Key Points
- SaaS brokers are professionals with a track record of success helping SaaS entrepreneurs sell and buy their businesses for the highest value possible. They’ll help you vet potential buyers, set accurate market value for your company and make sure nothing important slips through during the entire sell/buy process. These professionals play a crucial role in navigating the complexities of a SaaS exit deal, ensuring that the transaction is smooth and beneficial for all parties involved.
- The most reputable SaaS brokers include Discretion Capital, FE International, Empire Flippers, Latona’s, Acquire.com, Quiet Light, Website Closers, Flippa, Hello Exit, and Synergy Business Brokers.
- NUOPTIMA exists solely to help you maximize the value of your SaaS brand for the highest profitable exit. We’re a SaaS consulting agency with a strong history of helping B2B SaaS companies like yours grow their online reach, get qualified leads, attract buyers, and convert simple readers into paying customers. Book a 1-1 strategy call today!
Introduction
Selling or buying a SaaS company is a lot more complex than you might think: you need to understand tax implications, know how to develop up-to-date systems to increase the saleability of your business, set a justifiable price for your company, implement effective marketing to pull in the right investors, vet buyers, perform due diligence, be open to answering any questions during the due diligence process, negotiate terms, and so on — you just can’t do it alone.
You need a SaaS business broker, a professional with business-selling/buying expertise to help and guide you through the entire process.
These professionals have a deep understanding of the overall market. They are there to ensure your business’s value is neither overestimated nor undervalued but just right to make it more appealing and justifiable to potential buyers. They can also assist in closing the deal faster, and may even be able to suggest some improvements to increase your software company’s value before the sale.
In this article, we listed the top 16 SaaS brokers available on the market today. We chose them based on their experience, domain expertise, online presence, and customer reviews.
Why Should You Hire a SaaS Broker?
Here are a handful of benefits that a SaaS broker can provide:
- They can assist a business with establishing an accurate valuation of their brand, simplifying the negotiation process.
- They can also deal with corporate finance services that are required to get a deal done, such as through succession planning and creating financing options.
- Oftentimes, SaaS brokers have access to a large pool of prospective investors, and they can market your software company to targeted buyers. They do this either through business listings, tapping into their network, or reaching out in person.
- M&A Advisors (Mergers and Acquisitions Advisors) are experienced negotiators. They know what to expect from buyers and how to overcome their objections to get maximum value for your company.
- Another benefit is that SaaS brokers can assist owners in preparing documents to expedite the SaaS buyer due diligence proceeding.
- They can coordinate secure and trustworthy money transfers (an escrow service is something they commonly have access to).
Now that you understand why you need an online business broker, let’s go through the top 16 SaaS brokers in the market today.
Overview
Discretion Capital is the leading sell-side investment bank helping B2B SaaS founders between $2 to 10m ARR exit their businesses. Their focus is to help you find a suitable acquirer and facilitate the closing process. If you already have an offer, they can quickly reach out to additional buyers to add some competitive pressure, and advise you on what to do next.
Moreover, when selling a B2B SaaS company, factors such as growth rate, churn, customer onboarding, profitability, and revenue usually have an impact on the final price. To overcome these challenges, Discretion Capital offers a customized solution based on your business’s current situation (i.e., stage of development, problems, goals). This way, they’re able to use their extensive experience to increase the initial offer anywhere between 30% to 300%, ensuring you’re only exiting with maximum value.
As a side note, when they started, Discretion Capital benefited from the YC and Tiny Seed network, as well as a proprietary database in SaaS M&A activity. As a capital-efficient startup founder in MicroConf (the biggest SaaS community), you only had two options: raise venture capital or bootstrap.
Einar Vollset, the founder of Discretion Capital, founded TinySeed with Rob Walling to give founders another approach to startup funding. Their goal was to provide SaaS founders the ability to build profitable companies in the long term and the choice to raise additional funding based on their business objectives. Since their announcement, they’ve been able to back up more than 80 growing SaaS businesses across the globe.
Additionally, one of the main things that makes TinySeed different from every other accelerator is that they focus on capital-efficient, non-unicorn SaaS businesses, and they invest in different corporate structures.
Check out the video below, where we go into a deep comparison of all SaaS accelerators available today, including TinySeed!
