The Buyouts deal room
The SaaS acquisition blog
Practical, plain-English guides for founders and buyers in AI SaaS M&A: how to value an AI company, run due diligence, plan a clean exit, and read where the acquisition market is heading. Educational only, not financial or investment advice. We never guarantee a sale price or return.
Mainshares Reviews, Mainshares Fees and the Move to American Operator
Mainshares charged buyers $2,500 to $8,000 and up to raise equity from accredited investors. Its domain now serves American Operator. What changed, what it cost, and the alternatives.
Baton Market Reviews and Baton Fees for Sellers and Buyers in 2026
Baton Market charges sellers a $1,000 monthly retainer credited at close plus a 6% success fee. What reviewers praise, what they complain about, and who should use it.
Searchfunder Reviews and Searchfunder Cost of Membership in 2026
Searchfunder costs $79 a month, $19 a month annual or $432 lifetime. What members get, what they complain about, and who should pay for it.
BizBuySell Edge Membership Cost and Whether BizBuySell Edge Is Worth It
BizBuySell Edge membership costs as low as $20 a month, up from $14.99, with valuation reports cut from 12 a year to 4. What it includes and who should pay.
Byline Bank SBA Loans and Byline Bank SBA Loan Reviews for Buying a Business
Byline Bank SBA loans from SBA data: 164 acquisition loans in FY2025, fourth in the US, median $900,000 at prime plus 2.75%. Rates, terms, industries and reviews.
Huntington National Bank SBA Loans and Huntington Bank SBA Loan Reviews for Buying a Business
Huntington National Bank SBA loans from SBA data: 878 acquisition loans in FY2025, the most of any lender, median $350,000 at 9.50%. Rates, sizes and reviews.
Live Oak Bank SBA Loan Reviews for Business Acquisition Loans
Live Oak Bank SBA loan reviews from SBA loan data: 769 acquisition loans in FY2025, median $800,000 at 9.25%, Trustpilot 4.6. Rates, terms and how it compares.
Boopos Reviews and SaaS Acquisition Financing After Founderpath
Boopos reviews, rates and status in 2026. Boopos stopped taking loan applications after the Founderpath deal. See what replaced it and what each loan costs.
SBA Loan Personal Guarantee Requirements When You Buy a Business
SBA loan personal guarantee rules for buyers from SOP 50 10 8.1: who signs at 20%, when a spouse signs, your house, life insurance and the seller’s guarantee.
SBA Prepayment Penalty on a 7(a) Business Acquisition Loan
SBA loan prepayment penalty rules for buyers. Lenders cannot charge one, and the SBA fee of 5%, 3% or 1% applies only at 15 years or more. Check your deal.
Contrarian Thinking Reviews and What the Academy Costs in 2026
Contrarian Thinking reviews: 4.8 on Trustpilot from 419, but no published Academy price. What reviewers paid, the 7 day refund, and how it compares.
Acquisition Ace Reviews and Pricing Before You Book the Call
Acquisition Ace reviews: 4.8 on Trustpilot from 125, but no published price. What reviewers were quoted, the refund terms, and how it compares with Acquisition Lab.
Is SMBmarket Legit? SMB Market Reviews, Pricing and Alternatives
Is SMBmarket legit? Yes, a $49 a month listings aggregator with coaching. What its Trustpilot reviews, no-refund terms and verified-financials claim mean.
Seller Note Interest Rate, the Applicable Federal Rate Minimum, Imputed Interest and What to Charge on a Business Sale
Seller note interest rate: the IRS minimum is the applicable federal rate, 4.61% mid-term for October 2026. What happens below it, and what buyers really pay.
Non Compete Agreement for Sale of Business, State Rules, Length and Tax for Buyers
Non compete agreement for sale of business, read from 13 state statutes and the IRS: 3 to 5 years is normal, worldwide scope gets struck, and the seller pays ordinary rates.
DealStream vs BizBuySell for Buyers, Pricing, Listings and Which One to Pay For
DealStream vs BizBuySell for buyers, read September 2026: Pro at $40 a month unlocks 18,000+ premium listings, Edge from $20 adds valuations. Which to pay for.
