By Phillip Mitchell, Founder & Chief Brokerage Officer, AIExchange.club
Fees were checked on each company's own pricing pages in October 2026 and change often, so confirm before you list. We run AIExchange.club, so we are not a neutral party, and we have tried to be fair about where each option wins. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.
Flippa is a real marketplace and a fine place to sell a small site or a domain. If you own an AI or SaaS business that already makes money, though, a general marketplace isn't always the best fit. The right alternative depends on three things: how big the sale is, what you're selling, and how much help you want.
Below are the main options, what each one costs on the same sale, and how to choose. For how pricing works first, see our guide to selling a SaaS business.
Why sellers look beyond Flippa
Flippa lists websites, domains, stores, apps and software side by side. That gives it a huge audience, but a recurring-revenue software business gets compared with everything else on the board. Sellers also pay listing fees up front. On the other hand, it is simple to start and works well for small deals.
Flippa alternatives at a glance
| Option | Best for | Listing fee | Fee when you sell | Built for AI or SaaS? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIExchange.club (ours) | Cash-flowing AI and SaaS businesses | Free | Flat 10%, only when the deal closes | Yes, AI and SaaS only |
| Acquire.com | SaaS and startups of many sizes | $25, $50 or $100 a month by price | 8% under $250K, 7% to $1M, 6% above | Mostly software and startups |
| Empire Flippers | Established online businesses with real profit | None | Flat $10,000 to about $66,667, then 15% up to $700K, 8% to $5M, 2.5% above | Mixed: sites, stores and SaaS |
| Flippa | Small sites, domains and first-time sellers | From $29 for a self-service listing | Varies by plan | No, all asset types |
Each option in a few lines
AIExchange.club. We list only AI and SaaS businesses that already make money, so buyers arrive looking for exactly that. Listing is free, and the flat 10% success fee is paid only when your deal closes. The deal room, escrow and in-platform contracts are included (see fees and pricing). A broker walks you through the sale instead of leaving you with a self-serve board. We are new, and we don't claim a track record we haven't earned, so judge us on fit and on the terms above.
Acquire.com. A well-known marketplace for SaaS and startups, with vetting, NDAs and free escrow for sellers. Its closing fee is lower than our 10%, which is worth saying plainly. You also pay a monthly listing fee while you're live, so a slow sale costs more. It suits sellers who want a big audience and are happy to run the process themselves.
Empire Flippers. A vetted broker with no listing fee, but a heavy commission on smaller sales and a bar to get in: its own page asks for at least $24,000 a year in net profit and 12 months of history. Listings are exclusive to Empire Flippers for the first 2 months. It fits larger, established businesses.
Flippa. The most general of the four. It charges a listing fee on self-service plans and a success fee that depends on the plan, so read its pricing page before you choose a tier. It works best when the asset is small or doesn't fit anywhere else.
What you keep on the same sale
Here is the cost of a sale at three sizes, using each company's published fees. We assume four months listed, and for Acquire.com that the 7% tier applies at exactly $250K and $1M, because its pricing page doesn't say how a boundary price is treated. Flippa is left out because its success fee varies by plan.
| Sale price | AIExchange.club (10%) | Acquire.com | Empire Flippers |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $5,000 fee, you keep $45,000 | $4,000 + $100 listing = $4,100, you keep $45,900 | $10,000 flat, you keep $40,000 |
| $250,000 | $25,000 fee, you keep $225,000 | $17,500 + $200 = $17,700, you keep $232,300 | $37,500, you keep $212,500 |
| $1,000,000 | $100,000 fee, you keep $900,000 | $70,000 + $200 = $70,200, you keep $929,800 | $129,000, you keep $871,000 |
Two things stand out. Acquire.com is the cheapest on percentage. Empire Flippers costs the most on deals up to about $2.5 million, where its blended rate drops below a flat 10%. So the fee alone doesn't pick a winner. What you get for it does: who the buyers are, how much help you have, and whether the process fits an AI or SaaS business.
How to choose
- Small sale under about $50K, or a site or domain: a general marketplace such as Flippa is usually enough.
- A SaaS or AI business making money: a specialist is a better fit than a general board, and the buyers know what they're reading. Prepare your numbers first with our sale prep checklist.
- Over about $1M with a long history: compare a full-service broker, and read the exclusivity terms.
- Want to know what it's worth first? Start with our SaaS valuation guide or the estimator below.
What's your SaaS worth?
= $120,000 ARR
45% of revenue is typical
Show the math
An estimate, not an appraisal. It can't see your code, your contracts, or your competitive position. Treat it as a starting range.
Get a full valuation →Is Flippa legit?
Yes. It is an established marketplace, and its own site describes a verifications team, financial data integrations, and escrow through Escrow.com or its payment service. The real question is fit and cost, not legitimacy. A recurring-revenue business often does better where buyers are shopping for exactly that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Flippa alternative for a SaaS business?
It depends on size and how much help you want. For a cash-flowing AI or SaaS business, a specialist marketplace such as AIExchange.club or Acquire.com is a better fit than a general board. Empire Flippers suits larger, established businesses.
Is Flippa free to sell on?
No. Self-service listings carry a listing fee, and a success fee applies when you sell. Check the current plans on Flippa's pricing page.
Is Flippa legit?
Yes, it is an established marketplace. Whether it is the best place for your business depends on what you sell and how large the sale is.
What is the cheapest way to sell an app or SaaS?
On percentage alone, Acquire.com is lower than the others in our table, but its monthly listing fee adds up on a slow sale. We charge no listing fee and a flat 10% when the deal closes. Compare total cost, not just the headline rate.
Flippa vs Empire Flippers: which is better?
Flippa takes all asset types and lets you list on your own. Empire Flippers screens listings and charges a larger commission, and suits larger, profitable businesses. See our table above for the cost on the same sale.
How do I know what my business is worth before I list?
Work out your seller's discretionary earnings and apply the multiple for your size. The estimator above gives a quick range, and the rule of thumb guide shows where quick rules go wrong.
Next step
If you own an AI or SaaS business that already makes money, listing on AIExchange.club is free, and the flat 10% success fee is only paid when your deal closes. The deal room, escrow and in-platform contracts are included (see fees and pricing).
List your AI-powered business →
Not sure yet? Talk it through with us.
AI Business Broker | Helping AI SaaS founders secure confidential exits | 2.16M in AUM
Comments (0)
Be the first to share your thoughts.
