Selling
Where can I sell my app? Flippa vs Acquire.com vs brokers vs a direct buyer
Short answer
If you’re wondering where to sell your app, there are three routes: a marketplace (Flippa, Acquire.com, Microns, TrustMRR), a broker (Empire Flippers, FE International), or a direct buyer who acquires apps privately. Seller fees run about 3–15% (marketplaces roughly 6–10%, FE International 3–5%, Empire Flippers up to 15% or a $10,000 minimum); a direct buyer charges none, and closes fastest.
Disclosure: I’m a direct buyer, so I’m one of the options below. I’ve tried to keep this fair, including when you shouldn’t sell to me.
Thinking of selling? Send me the store link and rough numbers; I reply within 1 hour, with no fees for you. Send me your app
How do seller fees compare in September 2026?
Marketplaces take roughly 6–10% of the sale plus listing or monthly fees, brokers take 3–5% (FE International) up to 15% or a $10,000 minimum (Empire Flippers), and a direct buyer takes nothing.
| Platform | Type | Seller fees (short) | Good fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flippa | Open marketplace | Listing package + 10% success fee (in the $10K–$99.9K bands) | Any size, maximum exposure |
| Acquire.com | Curated marketplace | 6–8% closing fee + $25–$100/month | Profitable software; SaaS-leaning |
| Microns | Marketplace for small projects | 6–10%; no listing fee | Small profitable apps, 5+ months old |
| TrustMRR | Verified-revenue marketplace | 1.5% + half escrow (fees page); 4–6% + $29 (seller page) | Apps with verified subscription revenue; public numbers |
| Empire Flippers | Broker / curated marketplace | $10,000 minimum; 15% up to $700K; lower above | Established apps |
| FE International | M&A advisor | Closing fee: 5% under $250K, 4% from $250K to $1M, 3% above $1M | Larger online businesses; confidential by default, buyers sign an NDA |
| Direct buyer (e.g. me) | Private buyer | None | Private deals up to $1M+, no minimum deal size or app age |
From each platform’s public pricing page, checked September 2026. Fees change; confirm before you list.
Full breakdown, with what you’d net on a $25K, $50K and $100K sale: Flippa fees vs Empire Flippers and Acquire.com. Platform by platform: Empire Flippers, Acquire.com, Microns and TrustMRR vs selling directly, or try your own price in the app sale fee calculator.
Should I sell my app on a marketplace like Flippa or Acquire.com?
It can work if you’re fine with your numbers going to many buyers and the fees, and have time to run the process yourself. You create a listing with your metrics, buyers ask questions and make offers, and you negotiate with each of them.
Pros: many potential buyers and useful benchmarks: Flippa and Acquire.com both publish multiples data.
Cons: your app is visible to competitors (some details can be gated behind an NDA), fees come out of your proceeds, and you spend time filtering buyers who never close. Acquire.com reports an average of 81 days on market, and its monthly listing fee runs the whole time.
If your app is small, Microns and TrustMRR fit better than the big marketplaces; see selling a small app. And if Flippa specifically isn’t for you, compare the Flippa alternatives.
Should I use a mobile app broker?
Only if your app is large enough that a managed process pays for its fee. A broker vets your app, prepares the listing, markets it to their buyer list and handles negotiation and closing, in exchange for a fee: FE International publishes a 5% closing fee under $250K (4% up to $1M, 3% above), and Empire Flippers charges at least $10,000, which is a quarter of a $40K sale.
Which brokers handle apps, what they charge and how to vet them: mobile app broker guide.
Can I sell my app directly to a buyer?
Yes. You contact a buyer who acquires apps, share numbers privately, and get an offer, with no listing and no fees. Buyers include direct buyers like me and app holding companies; here’s an overview of the companies that buy apps, and what a direct iOS app buyer looks like in my own case. Older lists still name Apps Buyout and AppFlip, but Apps Buyout no longer buys apps and AppFlip is now App Peak, a broker (checked September 2026).
