I’ve been buying and selling websites for over a decade now. In that time, I’ve watched this market evolve from a niche hobby into a proper asset class with professional brokers, due diligence standards, and real money changing hands.
But the landscape has shifted dramatically since I last updated this page. AI-generated content has upended how we think about content sites. Google’s algorithm updates have crushed some site categories and rewarded others. And a new wave of marketplaces has emerged to match buyers and sellers more efficiently.
Here’s my current take on where to buy and sell websites in 2026 — and what to watch out for.
Make sure you read my beginner’s guide to buying and selling websites if you’re not familiar with how the business works. I also have a deeper guide on why and how to buy websites as a profitable investment.
What’s Changed: AI, Google, and Website Valuations in 2026
Before jumping into the platforms, it’s worth understanding the current market.
Content sites have taken a hit. Google’s December 2025 core update hit affiliate sites especially hard, with 71% reporting traffic drops. AI Overviews now appear in over 50% of Google searches, and zero-click searches have climbed to 69%. That means less organic traffic flowing to websites, which directly impacts valuations.
Valuations have become more nuanced. Content sites with strong SEO and diversified traffic still command 28x-38x monthly profit multiples. SaaS businesses hold steady at 3x-10x annual recurring revenue, depending on growth and churn. E-commerce stabilized around 3x-4x annual profit. But sites that rely purely on Google organic traffic? Buyers are discounting those heavily.
AI is both a threat and an opportunity. Mass-produced AI content without expert oversight took an 87% negative hit in the December 2025 update. But sites built around genuine expertise, original data, and real-world testing are doing better than ever. The bar has simply gone up.
The takeaway: if you’re buying, look for businesses with diversified traffic sources, genuine expertise, and defensible moats. If you’re selling, get your house in order and be ready to show why your site isn’t just another AI-replaceable content mill.
Best Marketplaces and Brokers for Buying and Selling Websites
Empire Flippers — Best for Vetted, Six-Figure+ Deals
Empire Flippers is the curated marketplace I’d recommend for most serious buyers and sellers. Only about 5% of submitted businesses make it through their vetting process, which means less noise and higher-quality listings.
They’ve been around for years and have built a strong reputation. Their website valuation tool pulls from actual past sales data, making it more reliable than most ballpark estimates.
Fees: Sellers pay a flat 15% commission on deals under $700K. For larger deals, the rate decreases on a blended scale (the rate drops by tiers as the deal size increases). Buyers pay nothing. No listing fee — sellers only pay if the business sells.
Deal range: Typically $100K to several million. They handle content sites, SaaS, e-commerce, Amazon FBA, and more.
What I like: Verified financials using automated API connections (for Amazon FBA, they pull data directly from Amazon’s Selling Partner API). Listings can now go live any day once vetting is complete, rather than on a fixed schedule. The marketplace now supports 21 countries.
What to watch: Not the place for smaller deals. If your site makes less than a few thousand dollars per month, you’re better off elsewhere.
Flippa — Best for Smaller Deals and Domain Sales
Flippa is still the biggest open marketplace, and it’s the go-to for deals under $250K. They’ve facilitated over $1 billion in digital asset sales since 2009. I’ve personally bought domains here without any issues.
The platform has matured significantly. They now offer a tiered service from self-serve listings to fully brokered deals for businesses over $100K.
Listing fees: $29 for listings under $10K, $59-$99 for listings between $10K-$1M, and $999 for brokered listings over $100K (required for deals above $1M).
Success fees: 10% on sales up to $10K, 7.5% on amounts between $10K-$50K, and 4% on values above $50K.
What I like: Sheer volume and variety. You’ll find everything from $500 starter sites to seven-figure businesses. The auction format can surface good deals if you’re patient.
What to watch: The open marketplace model means more due diligence falls on you. Not every listing is thoroughly vetted. They also rolled out a Premium buyer membership ($49/month) that gives early access to the best deals — which means free-tier buyers may miss out.
Acquire.com — Best for SaaS and Startup Acquisitions
Acquire.com (formerly MicroAcquire) launched in 2020 and quickly became the dominant marketplace for SaaS and startup acquisitions. With over 500K registered buyers holding $2B+ in verified funds and 2,000+ completed acquisitions, it’s the place to be if you’re buying or selling a tech business.