Business Broker Agreement and Contract Terms, From Commission to the Tail Clause
Business broker agreements read firsthand: 10% with $60,000 to $100,000 minimums, seller notes counted in the price, 6 to 12 month exclusives and 1 to 2 year tails.
Axial Network Pricing and Reviews With M&A Buyer Fees, Success Fee and Terms
Axial pricing is unpublished, but its terms bill buyers a success fee on notes and earnouts for 18 months and $6,000 if a deal goes unreported. Read firsthand.
Kumo Reviews (withkumo) on Pricing, Business Listings and Whether Pro Is Worth $89
Kumo reviews read firsthand: Pro $89 and Ultimate $149 a month, no success fee, a free trial its own FAQ denies and a G2 score that is not Kumo's.
BizBuySell Reviews on Listing Cost, Lead Quality and Who It Suits
BizBuySell reviews read firsthand: $74.95 to $199.95 a month to list, no commission, a 1.8 Trustpilot score from 58 reviews, and listings it does not verify.
Rejigg Reviews on Pricing, the Buyer Success Fee and Who It Is For
Rejigg reviews: free for owners, but buyers owe a Lehman success fee at close, $50,000 on a $1M deal. Plans $0 to $5,000 a month, Trustpilot 4.6 from 69.
DealStream Pro Pricing, DealStream Reviews and Whether It Is Worth $40 a Month
DealStream Pro is $40 a month or $400 a year. What Pro unlocks, why DealStream verifies nothing, what its 4.5 Trustpilot score hides, and alternatives.
BizScout Reviews on Pricing, What Pro Costs and Alternatives
BizScout reviews and pricing read firsthand: Pro is $199 a month or $129 a month annual, off-market leads are Pro-only, and what the reviews actually say.
Buy Side Advisor vs Business Broker and Who to Hire to Buy a Company
Buy side advisor vs business broker: the broker on a listing is paid by the seller. What each costs a buyer, who pays it, and the $2.5 million advisory floor.
SBA Standby Seller Note and How Much of the Down Payment a Seller Can Finance
SBA standby seller note rules from SOP 50 10 8: a seller note covers at most half the 10% injection, must be on full standby, but interest can still accrue.
Section 338(h)(10) Election Cost, Deadline and Who Actually Qualifies
Section 338(h)(10) election: the Form 8023 deadline, the 80% test, why the buyer must be a corporation, and what the step-up is worth against the seller gross-up.
F Reorganization for an S Corp Sale With QSub Structure, Steps and Cost
F reorganization for an S corp sale: the six requirements quoted from 26 CFR 1.368-2(m), the QSub and LLC steps, and why no firm publishes a fixed price.
Best ROBS 401k Providers for Buying a Business and Their Setup Fees
Best ROBS 401k providers compared: Benetrends publishes $4,995 setup and a $1,500 exit fee, Guidant Financial blocks every request. Read firsthand Sept 2026.
SBA Loan to Buy Out a Business Partner With the Rules, Down Payment and What Changes on 1 October 2026
SBA loan to buy out a business partner: the 24 month carve-out that can drop your down payment below 10%, and the six rule changes landing 1 October 2026.
Solo Founder SaaS Acquisition and How to Diligence, Price and Structure Around Key Person Risk
Solo founder SaaS acquisition due diligence: the eight key person risk checks to run before you sign, and the four structures that hold a founder in place.
Acquire.com Reviews on Whether It Is Legit, the Fees, the Vetting and What Buyers Actually Get
Acquire.com reviews read firsthand: 4.4 on Trustpilot from 239, 9% one-star. A licensed California brokerage with a full rate card, and what it verifies.
Empire Flippers Reviews on Whether It Is Legit and What the Commission Really Costs
Empire Flippers reviews: 4.4 on Trustpilot from 121, 8% one-star, $605M sold and every listing vetted. The catch is a $10,000 minimum commission and final sales.
Flippa Reviews on Whether It Is Legit and Safe, Plus How to Vet Any Listing
Flippa reviews: 4.2 on Trustpilot from 3,259, 18% one-star. Legit since 2009 and escrow-settled, but listing quality varies, so verify data, not screenshots.
Website Closers Reviews on Whether It Is Legit and What It Charges
Website Closers reviews: legit, Florida-licensed since 2013, BBB A+ accredited, 2,345 deals sold. The catch is an unpublished fee rate and a $1M floor.
