Our method: websites
How we value websites and online businesses
Profit first, then the right multiple for the business model. Valuing a domain name instead?
Websites and online businesses
Six steps from profit to price
The same engine behind our free calculators and every private estimate we send.
1. Earnings (SDE)
Seller’s discretionary earnings: profit plus one owner’s pay. Larger, management-run companies use adjusted EBITDA; larger SaaS uses ARR.
2. The right band
Each business model has its own quick-sale, market and premium multiple band. See the full table.
3. Quality score
A 0–100 score places the business inside its band, from the bottom of quick-sale to premium.
4. Comparable sales
We blend in the multiples of real closed sales in the same category and size range. The more recent comparables we have, the more they count.
5. Confidence
Seller-reported numbers widen the range by 15% until we verify them.
6. Asking price
We suggest an asking price inside the supported range. Asking up to 10% above it needs an explanation, 10–25% needs evidence and review, and over 25% we ask the seller to reprice.
What the quality score weighs
- Earnings quality (15)
- Growth quality (10)
- Recurring revenue (10)
- Diversification (10)
- Transferability (10)
- Owner independence (10)
- Traffic durability (10)
- Age and track record (5)
- Documentation (5)
- Defensibility (5)
- Platform and legal risk (5)
- Buyer demand (5)
Where the score places you
- Under 40: bottom of the quick-sale band
- 40–54: quick-sale band
- 55–69: lower half of the market band
- 70–84: upper half of the market band
- 85–94: premium band, with evidence and a manual review
- 95+: strategic review by a human
Benchmark version 2026-09-v1. See every multiple.
What we verify before a number goes public
- Traffic: read-only Google Analytics 4 and Search Console access, not screenshots.
- Revenue: payment processor, affiliate and ad-network exports.
- History: the Wayback archive, backlink profile and anchor text.
- Ownership and risk: registrar control, trademark search and platform standing.
Every listing shows which figures are verified and where they came from. How a sale works · Our fees
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
How do you value a website or online business?
We multiply seller’s discretionary earnings (SDE) by a multiple from the band for its business model, placed inside that band by a 0–100 quality score, then widen the range until the numbers are verified.
Is the domain name part of a website’s value?
Yes, but inside the earnings multiple, not on top of it. A website is bought for its profit; the domain it runs on is part of that business.
How often do you update the benchmarks?
They are versioned (currently 2026-09-v1) and reviewed as completed-sale data comes in.