Selling
What do app buyers require? Minimum revenue, age and deal size by buyer (2026)
Short answer
App buyers set very different bars. Flippa publishes no minimum and accepts unprofitable businesses; Acquire.com wants a business that already earns revenue; Microns takes only profitable projects at least 5 months old; Empire Flippers asks for $24,000 a year in net profit and 12 months of track record. Direct buyers set their own rules: I have no minimum deal size and no minimum age, and I buy iOS apps with steady revenue, or with 5K+ downloads a month if they earn little yet.
Disclosure: I’m a direct buyer, one of the options below. Every platform’s rule comes from its own page, linked in the table, checked September 2026.
Which buyers have minimums?
| Buyer or route | Revenue or profit | Track record | Deal size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct to me | Steady revenue, or 5K+ monthly downloads with little or none | No minimum | No minimum, up to $1M+ |
| Flippa (source) | None published; unprofitable businesses accepted | None published for a self-listing; the app must be live, unique and original, with its source code (no reskins or clones) | Any |
| Acquire.com (source) | Must already earn revenue; pre-revenue only for SaaS under $25K | None published | None published |
| Microns (source) | Profitable only; no pre-revenue | At least 5 months, with paying customers | Asking price $1K–$1M |
| TrustMRR (source) | Revenue verified through a connected payment provider (RevenueCat supported) | None published | None published |
| Empire Flippers (source) | $24,000 a year net profit (about $2K a month) | At least 12 months of revenue | None published; its fee has a $10,000 minimum, and it asks for 2 months’ exclusivity |
| FE International (source) | No minimum on its sell pages; its January 2025 guide points sites under $500 a month to a marketplace | None published | Fee 3–5% by price |
Each platform’s own seller page, checked September 2026. Flippa’s brokered tier (a separate paid service) asks for 12 months of trading and consistent profit; a normal Flippa listing doesn’t. Rules change: check the page before you apply.
Why do buyers set minimums?
Because checking an app takes about the same work whether it earns $500 or $50,000 a month. Brokers earn a percentage, so small deals don’t cover their time, which is why their minimums are the highest. Curated marketplaces set floors to keep their listings attractive to buyers. A direct buyer who reviews every app personally can decide case by case, which is how small apps still find a buyer.
Can I sell an app with no revenue?
Yes, but on fewer routes. From the table: Microns doesn’t accept pre-revenue projects; Acquire.com only lists pre-revenue SaaS under $25K; Empire Flippers needs a year of profit. Flippa accepts unprofitable businesses.
Without revenue, what a buyer pays for is the audience: steady downloads, good ratings, and room to add monetization. I look at apps with little or no revenue if they get 5K+ downloads a month, and price them on those downloads, up to 120x monthly profit. More in selling a small app.
Can I sell an app that’s only a few months old?
On some routes. Microns wants at least 5 months with paying customers, and Empire Flippers at least 12 months of revenue. Flippa, Acquire.com and TrustMRR publish no age minimum. A young app sells more easily with verified numbers, because a short history is harder to trust; a longer track record raises the price, not just the chance of a sale. I have no minimum age.
What if my app is below every minimum?
- Try a buyer with no minimum. A direct buyer who reviews apps one by one, or a marketplace without a floor.
- Make the numbers easy to check. Screenshots from App Store Connect or Play Console, a clear cost list, and where downloads come from.
- Wait a few months if the trend is up. A growing app is worth more with a longer record.
- Get a range first. The app valuation calculator tells you roughly what the app is worth before you choose a route.
How do I find out if a buyer takes my app?
Read their criteria page first; most buyers publish what they buy and what they don’t (category, platform, revenue, age). If there’s no page, a two-line message does it: platform, category, monthly profit (average of the last 3 months), monthly downloads and age. A serious buyer answers yes, no or maybe in a day. What to send to several buyers at once is in selling your app to several buyers, and the types of buyers in who buys apps.
What do I require?
- Platform: iOS apps first, and Android apps when the fit is right. No games, SaaS, or web-only products.
- Revenue: steady revenue, from a few hundred dollars to $50K+ a month; or little or no revenue with 5K+ downloads a month.
- Age: no minimum; a longer track record raises the value.
- Deal size: no minimum, up to $1M+.
An app that doesn’t match every criterion is still worth a message: each one is looked at individually. The full list is in my acquisition criteria. I reply within 1 hour, charge no fees, and pay the escrow fee. Send me your app.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum revenue to sell an app?
It depends on the buyer. Flippa publishes no minimum, Microns takes only profitable projects, and Empire Flippers asks for $24,000 a year in net profit. I have no minimum deal size, and I also look at apps with little or no revenue if they get 5K+ downloads a month.
How old does an app have to be to sell it?
Microns asks for at least 5 months with paying customers and Empire Flippers for 12 months of revenue. Flippa, Acquire.com and TrustMRR publish no age minimum, and neither do I; a longer track record raises the price.
Does Acquire.com accept mobile apps?
Yes. Mobile apps are one of the business models its seller FAQ lists. The business has to be operating and earning revenue; pre-revenue listings are only accepted for SaaS under $25K.
What does Empire Flippers require to sell an app?
Its seller page asks for an online business making $24,000 a year or more in net profit, with at least 12 months of revenue. Its fee is a $10,000 minimum or 15% up to $700,000.
Can I sell an app with no revenue on Microns?
No. Microns says it doesn’t accept pre-revenue projects and only lists profitable startups at least 5 months old.