Where to Sell a Shopify Store in 2026

Since Shopify closed its own Exchange Marketplace on November 1, 2022, there's no default answer to where to sell a Shopify store. Seven routes replaced it, and the fee spread between them is enormous - large enough that on a mid-size deal the wrong choice costs more than a year of the store's profit. Here's all seven, side by side. (Replacing Exchange specifically? See the Shopify Exchange alternatives ranked by size.)

The full comparison

Fees verified from each platform's own pricing (Sep 2026); Quiet Light's structure from broker-review sources. Always confirm current rates before listing.

What you actually keep

A fee percentage is abstract until you put a dollar figure on it. Here's the amount that lands in your account after the platform's main cut, on three realistic deal sizes. It's the only comparison that matters.

Main platform cut only, before listing/escrow extras. Broker "rarely accepts" reflects minimum-profit vetting, not deal size alone.

The gap is the story. On a $75,000 store, a 15% broker takes $11,250 and Flippa's success fee about $5,600, while a flat fee takes $199. That spread doesn't mean brokers are a rip-off - it means the commission model is built for deals where 15% buys real work: a large buyer network, deal structuring, and hands-on negotiation. On a $2M business, that's worth it. On a $75K store, you're paying a big-deal price for a small-deal sale.

Brokers: Empire Flippers and Quiet Light

Brokers run the full sale for you - valuation, listing, vetting buyers, and managing the deal to close - in exchange for a commission and, first, the right to reject you. Empire Flippers charges 15% on the first $700K (blended down to 8% and 2.5% on larger portions), wants around $2,000/month in net profit, and rejects roughly 91% of submissions. Quiet Light works similarly, starting near 10% with no upfront fee and sliding lower on bigger deals.

Use a broker when your store is genuinely large and clean enough to clear vetting, and when the buyer network and deal management are worth a five-figure commission. If you're under $50K, this route usually isn't open to you regardless of what you'd prefer.

Open marketplaces: Flippa and Acquire.com

Flippa is the largest self-serve marketplace and the closest thing to a direct Exchange replacement. It lists anything, which is its strength (reach) and its weakness (buyers browse thousands of listings with heavy skepticism, and visibility costs extra). If that volume is your concern, see the Flippa alternatives by reason. Fees are a listing charge plus a success fee that steps down from about 10% to 5% as price rises. Acquire.com is buyer-heavy too, but built around SaaS and startups - a physical or dropshipping store is a weaker fit for its audience.

Flat-fee and direct routes

Money Nomad curates small stores for a flat $297, but it's list-and-wait: your store sits at a fixed asking price until a buyer emails, with no mechanism to discover what the market would actually pay. A direct deal costs only escrow fees (0.89-3.25%), which is unbeatable on price - if you already have a serious buyer. Without one, you're negotiating against a single party with no competing bids, which usually costs you more than any fee would.

The auction route: 14stores

An auction solves the one problem every other route leaves open: price. A broker gives you a valuation, a marketplace gives you an asking price, a direct deal gives you one buyer's offer - none of them tell you what the market will really pay. On 14stores your store goes on a floor of at most 14 stores for exactly five days, and every bid is public. At the end you have a market result, not an estimate.

The economics are deliberately flat: $199, 0% commission, because a percentage cut makes no sense at this deal size, where 15% would take $3,000 out of a $20,000 exit. Pre-revenue and young stores list too - price discovery matters most when there's no P&L to anchor on. See exactly how the five days work in how it works, or the full fee math on the pricing page.

Which should you choose?

• Under $50K, or pre-revenue: a flat-fee auction or marketplace. Brokers won't take you, and a percentage cut hurts most here.
• $50K-$250K, clean books: an auction for a fast market price, or Flippa if you want a fixed asking and don't mind the volume. A broker only if you clear vetting and value full service.
• $250K-$1M+, established: a broker's buyer network and deal management start to justify the commission. Get a market read first so you know what you're negotiating from.
• You already have a buyer: a direct deal through escrow. Just get an independent price check so you don't leave money on the table.

Whichever route you pick, the prep is the same - clean financials, confirmed supplier terms, and low owner-dependence. Our full guide to selling a Shopify store covers that end to end.

FAQ

What are Flippa's fees to sell an online business?

A listing fee (roughly $29-$699 by tier) plus a tiered success fee - about 10% under $50K, 7.5% from $50K-$100K, and 5% above $100K. On a $75,000 sale that's roughly $5,600 in success fee plus the listing cost.

How much commission does Empire Flippers take?

A blended 15% on the first $700K, 8% from $700K-$5M, and 2.5% above. Most small and mid-size stores pay the full 15%. Empire Flippers also wants ~$2,000/month net profit and rejects about 91% of submissions.

What's the cheapest way to sell an online store?

By fee, a flat-fee format or a direct escrow deal. On a $75K sale a 15% broker takes ~$11,250 and Flippa ~$5,600, versus $199 flat or ~1-3% for escrow. Brokers only close the gap on very large deals.

Where can I sell a Shopify store now that Exchange is closed?

Shopify closed Exchange on November 1, 2022. Use brokers for large stores, Flippa or Acquire.com for any size, Money Nomad for small curated deals, direct-through-escrow if you have a buyer, or a timed auction like 14stores for a fast market price.

Do I need a broker, or can I sell a store myself?

Brokers pay off on large, complex deals. Under ~$50K they usually won't take the listing and the commission would eat the exit. At that size, marketplaces, auctions, and direct escrow deals are the practical routes.