Online Business Selling Fees: Marketplace and Broker Comparison
By Graham Ashler · Last checked October 2026
Founder & Editor · Deal Field Guide
Online business selling fees are comparable only when you match the sale price, fee base, payment timing and work included. Empire Flippers uses a blended commission with a $10,000 floor; Acquire has standard marketplace and Guided pricing; FE separates marketplace from advisory; Flippa needs a package-specific quote. Unknown costs are not zero.
The question I would ask is simple: what do I keep, when do I get it, and what do I still have to do? “Which broker charges the lowest percentage?” answers only part of that.
This page compares selling costs. For the wider choice of provider, business type, buyer access and service model, use our marketplace comparison.
Online business selling fees: the current comparison
Providers do not all charge for the same service or use the same fee rule. The table below separates those differences before doing any math. Prices are USD; the source check is October 24, 2026.
| Provider and specific route | Published seller fee structure | Fee base and timing | What remains unresolved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquire.com standard marketplace | $25/$50/$100 monthly listing tiers; 8%/7%/6% closing tiers | Whole-price rate; final purchase price sets final rate. Broad total consideration includes deferred/noncash components; closing fee due in full at closing | Exactly $250,000 and $1 million tier wording conflicts; transaction-specific fee base must be confirmed |
| Acquire.com Guided by Acquire | Dedicated program page advertises 6% closing fee, no upfront fees | Separately advertised SaaS advisory program; confirm actual engagement | Acceptance, standard subscription treatment and agreement details |
| Empire Flippers standard brokerage | $10,000 minimum; 15% first $700,000, 8% next $4.3 million, 2.5% above $5 million | Marginal blended schedule on business consideration excluding separately priced inventory. $10,000 flat portion paid at first proceeds release | Exact commission allocation across deferred receipts needs the deal's payout schedule |
| FE International self-serve marketplace | 5% below $250,000; 4% $250,000–$1 million; 3% higher tier | Page describes a single success fee at closing scaled to asking price | Exact $1 million boundary; fee base, changed final price, inventory/deferred treatment require confirmation |
| FE International advisory | No commission rate or retainer amount published on the inspected service pages | Separate engagement; its investment-banking page describes a retainer credited against the success fee | Quote required; unknown, not free |
| Flippa package-specific sale | Upfront listing/brokerage package plus success fee | Package depends on asset and asking/reserve price; success fee depends on final sale value and service route | Dynamic packages could not be mapped reliably into a complete tier schedule; request exact package, rate/base and payer of transaction charges |
Evidence: Provider published terms (checked October 24, 2026). Acquire standard pricing, subscription terms, final-fee confirmation, buyer-and-seller terms, Guided pricing, Empire Flippers calculator and terms, FE marketplace pricing and advisory service, Flippa pricing and fee help.
That is not a cheapest-to-most-expensive ranking. It is a record of what can be calculated, which service it belongs to and what still needs a quote. Providers are alphabetical; referral economics do not set the order.
FE's investment-banking service page says its usual engagements combine a retainer and a success fee, with the retainer fully credited against the success fee. Provider published terms (checked October 24, 2026). Confirm the actual service and amount. If a fictional $5,000 retainer is fully credited against a $30,000 total success fee, the remaining fee is $25,000; the total is $30,000, not $35,000. The retainer still affects cash timing and may be at risk if no sale completes under the actual contract.
Put the same hypothetical sale through each calculable route
Holding the price constant isolates the fee effect. It does not predict the price each route will achieve, whether the business will be accepted, or whether it will sell. Those outcomes are not interchangeable.
The scenarios below assume asking price equals final business consideration; all payment is cash; no inventory, debt, tax, earnout or holdback; and four billed listing months for Acquire's standard route. The FE marketplace figures additionally assume its confirmed fee base would equal the stated price. They are not a quote for FE advisory work.
| Fictional all-cash business price, USD | Acquire standard closing fee plus four listing months | Empire Flippers standard commission | FE marketplace percentage illustration, subject to base confirmation | Flippa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $16,000 + $100 = $16,100 | $30,000 | 5% × $200,000 = $10,000 | Quote needed |
| $500,000 | $35,000 + $200 = $35,200 | $75,000 | 4% × $500,000 = $20,000 | Quote needed |
| $1,200,000 | $72,000 + $400 = $72,400 | $145,000 | 3% × $1,200,000 = $36,000 | Quote needed |
Basis: User assumption for price, structure, listing duration and FE fee-base scenario. Calculations use the published fee structures checked October 24, 2026 and linked above. Professional costs and any other deal-specific costs are excluded. Unknown costs do not become $0 in this table.
For example, Empire Flippers at $1.2 million is $105,000 on the first $700,000, plus $40,000 on the next $500,000: $145,000. Acquire's standard 6% rate on a $1.2 million final fee base is $72,000, plus the assumed $400 of listing subscriptions.
For a qualifying Guided engagement that actually confirms 6% with no upfront fee, a hypothetical $500,000 fee base would produce $30,000. That is a separate program illustration, not a reason to replace the standard $35,200 figure for every seller.
