Acquire.com Review: Fees, Process, Who It's For

A Shopify brand at $140k SDE listed on Acquire.com because a founder friend sold his SaaS there at 4× ARR with a 4% success fee. Six weeks in: listing views from micro-SaaS buyers, three LOIs referencing MRR that did not exist, one acquirer who wanted "API access" to a supplement store. The seller moved to an ecommerce-native marketplace, profit-verified SDE on listing, closed at 3.1× in 68 days. Acquire.com is excellent at what it was built for. Ecommerce is often not that.

This is a fair review — not a hit piece. Acquire.com changed startup M&A for SaaS and micro-SaaS. Fees, process, and buyer pool reflect that DNA. If you are selling or buying a DTC store, you need to know where the platform shines, where it friction-matches wrong, and how verification models differ from profit-verified ecommerce marketplaces.

I run TrustExits, a competitor on ecommerce exits. I will say where we fit and where Acquire wins anyway.

What Acquire.com is

Acquire.com (formerly MicroAcquire) is a startup acquisition marketplace focused on SaaS, newsletters, and digital businesses with recurring or contract revenue. Listings are free to create; the platform monetizes on success fees at close. Buyer network skews tech operators, micro-PE, and SaaS roll-ups — not Amazon FBA aggregators or DTC media buyers (though some browse).

Core value prop for SaaS sellers:

• Low headline success fee (~4% seller on many deals — verify live tiers).
• Large qualified buyer pool for software metrics.
• Streamlined LOI flow and data room patterns built for MRR/ARR.
• Brand trust in founder community.

For ecommerce, the same infrastructure applies — but metrics, verification, and buyer mental models do not map cleanly onto SDE, COGS, and channel risk.

Fees — what sellers actually pay

Acquire.com fee structure (verify current pages before listing):

Component	Typical pattern	Ecommerce note
Listing fee	$0	Attractive vs vetting deposits elsewhere
Seller success fee	~4% on many SaaS closes	Same tier may apply; confirm for store assets
Buyer success fee	Varies by program	Can affect offer size indirectly
Escrow / legal	Deal-dependent	Not bundled like some curated ecommerce brokers

Headline 4% beats Empire's 8–15% and Flippa's tiered take — on paper. All-in seller net still requires escrow (~1%), legal ($2k–$5k), and retrade risk if buyers diligence SDE down after LOI. Compare worked examples: Empire vs Flippa vs Acquire fees.

Low fee does not fix wrong buyer pool. A 4% fee on a listing that never closes is infinitely expensive in months.

Process — how a deal runs on Acquire

Listing and qualification

Sellers submit business profile — revenue, growth, category. Acquire is selective; not every listing goes live. SaaS listings emphasize MRR, churn, LTV. Ecommerce listings often get shoehorned into revenue/growth fields designed for software. Profit and channel mix are seller-provided unless buyer diligence catches gaps.

Buyer engagement

Buyers request intro via platform NDA flow. Strong for SaaS: buyers understand ARR multiples, churn dd, tech stack. Weaker for DTC: buyers may apply SaaS heuristics (price on revenue, ignore COGS stack) or simply not engage — wrong buyer type.

LOI and close

LOI templates and pace fit asset-light software transfers. Ecommerce needs asset schedules — Shopify, ad accounts, supplier contracts, inventory — and milestone escrow. Acquire does not specialize in channel transfer checklists; parties handle via external counsel.

Verification — where ecommerce sellers feel the gap

Acquire's trust stack evolved around revenue verification for recurring businesses — Stripe/Revenue badges, MRR proof. That works when gross margin is 75%+ and costs are mostly payroll.

Ecommerce needs profit verification:

• COGS reconciliation per SKU.
• Ad spend across Meta, Google, TikTok — often off-book.
• Shipping and returns net of restock.
• Channel risk: policy history, account transfer path.

Revenue verified on a $80k/month store can hide $2k/month SDE. Acquire buyers steeped in SaaS may not run ecommerce dd depth by default — leading to LOI → retrade → wasted weeks. Read revenue vs profit verified.

TrustExits exists because ecommerce exits need native profit verification and channel scoring — not because Acquire is bad, but because it optimizes a different asset class.

Who Acquire.com is for (ecommerce context)

Good fit

• Ecommerce with SaaS-like metrics — replenishment subscription, 60%+ repeat, stable margin, low ad dependency.
• Digital products attached to store — courses, memberships with MRR line.
• Newsletter + commerce hybrid — audience asset buyers understand.
• Seller already known in founder Twitter — social proof drives intros independent of category.
• Deal under $500k where buyer is tech operator — occasional fit.

Poor fit

• Meta/TikTok paid-heavy DTC — buyer pool mismatch; channel risk invisible in listing.
• Dropship with thin margin — revenue multiples tempt wrong pricing.
• SDE $30k–$300k core Shopify band — ecommerce-native marketplaces bring qualified operators faster.
• Seller needs hand-hold on verification and transfer — Acquire is platform, not ecommerce concierge.
• Inventory-heavy or Amazon hybrid — diligence patterns differ; specialized brokers often beat.

Acquire vs ecommerce-native marketplaces

Dimension	Acquire.com	TrustExits / ecommerce curators
Primary buyer	SaaS operator, micro-PE	DTC operator, brand buyer
Verification	Revenue / MRR focus	Profit + channel risk
Headline seller fee	Often lower (~4%)	Higher; includes verification
Time-to-close ecommerce	Variable; pool mismatch risk	Tuned for store transfers
Listing friction	Low cost to list	Vetting upfront

Also compare Flippa alternatives 2026 for full landscape.

