How to sell your startup or SaaS business

Selling a software business is not "post an ad and wait." It is a structured deal: you package the asset, prove the numbers, open access under NDA, and hand over control so nothing breaks for the buyer the next morning. Here is an honest look at both sides — how to sell your startup or SaaS, and how to buy a ready-made business without the usual mistakes.

What buyers want to see

A buyer isn't paying for code — they're paying for a predictable asset. The first things they check:

• Revenue and its durability. Not a peak month, but a 12-month trend, churn, and customer concentration. For pre-revenue products, an honest readiness stage (idea / MVP / MVP in production / operating).
• Who keeps the product running. Whether it depends on you personally, on one developer, or on "magic" manual operations.
• Legal cleanliness. Who owns the code, domains, and brand; whether there are questionable licenses or third-party code.
• Exactly what is being sold. A vague "the whole business" scares buyers off. They need a precise list.

The fewer dark corners, the higher the price and the faster the close. Transparency is not weakness — it is a tool for raising your valuation.

How to price it

There is no single correct formula, but two working benchmarks:

1. A revenue/profit multiple. For SaaS with recurring revenue, buyers apply a multiple to annual (ARR) or monthly profit. The multiple depends on growth, churn, margins, and how independent the business is from the founder.
2. Rebuild cost. What it would take the buyer to build the same thing from scratch. For pre-revenue products this is often the main argument: "launch in weeks instead of months of development."

A realistic price usually sits between these two figures. Don't inflate for "potential" — a buyer pays for what exists today, not for your dream. Taxes on the sale and deal structure are best discussed with a qualified lawyer and accountant — this is not the place to improvise.

What to include in the deal (and what to exclude)

Write an explicit asset list. A sale typically includes:

• Code — repositories, history, rights to the source.
• Domains and all related records.
• Brand — name, logo, trademark (if registered).
• Contracts — with clients, contractors, and suppliers (mind assignment rights).
• Infrastructure — servers, access, keys, configuration as code.
• Content, social accounts, documentation.

It is just as important to state honestly what is not included: a user database, for example, usually can't be "handed over as part of the package" without a legal basis and consents (governed by personal-data law). Explicit exclusions save the buyer headaches — and save your reputation.

How it works on x100base

On x100base a ready business is listed as an outright sale (deal_type = sale). You publish a listing that states:

• the price (or "on request," optionally as a range);
• the exact asset contents — code, domains, brand, contracts, infrastructure;
• the reason for sale and the handover terms (how long and how much support you provide after closing).

The public teaser is open to everyone; sensitive data — metrics, P&L, code-review access — is reviewed under an NDA in a data room. The parties close the deal directly, peer-to-peer: the platform never touches the deal money (an escrow account or a notary escrow is the parties' choice). Listing is free, and the fee is a 3% success fee charged only on a closed deal.

If your numbers need proving to a remote buyer, the Bank Verified option is available: revenue is reconciled against bank statements, and the report is prepared within 48 hours in English — which removes overseas buyers' distrust of the figures. We also help with project packaging and due diligence if you'd rather not assemble the data room yourself.

Preparing the asset & data room

A good data room saves weeks of negotiation. Prepare in advance:

• a one-pager / teaser and a short product description;
• financials — revenue, costs, reporting;
• an inventory of what's transferred (repositories, domains, servers, keys) and a plan to rotate all secrets;
• demo access or a video walkthrough of the main flow;
• legal documents and an NDA template.

Security rule: live access and keys are granted only under NDA, and rotated after every viewing.

The handover

A clean handover is exactly what a buyer will pay extra for. Spell out in the terms:

• transferring domains at the registrar and re-issuing access;
• handing over repositories and infrastructure;
• rotating all secrets on the buyer's side;
• an agreed support period (say, 2–4 weeks for questions).

Common mistakes

• A vague deal scope — the buyer can't tell what they're getting and walks away.
• Inflating for "potential" instead of real numbers.
• Hidden founder dependency — if everything stops without you, the price drops.
• Ignoring data-protection law and code ownership — a risk that surfaces during due diligence.

FAQ

How much does it cost to list a project? Listing is free; you pay a 3% fee only on close.

Does the money go through the platform? No. The parties settle directly; the platform is an information service.

I'm pre-revenue — is it worth it? Yes. The main argument is rebuild cost and a launch-ready asset.

Ready to deal? Browse the project catalog or order packaging and due diligence.