Once you have an actual route and quote, compare its total with the same-price scenario. If you are still choosing how much of the process to run yourself, finish that choice first.
Compare selling routes and the work included
A lower fee can lose to a better actual offer
A fee comparison tells you the cost at a price; it does not tell you the price. The right economic comparison is between real net offers with realistic costs, not two imaginary identical offers you have never received.
At a fictional $500,000 all-cash sale:
- Acquire's standard 7% closing fee plus four $50 listing payments leaves $464,800 before other costs.
- Empire Flippers' standard 15% commission leaves $425,000 before other costs.
- The difference under those assumptions is $39,800.
For Empire Flippers to leave the same $464,800 after its standard commission within the 15% band, the business price would need to be about $546,823.53: $464,800 ÷ 0.85. That is about $46,823.53 more gross consideration than the fictional $500,000 Acquire sale.
This is a break-even calculation, not evidence that either route produces a particular price. It is also incomplete until outside costs, deal structure and your responsibilities match. A provider saying it can get a better price needs deal-specific evidence; a low-fee provider does too.
My view is that this calculation makes sales pitches easier to evaluate. Instead of asking “are you worth the fee?”, ask “what would have to change in my actual outcome to cover the difference?” The answer may be more money, less work, a safer transfer or a structure that better suits you. Make that claim specific enough to test.
The fee base can matter more than a percentage point
“Sale price” can include different things in different agreements. Inventory, shares, seller financing and transition payments can change the base. Do not use one provider's definition for another.
| Deal component | What to do in the fee record |
|---|---|
| Business consideration | Identify the exact agreed assets or equity and consideration |
| Separately priced inventory | Record independently; only exclude from commission where that provider's terms support it |
| Seller note | Count once in total consideration; keep its payment schedule separate from cash at closing |
| Earnout | Record contingent amount and conditions; do not treat it as guaranteed cash |
| Holdback | Identify what must happen before it is released and whether the fee applies before release |
| Shares or other noncash value | Confirm valuation for fee purposes and how commission must be paid |
| Transition or service agreement | Ask whether it falls into the consideration definition |
| Applicable taxes and transaction expenses | Confirm treatment rather than assuming an after-tax figure |
Empire Flippers' published definition excludes inventory costs from purchase price for its standard commission. Acquire's published terms use a broad consideration definition including deferred and noncash components. Flippa's terms describe success fees on total transaction value or final sale price including applicable taxes. FE's marketplace pricing page does not settle every item above. Provider published terms (checked October 24, 2026): Empire Flippers terms, Acquire terms, Flippa terms, FE marketplace pricing.
If a fictional fee is 7% on $300,000, it is $21,000. If the actual fee base is $350,000, it is $24,500. The rate did not change; the fee rose by $3,500. A neat percentage comparison can hide that difference.
Cash at closing and total proceeds are different results
The largest headline offer may leave less immediately usable cash. Deferred consideration carries timing and collection questions, and some fees are payable before you receive the matching proceeds.
Consider a fictional standard Acquire sale with $300,000 of total consideration, a confirmed 7% fee, $210,000 paid at closing and a $90,000 fixed note. Assume $6,000 of outside costs and four $50 listing payments already paid.
| Cash record, fictional USD example | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash paid at closing | $210,000 |
| Full closing fee on $300,000 | −$21,000 |
| Assumed outside professional costs | −$6,000 |
| Closing wire after those deductions | $183,000 |
| Previously paid listing subscriptions | −$200 |
| Cumulative net cash after stated costs | $182,800 |
| Fixed note still unpaid | $90,000 |
| Total proceeds after listed costs, only if note fully collected | $272,800 |
Basis: User assumption for transaction and outside costs; standard rate and full fee on deferred consideration supported by Provider published terms (checked October 24, 2026), Acquire fee confirmation and terms, section 5.2.2.
Do not subtract the note from cash again. The starting cash line is already only the $210,000 down payment. Subtracting $90,000 a second time would double count it.
For Empire Flippers, the terms require its $10,000 flat-rate portion at first proceeds release after migration even where payments are deferred. The rest of a deal's commission allocation needs its written payout schedule. For FE and Flippa, get a deal-specific deferred-payment fee schedule rather than assuming fees follow collections. Different published rules produce different upfront cash; an unknown timing rule blocks a reliable cash-at-close answer.
