Baton vs Acquire.com: Fees, Process, and Which to Choose
Chat Joglekar
⋅
6 min read
Acquire.com is a legitimate online marketplace for buying and selling startups, SaaS, and other online businesses, and it is the right choice if you own one and are comfortable running the sale yourself. Baton is the better fit for most Main Street and lower-middle-market owners: a dedicated advisor runs the sale, buyers can get SBA and bank pre-qualification, and the fee is a flat 6% at close with no retainer.
This comparison is for owners choosing between the two. They mostly serve different sellers: Acquire.com is built around SaaS and internet businesses, while Baton focuses on established U.S. companies worth roughly $500K to $100M. If you run a SaaS or ecommerce company, Acquire.com may be the better home.
What Acquire.com is
Founded: 2020 as MicroAcquire by Andrew Gazdecki, renamed Acquire.com in 2023. Its terms list an address in La Jolla, California.
Model: a self-serve marketplace where sellers list anonymously and buyers pay a membership (from $390) to contact them. It covers SaaS, ecommerce, agencies, content sites, newsletters, and apps.
Size: the company reports 500,000+ entrepreneurs on the platform, 2,000+ startups sold, and $500M+ in closed deal volume.
Seller pricing as of October 2026: a $25 to $100 monthly listing fee plus a 6% to 8% closing fee, set by asking price. Guided by Acquire, its advisory service for profitable SaaS companies with $100K+ in trailing revenue, charges 6%.
Funding: a $2.8 million seed round led by Bessemer Venture Partners in 2021.
Baton vs Acquire.com
Baton | Acquire.com | |
|---|---|---|
Best fit | U.S. Main Street and lower-middle-market businesses, focused on $500K to $100M in value | SaaS, ecommerce, content, and other online businesses |
Upfront cost | None. No retainer or listing fee. | $25 to $100 a month to stay listed, by asking price |
Success fee | 6% of the total purchase price, paid at close | 8% under $250K, 7% from $250K to $1M, 6% above $1M. Guided by Acquire: 6%. |
Who runs the sale | A dedicated advisor, through diligence and close | You do, with self-serve tools and a customer success manager. Guided by Acquire adds an M&A advisor for eligible SaaS companies. |
Buyers | 30,000 vetted buyers, plus major business-for-sale sites and direct outreach to strategic buyers | Reports 500,000+ buyers, who pay a membership to contact sellers |
Confidentiality | Free anonymous listing to test buyer interest privately | Anonymous listings, with private details behind automated NDAs |
Valuation | Free, data-driven valuation before you list | Free calculator for SaaS businesses only, based on its closed deals |
Diligence and closing | Data room, diligence and closing platform, and buyer financing pre-qualification | AI-generated diligence checklist, legal document builders, and free escrow through Escrow.com |
Contract term | Three-month exclusive, then month to month | Month to month; cancel by unlisting. The fee still applies to buyers met on the marketplace. |
Pricing and features checked October 2026. Baton figures are from baton.com/pricing. Acquire.com figures are from its seller pricing page, help center, and terms of use, listed at the end of this article.
Where the difference shows up
On larger deals the fee is close to even. On a $1.5 million sale, Baton’s 6% success fee is $90,000. Acquire.com’s closing fee there is also 6%, or $90,000, plus $100 per listed month ($600 over six months). Below $1 million its rate rises: on a $600,000 sale, its 7% fee is $42,000 against Baton’s $36,000.
The bigger difference is who does the work. On Acquire.com’s standard plan, you write the listing, screen buyers, negotiate, and manage diligence with its tools. Its terms say it is not a broker or M&A advisor unless you sign a separate agreement. With Baton, a dedicated advisor runs the sale through closing.
The third is the buyer pool. Acquire.com’s buyers are shopping for online businesses. Buyers of a Main Street business with employees, equipment, and local customers often rely on SBA or bank loans, so Baton pre-qualifies interested buyers for financing and also contacts strategic acquirers directly.
Which should you use?
Choose Acquire.com if you are selling a SaaS, ecommerce, content, or other online business, especially one under $500K, and want to run the sale yourself at a low monthly cost. Profitable SaaS companies with $100K+ in trailing revenue can also get a SaaS-focused advisor at 6% through Guided by Acquire.
Choose Baton if you own an established U.S. business, particularly one worth $500K to $100M, and want an advisor to run the process, a flat 6% fee with no retainer, a free valuation before you commit, and buyers who can get financing support.
Start with a number
Whichever route you take, know what your business is worth before you list it anywhere. Get a free Baton valuation.
FAQ
Is Acquire.com legit? Yes. Acquire.com launched as MicroAcquire in 2020, raised a seed round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, and reports 2,000+ startups sold. Its terms say it does not perform diligence on buyers or sellers, so verify the other party yourself.
How much does Acquire.com charge to sell a business? As of October 2026, sellers pay a monthly listing fee of $25, $50, or $100 plus a closing fee of 8%, 7%, or 6%, depending on asking price. The closing fee is owed only if the business sells. Guided by Acquire charges 6% at close with no upfront fee.
Can I sell a Main Street business on Acquire.com? Acquire.com’s categories are online businesses such as SaaS, ecommerce, agencies, content sites, and apps, and its valuation tool and advisory service are SaaS only. Owners of local, operations-heavy businesses may find a better-matched buyer pool on a platform built for Main Street deals, such as Baton.
Does Acquire.com offer a free valuation? Yes, for SaaS businesses. Its free calculator compares your inputs with thousands of closed SaaS acquisitions on Acquire.com. Baton also offers a free, data-driven valuation.
What are the best Acquire.com alternatives? For Main Street and lower-middle-market owners who want an advisor to run the sale for a flat 6% fee, Baton. For more options, see our BizBuySell review and our guide to the best websites to sell a small business.
More comparisons
See every option side by side on Compare Baton, or read another comparison:
Sources
Baton pricing, checked October 2026
Acquire.com seller pricing, checked October 2026
Bessemer Venture Partners: MicroAcquire helps startups find buyers, July 2021