Flippa vs Empire Flippers: Open Marketplace or Curated Broker?
Flippa lets anyone list for $29 and leaves the checking to you. Empire Flippers rejects most businesses, charges 15% and runs the sale. The right choice depends on the size of the business and how much work you want to…
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Table of contents
Flippa and Empire Flippers are often mentioned together, but they are different kinds of company. Flippa is an open marketplace where you list and sell a business yourself. Empire Flippers is a broker that decides whether to take you on and then runs the sale.
So the comparison is less about which is better and more about which one your business, or your budget, belongs on.
Checked on: 13 November 2026, against each company’s own pricing and process pages. We have not completed a sale on either for this comparison.
The difference in one table
| Flippa | Empire Flippers | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Open marketplace | Curated broker |
| Who can list | Almost anyone, including sites with no revenue | Businesses with $24,000+ in annual net profit and 12 months of history |
| Upfront cost | $29 to $699 listing fee | None |
| Commission | 10% on self-service sales | $10,000 minimum, 15% up to $700,000, less above |
| Who sells it | You, unless you pay for a broker | Empire Flippers |
| Earnings verified before listing | No | Yes |
| Exclusivity | None stated for self-service listings | Two months |
| Buyer access | Open | Identity check and proof of funds first |
| Handover | You and the buyer, with support | Done by Empire Flippers |
Fees: Flippa is cheaper at every size below $700,000
| Sale price | Flippa (10%) | Empire Flippers |
|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $3,000 | $10,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| $300,000 | $30,000 | $45,000 |
| $700,000 | $70,000 | $105,000 |
Add Flippa’s listing fee, between $29 and $699, to its column.
The gap is widest on small sales because of Empire Flippers’ $10,000 minimum. On a $30,000 sale it would take a third of the price, which is why small sellers end up on Flippa whether they like it or not.
Above $700,000 the picture changes. Empire Flippers charges 8% on the slice between $700,000 and $5 million, so its effective rate falls as the deal grows. Flippa’s larger deals usually go through its brokered service, with an upfront fee of up to $1,299 and a success fee that drops from 10% as the price rises. At that size, get a quote from both.
Vetting: this is what the extra 5% pays for
Flippa checks that the seller is who they say they are and owns the asset. It does not check whether the business is good.
Empire Flippers asks for access to revenue and traffic accounts, builds its own profit and loss statement, and rejects most of what it is sent. In the most recent figures it has published, 91% of submissions did not make it to a listing.
For a buyer, that is the whole argument. On Flippa you are the due diligence. On Empire Flippers someone has done a first pass, and you verify from there.
For sellers
Choose Flippa if:
- Your business makes less than $2,000 a month in profit, or is under a year old. Empire Flippers will not take it.
- You are selling for under about $70,000, where the $10,000 minimum makes Empire Flippers expensive.
- You want to control the listing, the price and the conversations.
- You want to list in more than one place at once.
Choose Empire Flippers if
- Your business qualifies and you do not want to spend weeks answering buyers.
- You have never sold a business and would rather pay for the process to be run properly.
- You want buyers who have already shown they have the money.
- You want someone else to move the domain, hosting and accounts.
For buyers
Choose Flippa if you have a small budget, you know how to check analytics and revenue yourself, or you want the widest range of listings. Always pay through escrow.
Choose Empire Flippers if you are spending tens of thousands or more and want verified numbers and a managed transfer. You will need to prove your identity and funds before you can see which businesses are for sale.
The one thing people get wrong
Sellers compare the commission and stop. The better question is what the business will sell for, and how likely it is to sell at all, on each platform. A vetted listing in front of verified buyers can justify a higher price than the same business on an open marketplace where buyers discount for risk. We cannot put a number on that difference, and nor can anyone else honestly, but it is the reason a 15% broker can leave you with more money than a 10% marketplace.
If your business qualifies for Empire Flippers, apply. It costs nothing to find out what valuation they would put on it, and you can still choose Flippa afterward.
Verdict: Flippa for small, early or unusual businesses and for experienced buyers. Empire Flippers for established, profitable businesses and for anyone doing this for the first time with real money.
Ready to look? Browse Flippa or see what Empire Flippers has listed.
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FAQ
Is Empire Flippers safer than Flippa?
For buyers, generally yes. Empire Flippers verifies earnings and traffic before listing and manages the transfer. Flippa verifies the seller’s identity and ownership but leaves the business checks to the buyer.
Which is cheaper, Flippa or Empire Flippers?
Flippa, for any sale under $700,000. It charges 10% plus a listing fee. Empire Flippers charges 15% with a $10,000 minimum.
Can I list on Flippa and Empire Flippers at the same time?
Not during Empire Flippers’ two-month exclusivity period. After that you can list elsewhere.
What if Empire Flippers rejects my business?
Flippa is the usual next step, since it accepts businesses of any size and age. Fix whatever caused the rejection first if you can, because buyers on any platform will ask the same questions.
