Comparison
Empire Flippers alternative: selling your app to a direct buyer instead
Short answer
Empire Flippers charges sellers a flat $10,000 on any sale up to about $66,667 and 15% up to $700,000. Selling your app directly to a buyer like me costs nothing in fees: on a $40,000 sale that’s $30,000 net through Empire Flippers vs $40,000 direct. Compare offers by what you’d net, not by the headline price. I reply within 1 hour and the deal closes in about 14 days, everything included. Its $10,000 minimum makes smaller sales expensive: on a $40,000 app it’s 25% of the price.
Disclosure: I’m the direct buyer in this comparison. Empire Flippers’ figures come from its own commission calculator, 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
Empire Flippers vs selling directly: how do they compare?
Empire Flippers is a broker: it vets your business, lists it for its buyer network and handles the sale for a commission. A direct buyer skips all of that and buys the app outright. Side by side:
| 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 |
| Empire Flippers | $10,000 minimum; 15% up to $700K; lower above that | 129 days average time to sale (live counter); about 102 days across 84 deals in its 2026 analysis | Buyers on its marketplace | A broker, then the buyer they bring |
Empire Flippers: commission calculator, checked September 2026. Time to sale: seller page (live counter) and April 2026 analysis.
What does Empire Flippers charge app sellers?
A blended commission, with a $10,000 floor that matters most for smaller apps:
| Sale price | Commission |
|---|---|
| Up to ~$66,667 | $10,000 flat |
| ~$66,667–$700,000 | 15% of the sale price |
| $700,000–$5M | 8% on the amount above $700,000 |
| Above $5M | 2.5% on the amount above $5M |
Source: Empire Flippers commission calculator, checked September 2026.
On a $20,000 app, the flat fee is half the price. That’s why most founders of apps in the $10K–$60K range look for an Empire Flippers alternative: a small marketplace, or a direct buyer. Full fee comparison across platforms: 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 |
| Empire Flippers | $15,000 | $40,000 | $85,000 |
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.
On a $50,000 app, Empire Flippers needs to find a buyer at about $60,000 just to match a $50,000 direct offer.
What does a direct sale look like instead?
You send the store link and your monthly numbers (average of the last 3 months). I reply within 1 hour, and if the app fits, I send a direct offer after checking what buyers verify. Payment goes through escrow, in full and in cash at closing, and the app moves through Apple’s official App Store transfer. From first message to a closed deal usually takes about 14 days, everything included.
- No fees: no listing fee, no commission, and I pay the escrow fee.
- Private: no public listing. Your numbers are never published or shown to other buyers, and I sign an NDA on request.
- One person: the person who makes the offer is the one who takes over the app. No broker in between.
- 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.
I price apps at around 12–60x monthly profit (average of the last 3 months). Growing, organic, low-maintenance apps reach 50–60x. See where yours lands with the app valuation calculator.
What does Empire Flippers require before it lists an app?
Its seller page asks for an online business making $24,000 a year or more in net profit (about $2,000 a month) with at least 12 months of revenue, and its seller FAQ adds: “We ask for a 2 month exclusivity when listing your business with us.” Below that, the business isn’t listed. I have no minimum profit and no minimum age, and apps with little revenue but 5K+ downloads a month are a fit too.
Which route fits your situation?
| Your situation | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| An app under $2,000 a month in profit, or under 12 months old | A direct offer | It’s below Empire Flippers’ listing requirements; I have no minimum profit or age. |
| An iOS app earning $2K–$5K a month (roughly $50K–$150K) | A direct offer | The $10,000 minimum fee is 20% of a $50,000 sale and 10% of $100,000; a direct sale costs nothing and takes about 14 days. |
| A large business with several products and a team, above $700K | Empire Flippers or a direct offer | Its percentage falls above $700K and it runs the whole process; I buy up to $1M+ with no fees. |
| A game, SaaS or web-only product | Empire Flippers | I don’t buy those. |
More routes compared in where to sell your app, what each buyer requires and direct buyer vs marketplaces.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Empire Flippers alternative for a small app?
For an app under ~$66,667, Empire Flippers’ $10,000 minimum commission weighs heavily. The main alternatives are a small-project marketplace such as Microns (6–10%, no listing fee) or a direct buyer, who charges no fees at all. Compare them in Flippa alternatives.
How much are Empire Flippers fees on a $50,000 app?
$10,000. The flat minimum applies to any sale up to about $66,667, so you’d net $40,000 before escrow and tax (Empire Flippers, checked September 2026).
Does Empire Flippers sell mobile apps?
Yes. It lists app businesses alongside content sites, e-commerce and SaaS. Its published commission schedule is the same for every type of business.
Is selling directly safe compared with a broker?
It can be, as long as payment goes through a licensed escrow service and the app moves through Apple’s official transfer. That’s how I buy. See app sale escrow.