterprise. The closing payment (paid solely whenever you promote) is round 6–8% of the sale worth, and there could also be a small month-to-month itemizing payment ($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 splendid for tiny apps or scripts price a number of hundred up to some hundred thousand {dollars}. Each itemizing on Microns is vetted by the crew, which verifies income and visitors to assist keep away from scams. The platform affords an escrow service referred to as “Switch by Microns” for safe funds, and makes a e-newsletter of sizzling listings to a premium subscriber base. It’s finest for solo devs or hobbyists with tiny apps, plugins, or aspect initiatives that herald some revenue.
3. SideProjectors
Hyperlink: https://www.sideprojectors.com/
SideProjectors is a pleasant group market for promoting aspect initiatives. It is sort of a free listings board constructed by builders for builders. You may publish your venture (internet app, script, aspect SaaS, and so on.) with an outline, screenshots, income information, and hyperlinks, and consumers can contact you immediately. There are not any itemizing charges and no fee – SideProjectors merely connects you. Not like Purchase or Microns, there’s no vetting or escrow. Meaning you don’t pay something to record, however you additionally do your personal due diligence and fee settlement. SideProjectors doesn’t even deal with funds – when somebody’s , you negotiate and shut the deal privately. It’s additionally good if you happen to’re simply testing the waters, because it’s 100% free to strive however it has decrease visitors in comparison with large websites and it’s a must 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 record just about something: cellular 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 record an asset, and both public sale it off or set a buy-it-now worth. They supply analytics widgets (e.g. Google Analytics, income stories) that homeowners can allow to show visitors/income to consumers. Additionally they provide an escrow service (Flippa Escrow) to soundly deal with giant transactions. On the opposite aspect, it costs successful payment (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 initiatives and small on-line companies. It combines a free itemizing interval with e-newsletter promotion. At present, every new itemizing on TransferLot is free for the primary two weeks, and there’s no transaction payment for sellers. If you would like prolonged publicity, you possibly can pay a small payment (round $20) to proceed itemizing or get featured. The primary catch is that solely non-e-commerce, passive-income websites could be listed – they prohibit conventional retail or dropshipping. TransferLot additionally runs a weekly e-mail to consumers highlighting the latest listings, so it’s geared towards traders in search of fast turnkey initiatives. There isn’t a built-in escrow on TransferLot, so like SideProjectors you’ll have to rearrange fee 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 conventional M&A dealer. They vet each itemizing totally and solely take websites that meet sure standards (usually at the very least $1,000/month in revenue or extra). Empire Flippers has an skilled crew that verifies your financials, visitors, and different information earlier than itemizing. If 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 will not be a full-fledged market web site, however a high-volume e-newsletter that highlights startup for-sale listings. Every week they publish a roundup of attention-grabbing companies (apps, SaaS, websites, and so on.) on the market. As a vendor, you possibly can pay a one-time payment (at the moment $10) to have your venture featured in a difficulty. The entry is a really brief blurb (a number of traces) in an e-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 basically, 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 spot for smaller offers. The thought is to combination attention-grabbing small companies that might develop with some funding. Listings are reviewed earlier than approval, and there’s a concentrate on high quality. Notably, they promise zero commissions for each consumers and sellers – the complete sale worth goes to the events. Additionally they provide a premium membership for consumers, which supplies early alerts on new listings and direct connections to sellers. So you probably have a promising venture, itemizing it on BuyMicroStartups will expose it to traders trying to take small “bets”. It’s nonetheless a rising platform, so visitors is modest.
9. SellMyApp
Hyperlink: https://www.sellmyapp.com/
SellMyApp is a specialised market for cellular app supply code (largely clones of standard apps or templates) and, by extension, totally developed cellular apps. Based in 2013, it has change into one of many largest platforms for purchasing and promoting Android and iOS app code. It began as a easy classifieds website (you paid a small payment to record your app for 30 days), however has since advanced right into a full market with 1000’s of listings. Sellers can add their supply code, set a worth, after which consumers (usually builders trying to launch their very own app) should purchase the code with a full license. This isn’t promoting your whole 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 you probably have a accomplished app you now not need to preserve – you possibly can record it and doubtlessly earn 1000’s by way of a number of gross sales.
10. FE Worldwide
Hyperlink: https://www.feinternational.com/
FE Worldwide is among the oldest and most respectedM&A advisors for SaaS, e-commerce, and content material companies. They perform like a dealer: working immediately with mid-to-large firms to organize them on the market and discover consumers. Since 2010 they’ve bought over 1,200 companies. FE Worldwide offers largely within the six- to seven-figure vary (and even increased). For those who use FE, you’ll get an knowledgeable advisor assigned to your case who will assist with valuation, due diligence, advertising your itemizing to the correct traders, and navigating the closing course of. It’s just for large video games – if your enterprise is simply too small (beneath ~$100K/12 months revenue) or pre-revenue, FEI gained’t work with you.
Wrapping Up
This brings us to the tip of this text. For those who’ve been sitting on a aspect venture, script, or small app that’s bringing in even a little bit 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 record.
Kanwal Mehreen Kanwal is a machine studying engineer and a technical author with a profound ardour for information science and the intersection of AI with medication. She co-authored the e book “Maximizing Productiveness with ChatGPT”. As a Google Era 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.