What sets it apart: every listed business is reviewed before going live, and most must connect live data sources (Stripe, Shopify, analytics). That makes it much harder to falsify numbers.
Fees for sellers: Monthly listing fee of $25-$100 (depending on plan), plus a 6-8% closing fee based on deal size. You only pay the closing fee if you actually sell.
Fees for buyers: Free to browse and make offers.
What I like: The data verification requirement is a big deal. If a SaaS is claiming $10K MRR, they need to prove it with connected Stripe data. This alone saves buyers enormous time.
What to watch: The platform is heavily tilted toward tech businesses. If you’re selling a content site or affiliate blog, you’ll get more traction elsewhere.
FE International — Best Full-Service Broker for Complex Deals
FE International is still going strong with over 1,500 successful acquisitions and a 94.1% success rate. They made the Inc. 5000 list in 2025. This is a proper M&A advisory firm, not just a marketplace.
They handle SaaS, e-commerce, and content businesses, typically in the mid-market range. If you have a complex deal with multiple revenue streams, international operations, or significant assets, FE International provides the white-glove treatment that a self-serve marketplace can’t.
Fees: Commission-based, typically in the 10-15% range depending on deal size. No upfront listing fees.
What I like: Real advisory services with experienced deal-makers. They handle legal, financial due diligence, and deal structuring.
What to watch: Not ideal for smaller deals under $50K. The process is more involved and takes longer than listing on a marketplace.
Quiet Light Brokerage — Best for Personalized Seller Support
Quiet Light specializes in deals from $60K to $5M+ and offers a very personalized approach. Their brokers are typically former entrepreneurs who’ve built and sold their own businesses, so they understand what sellers go through.
They provide an excellent guide on calculating the value of your website.
Fees: Maximum 10% commission on sales up to $1M, with the rate dropping by 1% for each additional $1M in sale value (floor of 3%). No listing fee.
What I like: The lowest commission among the major brokers for deals over $1M. Their brokers have genuine operational experience.
What to watch: Smaller inventory than Empire Flippers or Flippa, so fewer options for buyers at any given time.
Investors Club — Best for Serious Buyers Who Want Transparency
Investors Club is a pay-to-join marketplace where all members can browse full details of available properties without signing NDAs for each deal. That’s a significant time-saver if you’re actively shopping.
They’ve now completed 500+ business sales and offer white-glove 1:1 support through the buying and selling process. They also offer a management service where their team runs the project for you, making it a solid option for passive investors.
Fees: Membership fee for buyers (varies by plan). Sellers have reported paying zero commission on some deals — the model is more buyer-funded.
What I like: No NDA dance for every listing. Access to full financials upfront. The managed investment option is unique.
What to watch: Smaller marketplace with fewer listings at any given time compared to the bigger players.
Motion Invest — Best for Small Content Sites Under $50K
Motion Invest focuses exclusively on content-based websites and YouTube channels, primarily deals in the $1K-$50K range. They act as both a marketplace and a direct buyer — they’ll sometimes purchase your site outright for a quick, hassle-free sale.
There are typically 40-50 active listings at any time, with a dedicated transition manager to handle the handover.
Fees: Up to 20% commission for entry-level transactions, which is steep. But the convenience and speed of sale can offset this for smaller deals.
What I like: Fast, straightforward process for small content sites. Good option if you want to sell quickly without the song and dance of a full broker engagement.
What to watch: High commission rates, especially on smaller deals. And because they sometimes buy directly, the offer might be lower than what you’d get on the open market.
Quick Comparison Table
| Platform | Best For | Deal Size | Seller Fees | Buyer Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Flippers | Vetted 6-7 figure deals | $100K-$10M+ | 15% (blended for larger) | None |
| Flippa | Smaller deals, domains | $500-$1M+ | 4-10% + listing fee | None (Premium optional) |
| Acquire.com | SaaS and startups | $10K-$50M+ | 6-8% + $25-$100/mo | None |
| FE International | Complex, high-value deals | $50K-$50M+ | 10-15% | None |
| Quiet Light | Personalized service | $60K-$5M+ | 3-10% | None |
| Investors Club | Transparency, managed deals | $10K-$1M+ | Low/none | Membership fee |
| Motion Invest | Small content sites | $1K-$50K | Up to 20% | None |
What Websites Are Worth in 2026
The standard valuation formula hasn’t changed: take your trailing 12-month Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE) and apply a multiple. SDE equals your net income plus the personal benefits you extract from the business (salary, health insurance, personal expenses run through the company, etc.).
