Selling
Can I sell my app if it’s small? Selling low-revenue, side-project and neglected apps
Short answer
Can I sell my app if it only makes a few hundred dollars a month? Yes. Small apps, side-project apps and apps you haven’t updated in a while sell regularly. Small apps tend to sit at the lower end of the 1–4x annual-profit range (RevenueCat puts typical app sales at 1–3x). The main obstacle is fees: broker minimums can swallow a small deal, so small apps usually sell best on small-project marketplaces such as Microns or TrustMRR, or directly to a buyer with no fees. I buy apps from about $10K that have been live for at least 6 months with steady revenue; if yours is newer or smaller, a small-project marketplace is the better fit.
Disclosure: I’m a direct buyer, one of the options below. Marketplace fees link to each platform’s own pricing page, checked September 2026.
Thinking of selling? Send me the store link and rough numbers; I usually reply within a few hours, with no fees for you. Send me your app
What is a small app worth?
A small app is usually worth about 1–3x its annual profit, the lower end of the 1–4x range most apps sell for. RevenueCat’s guide to selling an app gives 1–3x annual profit as the typical range (checked September 2026). Here is what that means in dollars:
| Monthly profit | Rough range (1–3x annual profit) |
|---|---|
| $300 | $3,600–$10,800 |
| $800 | $9,600–$28,800 |
| $1,500 | $18,000–$54,000 |
| $3,000 | $36,000–$108,000 |
A guide, not an offer; simple arithmetic from the published 1–3x multiple. Trend, traffic source and store history move apps up or down the range. For the full picture, see how much is my app worth, or try the valuation calculator.
Is it worth selling an app that makes $500 a month?
Often, yes: at 1–3x annual profit, an app making $500 a month is worth roughly $6,000–$18,000. That’s real money for something you may be spending little time on. The catch is the route. Fees that are fine on a large sale can take a big bite out of a small one, so pick a low-fee or no-fee route.
Honestly, an app at this size is often below where I buy (deals from about $10K, apps live ~6 months with steady revenue). If it sits near the top of that range and has a stable track record, send it to me anyway; if not, a small-project marketplace is the realistic place to sell it.
Who buys small apps?
Small apps are mostly bought on small-project marketplaces and by direct buyers, because brokers’ minimum fees make small deals uneconomic.
- Small-project marketplaces. Microns and TrustMRR list smaller projects. Microns charges 10% on deals from $1K, 8% from $10K and 6% from $100K, with free listing (checked September 2026). Compare more options in Flippa alternatives.
- Direct buyers. No listing and no commission. If your app is worth around $10K or more and has a track record, you can sell your app directly to me.
- Brokers. Usually not worth it for small apps: Empire Flippers charges a $10,000 minimum commission (checked September 2026), which would take a third of a $30,000 sale.
More on the options in where to sell my app.
Why are small apps harder to sell, and how do you fix it?
Small apps are harder to sell because fees are large relative to the price, buyers worry the revenue is fragile, and the handover can feel bigger than the deal. Each has a fix:
- Fees eat the deal. Choose a percentage-based marketplace or a direct buyer instead of a broker with a fixed minimum.
- Buyers worry about fragility. Show that revenue has been stable for 6–12 months and doesn’t depend on one keyword or one ad campaign.
- The handover feels too big. Make it easy: a short doc on how to build and release, and a clean list of the services and accounts involved.
Can I sell an app I haven’t updated in a while?
Usually, yes. Plenty of apps keep earning with little maintenance, and a buyer who plans to modernize them sees upside. Be clear about the state of the code and the minimum iOS version. Apps that still earn and rank are the easiest to sell even if they look dated.
If your small app has strong downloads but low profit, tell me: in that case I can go up to 120x monthly profit (average of the last 3 months) instead of my usual 6–36x. There’s no fixed download threshold; I look at each app.
If the app has been removed from the App Store, it’s harder: it may not meet Apple’s transfer criteria, and it has no current revenue to value. It may still be worth something for its code, name or domain.
Can I sell an app with no revenue?
Sometimes, but expect fewer buyers and a price based on potential, not profit. If it has real downloads, strong keyword rankings or an engaged user base, a buyer who knows how to monetize may be interested. Pre-launch apps and ideas rarely sell.
Brand-new or pre-revenue apps aren’t a fit for me, because I need some revenue history to make a fair offer. Small-project marketplaces are the better place to try, and you’re welcome to come back once the app has a few months of steady revenue.
Sell it, or shut it down?
If the app makes money or has real users, selling almost always beats shutting it down: you get paid and your users keep their app. Shutting down makes sense only when there’s no revenue, no users and nothing a buyer could build on. I walk through that decision in should I sell my app or shut it down.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the minimum app size you buy?
Deals from about $10K, for apps that have been live for at least 6 months with steady revenue. That track record is what lets me make a fair offer quickly. Smaller or newer apps usually do better on small-project marketplaces such as Microns or TrustMRR.
Where do I sell a side-project app?
Small-project marketplaces like Microns or TrustMRR, or directly to a buyer. Brokers usually aren’t worth it for small deals because of minimum fees. See where to sell my app.
Do marketplaces have minimums for small apps?
Some do. Microns asks for projects that are at least five months old and profitable, and Empire Flippers charges a $10,000 minimum commission, which rules out most small apps (both checked September 2026). Flippa and TrustMRR accept smaller listings.
What is a small app worth?
Usually a multiple of its monthly profit. I price apps at around 6–36x monthly profit (average of the last 3 months), depending on trend, revenue quality and risk. The free app valuation calculator gives a rough range in about 2 minutes.