BizScout
BizScout is an online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses in the $200K-$10M range, serving individual SMB buyers, sellers, and brokers with AI-powered deal analysis tools, integrated transaction management, and verified-buyer matching.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What BizScout does
BizScout is an online marketplace and transaction platform for buying and selling small businesses in the $200,000 to $10 million range, headquartered in Austin, Texas. Founded by Codie Sanchez (creator of the Contrarian Thinking media brand), the platform was launched in late 2024 and has scaled to 150,000+ registered users, 20,000+ active listings, and 25,000+ facilitated buyer-seller connections. The platform serves individual SMB buyers and sellers, professional brokers, and high-net-worth Private Client members pursuing $5M+ acquisitions, combining a marketplace front-end with proprietary AI tools (ScoutAI for deal analysis, ScoutSights for analytics and BizScout Score) and a deal management operating system called DealOS.
The platform's technology stack includes map-based geographic discovery, AI-powered personalized deal matching, identity verification via Persona, industry intelligence via IBISWorld, and standardized Representation & Warranty insurance embedded via an exclusive partnership with Bille (backed by Lloyd's of London). The exclusive multi-year partnership with Transworld Business Advisors — the world's largest business brokerage with 1,000+ brokers across 250+ offices — provides institutional-grade listing inventory and broker distribution.
BizScout generates revenue through a tiered buyer subscription model (Basic free, Pro at $83/month or $996/year, Contrarian Academy application-based, Private Client white-glove advisory for $5M+ deals) and transaction-based seller closing fees of 6-8% depending on sale price tier, supplemented by promoted listing fees. The company is privately held, was incorporated in Delaware as BizScout Inc. (with operating documents referencing BizScout LLC), and has raised $5M in an SEC-exempt offering backed by founders of Tinder and Coinbase. The platform is led by founder Codie Sanchez with Bobby Graham serving as President since July 2025.
BizScout firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BizScout
- Legal name
- BizScout LLC
- Website
- https://bizscout.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- BizScout is an online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses in the $200K-$10M range, serving individual SMB buyers, sellers, and brokers with AI-powered deal analysis tools, integrated transaction management, and verified-buyer matching.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BizScout industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Acquisition Marketplace
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (51321), Directory and Mailing List Publishers (51314)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business-for-Sale Marketplaces & Listing Platforms (FSAEAIAK)
Keywords
Where BizScout is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BizScout business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Buyer Subscriptions: Monthly or annual subscription tiers for buyers - Basic (free), Pro ($83/month or $996/year), Contrarian Academy (application-based membership), and Private Client (advisory service for $5M+ deals). Recurring revenue from active hunters upgrading to paid tiers.
- Seller Closing Fees: Transaction-based closing fees charged to sellers when businesses sell: 8% for businesses under $250K, 7% for $250K-$1M, 6% for above $1M. Major revenue driver tied to transaction volume. Includes Tail Period obligations.
- Promoted Listings: Optional promotional/marketing services sellers can purchase to increase listing visibility on the marketplace and through digital channels. Subscription-based Promoted Listing Fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free entry-level access to browse listings and run basic calculations |
| Subscription | Monthly | Active buyers seeking competitive edge with alerts, off-market deals, and AI tools |
| Subscription | Monthly | Buyers wanting mentorship, community, and expert guidance on acquisitions |
| Subscription | Monthly | High-net-worth buyers pursuing $5M+ acquisitions with dedicated advisory support |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sellers listing businesses under $250,000 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sellers listing businesses priced $250,000 to $1 million |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Sellers listing businesses above $1 million |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
BizScout product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BizScout runs a two-sided online marketplace that aggregates 20,000+ small business listings for buyers and connects sellers with a 100,000+ verified buyer community, supported by AI-driven scoring, off-market deal sourcing, and an integrated transaction management system (DealOS). Sellers access the marketplace through tiered closing fees (6–8%), while buyers subscribe to a Pro tier ($83/month or $996/year) or premium Contrarian Academy and Private Client services for advisory, mentorship, and dedicated acquisition support. The platform is differentiated by proprietary AI tooling, embedded R&W insurance via Bille, and a strategic listing-distribution partnership with Transworld Business Advisors.