Business Valuation for an SBA Loan With Cost, Requirements and Who Can Perform It
Business valuation for an SBA loan: the $250,000 threshold, the five credentials SBA accepts, published fee ladders from $1,900 to $3,900, and who must order it.
Quality of Earnings Report Cost for Buyers and When SBA Requires One
Quality of earnings report cost: a provider rate card read firsthand, why the SBA makes a QoE mandatory above $3M from October 2026, and who actually pays.
Micro SaaS for Sale and How to Buy a Micro SaaS Business at the Right Price
Micro SaaS for sale: where small SaaS businesses are listed, what they cost in 2026, the seven checks that matter under $100,000, and how to close one.
Customer Concentration Risk When Buying a SaaS and What It Does to Your Multiple
Customer concentration risk in a SaaS acquisition: no published threshold exists. How to measure it properly, and why it hits deal structure before price.
LTV to CAC Ratio and How to Calculate It on a SaaS Business You Are Buying
LTV to CAC ratio benchmarks are 4.1x horizontal and 5.6x vertical SaaS. How to calculate it from a seller's data, and the four ways the number gets faked.
Net Revenue Retention Benchmarks, Formula and What a Good NRR Means When You Buy a SaaS Business
Net revenue retention benchmarks: 103% median for private SaaS, 117.9% at the 90th percentile, 108% for usage pricing. The formula, and what buyers check.
SaaS Gross Margin Benchmarks With Profit Margin by ARR Band and What Buyers Expect
SaaS gross margin benchmarks from 342 companies: 80% median software margin, 72% under $5M ARR, 86% top quartile. What acquirers expect, and why.
AI Tools for Buying a Business That Actually Help With Valuation, Due Diligence and Deal Screening
AI tools for buying a business, sorted by what they really do: valuation models, due diligence reading and deal screening. What to trust, and what to verify.
How Much Does It Cost to Buy a SaaS Business? 2x to 4x ARR, Plus 30%
Buying a SaaS business costs 2x to 4x ARR on the price, plus another 10% to 30% for closing costs, working capital and the first months of running it.
SBA Loan to Buy a SaaS Business and How It Works
You can finance a profitable SaaS acquisition with an SBA 7(a) loan. The terms, the down payment, and why verified cash flow decides approval.
How Much Does a SaaS Business Sell For? Sale Prices by ARR Band
How much a SaaS business sells for: typical sale prices by ARR band, what makes two businesses at the same revenue sell for different money, worked examples.
How to Negotiate Buying a Business on SaaS Price, Terms and the LOI
How to negotiate buying a business: where to anchor your offer, how to reprice on diligence findings, and the deal terms worth more than the last 10% of price.
Lehman Formula Explained With What Straight, Double, Modified and Reverse Lehman Broker Fees Cost
The Lehman formula sets what your broker earns. Straight, Double, Modified and Reverse Lehman compared, with worked numbers and the clauses that cost more.
Who Pays the Business Broker Fee (Buyer or Seller) and What It Costs You
The seller pays the business broker fee at closing, but the buyer funds it through the price. Who pays what, with the fee schedules verified in August 2026.
Best Online Business to Buy in 2026 for First-Time Buyers
The best online business to buy is the one you can already run. Content, ecommerce, SaaS, apps and newsletters compared for first-time buyers in 2026.
SaaS vs On-Premise Software and Which Software Business to Buy
SaaS sold at about a 21% premium to on-premise software in 2024, down from over 40%. What that gap means when you are choosing which software business to buy.
SBA Loan Down Payment to Buy a Business and How Much Money Down You Need
SBA loan down payment to buy a business: the 10% minimum equity injection, when a seller note counts toward it, and what changes on 1 October 2026.
Businesses For Sale By Owner and How to Buy Without a Broker
Businesses for sale by owner: where owners list without a broker, what you give up in vetting, and the six checks that replace a broker package.
Buying a Business With No Money Down and What SBA Rules Actually Allow
Buying a business with no money down: why the SBA 10% injection is a floor, how much a seller note can cover, and what tightens on 1 October 2026.
Virtual Data Room Pricing and What a VDR Costs for an M&A Deal
Virtual data room pricing read firsthand from five providers: four publish no price at all, what each one does disclose, and which model to accept.
