Comparison
Acquire.com alternative: selling your app to a direct buyer instead
Short answer
Acquire.com (called MicroAcquire until 2023) charges sellers an 8% closing fee plus $25 a month under $250K, and its January 2026 report on SaaS deals puts the average time on market at 81 days. Selling your app directly to a buyer like me costs $0 in fees. I reply within 1 hour and the deal closes in about 14 days, everything included. On a $50,000 sale, that’s roughly $45,925 net on Acquire.com vs $50,000 direct. Compare offers by what you’d net, not by the headline price. Acquire.com is a multi-category marketplace, strongest in SaaS, with a mobile apps category; it doesn’t buy apps itself. For an iOS app, selling directly keeps the full price in your pocket.
Disclosure: I’m the direct buyer in this comparison. Acquire.com’s figures come from its own seller pricing page and multiples report, checked September 2026.
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
Acquire.com vs selling directly: how do they compare?
Acquire.com is a curated marketplace: you list your business, buyers on the platform contact you, and you negotiate with the ones you choose. Selling directly means one buyer, one offer, no listing.
| Seller fee | Speed | Who sees your numbers | Who you deal with | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selling directly to me | $0: no listing fee, no commission, and I pay the escrow fee | A reply within 1 hour; about 14 days to a closed deal | Your numbers are never published or shown to other buyers; NDA on request | One named buyer, start to finish |
| Acquire.com | 6–8% closing fee + $25–$100 a month while listed | 81 days on market on average (January 2026 report, SaaS deals) | Buyers on the marketplace you share it with | Several buyers; you run the process |
Acquire.com: seller pricing and January 2026 multiples report, checked September 2026.
What does Acquire.com charge app sellers?
A closing fee on the sale price plus a monthly fee, both set by your asking price. You only pay the closing fee if the business sells, and Acquire.com covers the escrow cost.
| Asking price | Closing fee | Monthly fee |
|---|---|---|
| Under $250K | 8% | $25 |
| $250K–$1M | 7% | $50 |
| Above $1M | 6% | $100 |
Source: acquire.com/seller-pricing, checked September 2026.
The closing fee is lower than Flippa’s 10% and far below Empire Flippers’ $10,000 minimum. See them side by side in Flippa, Empire Flippers and Acquire.com fees.
What would you net on a $25K, $50K and $100K sale?
| Route | $25,000 sale | $50,000 sale | $100,000 sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selling directly to me | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Acquire.com (8% + 3 months at $25) | $22,925 | $45,925 | $91,925 |
Three months of listing fees approximates the reported 81-day SaaS average. Acquire.com covers escrow; with me, I pay the escrow fee. Before escrow and tax. The same app won’t necessarily sell for the same price on every route, so compare what you’d net, not headline prices. Try your own number in the app sale fee calculator.
How long does it take to sell on Acquire.com?
Acquire.com’s own January 2026 report gives an average of 81 days on market for SaaS deals, its largest segment; it publishes no figure for apps. That’s before closing, and there’s no guarantee of a sale. A direct sale skips the listing stage: you get a reply within 1 hour, an offer if the app fits, and a closed deal in about 14 days.
The marketplace also leans toward SaaS: its free valuation tool is for SaaS, and its multiples report covers SaaS rather than mobile apps. For app-specific numbers, see how much is my app worth.
What does a direct sale look like instead?
You send the store link and your monthly numbers (average of the last 3 months). I review the app myself and, if it fits, make a direct offer after checking what buyers verify. Payment goes through escrow (I pay the escrow fee), in full and in cash at closing, and the app moves through Apple’s official App Store transfer.
- No fees: no closing fee, no monthly fee.
- Private: no listing and no teaser. Your numbers are never published or shown to other buyers, and I sign an NDA on request.
- No buyer screening: you don’t have to sort serious buyers from browsers, or answer the same questions for each one.
- What I buy: iOS apps (and Android apps when the fit is right) with steady revenue or 5K+ monthly downloads, no minimum age, deals up to $1M+. I don’t buy games, SaaS, or web-only products.
How private is a sale on Acquire.com?
More private than an open listing, less private than one buyer. Acquire.com’s seller FAQ says your name and domain stay hidden when the listing goes live, and buyers who want the details sign a mutual NDA and wait for your approval (approval is automatic by default). Your headline numbers are still in front of every buyer browsing the platform, and once you accept an LOI the listing becomes uncontactable to others. With a direct sale, one buyer sees your numbers, under an NDA if you want one.
Which route fits your situation?
| Your situation | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| An iOS app earning $1K–$10K a month, and you want it done in weeks | A direct offer | No closing or monthly fee, about 14 days, no listing to manage. |
| An app with little revenue but 5K+ downloads a month | A direct offer | Acquire.com lists businesses that already earn revenue (pre-revenue only for SaaS under $25K); I price apps like this on their downloads, up to 120x monthly profit. |
| SaaS, a web-only product or a game | Acquire.com | I don’t buy those, and SaaS is Acquire.com’s largest segment. |
| You want many buyers to bid and can wait a few months | Acquire.com, with a direct offer in hand | The listing reaches the platform’s buyers; a direct offer tells you what any bid has to beat after the 6–8% fee and the months listed. |
| A deal above $1M | Either | Acquire.com’s fee drops to 6% + $100 a month above $1M; I buy up to $1M+ with no fees and pay the escrow fee. |
More routes compared in Flippa alternatives, what each buyer requires and direct buyer vs marketplaces.
Frequently asked questions
Is Acquire.com the same as MicroAcquire?
Yes. MicroAcquire renamed itself Acquire.com in January 2023 (Acquire.com).
What is a good Acquire.com alternative for a mobile app?
For an iOS app, the main alternatives are Flippa (larger, general marketplace), Microns (small projects, 6–10%) and direct buyers, who charge no fees. Acquire.com leans toward SaaS; I buy iOS apps directly, and Android apps when the fit is right.
How much does Acquire.com charge on a $50,000 sale?
An 8% closing fee ($4,000) plus $25 for each month you’re listed, as of September 2026 (Acquire.com). Acquire.com covers the escrow cost.
Can I list on Acquire.com and talk to a direct buyer at the same time?
Usually, yes. Check the platform’s terms for anything about exclusivity or off-platform deals with buyers you met there. A direct offer is a useful benchmark either way.