Pros
- B2B SaaS focused
- In-house, proprietary systems tracking potential buyers
- Sell-side expertise
- First-hand experience, offering a competitive market edge
Cons
- Unclear network
- Lack of relevant case studies/success stories on their website
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Discretion Capital
- Experience
- Domain expertise
- Results driven
- Hand-holding
- Clear communication
- Professionalism
- Positive referrals from past clients
Overview
Borderline is a marketplace that caters to software companies and side projects. Through this marketplace, web applications can be bought or sold, regardless of size or profitability, for free. Primarily, it’s a website that allows you to make an “elevator pitch” through its online form. Simply provide the required information, such as why you want to sell your SaaS brand, who you think should purchase it, and the technologies used, and Borderline will assess your company.
Other than this, the platform currently has upwards of 20,000 users and is consistently growing. The founder, Kumail Hunaid, has solid experience working in the software industry, serving millions of people.
Pros
- Flexibility
- Low barrier to entry
- Exposure
Cons
- Not well-established as a SaaS marketplace
- May have low buyer/seller quality
- Not suited for high commercial value
Headquarters
United Arab Emirates
Top Reasons People Choose Borderline
- Fast and easy listing
- Perfect for acquiring software with future potential at a low price
- Quick sell/buy
Overview
Joe Magnotti and Justin Cooke founded Empire Flippers in 2011, a platform that allows you to buy and sell online businesses. More specifically, since their inception, they’ve helped users buy and sell more than $450 million worth of online companies and have brokered over 1,000 online company transactions with a 75% sales success rate.
Furthermore, Empire Flippers guarantees a secure selling process and has an industry-leading team of M&A advisors. Every week, the platform releases a list of new companies for sale (and sends out weekly emails to buyers), helping their clients reach hundreds of prospective buyers.
Pros
- Free listings
- Award-winning online business broker, including the Inc. 5000 five years running and several International Business Brokers Association Awards (IBBA)
- Verified buyers plus vetted websites
- Empire Flippers verifies earnings and guarantees half the daily income for 14 days, protecting you from scams
- Legal support
- Offers additional personalized services
- Handle website migration
- Offers access to a free website valuation tool
Cons
- High commission rate (starting at 15%)
- Website listings generally start at $100,000 and above
- High barrier to entry
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Empire Flippers
- Domain expertise
- Support and hand-holding
- Transparency
- Clear communication
- A strict vetting process ensures quality businesses for buyers
- Documentation for any possible issue that could arise
- Easy to use platform.
- Trust with an impressive success rate
- Experience
Overview
This digital firm is home to a global network of more than 80,000 tech investors and has successfully completed over 1,200 successful acquisitions, totaling in excess of one billion in acquisition value with an almost 95% sales success rate! FE International has been a worldwide M&A advisor of SaaS, e-commerce, and content companies since its founding in 2010.
As a seller, they can help you with valuation analysis, due diligence, post-sale considerations and acquisition accounting. All you have to do is focus on maximizing your SaaS business’ value for a profitable exit. On the other hand, if you’re looking to buy a software company, FE International will match you with the right business that meets your needs and aligns with your long-term goals.
Pros
- Free Listing
- Hand-holding with an impressive success rate (94.1%) for selling listings
- Award-winning global M&A advisor of technology businesses, including four times Inc. 5000, IBBA Deal Maker of the Year, and America’s Fastest Growing Companies 2022
- Offers access to a free website valuation tool
- Handles website migration
- Sellers can reach worldwide buyers and vice versa
- Access to a large pool of vetted and verified brokers as well as engaged buyers
Cons
- Low-rated site listings
- Charges buyer and escrow fees
- Slow response rate
- To view full information, buyers might be required to sign an NDA and go through a background check
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose FE International
- In-depth expertise
- Thorough preparation
- Extensive connections
- Objective representation
- Analytical insights
- Seasoned experience
- Hassle-free handling
Overview
Co-founded in 2009 by the founders of SitePoint and 99Designs, Flippa’s goal is simple: help you realize the value of your software company, invest in acquiring a new one, make money, and start a new digital journey.
More specifically, it’s a global online marketplace that brings together founders and investors from various online businesses such as SaaS, e-commerce, website, and social media to sell and buy digital assets. To this end, the platform has over 2.5 million users and sold 300,231 digital assets. As of 2023, Flipper released what they called First Access. Basically, you pay to get a 21-day head start on potential business opportunities before they become publicly available.
