Online Brokerage and Marketplace Reviews: A Comprehensive Guide

So, after a lot of research and perhaps some soul searching, you’ve decided to buy an online business. The first thing you need is deal flow and you have a few options to go about this: You can either use a broker or marketplace that specializes in online businesses or simply source the deals privately yourself. While there are pros and cons to both, most buyers tend to go in the broker direction — at least for their first few deals — as it allows you to assess more deals and provides better structure and support. Naturally, the question arises, which broker should you choose? Well, there are a ton of options and the right one for you typically depends on the type of online businesses you’re after, your budget, preferred communication styles, and so much more.

The Breakdown of MicroAcquire

As part of our ongoing series of reviewing online brokerages and marketplaces, we chatted with Andrew Gazdecki, CEO of MicroAcquire. Andrew explains that the seed of MicroAcquire sprouted after my first serious exit in 2017. I remember wondering why the acquisition process was so long and complicated. There was too much friction and inefficiency and not enough support for founders. We launched MicroAcquire to consolidate the market and help more startups get acquired.

Regarding their specialization, Andrew states: We exclusively list profitable, revenue-generating SaaS and eCommerce businesses. We only approve startups for listing if they generate revenue (pre-revenue startups aren’t permitted). We support startups of all sizes. Most importantly, selling your business on MicroAcquire is entirely free and we do not charge a fee or commission when acquired to startup founders.

Vetting and Financing Options

What kind of vetting is involved? Andrew notes that vetting involves checking if the site is genuine, verifying posted financial metrics, helping the founder value their business properly, and removing controversial industries. Startups listed on MicroAcquire are able to connect their true financial metrics via our integrations with Stripe, Profitwell, Baremetrics, and Chartmogul as well as search traffic with Google Analytics.

On the subject of financing, buyers are free to negotiate any financing they wish so long as they agree to it in advance with the seller. Buyers can also take advantage of Pipe or Clearco revenue-based financing for the acquisition of SaaS and ecommerce startups. We also recently partnered with AngelList where buyers can raise acquisition funding via an SPV.

Platform Statistics and Reach

MicroAcquire is the #1 startup acquisition marketplace, with over 100,000 trusted buyers and sellers on the platform. Key performance metrics include:

• Combined Revenue: Over $1 billion across 1,000s of vetted, profitable startups.
• Average Acquisition Size: Around $500,000 (rising every month).
• Closed Deals: 500+ closed acquisitions, exceeding totaling $100M+ in exit value.
• Notable Customers: OpenStore, Tiny Capital, Saltwater, Hootsuite, Hubspot, and Shopify.

Marketplace Comparison

As a way to help you make the right decision, here is a comparison of some of the industry leaders:

• Empire Flippers: Deals with a wide variety including eCommerce, content, and SaaS. Their price range goes from as low as $40K all the way to $10M+. They have an extensive vetting process and reject 92% of businesses.
• Quiet Light Brokerage: Focuses on SaaS, eCommerce, FBA, and content. Their deals range from $250K to $100M+. Vetting includes P&L and financial statement review and in-depth Q&A.
• MicroAcquire: Specializes in SaaS and eCommerce with a price range from < $10K to $100M+. They vet the business itself, website traffic, financials, and the seller’s background.

Specialized Marketplaces: Domains and Broker-Dealers

Selling High-Value Domains

For domain investors seeking to maximize revenue, deciding how to sell high-value domains can be one of the most strategic choices they make. Marketplaces have long been the default avenue because they provide immediate exposure and accessibility. Platforms like Afternic, Sedo, Dan, and GoDaddy Auctions attract millions of visitors each month, ranging from small business owners to corporate brand managers. However, marketplaces charge commissions that range from 10 percent to as high as 25 percent of the sale price. Private brokerage offers a starkly different dynamic, revolving around targeted outreach and relationship-driven sales.

The Broker Dealer Marketplace

The team at CXG developed the first private platform, BrokerDealerForSale.com, dedicated to selling and buying both shell and performing Broker Dealers. It identifies the best match for both buyers and sellers by understanding the capital and strategic needs of both sides of the marketplace. This platform assists buyers seeking to acquire shell or producing Broker Dealers, owners seeking to merge, and investors looking to place growth capital.

Advanced Tools for Buyers and Brokers

In the residential mortgage marketplace, LoanNEX is the next-generation engine for products, pricing, and eligibility. It is the only interactive platform where you can shop, engage, and transact. It supports over 100 unique attributes for greater accuracy and clarity, making discovery and decisions easy for all borrower types, including the more challenging non-QM market.