Baton vs Website Closers: Fees, Focus, and Which to Choose
Chat Joglekar
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6 min read
Website Closers is a business broker that specializes in tech, internet, and digital companies (ecommerce, SaaS, agencies, and apps), and it is a strong choice if your business is online and worth $1 million or more. Baton is the better fit for most Main Street and lower-middle-market owners: it charges a flat 6% at close with no retainer and gives you a free valuation before you commit.
This comparison is for owners choosing between the two, and they mostly serve different sellers. If you run an online store, a software product, or a digital agency, a specialist like Website Closers may serve you better. If you own a trade business, a clinic, a distributor, or another company rooted in its local market, that is Baton’s focus.
What Website Closers is
Founders: Jason Guerrettaz and Ron Matheson, who the firm says have worked in M&A since 1998. CB Insights lists 2013 as its founding year.
Headquarters: Tampa, Florida. It also sells franchises to independent brokers who work under its brand.
Focus: digital businesses, with deals from $1 million to $1 billion, according to its site. Firms under common ownership handle brick-and-mortar companies.
Size: its site reports 2,345 businesses sold, $2.23 billion in transactions represented, and a buyer network of 1.3 million.
Pricing: not published. Fees are success-based with no upfront fee or retainer.
Recognition: #3 on Axial’s 2025 Top 25 Lower Middle Market Business Brokers list and #12 on its first-half 2026 list.
Baton vs Website Closers
Baton | Website Closers | |
|---|---|---|
Built for | U.S. Main Street and lower-middle-market businesses, focused on $500K to $100M in value | Tech, internet, and digital businesses worldwide, from $1M to $1B |
Upfront cost | None. No retainer or listing fee. | None. No upfront fees or retainers, per its site. |
Success fee | 6% of the total purchase price, paid at close | Not published. Flat fee or Lehman-style schedule, set by deal size. |
Who runs the sale | A dedicated Baton advisor, through diligence and close | A Website Closers broker, from valuation through closing |
Buyers | 30,000 vetted buyers, major business-for-sale sites, and direct outreach to strategic buyers | A buyer network of 1.3 million, per its site |
Buyer financing | SBA and bank pre-qualification for interested buyers | Introduces buyers to lenders; structures seller notes and earn-outs |
Contract term | Three-month exclusive, then month to month | Not published. Its own guide notes tail clauses can run up to 24 months. |
Time to close | Offers in about 6 weeks. About 6 months from listing to close on average. | Buyer calls within 2 weeks. 30 to 120 days to close on average, per its site. |
Pricing and features checked October 2026. Baton figures are from baton.com/pricing. Website Closers does not publish seller pricing, so its column reflects its homepage and seller FAQ, plus the sources listed below.
Where the difference shows up
Start with the fee. On a $1.5 million sale, Baton’s 6% success fee is $90,000. Website Closers does not publish a rate; its site says fees are set by deal size and structure. Ask for its fee in dollars at the same price, including any minimum, and compare.
The bigger difference is who is looking. For an ecommerce brand or a SaaS company, a broker whose buyers shop for digital businesses is a real strength. For a plumbing company, a dental practice, or a manufacturer, the right buyer is more often a regional operator, a competitor, or an individual using an SBA loan. Baton reaches out directly to strategic buyers and pre-qualifies interested buyers for SBA and bank financing.
Then check the commitment. Website Closers’ own guide to listing agreements explains that a tail clause can leave you owing a commission for up to 24 months after an agreement ends if you sell to a buyer the broker introduced. Baton’s Seller Plan is a three-month exclusive, then month to month, and you can cancel any time after that.
Which should you use?
Choose Website Closers if your business is ecommerce, an Amazon brand, SaaS, a digital agency, an app, or another company that runs mostly online, it is worth $1 million or more, and you want a broker whose buyers specialize in digital businesses. It is also an option outside the U.S., where Baton does not yet operate.
Choose Baton if you own a Main Street or lower-middle-market business with local customers, staff, or physical operations, and you want a flat fee you know up front, a free valuation, and buyers that include strategic acquirers. Baton focuses on businesses worth $500K to $100M, and its Seller Plan requires at least $100K in annual profit.
Start with a number
Whichever route you take, know what your business is worth before you talk to anyone about fees. Get a free Baton valuation.
FAQ
Is Website Closers legit? Yes. Website Closers is an established broker for digital businesses and ranked #3 on Axial’s 2025 Top 25 Lower Middle Market Business Brokers list. It also sells franchises, so vet the specific broker who would handle your sale.
How much does Website Closers charge? Website Closers does not publish its fees. Its site says it charges no upfront fee or retainer and that fees can be flat or a Lehman-style schedule, depending on deal size. Ask for the fee in dollars, plus any minimum and tail period, in writing.
Does Website Closers sell businesses that are not online? Website Closers says it represents almost any business that touches the digital space and refers brick-and-mortar companies to firms under common ownership. If your business is mainly local and physical, also compare a Main Street specialist such as Baton.
What are the best Website Closers alternatives? For online businesses, marketplaces such as Flippa and Acquire.com; see Baton vs Flippa and Baton vs Acquire. For Main Street and lower-middle-market businesses, Baton, which charges a flat 6% at close with no retainer. Our comparison hub covers every option.
How long does it take to sell a business with Website Closers? Website Closers says sellers can be talking with buyers within two weeks and that most deals close in 30 to 120 days, depending on size and complexity. Baton sellers get offers in about 6 weeks, and deals average about 6 months from listing to close.
More comparisons
See every option side by side on Compare Baton, or read another comparison:
Sources
Baton pricing, checked October 2026
Website Closers company profile, CB Insights