Flippa is an online marketplace for buying and selling websites, ecommerce stores, apps, SaaS businesses, content sites and domain names. Sellers list, buyers bid or make offers, and the transfer of money and assets runs through Flippa's own process, including escrow.
This guide is about process, not about whether any particular business is a good purchase. Buying on Flippa goes well when the buyer verifies every claim and uses escrow for the money; selling goes well when the listing is honest and complete.
Reading a Flippa listing
A Flippa listing states the asset type, age, monetisation, claimed revenue and profit, traffic sources and the asking price or auction terms. Treat all of it as the seller's claim until you have seen evidence.
Look for verification badges. Flippa lets sellers connect analytics and payment accounts so some figures are pulled directly from the source. A connected account is stronger evidence than a screenshot, but it still needs checking.
Read the seller's history on Flippa, previous sales and feedback. A new seller is not automatically a problem, but it means more of the checking falls on you.
Due diligence before an offer
Ask for access to the real accounts: analytics, the payment processor, the ad network, the hosting and the domain registrar. Ask for view access, never passwords, and check that traffic and revenue trends match over at least a year.
Check where the traffic comes from. A Flippa site that relies on one search ranking, one social platform or one marketplace can lose most of its income overnight when that source changes.
Look for red flags: sudden traffic spikes, revenue that does not match traffic, copied content, trademark problems in the domain name, or a seller who pushes you to pay outside Flippa. Flippa also offers paid due diligence and broker services for larger deals; consider them if the purchase is significant.
Take professional advice on tax, legal and accounting questions before buying an operating business. Nothing here is investment advice.
How escrow works
With escrow, the buyer pays into a holding account rather than to the seller. The seller then transfers the domain, code, accounts and content. Once the buyer confirms everything has arrived as described, the money is released.
Always use Flippa's escrow or the escrow route Flippa specifies. Never send money directly to a seller, and treat any request to move a deal off Flippa as a warning sign.
Write a transfer checklist before paying: domain, hosting, files, databases, email lists, social accounts, supplier contacts and any agreed support period. Confirm each item during the escrow period.
Selling on Flippa: fees and a clean listing
Sellers pay Flippa a listing fee and a success fee when the sale completes, with the level depending on the listing type and price. Check the current Flippa fee schedule before listing, as it has changed over time.
The best way to reach a good price is a complete, verified listing. Connect analytics and revenue accounts, explain the work involved in running the business, and answer buyer questions promptly. Buyers on Flippa discount heavily for anything unverified.
Auctions, offers and negotiation
Flippa listings can run as timed auctions or as classifieds with an asking price and offers. In an auction, set a maximum before bidding and stick to it.
In a negotiation, ask about the reason for selling and what support the seller will provide after the handover. A short paid consultation or support period written into the Flippa deal is common and useful.
Agree in writing what happens if a transferred account is suspended or a key supplier refuses to deal with the new owner during the handover. Clear terms on the Flippa deal page are far easier to rely on than promises made in private messages.
Where the Flippa savings are
Flippa codes apply to fees and paid services, not to the price of the business you buy. They matter mostly to sellers paying a listing fee or upgrade.
POLLAN takes $15 off, which is the better choice on a small listing fee. moist10 takes 10% off, which only beats $15 once the fee or upgrade you are paying passes $150.
Only one code works per Flippa order, and codes may not apply to success fees charged at the end of a sale. Check the discount on the order summary before paying.
Common questions
Is buying on Flippa safe?
It is safer when you verify every claim yourself and pay only through Flippa's escrow process.
Who pays the Flippa fees?
Mainly sellers, through listing and success fees. Buyers may pay for escrow or optional services.
Can I pay a Flippa seller directly?
Do not. Paying outside Flippa removes escrow protection and is a common scam pattern.
Do Flippa codes reduce the purchase price?
No. They apply to Flippa fees and services, not to the agreed price of the business.
| Discount | Type | Get the deal |
|---|---|---|
| 10% off | Promo code | View at Flippa → |
| $15 off | Promo code | View at Flippa → |