Flippa, Empire Flippers, Acquire.com or a broker? How to choose

Short answer. Flippa is an open marketplace where you list and manage the sale yourself; Empire Flippers reviews businesses before listing them and supports the sale; Acquire.com is a marketplace with a subscription-style listing fee, popular with startups. A broker prepares the business, approaches selected buyers and negotiates for you. The right choice depends on your size, readiness, time and how much confidentiality you need.

Key takeaways

• Marketplaces give you reach. Brokers give you preparation, selection and negotiation. Selling on your own gives you control.
• Flippa, Empire Flippers and Acquire.com work differently. None is "the best" for everyone.
• Fees change. Check each platform's current pricing page, and compare what you get for them.
• Confidentiality and the amount of work you take on vary a lot between routes.
• You can combine routes: a broker can present a business on a marketplace and to a direct network.

A note on where we stand. WiseExit is a broker and a Verified Flippa Broker. We've tried to describe each option fairly, from public information on each platform's own site, checked in October 2026. Platforms update their rules and fees, so verify the details before you decide.

What are the main ways to sell an eCommerce business?

There are four broad routes:

1. An open marketplace, where you create a listing and buyers contact you.
2. A vetted marketplace, which reviews businesses before listing them and supports the sale.
3. A broker or M&A advisor, who represents you through the whole process.
4. On your own, approaching buyers directly.

They differ on who does the work, who sees your business, how buyers are found and how you pay.

How does Flippa work?

Flippa is an online marketplace for buying and selling online businesses: eCommerce stores, content sites, apps, SaaS and more. It covers many sizes.

• Who does the work: you create the listing, answer buyers and negotiate, unless you work with a broker.
• Buyers: a large, open pool of registered buyers.
• Payments: Flippa partners with Escrow.com for transactions, where the buyer's funds are held by a third party during the transfer (Flippa Help Center).
• Fees: sellers pay a listing fee and a success fee when the sale completes. See Flippa's pricing page for current amounts.
• Brokers: Flippa runs a programme that lets approved brokers list businesses on behalf of sellers.

Strong points: reach, speed of listing, flexibility. Things to weigh: a public listing exposes your business to many people, and screening buyers and running negotiations is your job unless someone does it for you.

How does Empire Flippers work?

Empire Flippers is a vetted marketplace. It reviews businesses before listing them and supports the sale through to the transfer.

• Who does the work: the platform vets the business and helps with the sale and migration; you provide the data and answer questions.
• Requirements: it publishes minimum requirements for profit and track record on its sell page.
• Fees: a commission when the business sells, with the current schedule published on the same page.
• Buyers: a registered buyer pool. Listings hide the URL and identifying details until a buyer verifies their identity and funds (Empire Flippers).

Strong points: vetting, a structured process, help with migration. Things to weigh: minimum requirements, and a standard process that fits some businesses better than others.

How does Acquire.com work?

Acquire.com, formerly MicroAcquire, is a marketplace that became known for startup and SaaS acquisitions and also lists other online businesses, including eCommerce.

• Who does the work: you create the listing and manage conversations with buyers.
• Fees: its help centre lists a monthly listing fee and a closing fee payable only if you sell, with amounts that depend on the asking price (Acquire.com Help Center).
• Payments: closing can go through Escrow.com, according to the same page.
• Buyers: registered buyers who browse listings and contact sellers through the platform.

Strong points: a startup-oriented buyer base, simple listing. Things to weigh: how many active buyers there are for your category, and the fact that you run the process.

How does a broker work?

A broker, or M&A advisor, represents you. The typical scope:

• valuation and preparation of the numbers;
• an anonymous teaser and a full information pack;
• approaching selected buyers, on marketplaces and in their own network;
• screening buyers and managing NDAs;
• comparing offers and negotiating terms;
• supporting you through due diligence and closing.

Brokers are usually paid a success fee at closing. Some also charge upfront fees. Quality varies a lot, which is why it's worth asking the right questions. We list them in how to choose an eCommerce business broker.

And selling on your own?

You keep full control and you don't pay a commission. You also take on everything: valuation, preparation, finding buyers, confidentiality, negotiation, due diligence and legal work, while running the store. It can work well for simple deals or when a buyer has already approached you. We go through what you take on in selling your eCommerce business on your own.

How do the options compare?

How do I choose?

Ask yourself:

1. How big and how ready is the business? Some routes have minimum requirements. Others work best when the numbers are already clean.
2. How much time do I have? Running a sale while running the store is where performance drops.
3. How sensitive is confidentiality? If suppliers, staff or competitors finding out would hurt, staged disclosure matters.
4. Do I want several offers to compare? The first offer is rarely the best one.
5. Who negotiates the terms? Payment schedule, earn-outs, handover and non-compete are half the deal.

Which route fits which store? (illustrative profiles)

These profiles are illustrative, to show how the questions above play out. They're not recommendations for a specific business.

• A young store with a small, steady profit, run by the founder alone, no team. A self-managed listing on an open marketplace can make sense, with an anonymous teaser and an NDA before sharing the URL.
• A store that meets a vetted marketplace's minimums, with clean numbers and a founder who wants a structured process. A vetted marketplace is worth comparing with a broker.
• A brand with a team, supplier contracts and several channels, where a leak would hurt. A broker who approaches selected buyers, including companies in the industry, protects confidentiality and brings several offers to the table.
• A founder who has been approached by a competitor. Selling directly is possible, but an independent valuation tells you whether the offer is fair, and other buyers may pay more.

In every case, the preparation is the same: a monthly P&L that reconciles, accounts in the company's name and a data room. The route changes who does the rest.

How WiseExit fits in

We're Verified Flippa Brokers. Your brand can be presented on Flippa, the international marketplace for buying and selling online businesses, as well as to our direct network of qualified buyers. Where and how is agreed with you. Your brand name is only shared with those who have signed an NDA.

You can read the full process in how WiseExit works, or start with a number: request a free valuation. Answer in 24 hours, zero upfront costs, commission only at closing.