Product overview
BizScout is a unified small business acquisition marketplace platform combining a deal discovery marketplace with integrated tools for deal analysis, transaction management, and advisory services. The core platform centers on the BizScout Marketplace (20,000+ listings) with embedded AI tools including ScoutAI (natural language deal analysis) and ScoutSights (analytics and BizScout Score benchmarking). DealOS serves as the proprietary transaction management operating layer for pipeline tracking and document management. The platform offers a tiered pricing structure: Basic (free, core listing access), Pro ($83/month, Radar alerts, off-market deals, IBISWorld intel, ScoutAI), Contrarian Academy (mentorship and community), and Private Client (white-glove advisory for $5M+ deals with ScoutReports and dedicated acquisition partners). Supplementary tools include five financial calculators (Deal Affordability, Net Working Capital, Exit Value, Buying Power, and upcoming Cash-on-Cash ROI and Debt Service) and features like Map View, Secure Data Vault, Due Diligence Checklist, and Verified Buyer status. The platform connects buyers with 100+ vetted brokers, SBA lenders, M&A attorneys, and other deal professionals through integrated partner relationships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ScoutAI: AI acquisition advisor providing instant deal breakdowns in plain English
- ScoutSights
- DealOS
- BizScout Score
- Radar
- ScoutReport
- BuyerBlueprint
Products and services
- BizScout Marketplace Online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses, aggregating 20,000+ listings with map-based search, AI-driven matching, off-market opportunities, and a network of vetted brokers and direct sellers for individual SMB buyers and sellers.
- DealOS Proprietary deal management operating layer serving as a pipeline tracker, document organizer, and diligence management system for closing business acquisitions, accessible at dealos.bizscout.com.
- Contrarian Academy Application-based premium membership tier offering personalized mentorship from dealmakers, individualized deal analysis, biweekly deal review calls, templated outreach, negotiation frameworks, the Bustling Slack community with concierge team, expert AMA office hours, and virtual and in-person events for serious SMB acquirers.
- Private Client Application-based, white-glove acquisition advisory service providing a dedicated acquisition partner who sources, screens, and delivers curated deals, including PE-standard ScoutReports with financials and fit analysis, full-year Contrarian Academy access, and warm introductions to vetted lenders, diligence partners, and deal professionals for buyers pursuing $5M+ acquisitions.
Quantifiable outcome
- 25,000+ buyer-seller connections facilitated since founding
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use BizScout
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BizScout technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability4 records
Feature9 records
BizScout partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BillecoreExclusive Representation & Warranty (R&W) insurance partnership. Bille provides standardized R&W coverage embedded directly into BizScout's deal flow for small and mid-sized business deals. Product is backed by Lloyd's of London and licensed across Canada, EU, and all 50 US states. Addresses the $10 trillion transfer of business ownership from retiring baby boomers by making sophisticated insurance tools accessible to Main Street entrepreneurs.
- Transworld Business AdvisorscoreStrategic multi-year partnership with world's largest business brokerage firm. All active Transworld listings featured on BizScout's platform, giving brokerage access to BizScout's verified community of 100,000+ buyers. Provides BizScout users access to professionally brokered listings from Transworld's network of 1,000+ brokers across 250+ offices worldwide. Exit Factor business services (valuation and exit readiness) also available to direct sellers.
- Exit FactorminorBusiness services firm specializing in valuation and exit readiness, available to direct sellers on the BizScout platform. Helps sellers prepare for exit and price businesses appropriately.
- Contrarian ThinkingcoreFounded by Codie Sanchez, creator of BizScout. Contrarian Thinking is a media/education brand focused on business acquisition and contrarian investing. Powers the Contrarian Academy membership tier and serves as primary community and content marketing channel.
- PersonacoreIdentity verification service used to verify buyer identities on the marketplace. Enables Verified Buyer status feature that results in faster broker and seller replies.
- IBISWorldcoreIndustry intelligence provider integrated into BizScout platform. Pro members receive IBISWorld intel on 1,000+ industries built directly into every listing.
- Grasshopper BankminorPartner providing banking services to BizScout users. Listed as a trusted partner on the main website.
- GustominorHR and payroll partner integrated with BizScout for buyer/seller support. Listed as a trusted partner on the main website.
- Escrow.comminorEscrow services partner for secure transaction closing. Listed as a trusted partner on the main website.
- Carbon Law GroupminorLegal services partner for M&A transactions. Listed as a trusted partner on the main website.
- RampminorBusiness spending platform partner. Listed as a trusted partner on the main website.
- DueDiliominorServices partner available to BizScout users. Listed as a trusted partner on the main website.
