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What Does a Business Broker Charge?
$0
No Upfront Fees
You pay nothing to get started. No retainers, no listing fees, no marketing costs.
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Aligned Incentives
We only get paid when you do. Our goal is always to maximize your outcome.
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Success-Based
Commission
Our fee is a percentage of the final sale price - only paid when you close.
One of the first questions business owners ask when considering a sale is: what will this cost me? The answer depends on your broker - and not all fee structures are the same.
At Archstone Business Brokers, we operate on a 100% success-fee basis. That means no upfront fees, no retainers, no marketing charges, and no monthly costs. Our fee is a percentage of the final sale price, paid at closing - only if and when your business sells. If we don’t close a deal, you pay nothing.
How does our fee work?
When you list with Archstone Business Brokers, our success-fee covers everything required to take your business to market and close the deal: a comprehensive business valuation, preparation of your Confidential Information Memorandum (CIM), confidential marketing to our network of thousands of vetted buyers, buyer screening and qualification, negotiation support through the Letter of Intent (LOI), full due diligence management, and coordination through closing.
There are no add-on charges for any of these services. The percentage you agree to at signing is the fee you pay at closing - nothing more.
We only get paid when we successfully close your business sale. This means:
✅ No upfront fees
✅ No hidden costs
✅ No charges along the way
Commonly Asked Questions:
What is the average business broker commission?
The industry standard for businesses under $1M is typically 10–15%. For lower middle market businesses in the $1M–$50M range, our fees are lower and structured by deal size, ranging from 2% to 10%. Larger transactions command lower percentage fees. Our fee is always success-based: you pay nothing unless your business sells.
Who pays the business broker fee — buyer or seller?
In the vast majority of business sales, the seller pays the broker’s commission. The fee is deducted from the proceeds at closing. Buyers do not typically pay a fee unless they are represented by a Broker or Advisor. Archstone Business Brokers primarily represents the seller.
Why is a success-fee model better than paying a retainer?
A success-fee model aligns your broker’s incentives directly with yours - we only get paid when you close. Brokers who charge upfront retainers or monthly fees get compensated regardless of outcome. At Archstone Business Brokers, every hour we invest in your transaction is an investment we only recoup if the deal closes. That alignment drives better results.
Contact us today to learn more about our success-based fee structure and how we can help you achieve the best possible outcome for your business sale!