Pros
- User-friendly and easy-to-use interface
- Potential to find great deals at low multiples
- Active, supportive community
- Transparency
- Offers escrow services
- Offers access to a business valuation tool
Cons
- Lack of comprehensive due diligence assistance
- Listing fees
Headquarters
Australia
Top Reasons People Choose Flippa
- Straightforward platform
- Easy to use
- Smooth process
- Helpful support
- Transparent fees
- Large buyer pool
- Trusted platform
- Convenient features
- Guides provided
- Secure transactions
- Diverse listings
Overview
For more than 10 years, Latona’s role has been to match you, the buyer, with additional business opportunities or income streams, and to connect you, the seller, with like-minded investors who share your vision and can continue where you left off.
It’s a boutique M&A broker specializing in various digital assets, such as SaaS businesses, domain portfolios, websites and ecommerce. The platform is run by a group of capable M&A advisors with almost two decades of selling and buying SaaS businesses, and on top of that, they regularly close six, seven, and eight-figure deals, leaving behind nothing but satisfied customers.
Pros
- Run by experienced people in the business
- Best for smaller business listings
- No upfront costs
- Easy-to-navigate platform with a variety of filters
- Worldwide buyers thoroughly vetted
- Offer exit strategy consultation.
- Access to a business valuation and payment plan calculator tool
Cons
- High commission rate of 15 %
- Lack of dedicated support during the transfer process
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Latona’s
- Responsive brokers
- Streamlined process
- Trusted reputation
- Expert guidance
- Quick results
- Prompt communication
- Effective marketing
- Transparent representation
Overview
Formerly known as MicroAcquire, this broker is one of the best online marketplaces for selling and buying SaaS startups. The platform has 500k+ registered SaaS sellers and investors, accounting for over $500 Million in total acquisitions closed. Their goal is to “build the world’s most founder-friendly startup acquisition marketplace.”
You have two ways to sell on Acquire.com: do it yourself or hire an advisor straight from the platform. If you want to do it yourself, the site provides you with templates for legal documents, escrow services, guided acquisition process, and connected metrics. All you have to do is create an account with your startup data, attach relevant metrics, and verify your identity. Once verified, your startup will be listed on their marketplace within a few working days. You can also sign up for Acquire.com white-glove brokerage service (MbA) if you’re making one million dollars or more in revenue with your startup. Their in-house team will then handle all aspects of the sale process.
Pros
- Domain expertise
- Modern platform
- Wider network
- Expert guidance
- Escrow services for each transaction
Cons
- Unclear listing requirements
- Reliance on self-service
- Platform fees
- No migration support
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Aquire.com
- High touch onboarding
- Large buyer network
- Effortless user experience
- Valuable resources
- Increased visibility
- Direct communication
- Responsive support
Overview
Founded in 2002, Synergy Business Brokers is a leading M&A firm that helps sell companies with annual revenues ranging between $700,000 and $70 million. Their company is recognized as a top 10 business broker in the United States. They’ve sold 300+ businesses, and they have more than 40,000 active potential buyers in the US and worldwide.
Other than this, they specialize in various industries, such as technology (SaaS and software), construction, healthcare, and transportation. When you’re unsure if you want to sell your SaaS company, Synergy Business Brokers offers a confidential consultation. It’s basically a conversation where they get to learn more about your SaaS business, the type of software, your customers, your role in the company, how much you earn from your business, etc. And if you’re ready to sell, they’ll handle all the selling aspects (financial statements revision, marketing, due diligence, reaching out to potential buyers, closing the deal, etc.) for you.
Pros
- Domain expertise
- Well-connected business brokers (members of IBBA, M&A Source, New York Association of Business Brokers, and New England Business Brokers Association)
- Award-winning company, including M&A award best business brokers, Inc. 500, top-rated business broker on BloggerLocal, and many more
- No fees until the deal is closed
- Offers a comprehensive marketing plan
- A large pool of potential buyers
Cons
- Only works with owners who have a verified annual net income between $250,000 and $15 million, including the owner’s salary, profit, and benefits
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Synergy Business Brokers
- Expert guidance
- Timely response
- Calm approach
- Multiple offers
- Thorough preparation
- Trusted expertise
- Successful closings
- Qualified buyers
- Professionalism
- Valued recommendations
Overview
Upward Exits is a digital business broker firm that works with entrepreneurs to help them buy and sell digital companies. As part of its business, it represents SaaS brands, which generally need to have at least $300,000 ARR to be considered. They have recently joined the leading brokerage company Raincatcher but still represent the sellers of well-performing software companies.
Raincatcher efficiently transforms both small and medium-sized companies into ones ready to sell using its Value Bidding System. In addition to this, their team is made up of successful former business owners, public accountants, and bankers. Together, they’ve completed over a billion dollars in value from combined transactions.