- Atlas AssistantsminorVirtual assistant services partner for BizScout users. Listed as a trusted partner on the main website.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BizScout competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BizBuySell: BizBuySell is the largest US online business-for-sale marketplace with hundreds of thousands of listings across franchises, SMBs, and startups. Directly comparable to BizScout in core offering (online business-for-sale listings marketplace) but with longer operating history, larger inventory, and incumbent SEO dominance.
- Acquire.com: Acquire.com is a marketplace for buying and selling SaaS and tech startups, having acquired MicroAcquire in 2024. Directly comparable to BizScout as a curated, vetted-buyer online marketplace for business acquisitions, though it focuses on tech/SaaS deals vs. BizScout's Main Street SMB focus.
- Empire Flippers: Empire Flippers is a leading online business brokerage marketplace specializing in content sites, e-commerce, and SaaS businesses priced $50K-$5M. Directly comparable to BizScout in vertical (online business acquisitions) and tiered pricing model, with a longer track record of verified sales and broker-assisted closings.
- Flippa: Flippa is a global online marketplace for buying and selling websites, apps, domains, and digital businesses. Directly comparable to BizScout as an SMB business-for-sale marketplace with tiered pricing, but Flippa focuses on lower-priced digital assets (often sub-$100K) versus BizScout's $200K-$10M Main Street focus.
- DealStream (formerly BizBen): DealStream is an online business-for-sale marketplace and listing platform connecting buyers with business sellers and brokers across the US. Directly comparable to BizScout in core marketplace offering, though DealStream's listings skew toward California small businesses and it has less integrated AI tooling.
- Quiet Light Brokerage: Quiet Light is a leading online business brokerage specializing in e-commerce and SaaS businesses priced $500K-$30M. Comparable to BizScout in deal size range and tiered service offering, though focused on online businesses rather than Main Street brick-and-mortar.
Broad incumbents
- Transworld Business Advisors: Transworld is the world's largest business brokerage firm with 1,000+ brokers across 250+ offices. While now a BizScout partner (listings flow through BizScout), Transworld also operates its own marketplace and full-service brokerage that overlaps with BizScout's Private Client service for $5M+ deals.
- Murphy Business & Financial Corporation: Murphy is a leading North American business brokerage franchise with 200+ offices specializing in Main Street businesses priced $200K-$5M. Comparable to BizScout as a Main Street business transaction platform, though delivered through traditional brokerage model rather than self-serve marketplace.
- Sunbelt Business Advisors: Sunbelt is one of the largest business brokerage networks in North America with 200+ offices. Comparable to BizScout in serving the Main Street M&A market, though primarily through broker-led transactions vs. BizScout's self-serve marketplace model.
Emerging players
- Privet.co: Privet is an emerging online marketplace for buying and selling small businesses with a curated, vetted-buyer approach. Comparable to BizScout in marketplace model and Main Street focus, though with smaller listing inventory and earlier-stage platform maturity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BizScout social profiles
Digital presenceBizScout financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BizScout leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
BizScout funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BizScout M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BizScout
What does BizScout do?
BizScout runs a two-sided online marketplace that aggregates 20,000+ small business listings for buyers and connects sellers with a 100,000+ verified buyer community, supported by AI-driven scoring, off-market deal sourcing, and an integrated transaction management system (DealOS). Sellers access the marketplace through tiered closing fees (6–8%), while buyers subscribe to a Pro tier ($83/month or $996/year) or premium Contrarian Academy and Private Client services for advisory, mentorship, and dedicated acquisition support. The platform is differentiated by proprietary AI tooling, embedded R&W insurance via Bille, and a strategic listing-distribution partnership with Transworld Business Advisors.
Is BizScout a public or private company?
BizScout is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BizScout founded?
BizScout was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BizScout based?
BizScout is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does BizScout make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Buyer Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are seller Closing Fees and promoted Listings.
Who are BizScout's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BizBuySell, Acquire.com, Empire Flippers, Flippa, DealStream (formerly BizBen) and Quiet Light Brokerage. Broad incumbents are Transworld Business Advisors, Murphy Business & Financial Corporation and Sunbelt Business Advisors. Privet.co is listed as an emerging player.
Does BizScout have an API?
No public API is recorded for BizScout.
What industry is BizScout in?
BizScout's product category is Business Acquisition Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAIAK, Business-for-Sale Marketplaces & Listing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 51321.