Australian Business For Sale

What Australian Business For Sale does

BusinessForSale.com.au (formerly Australian Business For Sale) operates Australia's longest-running online marketplace for buying and selling small and medium businesses, founded in 1987 by Hans Ten Bruin and headquartered at 3/425 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, Sydney. The platform connects private sellers directly with buyers across all Australian states and territories, structurally eliminating the brokerage commissions (typically 5-15%) charged by traditional intermediaries. Its technology stack centres on a self-serve marketplace complemented by BusinessRadar, an automated 24/7 alert system that scans new listings against buyer criteria, plus a free business valuation estimator backed by approximately ten years of Australian sales comparables, confidential listing features, and direct buyer-seller messaging infrastructure. The platform currently lists 9,738 active businesses across categories spanning accommodation, automotive, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, services, and franchise opportunities.

The business monetises primarily through three one-time listing packages: Starter at $688+ GST (3 months), Professional at $880+ GST (6 months with newsletter, magazine, and social promotion), and Concierge at $2,950+ GST (unlimited duration with multi-platform syndication and one-on-one advisor support). No commission is charged on final sale prices. Recurring revenue is generated through broker advertising subscriptions across a directory of 1,000+ licensed Australian brokers and dedicated franchise opportunity packages for franchisors. Supporting revenue lines include print and digital advertising in the quarterly Business For Sale Magazine, distributed nationally at newsagents, and exhibitor presence at Business & Franchise Expos in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

Distribution combines product-led growth through the self-serve website with channel partner activity through brokers and franchisors, supplemented by content marketing (industry-specific buying and selling guides), email newsletters to 64,000+ registered buyers, and an organic social media presence of 20,000+ combined followers across LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. The company has facilitated over 158,000 business sales cumulatively and currently serves 153,000+ active buyers and sellers, holding a 4.9/5 customer satisfaction rating. It remains privately held and family-owned, with the entire team based in Sydney and no disclosed institutional or private equity backing.

Name

Australian Business For Sale

Legal name

Business For Sale

Website

https://businessforsale.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BusinessForSale.com.au operates Australia's longest-running online marketplace for buying and selling small and medium businesses, founded in 1987. It connects private sellers with 153,000+ active buyers via no-commission tiered listings, automated BusinessRadar alerts, and a 1,000+ broker and franchise directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Business-for-Sale Marketplace

NAICS

Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929)

akta.pro primary industry

Business-for-Sale Marketplaces & Listing Platforms (FSAEAIAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

E-commerce & Digital Business Brokerage (FSAEAIAH)

Keywords

• Business-for-sale marketplace
• Business listing platform
• Business broker directory
• Franchise opportunities marketplace
• Business valuation tool

Headquarters

HQ city

Surry Hills

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Listing Package Fees: One-time upfront fees for listing packages (Starter, Professional, Concierge). No commission on final sale. Packages differ in duration, marketing exposure, and support level. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Broker Advertising: Brokers pay to advertise on the platform and appear in the directory, accessing the same buyer audience as private sellers.
3. Franchise Advertising: Franchisors pay to list franchise opportunities on the platform, reaching registered business buyers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BusinessForSale.com.au is an online marketplace that connects Australian business owners selling their businesses with prospective buyers, charging flat listing fees instead of sales commissions. The platform offers tiered listing packages (Starter, Professional, Concierge), an automated buyer alert system (BusinessRadar), a free valuation tool, and a broker/franchise directory serving individual SMB sellers and buyers across Australia.

Product overview

BusinessForSale.com.au operates as a single-platform marketplace with layered service tiers. The core product is the BusinessForSale.com.au platform — an online marketplace connecting private business sellers with buyers across Australia since 1987. The platform is structured around three paid listing packages: Starter ($688+), Professional ($880+), and Concierge ($2,950+), all with no commission. Adjacent products include BusinessRadar (personalised search alert system), the Buyer Matching Service, a Business Brokers Directory, a Broker Matching Service, Franchise Opportunities Listings, a Free Business Valuation Tool, the 120-Day Buyer Guarantee, and an Exit Strategy coaching offering. For enterprise partners, Broker Packages and Franchise Packages provide dedicated advertising tools. Supporting the platform are free resources including an Exit Guide & Toolkit, Confidentiality Agreement Templates, Information Memorandums for Concierge sellers, and a Business Advice Articles library. The platform also offers a dedicated mobile app experience (powered by BusinessRadar branding) and publishes a print and digital Business For Sale Magazine. The entire product suite is oriented around facilitating private (non-broker) business sales at a fraction of traditional broker fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BusinessRadar: Personal search tool that scans new listings and alerts buyers when matching businesses are listed.

