Valuation and fees
What are the best Flippa alternatives for selling an app?
Short answer
The best Flippa alternative for selling an app depends on its size: Acquire.com for curated software buyers, Microns or TrustMRR for small projects, Empire Flippers or FE International for large online businesses that want a managed auction, and a direct buyer if you want a private sale with no fees, in deals up to $1M+ with no minimum deal size.
Disclosure: I’m a direct buyer, one of the options below. Fees are from each platform’s public pricing page, checked September 2026.
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Why do app founders look for Flippa alternatives?
Mostly because of fees, public listings and the time it takes to screen buyers. Flippa has a big buyer pool, but the usual complaints are:
- Fees: a listing package plus a 10% success fee in the $10K–$99.9K bands (Flippa pricing, checked September 2026).
- Privacy: listings are public; NDA protection is a $199 add-on on the cheapest packages.
- Noise: many inquiries, lowball offers and buyers who never close.
- Time: you run the process yourself: answering questions, vetting buyers, negotiating.
For every Flippa package and band, see Flippa fees.
Which sites are like Flippa, and how do they compare?
The closest alternatives are Acquire.com, Microns and TrustMRR (marketplaces), Empire Flippers and FE International (brokers and advisors), and direct buyers.
| Option | Seller fees | Listing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flippa (baseline) | Listing package (from $29) + 10% success fee in the $10K–$99.9K bands | Public (NDA option on some packages) | Maximum exposure, any size |
| Acquire.com | 8% + $25/mo under $250K; 7% + $50/mo to $1M; 6% + $100/mo above | Curated | Profitable software; SaaS-leaning |
| Microns | 10% from $1K, 8% from $10K, 6% from $100K; no listing fee | Marketplace | Small profitable apps (5+ months old) |
| TrustMRR | 1.5% + half the escrow fee (fees page); its seller page says 4–6% + $29 listing | Public verified revenue | Apps with RevenueCat or Stripe revenue |
| Empire Flippers | $10,000 flat up to ~$66,667; 15% to $700K; lower above | Vetted, brokered | Established apps |
| FE International | 5% closing fee under $250K asking price, 4% from $250K to $1M, 3% above $1M | Advisor-led, confidential by default (buyer NDA) | Large online businesses |
| Direct buyer (e.g. me) | None | None, private | Private deals up to $1M+, no minimum deal size or app age |
Checked September 2026. Fees change; confirm on each platform’s pricing page before listing.
What would each alternative cost on a $50,000 sale?
Between $0 and $10,000, depending on the route. That’s simple arithmetic from the published fee schedules above.
| Route | Approx. seller fee | You keep (before escrow & tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Empire Flippers | $10,000 (minimum fee) | $40,000 |
| Flippa | $5,000 + listing package ($129–$699 in this band) | about $44,300–$44,870 |
| Acquire.com | $4,000 + $25 per month listed | just under $46,000 |
| Microns | $4,000 | $46,000 |
| Direct buyer | $0 | $50,000 |
On small and mid-sized deals, fees are a real share of your exit. So compare offers on what you actually keep, not on the headline price.
What are the alternatives to Empire Flippers for smaller apps?
Microns, TrustMRR and direct buyers. Empire Flippers charges a flat $10,000 on any sale up to about $66,667: 20% of a $50K deal and a quarter of a $40K one. Below that size, a percentage-based marketplace like Microns (8% from $10K) or a direct buyer usually leaves you with more. More in Empire Flippers alternative.
Which Flippa alternative fits my app?
Match the route to your app’s size and how much control and privacy you want.
- You’re selling a game, SaaS, or web-only product → Flippa or Acquire.com (I don’t buy those).
- Your app is small → Microns, TrustMRR or a direct buyer; broker minimums make little sense here. More in selling a small app.
- You’re selling a large, complex business (several products, a team, web assets) and want a managed auction → a broker or advisor. For a single iOS app, in deals up to $1M+, a direct buyer covers the same ground without the commission.
- You want it private, fast and with no fees → a direct buyer. You can sell your app directly, with no fees, to me, or compare other companies that buy apps.
The wider comparison is in where to sell my app.
Which apps don’t I buy?
Products outside my focus: I don’t buy games, SaaS, or web-only products. Size and age don’t rule an app out: there is no minimum deal size and no minimum age (a longer track record raises the value), and apps with little or no revenue are a fit too if they get 5K+ downloads a month. An app that doesn’t match every criterion is still worth a message; I’ll tell you right away if it isn’t a fit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Flippa for selling an app?
It depends on size and priorities: Acquire.com for curated software buyers, Microns or TrustMRR for small projects, Empire Flippers or FE International for large online businesses that want a managed auction, and a direct buyer if you want a private sale with no fees, in deals up to $1M+ with no minimum deal size.
Which Flippa alternative has the lowest fees?
A direct buyer: no listing fee and no success fee. Among marketplaces, Microns charges 6–10% with no listing fee, and Acquire.com 6–8% plus a monthly fee (checked September 2026). Full numbers: Flippa fees vs Empire Flippers and Acquire.com.
Is Acquire.com the same as MicroAcquire?
Yes. MicroAcquire rebranded to Acquire.com in January 2023, according to the company’s announcement.
Is there a way to sell an app without fees?
Yes, sell directly to a buyer. There is no listing or success fee; the usual remaining cost is escrow, which is often split. When you sell to me, I pay the escrow fee.
Are sites like Flippa safe?
The major marketplaces are legitimate, but you still need to vet buyers, use escrow, and never share your developer account login. See selling an app safely.