By Quick answer: How do I sell my app and how much is it worth?
- Value — usually a multiple of trailing 12-month net profit.
- Prepare — clean financials, user metrics, code, documentation.
- List — marketplaces, brokers, or direct strategic buyers.
- Protect — NDA for details, escrow for money, a written agreement.
- Transfer — use Apple's and Google's official app-transfer processes.
Key takeaways
- Buyers pay for predictable profit; recurring revenue earns higher multiples.
- Unverifiable numbers kill deals — connect analytics and revenue dashboards for buyers to check.
- Apps with no revenue sell for their users, code or brand — usually for much less.
- Strategic buyers who need your users or technology may pay above marketplace multiples.
- Plan taxes before you sign; a sale is taxable in India.
Selling an app is selling a promise of future profit. Buyers look at what the app has earned, ask how confident they can be that it will keep earning, and pay a multiple of that profit adjusted for risk. Everything you do to make the numbers verifiable and the future predictable raises the price.
What buyers pay for
| Factor | Raises the price | Lowers the price |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue type | Recurring subscriptions | One-off sales, ad-only |
| Trend | Steady or growing | Declining |
| Concentration | Many customers, many channels | One channel, one big customer |
| Owner involvement | Runs with a few hours a week | Depends on you daily |
| Platform risk | Diversified | One policy change away from collapse |
| Code and documentation | Clean, documented, tested | Undocumented, fragile |
How valuation works
Profitable apps are usually valued as a multiple of trailing twelve-month (TTM) net profit. Flippa's own guidance suggests starting around 2–2.5 times annual net profit1, and an analysis of Flippa transaction data found app businesses averaging about 1.75x, with the top quartile around 3.6x4. Subscription apps with growth sit at the higher end.
Apps without profit are valued on users, technology or brand — and usually sell for much less, unless a strategic buyer specifically needs them.
Step 1: prepare
- 12+ months of financials — revenue, costs, profit, by month
- Verifiable data — store consoles, payment gateway and analytics access for due diligence
- User metrics — MAU, DAU, retention cohorts, churn, acquisition channels
- Clean code — repository, documentation, build and deployment instructions
- Ownership — IP assignment from every contributor; accounts in your or your company's name
- A list of what's included — app, code, domains, social accounts, content, customer lists
Step 2: find buyers
Marketplaces
Flippa and Acquire.com list apps and online businesses for broad audiences.
Brokers
For larger deals, a broker finds qualified buyers and manages negotiation.
Strategic buyers
Competitors, adjacent apps and companies that want your users or technology — often willing to pay more.
Step 3: negotiate and protect yourself
- Share detailed metrics only after a non-disclosure agreement.
- Agree price, terms and what's included in a letter of intent.
- Allow due diligence with read-only access to dashboards.
- Sign an asset purchase agreement drafted or reviewed by a lawyer.
- Use escrow so money is released only when assets transfer.
- Agree a handover period — training, support and transition help.
Step 4: transfer the app
Both stores let you move an app to another developer account while keeping its listing, ratings and users. Apple's App Store Connect has an app-transfer process2, and Google Play Console supports transfers between developer accounts3. Transfer servers, domains, payment accounts and third-party services separately.
Make sure you own everything you're selling — see how to protect your app idea — and build the revenue buyers value with how to earn money from an app.
Key terms, defined
TTM — trailing twelve months. Multiple — price divided by annual profit. Due diligence — the buyer's verification of your claims. Escrow — a neutral party holding funds until conditions are met. Asset purchase agreement — the contract transferring the app's assets. Strategic buyer — a company buying for synergies, not just profit.
Frequently asked questions
How much is my app worth?
Profitable apps are commonly valued as a multiple of trailing twelve-month net profit. Flippa's guidance suggests starting around 2–2.5 times annual net profit; subscription apps with steady growth can command more, while declining or ad-dependent apps fetch less.
Can I sell an app with no revenue?
Yes, but buyers will value its users, technology, brand or domain rather than profit, and prices are usually modest. Strategic buyers who need your audience or code are the best prospects.
Where can I sell my app?
Online marketplaces such as Flippa and Acquire.com, specialist brokers for larger deals, or direct outreach to companies that would benefit from your users or technology, including competitors and adjacent businesses.
How do I transfer an app to a buyer?
Apple and Google both offer official processes to transfer an app from your developer account to the buyer's, keeping its listing, reviews and users. Transfer source code, servers, domains and third-party accounts separately, as agreed in the purchase contract.
How long does it take to sell an app?
Small marketplace sales can close in weeks; larger deals with due diligence often take two to six months.
Do I pay tax when I sell my app in India?
Yes. Depending on whether you sell as an individual or through a company, and what you sell, capital gains or business income tax and possibly GST may apply. Consult a chartered accountant before agreeing the structure.
Sources
- Flippa Help Center — How to value an asset or business
- Apple Developer — Transferring an app
- Play Console Help — Transfer apps to a different developer account
- eFinancialModels — Valuation multiples for apps and online businesses
- Checked October 23, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
- How to protect your app idea — make sure you own what you're selling
- How to earn money from an app — build the revenue buyers pay for
- Making moneyApp earnings per download: what an app with 1 lakh downloads really earnsWhat 1 lakh downloads really earns: worked examples for ad-supported, subscription and game apps in India, and why active users matter more than installs.
- Making moneyIn-app purchase pricing: how top apps set their prices, and how to set yoursIn-app purchase pricing explained: regional prices for India, store price points, tiers and bundles, anchoring and decoys, trials and how to test prices safely.
- Making moneyFreelance app developer guide: how to land your first client and price your workBecome a freelance app developer: pick a niche, build proof, find your first client, price fixed-scope projects, write a solid contract and get paid safely.
- Making moneyHow to earn money from an app: a realistic guide for Indian buildersHow to earn money from an app realistically: pick a model that fits your users, set up payments, price for India and abroad, and grow revenue per user.
- Making moneyAdMob earnings per 1,000 users: what Indian apps really make from adsAdMob earnings per 1,000 users: eCPM vs revenue per user, illustrative Indian ranges by ad format, a worked formula, and how to earn more.
- App developmentHow long does it take to build an app? Real timelines, not agency promisesA simple app takes 6–10 weeks, most first versions 3–6 months, complex fintech or marketplace apps 6–12 months. Phase-by-phase timelines and what really slips.
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