🌍 Selling Your Online Business or Platform — Overview of Known Markets

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There are several established marketplaces and networks for selling online businesses or digital platforms, depending on the type of business — whether it’s a content site, SaaS, marketplace, lead generation platform, or e-commerce store.

🌐 International Marketplaces

1. Flippa

  • The largest open marketplace for websites, apps, e-commerce, and SaaS.
  • Handles small to medium-sized deals (€5,000 – €5M).
  • Popular with both private sellers and investors.
  • Offers due diligence and verification tools.
  • 💡 Ideal for: content sites, affiliate platforms, SaaS, lead-gen, marketplaces.

2. Empire Flippers

  • Curated listings with verified financials and traffic data.
  • Typical deal size: $50,000 – $5M+
  • Includes in-depth financial verification (P&L, analytics, Stripe data).
  • 💡 Best for: profitable SaaS, affiliate, and e-commerce companies.

3. FE International

  • Boutique M&A advisor for online businesses.
  • Specializes in SaaS, B2B software, and marketplaces.
  • Focus on deals above $500,000.
  • Provides full deal structuring, NDAs, and end-to-end transaction support.

4. MicroAcquire (now Acquire.com)

  • Fast-growing marketplace for startups, often pre-revenue or under $1M ARR.
  • Popular among solo founders and indie developers.
  • Subscription-based, no broker commissions.
  • 💡 Ideal for early-stage SaaS, AI tools, or niche tech platforms.

5. Investors Club

  • Private community with pre-vetted listings.
  • Focus on profitable content sites and SaaS businesses.

6. Motion Invest

  • Specializes in smaller content sites ($5,000–$200,000 range).
  • Sometimes buys sites directly for fast exits.

🇪🇺 European / Belgian Marketplaces

1. Dealflow.eu

  • European platform focused on tech and digital business transfers.
  • Targets SaaS and digital agencies within the EU.

2. CFI / MergerMarket / Axial

  • Corporate M&A networks for businesses above €1M revenue.
  • Suitable for mature, profitable companies with operational teams.

3. Belgian Alternatives

  • BizMatch and Overnamemarkt.be — supported by VLAIO, often used for SME and digital company transfers.
  • Valuwin, Merodis, Vendis Capital — professional M&A firms screening digital dossiers.
  • Startups.be, TheBigScore, BAN Vlaanderen — relevant if you seek investors or partial exits.

💰 Typical Valuation Multiples

Business Type Valuation Multiple Notes
Content / Affiliate Sites 2–4× monthly profit Depends on traffic stability and source quality.
E-commerce 2.5–4× annual profit Includes inventory and logistics risks.
SaaS / Subscription 3–7× ARR Driven by growth rate and churn metrics.
Marketplace / Lead-gen 3–6× annual profit Depends on traffic sources and diversification.

⚙️ Practical Steps to Prepare for Sale

  1. Prepare a financial summary — include profit/loss statements, hosting, ad revenue, and growth history.
  2. Show verified traffic sources — Google Analytics, Search Console, ad or feed partner data.
  3. Provide technical documentation — stack overview, hosting, code ownership, API integrations.
  4. Plan asset transfer — domains, databases, social media, accounts, and billing systems.
  5. Draft NDA and Purchase Agreement — often handled by broker or legal advisor.

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