Compare the responsibility you are buying
A fee buys access, tools, assistance or a managed process, depending on the engagement. The provider's label is less important than the work the written scope assigns to each party.
| Work | Ask the provider | Keep in your own budget |
|---|---|---|
| Financial preparation | Will you reconcile records, assemble them, or only display them? | Accurate books, accountant work and evidence for adjustments |
| Buyer screening | What identity/funds steps are included? | Your decision on buyer credibility and offer conditions |
| Listing and data room | Who drafts, updates and controls access? | Time to answer missing-data questions |
| Negotiation | Who speaks to buyers and advises on terms? | Your decisions and independent legal review |
| Transfer | Which assets are moved, and who resolves third-party restrictions? | Account approvals, supplier/customer permissions and testing |
| Deferred payments | Who tracks payments, and what happens after default? | Legal enforcement and collection risk where applicable |
FE advertises a self-serve marketplace with customer-success support and a separate advisory service. Acquire describes standard marketplace support and a distinct Guided offer. Flippa displays self-service and broker-led packages. Empire Flippers describes its managed process. Provider published terms (checked October 24, 2026) in the linked service pages. None of those descriptions is an independent guarantee that your sale will be easy.
Field Notes: the owner-hours bill follows the business
Operator experience: the publisher has run content and affiliate websites, Amazon FBA, KDP, SaaS, iOS apps and YouTube. He has not worked as a broker or sold through the marketplaces covered here. Shopify-specific operating conclusions are research-based.
The hidden expense in a sale is often the time it takes to explain what you do. A buyer asks for the traffic source split, why a month's costs fell, which account owns a subscription, or whether a contractor will stay. If your answer lives only in your head, you are the data room.
That is why I would prepare the record before purchasing more reach or promising a fast handover. A provider can help package evidence; it cannot create an invoice you never kept or make a supplier consent you never obtained.
AI may lower the cost of drafting a listing or making a checklist. My judgment is that this makes source records more important, not less: a polished explanation is now cheap. Reconciled earnings, a documented workload and working transfer permissions are harder to fake and much more useful to a buyer.
Use this quote comparison record before signing
A complete record lets you compare the deal twice: first as an all-cash economic cost, then as the actual payment structure. The blanks below are questions to resolve, not permission to enter zeros.
| Record item | Provider A | Provider B |
|---|---|---|
| Named program and service scope | Record actual offer | Record actual offer |
| Business consideration and final price basis | Record USD amount | Record USD amount |
| Inventory and its payment timing | Separate amount and rule | Separate amount and rule |
| Fee base and rate/formula | Written basis | Written basis |
| Upfront or recurring charges | Amount × actual periods | Amount × actual periods |
| Commission due at first funds release | Written amount | Written amount |
| Later commission deductions | Schedule or explicitly none | Schedule or explicitly none |
| Seller-paid transaction and outside costs | Quotes or unknown | Quotes or unknown |
| Cash released after transfer | Calculate from actual funds flow | Calculate from actual funds flow |
| Fixed deferred amount and collection protection | Terms and risk | Terms and risk |
| Contingent proceeds | Conditions, not guaranteed cash | Conditions, not guaranteed cash |
| Exclusivity, introduced-buyer tail and cancellation | Actual agreement | Actual agreement |
| Refund or no-sale obligations | Specific conditions | Specific conditions |
| Remaining seller tasks and time | Named tasks | Named tasks |
A provider with an unknown quote is still an option. It is simply not yet an option you can rank on total cost.
The Deal Decision Check: what can you decide now?
A decisive unknown should stop the relevant conclusion. It should not be averaged into a reassuring overall score.
| Your requirement | Evidence and decision rule | Finding | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compare same-price standard fee math | Use each supported formula and identical assumptions | Supported by the stated evidence | Calculate before comparing actual offers |
| Name a cheapest route for every business | Different services and unresolved fee bases | Does not fit | Obtain matched quotes |
| Decide a standard Acquire rate exactly at a boundary | Official source wording differs | Conflicting | Confirm dollar fee before listing |
| Assume FE advisory costs 3%–5% | Those rates belong to self-serve marketplace | Does not fit | Request advisory quote |
| Know net cash from a deferred deal | Need fee timing and complete funds flow | Unresolved | Obtain payout schedule |
| Count unknown Flippa costs as zero | No exact matched package quote | Does not fit | Complete the quote record |
A fee comparison should narrow your next step. If your price, program and cash timing are settled, ask that provider to confirm the written fee record. If the service model is still wrong for your needs, return to the marketplace comparison before paying to list.
How this page was researched
Deal Field Guide helps you buy or sell an online business with clear eyes — comparing the real routes, showing the money after fees, and telling you what owning each kind of business is actually like, with the source behind every number.
Research note: we read the linked official pricing, help and terms on October 24, 2026 and recomputed the fictional examples. We did not obtain negotiated engagements, submit a business or complete a transaction. FE's detailed fee-base questions, Flippa's complete dynamic mapping and the noted source conflicts remain unresolved. Software, including AI, may help organize research and drafting; the publisher remains responsible. See our methodology and affiliate disclosure. No provider referral link was active at this check.
This is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice.
Sources
- Acquire.com: standard seller pricing, subscription terms, final-fee confirmation, buyer-and-seller terms, Guided program.
- Empire Flippers: commission calculator, terms of use.
- FE International: marketplace seller pricing, advisory service, investment-banking engagement terms.
- Flippa: pricing, pricing/payment help, terms.
All sources checked October 24, 2026.