Pros: no fees, no public listing, a decision-maker on the other side, and usually the fastest close. My deals typically close about 14 days after the first message, everything included.
How to compare: put the offer next to what you’d net elsewhere after fees and months of listing. My valuation guide shows how.
Should I get direct offers before listing on a marketplace?
Yes. Direct offers cost nothing, take days rather than months, and keep your numbers private, so asking a few direct buyers first costs you no fees and only a few days. If one of them makes an offer you’re happy with, you’re done: no listing, no fees. If none does, you list with a clear idea of what the app is worth and what you’d net, which is a much better starting point for a listing than a guess. What to send is in selling your app to several buyers; if you later list, check the marketplace’s terms on deals with buyers you met there.
How long does each route take?
What each platform publishes about its own time to sell, on its own page:
| Route | Published time to sell | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Direct to me | About 14 days | First message to closed deal, everything included |
| TrustMRR (source) | 23 days | Average time to acquisition, last 365 days |
| Flippa (source) | 15 days under $50K; 49 days $50K–$250K; 73 days above | Median closing time, businesses sold in 2023 |
| Acquire.com (source) | 81 days | Average time on market, SaaS deals reported for 2025 (no app figure published) |
| Empire Flippers (source) | 129 days; about 102 days in its own 2026 analysis (source) | Average time to sale (live counter); 84 deals sold in 2026 (April 2026 post) |
| FE International (source) | 85% within 60 days | Online businesses, from its January 2025 guide to selling niche sites |
Checked September 2026. Microns publishes no average (“some startups sell within hours, while others take months”). The figures measure different things, so compare them loosely.
When shouldn’t you sell your app to me?
When the app isn’t what I buy.
- It’s outside what I buy. I mainly buy iOS apps, and I’m open to Android apps when the fit is right. I don’t buy games, SaaS, or web-only products.
- It has neither revenue nor users yet. There is no minimum age or deal size, and apps with little or no revenue are a fit too if they get 5K+ downloads a month; then downloads set the price, up to 120x monthly profit. If yours isn’t there yet, I’d be glad to hear from you once it is.
If one of those applies, I’ll tell you straight away. An app that doesn’t match every criterion is still worth a message: I look at each one individually and reply within 1 hour.
How do I vet an app buyer?
Check who they are, whether they’ll use an NDA and escrow, and how they explain their price.
- Can they show they’ve bought or built apps before? Look for a real name, a real track record and a LinkedIn profile.
- Will they sign an NDA and use escrow? A serious buyer will say yes to both.
- Do they explain their valuation, or just throw out a number?
- Do they ask for your developer account login? They shouldn’t. Apps move through Apple’s app transfer.
The full checklist, step by step, is in is it safe to sell my app to a private buyer?
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to sell an app on Flippa?
Flippa’s own page gives median closing times for businesses sold in 2023: 15 days under $50K, 49 days from $50K to $250K and 73 days above. A direct sale to me typically closes in about 14 days, everything included.
What is the best place to sell my app?
It depends on size and priorities. For maximum exposure, a marketplace like Flippa or Acquire.com. For a managed process on a larger app, a broker. For speed, privacy and no fees, a direct buyer.
Is Flippa good for selling an app?
Flippa has a large buyer pool and works for apps of any size, but listings are public, fees come out of your sale, and you’ll screen many offers yourself. See Flippa fees for the numbers.
Does Acquire.com accept mobile apps?
Profitable apps can be listed, though the marketplace leans toward SaaS. For deals under $250K, seller fees are an 8% closing fee plus $25 a month (checked September 2026).
Are there companies that buy iOS apps directly?
Yes. Independent buyers and app holding companies buy apps directly, without a marketplace. See companies that buy apps. I’m one of them, with deals up to $1M+, no minimum deal size and no seller fees. I mainly buy iOS apps, and I’m open to Android apps when the fit is right. I don’t buy games, SaaS, or web-only products.
How do I avoid scams when selling my app?
Always use escrow, never share your developer account login, verify who the buyer is, and move the app only through Apple’s official transfer. See safe payment for app sales.