Buyer perspective — using Acquire for ecommerce

If you are buying stores on Acquire:

• Run full profit dd — do not import SaaS dd checklists. Ecommerce due diligence checklist.
• Price on SDE multiple, never revenue unless wholesale with documented margin.
• Channel transfer before LOI price lock — Meta BM, Stripe reserve, supplier MOQ.
• Expect seller may not have SaaS-style metrics package — you build it.

Acquire can surface off-market-ish deals founders list once. Edge is sourcing, not verification. Budget dd time accordingly.

Seller perspective — listing your Shopify brand

Before you list on Acquire:

1. Rebuild SDE with ad + COGS proof — verification sequence.
2. Ask honestly: would a SaaS buyer understand my asset? If no, lead with ecommerce marketplace.
3. Disclose channel concentration in teaser — reduces SaaS buyers wasting your time.
4. Model all-in net vs 4% headline — include legal and retrades.
5. Parallel listing policies — read exclusivity; most sellers should pick primary channel.

If your store has subscription line with clean MRR AND DTC, hybrid positioning can work — lead with the metric buyers on Acquire recognize.

What Acquire does better than ecommerce marketplaces

Fair credit where due:

• Founder brand and reach — intros you will not get on Flippa.
• Low listing friction — test market without $297 vetting deposit.
• Success fee on close — aligned incentive on SaaS deals that fit.
• Clean UX for software metrics — best-in-class for that category.

If you are selling actual SaaS with ecommerce bolt-on, Acquire remains a top-tier option. This review's caution is category mismatch, not platform quality.

Acquire for buyers — LOI and dd reality

Acquire's LOI flow assumes buyers understand software metrics. Ecommerce buyers should attach SDE bridge, channel transfer checklist, and escrow milestone schedule to every LOI — templates built for SaaS will not include Meta BM or supplier MOQ clauses. Treat platform LOI as starting email, not finished APA.

Response time on Acquire favors sellers with clean metrics packages. Ecommerce sellers without MRR chart should lead with verified SDE PDF and channel map — meet buyers where they are, or redirect to ecommerce-native marketplace.

Recent platform direction — still SaaS-first

Acquire continues expanding startup buyer network and SaaS tooling integrations. Ecommerce remains listable but not primary product roadmap — expect fewer ecommerce-specific verification features than profit-native marketplaces. Fair expectation setting prevents six-month listing rot on wrong platform.

Ecommerce seller interview — questions Acquire buyers ask wrong

Acquire-trained buyers may ask churn, NDR, logo retention — irrelevant to SKU business. Sellers should redirect: "Here is TTM SDE bridge, hero SKU margin, Meta % of revenue, transfer checklist." Prepare one-page ecommerce metrics PDF so SaaS buyers self-select out early — saves weeks.

When Acquire still makes sense for ecommerce exits in 2026

Subscription box with 55% repeat and documented churn. Digital product + Shopify with 40% revenue from memberships. Newsletter commerce with $18 ARPU and owned list. Founders with existing Acquire reputation and inbound buyer DMs. In those cases, 4% fee and founder network beat ecommerce marketplace fee delta — if profit still verified offline before LOI.

Alternatives when Acquire is wrong but fee matters

If Acquire fit is weak but you need low listing friction: Flippa with self-managed verification packet attached; Empire vetting if SDE supports fee; TrustExits if profit-native buyer pool justifies take. None is free — compare effective net at YOUR price with retrades modeled. Acquire wins when buyer intro value exceeds ecommerce-native verification ROI — narrow band.

Alternatives when Acquire fit is weak

Flippa with attached verification packet, Empire vetting at supported SDE, or TrustExits for profit-native pool — compare effective net at your price with retrades modeled. Acquire wins when buyer intro value exceeds ecommerce verification ROI; that band is narrow.

FAQ

Is Acquire.com legit?

Yes — established marketplace with real closes in SaaS and adjacent categories. Due diligence still required on every deal.

Can I sell my Shopify store on Acquire?

You can list; fit depends on metrics and buyer interest. Pure paid-social DTC often performs better on ecommerce-native platforms.

Acquire vs Empire Flippers for ecommerce?

Empire is ecommerce-curated with vetting cost; Acquire is SaaS-curated with lower fee. Empire usually fits generic DTC; Acquire fits hybrid/recurring stories.

Does Acquire verify profit?

Not to ecommerce-native SDE depth. Revenue/MRR verification — not full COGS + ad reconcile. Sellers should pre-verify or expect retrades.

Acquire vs TrustExits?

Acquire wins SaaS and founder-network deals. TrustExits wins profit-verified Shopify exits with channel risk disclosed — different buyer, different verification.

Compare your exit path on category fit, not fee headline alone. See how TrustExits compares for profit-verified ecommerce — and use Acquire if your metrics are software-first.

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Related reading & next steps

Keep going with the cluster — or jump straight into a TrustExits tool.

More on this topic

• How Much Is My Ecommerce Business Worth? (2026 Guide)
• Revenue vs Profit: Why "Revenue Verified" Is Not Enough
• Flippa Alternatives in 2026 (Honest Comparison)
• How to Sell Your Shopify Store (Complete 2026 Guide)

TrustExits pages worth opening

• compare ecommerce marketplaces
• TrustExits fees vs competitors
• revenue vs profit verification
• Primary next step → /compare