Flippa vs Acquire.com – The Ultimate 2025 Comparison for Buying & Selling Online Businesses

The Flippa Marketplace: High Volume, Variety, and Accessibility

Flippa is a long-established, open marketplace that lists just about every type of online business imaginable. Since its founding in 2009, Flippa has become the go-to platform for both first-time buyers and experienced investors, thanks to its sheer volume and range.

What Flippa Offers

• Wide Asset Selection: From small content blogs and affiliate sites to six- and seven-figure SaaS apps, e-commerce brands, Amazon FBA and any Online businesses, Flippa’s marketplace is unmatched for breadth.
• Open Access: Anyone can create a listing. Sellers provide business details (financials, traffic, monetisation, etc.), with options for verification (Google Analytics, screenshots, etc.) to build trust.
• Large Audience: Over 600,000 buyers and investors (from individuals to private equity) use Flippa. This means more visibility for your listing, but also more competition among buyers.
• Automated Tools: Flippa’s online business valuation calculator, community comment sections, and verification badges help buyers sort the wheat from the chaff.

Who is Flippa For?

• Sellers of small to mid-sized businesses, side projects, content sites, and even starter websites.
• Buyers who want lots of choice, a chance to find undervalued gems, or prefer auctions and instant negotiations.
• Anyone who wants to get started quickly and is happy to perform their own due diligence.

However, the downside of this openness is variability: you’ll find some high-quality assets, but also underperforming or unproven listings, so thorough research is essential.

The Acquire.com Marketplace: Curation, Confidentiality, and Professionalism

Acquire.com (formerly MicroAcquire) launched in 2020 and quickly built a reputation as the leading marketplace for startup and SaaS acquisitions. Its focus is quality over quantity, aiming to facilitate smooth, high-trust deals for profitable, established online businesses.

What Makes Acquire.com Unique?

• Curated, Vetted Listings: Every listing is reviewed by the Acquire.com team before going live. Most businesses are SaaS, e-commerce, agencies, or established online brands, with verified revenue and traffic via integrations (Stripe, Shopify, Google Analytics, etc.).
• Confidential Process: Listings are anonymous by default. Buyers must sign an NDA to unlock business names, URLs, and sensitive details, protecting seller privacy and attracting only serious inquiries.
• Professional Workflow: Integrated deal rooms, live performance dashboards, templated Letters of Intent (LOIs), and built-in escrow make for a seamless and guided transaction experience.
• Serious Buyer Network: Acquire.com attracts professional investors, PE firms, VCs, and experienced acquirers through its paid buyer subscription model.

Who is Acquire.com For?

• SaaS and tech founders seeking a discreet exit with expert support.
• Buyers looking for quality, not quantity—especially those focusing on mid- to high-value SaaS, tech, or e-commerce businesses.
• PE/VC and experienced digital business acquirers who expect a curated, professional experience.

Note: If you’re selling or buying a side-project, small blog, or asset under $10,000, Acquire.com isn’t for you—the focus is firmly on profitable startups and tech companies in the five- to seven-figure range.

Quick Comparison Table: Flippa vs Acquire.com (2025, All Fees in USD)

Aspect	Flippa	Acquire.com
Types of Assets	Very broad: content, e-commerce, SaaS, Amazon FBA, apps, domains	Primarily SaaS, tech, established e-commerce, agencies, etc.
User Base	600,000+ buyers/investors, global, wide spectrum	500,000+ buyers, skewed to professional and startup investors
Listing Process	Open, self-service, instant, optional verification	Curated, vetted, reviewed before going live, NDA-gated
Seller Fees	Listing fee: $29–$49 (standard 60 days), premium upgrades cost more.  Success fee: 5%–10% of final sale price.  Optional extras: $100 for confidential listing, due diligence services, legal templates, etc.	Monthly listing fee: $25–$100 (based on asking price tier) Success fee: 6%–8% of final sale price Monthly fee until business sells or you cancel. Free escrow included.
Buyer Fees	Free to browse & bid. Credit card holds for serious bids/offers.	Free to browse. To contact sellers/access details:  Premium: $390/year,  Platinum: $780/year. (Gives access to more listings/support.)
Asset Vetting	Self-reported by seller; optional verification and review tools	Mandatory vetting, integrated performance dashboards
Confidentiality	Public by default, upgrade for private/hidden listings	Private/anonymous by default, NDA required for details
Transaction Process	Direct negotiation, integrated Escrow.com, optional broker/VIP services	Fully guided workflow, escrow included, advisor support
Support	Self-serve help centre, email support, broker/VIP services for extra fee	Hands-on M&A advisors, priority support for Platinum buyers

Asset Selection & Listing Quality

Flippa: Marketplace for All Digital Assets

• Breadth: Flippa’s vast catalogue includes everything from $500 starter blogs to $1,000,000+ SaaS apps.
• Opportunity and Risk: The wide-open listing policy means plenty of diamonds in the rough, but also some lower-quality or failing businesses. Extensive due diligence is required to find the best deals.
• Verification: Sellers can choose to verify revenue, connect Google Analytics, and receive verification badges to reassure buyers, but not every listing is vetted by the platform itself.

Acquire.com: Curation and Good Standards

• Curated Selection: Acquire.com only lists businesses that pass a review process, with mandatory connection of financial/traffic data via Stripe, Shopify, Google Analytics, etc.
• Quality Over Quantity: Buyers won’t wade through low-value or underperforming listings—only established, vetted businesses make it through.
• Confidentiality: Every listing starts out anonymous, with real details only available to buyers who sign an NDA and are approved by the seller.

Listing & Verification Process

How to List a Business

• Flippa: Fill out the online listing form, submit details, choose a listing package (starting at $29), and your business can be live the same day. Identity verification and proof of ownership are required, but vetting is optional.
• Acquire.com: Submit your business for review, connect your Stripe or analytics accounts, provide detailed financials, and pass Acquire.com’s quality check. Only then is your listing approved and published (anonymously).

Buyer Access

• Flippa: Anyone can browse, filter, and bid. Verification holds apply for higher-value offers to deter fraud.
• Acquire.com: All users can browse, but to contact sellers or view confidential details, you must purchase a paid buyer subscription (Premium $390/year, Platinum $780/year). This filters out “tire-kickers” and ensures serious interest.

Flippa vs Acquire.com: Pricing & Fees Comparison (2025, USD)