How to list a website for sale
A step-by-step guide to creating a listing that attracts serious buyers, from gathering your financials to writing a compelling description. Ready to go? List your website free on Buy Sites Direct, no broker fees, no commissions.
- 1
Gather your financials and documentation
Before writing a single word of your listing, collect your records. Export at least 12 months of revenue data from every income source: payment processors (Stripe, PayPal), ad networks (Google AdSense, Mediavine, AdThrive), and affiliate dashboards (Amazon Associates, ShareASale, Impact). List every recurring cost: hosting, SaaS tools, contractors, domain renewal. Calculate your trailing 12-month (TTM) average monthly net profit, the number buyers will use to value your site. Gaps in your records will generate skepticism and slow due diligence. The more you have prepared upfront, the faster and smoother the sale.
- 2
Calculate your asking price before you list
Set your price before you write the listing, not after. Most websites sell at 30-50x their average monthly net profit (SDE, Seller's Discretionary Earnings). Content sites and newsletters typically trade at 35-50x; eCommerce stores at 24-40x; SaaS businesses at 40-60x or higher with strong recurring revenue. Multiply your TTM average monthly profit by a multiple that reflects your site's age, traffic stability, revenue diversification, and owner time required. Check our website valuation guide to benchmark your asking price against category-specific multiples before you publish.
- 3
Decide what to reveal upfront in your listing
There is a balance between transparency and protecting your business while it is still live. You should always disclose: the asking price, monthly revenue and profit (TTM average), monthly traffic figures, the site's age and business model, and a full asset list. You can reasonably withhold: the exact domain URL (many sellers use a descriptor instead), specific supplier or affiliate partner names, proprietary content strategies, and internal team contact details. Listing the domain publicly can attract competitors, copycat sites, or spam. Withhold it until a buyer has expressed serious interest and has asked informed questions.
- 4
Write a listing description that converts serious buyers
Your listing description is a sales document, not a resume. Open with a single sentence that explains what the business does and why it is attractive, include the niche, the revenue model, and the TTM average monthly profit. Then cover: the business model and primary revenue source, a traffic summary (monthly sessions or pageviews, primary traffic channel), the asset list in full (domain, content, social accounts, email list, ad accounts, code), how many hours per week owner involvement requires, the reason for selling, and what transition support you will provide. End with a clear statement of the asking price and what it is based on. Listings that skip revenue details or asset lists attract fewer serious inquiries.
- 5
Publish your listing on Buy Sites Direct
Create a free account, go to your seller dashboard, and fill in all fields completely. Buy Sites Direct charges no listing fee and takes no commission when the deal closes, the full sale price goes to you. Your listing gets its own dedicated page, is included in the sitemap, and is discoverable in organic search. Upload screenshots of revenue dashboards and traffic graphs directly to your listing, images do more to establish credibility than text alone. There is no limit on the number of listings you can publish, and you can update your listing at any time.
- 6
Screen buyer inquiries before sharing sensitive information
Not every inquiry comes from a serious buyer. Before sharing detailed financial statements, granting analytics access, or revealing your domain, have a short exchange to qualify the interest. A serious buyer will ask specific questions about the business model, the traffic sources, and the asset list. A time-waster asks vague questions that could apply to any site. Before sharing sensitive revenue data, customer lists, or proprietary operational information, request a signed non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This is a standard part of the process and any serious buyer will agree to it.
- 7
Update and refresh your listing if inquiries slow down
If your listing is live for more than 4-6 weeks with no serious inquiries, review it critically. Common causes: the asking price is above comparable sales for your category (check our valuation guide for current multiples), the listing is missing key data that buyers expect to see, or the listing description is vague. Add revenue screenshots, update the TTM figures if time has passed, and consider reducing the price to align with your actual monthly earnings. A listing refresh, even just new screenshots or updated figures, signals an active, engaged seller and can renew buyer interest.
Related guides
- Website Valuation Guide, calculate what your site is worth before setting an asking price
- How to Sell a Website, the full selling process from financials to deal close
- Website Acquisition Checklist, understand what buyers will ask for during due diligence
- What is SDE?, how Seller's Discretionary Earnings is calculated and why it matters
- What is TTM?, trailing twelve months explained and how buyers use it
- Selling a Website FAQ, answers to common questions about listing, pricing, and timing
- Due Diligence Guide, what buyers verify and how to prepare your documentation
- Broker vs Direct Sale Guide, when to use a broker versus listing directly, fee comparison
- How to Find a Buyer for Your Website, 7 strategies for finding and qualifying buyers beyond the listing itself
Common questions about listing a website for sale
- How do I price my website listing?
- Price your listing based on a multiple of your TTM average monthly net profit. Most websites sell at 30-50x monthly profit. See our website valuation guide for a full breakdown by category and what factors affect your multiple.
- Should I reveal my website URL in the listing?
- Most sellers withhold the live URL from their public listing to avoid attracting competitors or spam. Describe the niche, model, and traffic channel clearly, then share the URL after the buyer signs an NDA.
- What information do serious buyers need to see?
- At minimum: asking price, TTM average monthly revenue and net profit, monthly traffic, site age, business model, and a full asset list. Listings that omit revenue or traffic data generate far fewer qualified inquiries.
- How long will it take to receive inquiries?
- Well-priced listings with complete data typically receive their first serious inquiry within 1-2 weeks. Uploading revenue screenshots and traffic graphs significantly increases both the speed and quality of inquiries. See our marketing your listing guide for tips on driving more buyer traffic to your listing.
Ready to create your listing?
List your website free on Buy Sites Direct. No broker fees. No commissions. You keep 100% of the sale price.