What has changed is the multiples:
- Content/affiliate sites: 28x-38x monthly profit (down from the 35x-45x peak in 2021-2022). Sites with diversified traffic beyond Google command premiums.
- SaaS: 3x-10x annual recurring revenue. High-growth, low-churn SaaS at the top end. Private SaaS typically sells at 30-50% below public market multiples.
- E-commerce: ~4x annual profit. Amazon FBA businesses have their own dynamics, with brand registry and product differentiation being key value drivers.
- Size premium: Bigger businesses get bigger multiples. Deals in the $10K-$100K range average 1.68x annual profit, while $1M+ deals average 2.43x.
The workload required, growth trajectory, traffic diversification, and defensibility against AI all factor into where your business lands within these ranges.
Preparing Your Website for Sale
Before listing, get your house in order. Buyers and brokers will want answers to these questions:
- When did the business go live?
- What are your gross and net numbers for the past 12+ months, adding back your personal salary to net?
- How many hours per week does it take to manage?
- Do you have staff? If yes, how many and what do they do? Remote or in-house?
- Why are you selling?
- What percentage of traffic comes from Google organic vs. other sources?
- Have you been impacted by any recent algorithm updates?
- What role does AI play in your content production?
Clean financials are non-negotiable. If you can’t show clear profit and loss statements for the trailing 12 months, you’re going to get lowballed — or ignored entirely. Use tools like QuickBooks or Xero so buyers can verify the numbers independently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a website worth?
Most websites sell for 2x-4x annual profit (or roughly 28x-45x monthly profit). The exact multiple depends on business type, growth rate, traffic diversification, workload, and market conditions. SaaS businesses with strong recurring revenue can command significantly higher multiples.
Is it still worth buying content websites in 2026?
Yes, but with more caution than a few years ago. Google’s AI Overviews and recent algorithm updates have reduced organic traffic to many content sites. Focus on sites with diversified traffic, genuine expertise-driven content, established brand recognition, and revenue that doesn’t depend solely on Google organic search.
How has AI affected website valuations?
AI has been a double-edged sword. Sites built on mass-produced, low-quality content have lost significant value. But sites with original research, real expertise, and content that AI can’t easily replicate are holding their value or even gaining. Buyers are now specifically asking about AI’s role in content creation and how defensible the business is against AI competition.
What is the best website marketplace for beginners?
Flippa is the most accessible starting point. It has the widest range of deal sizes (from a few hundred dollars to millions), and you can browse listings for free. For your first acquisition, a content site in the $5K-$20K range is a manageable entry point where the learning experience won’t break the bank.
Do I need a broker to sell my website?
Not necessarily. For sites under $50K, a marketplace like Flippa or Motion Invest works fine. For deals between $50K-$250K, a broker adds value through their buyer network and negotiation expertise. For deals above $250K, I’d strongly recommend a broker like Empire Flippers, Quiet Light, or FE International — the commission is worth the higher sale price and smoother process.
How long does it take to sell a website?
Expect 30-90 days on a marketplace, and 60-180 days through a broker. Higher-quality businesses with clean financials sell faster. The vetting process at curated platforms like Empire Flippers can take several weeks before your listing even goes live, but the resulting sale tends to happen faster because their buyers are pre-qualified.
Related
Amazing article! Another good resource to add here would be BitsForDigits’ valuation calculator: https://www.bitsfordigits.com/valuation-tool
It allows founders to get a valuation based on 8 different business models.
Another brokerage to keep in mind for content sites less than $50,000 is The Website Flip brokerage.
More details here:
https://thewebsiteflip.com/website-brokerage/
There is a platform to buy and sell domains and website with great customer support: https://www.megaflippers.com