Our story
Business-Sale.biz was founded in 2003 around a single conviction: buying or selling a business should be straightforward, not overwhelming. In those days listings were scattered across newspapers, broker offices, and print directories, and the fee model was the one real-estate agents had used for decades: a percentage of the final price, paid at closing. We set out to do two things at once — put every listing in one searchable place, and charge for visibility rather than for the outcome.
Today the marketplace carries 44 businesses currently listed, and 10 independent agents listed. Everything from home-based businesses to multi-million-dollar franchises and industrial assets, listed by the people who actually own them. And we are still getting started.
Our mission
To democratize business acquisition by providing a secure, user-friendly platform where anyone can list, discover, and acquire businesses — with transparency, fair pricing, and zero hidden commissions.
Our vision
A world where every business owner can find their ideal successor, and every aspiring entrepreneur can find their perfect business — without barriers, bureaucracy, or excessive fees.
Our Journey
Foundation
Business-Sale.biz opens with a marketplace model built around one rule: sellers pay for visibility, never for the outcome of a sale.
One fee, not two
The model charges for visibility rather than for the result. Paid placement and broker plans are optional upgrades that change how prominent a listing is. Listing stays free, and no percentage is taken from a completed sale.
Buyers browse listings directly and contact the seller. If you would rather have a broker price your business, screen buyers and negotiate for you, the agents directory lists independent professionals who work on commission instead.
Our core values
Transparency
No hidden fees, no success commissions. What you see is what you get. We believe in honest pricing and clear communication.
Trust & safety
We actively monitor listings, verify suspicious activity, and provide tools to report abuse. Your security is our priority.
Simplicity
List a business in minutes. Search with powerful filters. Connect instantly. We remove unnecessary complexity.
Global reach
A listing is a public page that any buyer can find and read, which means the pool searching for a business is never limited to whoever your network happens to include.
How This Site Works
The commercial model in plain terms, because "no commission" only means something if you can check it.
Listing a business is free
Create the listing, add your financials and photos, and it is published. There is no fee to post and no fee to keep it live. Buyers browse and contact you directly — we do not sit in the middle of the conversation.
You choose whether to pay for visibility
Paid plans do one thing: they change how often your listing appears in search results and how long it stays up. They do not unlock a buyer, guarantee an enquiry, or change what a buyer pays. If you decide the extra exposure is not worth it, you have lost nothing but the plan cost.
We never take a percentage
There is no success fee, no closing fee and no commission taken from a completed sale. Whatever price you agree with the buyer is the amount that reaches you. Compare that with a business broker, who typically charges 8% to 15% of the final price at closing.
The professional costs are real either way
Saving the commission does not make the transaction free. Every sale needs a transaction attorney, escrow, and clean financials. We publish what those typically cost on our pricing page rather than implying that listing here removes them.
See the full cost comparison, including what a broker would charge → Prefer to have a broker run the sale? Browse the agents directory →
Common questions about how this marketplace works
Is this a no-commission marketplace?
Yes. Listing a business is free, and we do not take a percentage when a sale completes. The paid plans we offer are optional placement upgrades: they change how prominent your listing is and how long it stays up, and nothing more. A business broker typically charges 8% to 15% of the sale price at closing, which on a $300,000 sale is $24,000 to $45,000 out of your proceeds.
What does it cost to sell a business here?
Nothing to list. If you want more visibility, one-time placement plans are available and your listing runs for a fixed term. Whatever you agree with the buyer is what you receive, minus the professional costs every sale involves: a transaction attorney, escrow, and your own accounting and due-diligence prep. Our pricing page sets out those shared costs and compares them against the broker and marketplace alternatives.
What happens to the fee if my business does not sell?
There is no fee tied to the outcome. Listing is free, and placement plans are one-time payments for a fixed listing term rather than a retainer against a future sale. This is the practical difference from a success-fee broker: if nothing closes, you have not paid a commission on the sale you never made.
Who do the buyers come from?
Sellers publish a listing and buyers find it through category and keyword search, which is why placement upgrades work the way they do: the plan you buy determines how often your listing appears in those searches. Buyers contact you directly, so you handle screening, negotiation and diligence yourself. If you would rather have a broker do that, the agents directory lists independent professionals who work on commission.
How do I know the people I deal with are real?
Every listing is published publicly with a full business description, so you can research the seller and the business before you commit anything. Verified badges on a listing indicate the seller completed our verification step. As with any private transaction, treat advance-fee requests and payment requests that arrive by email as warning signs, and put the purchase agreement in front of your own attorney before signing.
What should I avoid when buying a business?
The most common mistakes are committing before seeing the financial statements, and agreeing a price without comparable sales. Ask for the last three years of accounts, and use them to check whether revenue is real and whether the owner is paying themselves a market salary. Put the letter of intent and the purchase agreement in front of an independent attorney, and be cautious of any seller who resists either.
Ask us something else → Read the acceptable use and listing rules →
Ready to Start Your Journey?
List your business free, keep 100% of the asking price, and deal directly with the buyer. No commission, no broker in the middle.