Pros
- Extensive domain expertise
- Offer outbound marketing services
- Free valuation
- Secure migration
Cons
- Only operates in the States
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Upward Exits
- Realistic expectations
- Thorough preparation
- Trusted partnership
- Expert analysis
- Confidence in success
- Collaborative approach
- Professional marketing
- Smooth intermediary
- Understanding of business
- Personalised attention
Overview
This is one of the first online business brokerages to ever exist; fast forward to today, and they’ve established themselves as a leading voice in the industry. Quiet Light has sold over 750 online businesses, totaling more than $500,000,000 in transaction value. Also, every advisor at the agency has started, sold, and bought their own online businesses.
When you want to sell your SaaS business, they’ll schedule an initial valuation call where they’ll educate you on how to set yourself up for the highest exit value, and what needs to be included in the valuation process. Next is a detailed client interview. The goal is to make sure you have accurate answers for every question potential buyers may ask. Finally, using all the provided information coupled with Quiet Light’s extensive experience, they’ll create a clear and enticing package that highlights your business’s strengths and admits its weaknesses. They have a large client database of vetted (less than 10% acceptance rate) and confirmed buyers, meaning the moment your company is listed, you can expect to hear from potential buyers within a couple of days. In fact, 85% of Quiet Life listings sell within 90 days or less!
Pros
- Operated by a team of experienced professionals
- Free listing
- Transparency
- A large pool of potential buyers
- Support from start to finish
- Handles migration
- Low, seller-friendly fees compared to the average market
- Willing to sign NDA before receiving business information
Cons
- Very strict vetting process
- Not suitable for small content sites
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Quiet Light
- Optimal valuation
- Trusted partnership
- Refined processes
- Educational support
- Perfect matching
- Successful closings
- Quick turnaround
- Established network
Overview
Website closers have the world’s largest internet business and tech brokers with a track record of success in brokering high-value business transactions to support their claims: 92% close rate, 2345 businesses sold, equivalent to $2.2 billion in transactions up to date, and 1.3 million worth of buyer network.
They handle transactions ranging from one million dollars minimum to one billion dollars maximum within the SaaS and digital business industry. On top of that, they use what they call a 100% success-based process. This means that Website Closers will take care of the selling/buying process of your SaaS business from start to finish, and if, for some reason, the deal doesn’t happen, you don’t pay. When you work with them, you’ll be represented by a highly trained, professional broker to guide you throughout the whole process and answer any questions you might have.
Pros
- Amazing team of professional and experienced brokers
- Able to sell high-value businesses
- Expect to speak with a potential buyer within two weeks or less of your listing
- User-friendly interface
- Above average listings
Cons
- Nothing mentioned about post-sale support
- Not suitable for small businesses
- Commission fees are calculated on a per-case basis
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Website Closers
- Experienced brokers
- Trusted Reputation
- Transparent platform
- Closes deals quickly
- Constant communication
- Leadership in industry
- Global reach
- Satisfied clients
Overview
Foundy’s goal is to help you reduce the acquisition or exit time of your business, making it three times more efficient than the traditional M&A process. It’s the first end-to-end AI portal for selling and buying businesses. The platform connects you, the founder, with M&A advisors and acquirers for various technology startups, including SaaS and e-commerce, to make the acquisition process safe, simple, and secure.
Other than this, Foundy takes care of everything you need (conducting due diligence, legal support, applying for loans, negotiation, and accountancy) to facilitate your exit or acquisition process in one place personalized to your SaaS business. The platform has 500,000 active investors and is trusted by over 13,129 founders and buyers for M&A opportunities, with a total acquisition budget of over £19 billion among active business buyers in their marketplace.
Pros
- An all-in-one personalized platform for finding investors and sellers
- Anonymous free listing in minutes
- Faster and more efficient than traditional M&A processes
- Seamlessly integrates with your favorite tools such as Google Analytics, Xero, and Stripe to streamline due diligence
- Access to collaboration tools, highly advanced AI document tools used by top law firms as well as data room templates
- Transparent low fees (1-3%)
Cons
- Relatively new platform
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Top Reasons People Choose Foundy
- Modern approach
- Easy-to-use platform
- Professional services
- Quality deal flow
- Efficient process
- Helpful insights
- Personalised support
- Trusted advisors
- Transparent experience
Overview
The team behind Hello Exit has successfully closed 1000 deals ranging from $1 million to $400 million. They’re also known to be professional, knowledgeable, and dedicated to their clients. Their firm focuses on helping entrepreneurs in the low-middle market sell their software companies for the highest value.
