Businesses change hands in four places: general marketplaces, specialist online marketplaces, broker networks, and direct approaches that never appear anywhere public. Which one is right is decided by who your likely buyer is, and the fee differences are small next to the reach differences.
Get quotes to sell my business
General marketplaces
The widest pool of individual buyers searching by trade and location, for a listing fee measured in tens of dollars. Right for main street businesses where the buyer is a person who wants to run it. Wrong for anything a fund would buy, because funds do not browse. The trade off is that you do the screening yourself.
Specialist online marketplaces
Platforms built for online businesses, software and ecommerce, which publish their fees and run some or all of the process. The published US figures on this site run from 5% to 15% depending on price band and how much the platform does. They reach buyers who specifically want digital businesses, which a general listing does not.
Brokers and direct approaches
A broker's own buyer list and network reaches people who never search listings. A direct approach to named acquirers reaches funds and competitors, and is how most larger sales happen. Neither appears in public, which is also their advantage where confidentiality matters.
Other questions people ask
Can I use more than one venue?
Yes, subject to any exclusive listing agreement. Listing publicly while an adviser approaches named buyers directly is common.
Which venue is cheapest?
A general marketplace listing, by a wide margin. Whether it is the cheapest way to actually sell depends entirely on whether your buyer is there.
Do listings hurt confidentiality?
Only if written carelessly. A blind description that widens the geography and bands the figures protects most businesses; a specific one in a small trade does not.