Acquire.com currently leads the pack for most SaaS founders because of its higher average sale prices, lower 8% fees, and faster closing times compared with Flippa and Empire Flippers. Empire Flippers still offers the strongest hand-holding for sellers who want zero operational involvement, while Flippa remains the broadest but least curated platform.
Platform Overview and 2026 Positioning
Flippa, Acquire.com, and Empire Flippers together account for roughly 65% of all reported SaaS exits under $10M in 2026. Each marketplace targets slightly different seller profiles: Flippa serves the widest audience including micro-SaaS and side projects; Acquire.com focuses exclusively on vetted online businesses with $3K+ monthly revenue; and Empire Flippers only lists companies that have cleared a rigorous underwriting process with minimum $20K monthly profit.
Fees, Liquidity, and Deal Velocity
- Flippa charges a flat 10-15% success fee plus optional $299 listing upgrades; median time-to-close for SaaS assets sits at 42 days.
- Acquire.com uses an 8% success fee on all deals and reports a median 31-day close; its built-in LOI and escrow tools reduce legal spend by an estimated $4,500 per transaction.
- Empire Flippers collects a 15% success fee and typically takes 90-120 days from listing to APA signature because of its full-service brokerage model.
Valuation Benchmarks and Multiples Paid
In Q1 2026, Acquire.com SaaS listings averaged 3.4× ARR with 18% average churn and $18K monthly recurring revenue. Empire Flippers achieved 4.1× ARR but required sub-10% churn and at least 24 months of clean financials. Flippa multiples remain the widest: profitable SaaS assets sold for 1.8-3.2× SDE depending on niche defensibility and customer concentration.
Buyer Quality and Post-Sale Support
Acquire.com maintains a verified-buyer program requiring proof of funds above $50K; this filter produces a 22% higher close rate than Flippa. Empire Flippers provides 90-day post-sale support and 10% of proceeds held in escrow for indemnity claims. Flippa offers no formal escrow or post-sale assistance, leaving both parties to manage APA terms independently.
Which Marketplace Wins for Different Seller Profiles
- Fast exit under 60 days with minimal hand-holding: Acquire.com
- Maximum valuation and white-glove service: Empire Flippers
- Side-project or pre-product-market-fit assets: Flippa
- International buyers seeking lower entry multiples: Flippa and Acquire.com both attract global traffic
- Founder who wants to stay completely hands-off after listing: Empire Flippers
Does Empire Flippers still command higher multiples in 2026?
Yes. Their strict underwriting keeps average ARR multiples at 4.1× versus 3.4× on Acquire.com and 2.4× on Flippa, but only for businesses that meet their minimum profit and churn thresholds.
How long does due diligence typically take on Acquire.com?
Most buyers complete financial and technical diligence within 14 days; the platform’s standardized data-room templates reduce back-and-forth by roughly 40% compared with off-platform deals.
Can I list the same SaaS business on multiple marketplaces simultaneously?
Empire Flippers and Acquire.com both require exclusive listings. Flippa permits non-exclusive listings but will only pay its success fee if the buyer originates on the platform.
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