In this piece · 6 sections
Four fee models, not one number
There is no "marketplace fee" the way there is a "listing price." Every platform charges in its own shape, and the shapes cluster into four model families. Once you can name the model, the actual percentage stops being a mystery and starts being predictable.
Our how broker and marketplace fees work piece walks the mechanics of a single fee stack. This one zooms out: which TYPE of platform charges in which TYPE of way, and which model fits which deal size.
The four families are self-serve marketplaces, curated success-only marketplaces, brokered advisory firms, and domain marketplaces. They overlap at the edges, and some platforms straddle two — but the model tells you far more about your true cost than any single advertised number.
One rule cuts across all four: percentages here describe how each model is structured, not a guaranteed live rate. Fee schedules get revised, tiers get re-bucketed, and promotions come and go. Treat everything below as a map of the terrain, then confirm the current figure on each platform before you commit.
The fee models, side by side
Here is the terrain at a glance. The columns describe how each model TYPE tends to charge and where it fits — not exact current rates, which you must confirm on each platform.
Notice that the model, not the brand, predicts your cost. Two platforms in the same family will price more alike than two platforms you happen to have heard of. For a worked head-to-head inside the curated family, see Flippa vs Empire Flippers.
Why success fees tier down with deal size
The single most important pattern across every model: success commissions almost always step DOWN as the sale price climbs. The percentage you pay on a small flip is usually the highest rate that platform charges. The percentage on a large advisory exit is usually its lowest.
The logic is simple. A platform's cost to close a deal does not scale linearly with price — qualifying buyers, handling escrow, and shepherding a transfer cost roughly the same on a $20k deal as on a $200k one. So the percentage compresses on bigger numbers while the absolute dollars still rise.
This is why a curated or brokered route can quote a lower headline percentage than a self-serve marketplace and still be the more expensive option in raw dollars on a big deal — and the cheaper option in dollars on a small one. The percentage and the dollars move in opposite directions as you change deal size.
The costs that hide outside the headline rate
The success percentage is only the visible part of the stack. Several other line items quietly shape what you actually keep, and they vary by model more than by brand.
- Migration. Some platforms bundle the technical handoff; others charge for it or leave it to you. On a content site this can be minor; on a complex SaaS it is not.
- Escrow. A neutral escrow service protects both sides but adds a fee, sometimes split, sometimes seller-borne. Confirm who pays.
- Buyer-side premium. Domain marketplaces in particular may add a premium the buyer pays on top of your price, which shapes the headline number a buyer sees even if it never hits your payout.
- Retainer or prep fee. Brokered advisory sometimes charges upfront for valuation, packaging, and representation — separate from the success fee.
None of these is inherently bad. A migration fee that buys a clean transfer, or an escrow fee that prevents a chargeback, can be cheap insurance. The mistake is leaving them out of the comparison and judging routes on the headline percentage alone.
Think in net proceeds, then choose by deal size
The number that matters is net proceeds — what lands in your account after the entire stack — not the advertised percentage. And net proceeds depend on two things the fee comparison alone hides: the multiple the route tends to achieve, and the certainty of close.
A higher headline fee frequently buys a better-qualified buyer pool, which can support a higher multiple and a faster, cleaner close. Multiple moves your number far more than commission does. A point or two of fee is small next to a half-turn of multiple on the same earnings.
If you are still deciding WHERE to list rather than what it will cost, our marketplace shortlist for selling a website narrows the field by deal profile before fees even enter the picture.
Run the net-proceeds math before you fall in love with a low percentage. The cheapest headline fee is rarely the largest payout, and the most expensive headline fee is rarely the worst deal.
Confirm current fees — this is a map, not a price list
Everything above describes how the four marketplace models are STRUCTURED, because structure is durable and specific rates are not. Platforms revise schedules, re-bucket tiers, change what migration and escrow cost, and run promotions. A precise percentage quoted here would be stale before you read it.
So treat this as a map of the terrain. Use it to know which model fits your deal, what questions to ask, and which hidden line items to hunt for. Then go to each platform's own fee page and confirm the live numbers for your specific price band before you list.
RealSiteWorth is a valuation tool, not a broker, marketplace, or appraiser. We do not list, sell, or transact your site, and we do not collect a marketplace fee. What we provide is the conservative valuation band — the number you start from when you compare what each route would net. The estimate is automated and editorial, never financial advice.
Start with the value, choose the model by deal size, confirm the live fees, and judge every route on net proceeds. Return home to run an estimate when you have a figure to work from.