Products and services

• BusinessForSale.com.au Marketplace Platform Australia's longest-running online marketplace connecting private business sellers and buyers directly, offering listing packages and buyer discovery tools without broker commissions.
• BusinessRadar Personalised 24/7 search alert system that scans new business listings and notifies buyers when opportunities match their specified criteria (industry, location, price range), enabling them to contact sellers before competitors.
• Starter Listing Package Entry-level DIY listing package providing 3-month visibility on BusinessForSale.com.au with unlimited ad edits and no commission fees, targeted at side hustles and very small businesses.
• Professional Listing Package Mid-tier listing package providing 6-month visibility with newsletter placement, digital magazine feature, social media promotion to 20,000+ followers, and a 120-day buyer guarantee.
• Concierge (Platinum) Listing Package Full-service listing package with unlimited listing duration, multi-platform advertising across 5 platforms, one-on-one advisor support, and premium search placement; no commission charged.
• Buyer Matching Service Personalised service that matches prospective buyers with suitable business listings based on their goals and preferences, guiding them through the discovery process.
• Business Brokers Directory Directory of over 1,000 licensed Australian business brokers searchable by state and alphabetical index, helping sellers find representation or buyers engage professional assistance.
• Broker Matching Service Personalised broker-matching service that evaluates a seller's business profile and introduces them to handpicked brokers best suited to their industry, size, and location.
• Franchise Opportunities Listings Platform section listing franchise territories, master franchises, business opportunities, license agreements, and distributorships across Australian industries, with filtering by sector.
• Free Business Valuation Tool No-obligation valuation estimator using the platform's 5-10 years of comparable Australian business sales data and current market conditions to provide a guide price.
• Broker Packages Advertising and listing management packages designed for business brokers, providing enhanced profile pages, SEO benefits, and access to the platform's buyer network.
• Franchise Package Listing and advertising package for franchisors and franchise opportunity providers to reach the platform's dedicated audience of 64,000+ registered business buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Save 5-15% in broker commission fees (e.g., $25,000-$75,000 on a $500K business sale)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Xcllusive Business SalesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness broker advertising on the platform. Lists businesses for sale and gains exposure to the platform's buyer network of 64,000+ registered buyers.
• The Finn GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness broker advertising on the platform. Part of the broker directory with dedicated profile page.
• Business Brokers Network AustraliaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness broker network advertising on the platform to access verified buyer database.
• Barrier Reef Business BrokersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional business broker in Queensland advertising listings on the platform.
• ABBA GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBoutique brokerage firm specializing in mid-market deals ($1M-$50M). Represents transactions with combined value exceeding $800M.
• ABS Business SalesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading business brokerage firm operating throughout Queensland with hundreds of successful sales. Specializes in retail, hospitality, manufacturing, services, and franchising.
• Accommodation Business BrokersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndustry-leading brokerage specializing in accommodation businesses (motels, resorts, caravan parks, backpacker accommodations, management rights) across Queensland, NSW, and NT.
• Accommodation PropertiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational agency specializing exclusively in accommodation properties and businesses. Operates in all Australian states through a network of experienced local agents.
• Accord Business BrokersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading Australian business broker operating for over two decades, guiding business owners through sales process across various industries.
• Ace Business BrokersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEstablished in 1974, one of Sydney's longest-running brokerage firms. Sold or advised on over 6,000 businesses. Founding member of Australia Wide Brokers Association and member of International Business Brokers Association (IBBA).
• Achiever Business BrokersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExpert business sales and acquisitions firm with over 20 years of combined experience and hundreds of successful transactions across retail, hospitality, automotive, and trade services.
• @realtyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReal estate and business sales agency backed by network of 850+ professionals across Australia and New Zealand. Specializes in property and business sales.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BizBuySell: Largest US business-for-sale marketplace, connecting buyers and sellers of small and mid-sized businesses with listings, valuation tools, and broker resources. Direct peer in the same business-for-sale marketplace category as BusinessForSale.com.au.
• BusinessesForSale.com: UK-headquartered global business-for-sale marketplace operating across multiple geographies with a similar listing-package model. Closest international peer to BusinessForSale.com.au's marketplace format and SMB exit focus.
• DealStream: Global business-for-sale and franchise marketplace with listings, broker directory, and deal-matching functionality. Overlaps directly with BusinessForSale.com.au in facilitating SMB M&A transactions online.
• BizQuest: US online business-for-sale marketplace featuring franchised and independent business listings with broker directories. Comparable platform structure and target buyer (SMB acquirers) to BusinessForSale.com.au.

Broad incumbents

• Seek Limited: ASX-listed Australian online employment marketplace (seek.com.au) that has historically offered business-for-sale advertising and SMB services. Broad incumbent with comparable Australian SMB audience and marketing scale.
• REA Group: ASX-listed Australian digital real estate marketplace (realestate.com.au) with adjacent SMB/property exposure. Larger incumbent with traffic scale and budgets that could be deployed into a business-for-sale vertical overlapping with BusinessForSale.com.au.

Emerging players

• Acquire.com: Marketplace for buying and selling startups and SaaS businesses, with broker-assisted matching. Adjacent peer addressing a younger, tech-focused slice of the SMB exit market that BusinessForSale.com.au also serves via its 'Online' category.
• Flippa: Online marketplace for buying and selling websites, SaaS, apps, and digital businesses. Comparable peer in the digital/SMB exit space, particularly relevant to BusinessForSale.com.au's online business listings vertical.
• Empire Flippers: Online marketplace for buying and selling established online businesses, content sites, and SaaS. Overlaps with BusinessForSale.com.au's online business category and SMB exit use case, but specialised in digital assets.

Regional players

• Link Business New Zealand: Trans-Tasman business brokerage network (New Zealand-focused with Australian presence) operating a listings platform and broker directory. Regional peer providing the same buyer/seller matchmaking model across the Tasman.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AustralianBusinessForSale
• Xx.com/BusinessToSell
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-business-for-sale

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian Business For Sale