Mergers and Acquisitions Attorney Cost and What an M&A Lawyer Charges on a Business Purchase
Mergers and acquisitions attorney cost: published US rates from $250 to $1,200 an hour, what a deal lawyer does on a business purchase, and when to hire one.
Strategic Buyer vs Financial Buyer and Which SaaS Acquirer Leaves You With More in the Bank
Strategic buyer vs financial buyer: a strategic pays for fit and often pays in stock or earnout, a financial buyer pays for cash flow, mostly in cash at close.
How Much Does It Cost to Sell a SaaS Business?
Platform fees, legal, escrow and prep costs, with the real published rates from Flippa, Empire Flippers and brokers run against a $300,000 sale.
Where to Buy a SaaS Business With Marketplaces Compared
Marketplaces, brokers and off-market sourcing all sell SaaS businesses, but to different buyers. An honest comparison of where each one actually fits.
How to Buy a Shopify App Business With Proper Diligence
A Shopify app has unusually verifiable revenue. How to reconcile MRR against Partner payouts, read the App Store signals, and price platform risk.
What Is a SaaS Holding Company (and How to Build One)
A SaaS holding company owns several software businesses and runs them for cash flow. How the model works, how to structure it, and where returns come from.
Asset Purchase vs Stock Purchase in SaaS Deals
Nearly every small SaaS deal is an asset purchase. How the two structures differ on liabilities, taxes, contract consents and what actually transfers.
How to Verify MRR Before Buying a SaaS Business
Reported MRR is the easiest SaaS metric to inflate. How to reconcile recurring revenue against the processor, bank and billing records before you buy.
Vertical SaaS vs Horizontal SaaS and Which to Acquire
Vertical SaaS offers lower churn and a defensible niche; horizontal SaaS offers a bigger market. How the two differ for acquirers, and how to value each one.
SaaS Letter of Intent (LOI) and What It Covers and Binds
A SaaS letter of intent sets price, structure and exclusivity before diligence. Which clauses bind, how long a no-shop runs, and how to avoid a retrade.
SDE vs EBITDA vs ARR and Which Multiple Values Your SaaS
SDE, EBITDA and ARR multiples price the same SaaS differently. When each applies, which add-backs buyers accept, and how to make the number survive diligence.
How Long Does It Take to Sell a SaaS Business?
Selling a SaaS business typically takes three to six months. A stage-by-stage timeline, what really causes delays, and the prep that cuts weeks off the process.
Selling a Startup and How the Acquisition Works
Selling a startup takes three to six months across five stages: preparation, valuation, listing, diligence and close. What buyers check, and how to prepare.
SaaS Broker vs Marketplace and Which Sells Your SaaS for More
SaaS broker vs marketplace: how fees, buyer pool, timeline and control differ, and which route nets more for a bootstrapped or micro AI SaaS.
How to Finance a SaaS Acquisition With Loans, Seller Notes and Earnouts
How to finance a SaaS acquisition: SBA 7(a) loans, seller financing, earnouts and equity, with the terms buyers actually use to fund a deal.
SaaS Churn Rate That Acquirers Consider Healthy
SaaS churn rate benchmarks buyers use in diligence: what counts as good monthly and annual churn, how net revenue retention factors in, and the impact.
How to Value an AI Company in Practice as a Founder
How to value an AI company: the metrics buyers actually weigh, the multiples to expect, and a step-by-step way to estimate a defensible range.
Buying a SaaS Business, the Complete Step-by-Step Guide
A first-time buyer guide to buying a SaaS business: sourcing deals, reading the metrics, running diligence, structuring an offer and closing in escrow.
SaaS Exit Strategy for Planning and Timing Your Sale
A SaaS exit strategy is built long before the sale. How to plan the exit, clean up the metrics buyers reward, time the market and choose where to sell.
SaaS Due Diligence Checklist of What to Verify Before You Buy
A SaaS due diligence checklist and document request list: the financial, customer, technical, legal and AI-specific items to verify before you buy.
AI SaaS Acquisition Trends Shaping the 2026 Deal Market
AI SaaS acquisition trends for 2026: who is buying, how multiples are shifting, why inference margin is now underwritten, and what verified metrics signal.
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