In addition to this, Dustin Struckman, the founder, is a seasoned entrepreneur with a strong history of exiting and strategically acquiring online businesses, and he personally owns several other companies like Sales Genius, Escrow.Trade, ChimpChamp, and Rainier Search Partners.
Pros
- Support from start to finish
- Run by a team of experienced professionals
- Modern approach
- 15 min free exit consultation
- Free business valuation
Cons
- No clear commission fee structure
- Focused on the US market
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose Hello Exit
- Expert assistance
- Streamlined process
- Hands-on support
- Well-qualified deals
- Save time and effort
- Knowledgeable advisors
- Effective communication
- Fair negotiations
- Proactive guidance
- Success outcomes
- Recommended provider
Overview
Array Capital is a 100% software-focused M&A expert that specifically helps SaaS entrepreneurs exit the market on the best possible terms. One thing about their team is that they have a very good understanding of the software industry, and they know what investors are typically looking for.
Based on this insight, they’ll work with you to prepare any marketing materials needed, and ensure your company is presented in a way that increases its value. After that, Array Capital will use its extensive network to prequalify buyers and continue guiding until the deal closes.
Pros
- SaaS-only M&A experts
- Transparent fees (4-6%)
- Excellent client service
- No upfront fees, retainers and long-term lock-ins
- Due diligence, negotiating, and closing support
Cons
- You’ll need your own lawyer and accountant; they don’t advise on legal or accountant matters
- Minimum success fee of $50,000
Headquarters
Switzerland
Top Reasons People Choose Array Capital
- Expert advisors
- Streamlined process
- Professional support
- Knowledgeable analysts
- Trusted facilitators
- Proven success rate
- Responsive services
Overview
This is one of the internet’s largest and most visited business marketplaces. The platform has over 65,000 businesses for sale with 15 million monthly page views, and they make it easy for you to buy or sell. You can browse available SaaS businesses for sale by location, gross revenue and listing types (i.e., established enterprises, assets for sales, startups, etc.). You can even set a minimum and maximum price range as well as cash flow. From there, you choose the business you think is right for you, perform due diligence, make an offer and close the deal.
For sellers, it’s a lot easier. To get started, create an account with your email address, name, and phone number. You’ll then be asked to purchase either a three-, six-, or 12-month listing plan to get access to your valuation report. Lastly, you need to provide any extra information to be included in your listing, such as business pictures, problems your software helps solve, competitors, and financial information, and then hit publish. You also have the option to work with a reputable SaaS broker listed on their platform. Just provide details about your software company, and BizBuySell will match you with an experienced broker to guide and assist you throughout the entire process.
Pros
- Valuable resources for first-time users
- Simplified transaction process
- User-friendly website
- Large number of active monthly users available on the market
Cons
- High listing fees
- Lack of support and clear communication
Headquarters
United States of America
Top Reasons People Choose BizBuySell
- A large pool of selection for both buyers and sellers
- Brand popularity
- Professional brokers
- Easy registration
- Convenient services
Overview
SellerForce is a sell-side, international online business brokerage firm that specifically caters to small businesses in the technology, internet, and digital sectors. They’ll work with you to define the most important selling points of your SaaS business, and advise you on the best strategies and marketing moves you can implement to sell your business for the most money.
Furthermore, SellerForce consultants are experienced sales experts, attorneys, and past small business owners. Together, they have closed deals worth more than two billion dollars over the last two decades. They will ensure that the time and effort you have invested in developing your company are taken into consideration when setting a market price.
Pros
- Domain expertise
- Support from start to finish
- No upfront fees, as you pay when the deal is closed
Cons
- Relatively small firm, not well-known in the SaaS broker industry
Top reasons people choose SellerForce
- Satisfied clients
- Recommended provider
- Ensures fair deals
Conclusion
There you have it, the top 16 SaaS brokers today, each with their respective strengths and weaknesses. Take the time to go through them one by one to find the one that’s more suitable for you and your business needs.
Also, remember that whether you’re planning to exit the market in the near future or add another business to your impressive portfolio, having a strong SaaS brand will always help. We at NUOPTIMA have helped 50+ brands grow their business and build strong digital assets. Book a free call with us today, and let us help you ensure you always put your software company’s best foot forward.
