Picture by Writer | CanvaIn the event 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 possibly can listing 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 a listing of 10 locations you should attempt. We’ll cowl how they work, key options, execs/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 getting and promoting on-line companies. It’s a SaaS/startup market the place founders can listing their corporations and join with vetted patrons. The location is free for founders (you possibly can create an inventory and set your information with out up-front value), whereas patrons pay a subscription to see vendor contact particulars. All listings are screened by Purchase’s workforce earlier than going reside, and patrons solely see an nameless teaser (“NDA’d” profile) till the founder approves them. In observe, Purchase.com supplies numerous 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 instrument to assist value your enterprise. The closing price (paid solely whenever you promote) is round 6–8% of the sale value, and there could also be a small month-to-month itemizing price ($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 superb 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 visitors to assist keep away from scams. The platform affords an escrow service known as “Switch by Microns” for safe funds, and makes a e-newsletter of scorching listings to a premium subscriber base. It’s greatest for solo devs or hobbyists with tiny apps, plugins, or aspect tasks that usher in some earnings.
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 submit your venture (net app, script, aspect SaaS, and so on.) with an outline, screenshots, income information, and hyperlinks, and patrons can contact you immediately. There are not any itemizing charges and no fee – SideProjectors merely connects you. In contrast to Purchase or Microns, there’s no vetting or escrow. Meaning you don’t pay something to listing, 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 when you’re simply testing the waters, because it’s 100% free to attempt however it has decrease visitors in comparison with huge 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 getting and promoting web sites, apps, and on-line companies. It’s been round for over a decade and has a large viewers of patrons. You may listing just about something: cell apps, browser extensions, SaaS companies, e-commerce shops, content material websites, Amazon FBA outlets and extra. Good for mid-sized offers ($10K–$250K). Flippa’s mannequin is extra like eBay or Shopify’s market – you listing an asset, and both public sale it off or set a buy-it-now value. They supply analytics widgets (e.g. Google Analytics, income reviews) that house owners can allow to show visitors/income to patrons. In addition they provide an escrow service (Flippa Escrow) to securely deal with giant transactions. On the opposite aspect, it expenses a hit price (round 15% of sale value) 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 e-newsletter promotion. Presently, every new itemizing on TransferLot is free for the primary two weeks, and there’s no transaction price for sellers. If you would like prolonged publicity, you possibly can pay a small price (round $20) to proceed itemizing or get featured. The principle catch is that solely non-e-commerce, passive-income websites could be listed – they prohibit conventional retail or dropshipping. TransferLot additionally runs a weekly electronic mail to patrons highlighting the latest listings, so it’s geared towards traders searching for fast turnkey tasks. There isn’t any 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 completely and solely take websites that meet sure standards (usually a minimum of $1,000/month in revenue or extra). Empire Flippers has an skilled workforce that verifies your financials, visitors, and different information earlier than itemizing. While you promote, you get a devoted account supervisor to information you thru valuation and shutting. In addition they have an built-in escrow and may deal with due diligence paperwork.
7. Alternative Overload
Hyperlink: https://www.opportunityoverload.com/
Alternative Overload isn’t 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 price (at present $10) to have your venture featured in a difficulty. The entry is a really brief blurb (just a few strains) in an electronic mail despatched to ~10,000+ subscribers who wish to purchase or make investments. This service was began by a maker who efficiently bought a venture via 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 niche for smaller offers. The concept is to mixture 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 patrons and sellers – the whole sale value goes to the events. In addition they provide a premium membership for patrons, which provides early alerts on new listings and direct connections to sellers. So in case 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 visitors is modest.
9. SellMyApp
Hyperlink: https://www.sellmyapp.com/
SellMyApp is a specialised market for cell app supply code (principally clones of common apps or templates) and, by extension, totally developed cell apps. Based in 2013, it has turn into one of many largest platforms for getting and promoting Android and iOS app code. It began as a easy classifieds web site (you paid a small price to listing 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 value, after which patrons (usually builders seeking to launch their very own app) can buy 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, somewhat than a lump-sum exit. It’s additionally helpful for quick-cash in case you have a accomplished app you not need to preserve – you possibly can listing it and probably earn 1000’s via 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 operate like a dealer: working immediately with mid-to-large corporations to organize them on the market and discover patrons. Since 2010 they’ve bought over 1,200 companies. FE Worldwide offers principally within the six- to seven-figure vary (and even larger). In the event 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 correct traders, and navigating the closing course of. It’s just for huge video games – if your enterprise is just too small (underneath ~$100K/12 months revenue) or pre-revenue, FEI gained’t work with you.
Wrapping Up
This brings us to the tip of this text. In the event you’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 sincere metrics, and the willingness to listing.
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 Technology Scholar 2022 for APAC, she champions variety and educational excellence. She’s additionally acknowledged as a Teradata Variety 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.
