Flippa vs Empire Flippers vs buying direct: where to buy an online store
Updated September 29, 2026
Flippa vs Empire Flippers comes down to open marketplace vs curated broker. Flippa lets sellers list themselves across a wide range of sizes, so you do more of the checking. Empire Flippers only lists businesses that meet its entry rules, so deals are larger and pre-screened. Buying direct from a builder or owner is a third route, with the fewest fees and the least outside process.
This page compares the three on vetting, deal size, fees, escrow, and fit. Where we state a fee or policy for a named company, we checked it on that company's own website in September 2026. Fees and policies change, so treat the figures as a starting point and confirm them on the current pages before you commit.
Flippa vs Empire Flippers at a glance
| Flippa | Empire Flippers | Buying direct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Marketplace, self-service listings | Curated broker | Private deal with a builder or owner |
| Who creates the listing | The seller | Listed after the broker's review | No listing, or the seller's own page |
| Deal size | Wide range, including small sites | Businesses above its profit and history minimums | Anything the two sides agree |
| Seller fees (as of September 2026) | Listing fee plus a success fee on sale | Tiered commission on sale | None unless agreed |
| Buyer fees (as of September 2026) | Payment-processing fee, varies by method | Check the current buyer terms | Escrow fee if you use one |
| Who does the checking | Mostly you | Broker screens first, you still verify | You |
Flippa: the open marketplace
As of September 2026, Flippa's pricing page offers self-service listing plans for sellers, with a flat listing fee that depends on the plan and a success fee charged when the business sells. The page listed that success fee as 10% of the sale. Buyers pay a payment-processing fee that depends on the method, with options including FlippaPay and Escrow.com, and PayPal is also listed as a payment option.
What that means for you as a buyer:
- Wide choice. Because sellers list themselves, you will see everything from tiny starter sites to established businesses.
- Uneven quality. The same openness means listings vary a lot in how much proof they include. Do not treat a listing as verified just because it is on a well-known site.
- More work for you. Ask for live access to analytics, the store platform and payment accounts, and verify every number yourself.
Flippa suits buyers with smaller budgets who are comfortable doing their own checking, or who want to browse a large number of listings before deciding what to buy.
Empire Flippers: the curated broker
Empire Flippers is a curated broker. It sets minimums for how much profit a business makes and how long it has been earning, asks sellers to verify their numbers, and turns away sites with problems such as active search penalties. Sellers pay a commission on the sale that is tiered by deal size. The exact thresholds and rates change, so read the current requirements on Empire Flippers' own sell page before you plan around them.
What that means for you as a buyer:
- Pre-screened listings. The broker reviews businesses before listing them, which removes some of the worst listings.
- Larger deals. The profit and history minimums mean prices start higher than many marketplace listings.
- Still your job to verify. Screening reduces risk. It does not replace your own due diligence.
We did not find Empire Flippers' buyer fees, deposit rules or escrow process stated on the pages we checked, so we are not quoting them. Read its current buyer terms before you make an offer.
Buying direct from a builder or owner
The third route skips the platform. You buy from someone who owns an established store, or from a builder who creates new starter stores to sell.
Buying an established store direct
You might find the owner through your own network, a forum, or by contacting a store you like. There is no platform commission, which gives both sides room on price. There is also no platform process, so you need to arrange:
- A written purchase agreement listing every asset and account
- Escrow or another protected payment method
- Your own verification of traffic, revenue and suppliers
- A clear handover plan for each account
Buying a starter store from a builder
A starter store is a new build with no sales history. You are paying for setup work: domain, design, products, supplier accounts, policies. It should be priced as a build, not as a multiple of earnings, because there are no earnings yet. See how to value a website for why.
Buying a starter store direct makes most sense when you want to run a store in a specific niche, you have a smaller budget, and you are ready to do the marketing yourself. The checks are about the build: who owns the domain, where it is hosted, whether theme and app licences are yours, and whether supplier accounts are in your name.
Escrow: use it on every route
Escrow means a third party holds your money until the handover is done. The seller knows the money exists, and you know you will not lose it if the handover fails. Marketplaces and brokers usually build this into their process. On a direct deal, you have to arrange it yourself. Before you use any escrow service, confirm it is a real, licensed provider you found yourself, not one the seller linked you to.
Pros and cons of each route
Flippa
- Pros: large choice, small deals available, built-in payment options.
- Cons: uneven listing quality, most of the checking falls on you.
Empire Flippers
- Pros: listings screened against entry rules, established businesses with history.
- Cons: higher entry price, no fit for very small or new stores.
Buying direct
- Pros: no platform commission, direct contact with the person who knows the store best, the only practical route for a made-to-order starter store.
- Cons: no platform process, so the agreement, escrow and checking are all on you.
Questions to ask on any route
Whichever route you choose, the same questions protect you. Ask them before you make an offer:
- Can I have live, read-only access to analytics, the store platform and the payment processor?
- What are the monthly profit figures for the last 12 months, after every cost?
- Which suppliers does the store use, and will they work with a new owner?
- Which accounts transfer, and which will I have to open myself?
- How many hours a week does the store take to run?
- Who holds the money until handover, and what happens if handover fails?
On a marketplace, you ask the seller. With a broker, some answers may already be in the listing, but ask anyway where anything is missing. When buying direct, put the answers in the purchase agreement.
Fees in context
It is easy to focus on fees because they are the one number printed on the page. They matter less than the quality of what you buy. A small processing fee on a well-verified store is cheap. Saving the fee on a store whose revenue turns out to be false is expensive. Compare routes on the whole cost to you: price, fees, the time you will spend checking, and the risk left over after you have checked.
How to choose
- Set your budget. If it is below the size of business a curated broker lists, that route is out.
- Decide if you want income now or a build to grow. Income now means an established store with a verified history. A build means a starter store you will market yourself.
- Be honest about how much checking you will do. The less screening a route provides, the more you must do. Our website due diligence checklist covers it.
- Check current fees and terms. Read each site's pricing and buyer terms on the day you buy.
If you already know your niche, you can browse starter stores for hunting, fishing and camping and our other niches.
Common questions
What is the main difference between Flippa and Empire Flippers?
Flippa is a marketplace where sellers create their own listings on self-service plans, so the range of sizes and quality is wide. Empire Flippers is a curated broker that only lists businesses meeting its entry requirements, such as a minimum profit and track record.
Who pays the fees on Flippa and Empire Flippers?
On both, the main commission is charged to the seller. As of September 2026, Flippa's pricing page also lists payment-processing fees for buyers depending on the payment method. Check each site's current pricing page before you buy, because fees change.
Can I buy a small or brand-new store on Empire Flippers?
Generally no. Empire Flippers sets minimum profit and earnings-history requirements for the businesses it lists, so very small and brand-new stores do not fit its model. Check its sell page for the current thresholds.
Is buying direct from a builder or owner safe?
It can be, if you use escrow or another protected payment method, get a written agreement listing every asset, and verify everything yourself. You lose the platform's process, so the checking is on you.
Which option is best for a first-time buyer?
It depends on budget. Buyers who can afford a business with a verified track record may value a curated broker. Buyers with a small budget usually look at marketplaces or buy a starter store direct, and should rely on their own due diligence.