About Business For Sale
Business For Sale is an Australian business marketplace that helps owners sell privately (or through a broker) and helps buyers find businesses for sale across Australia.
Published 23 September 2026. Last updated 23 September 2026.
By Sam Bass, Owner of Business For Sale, helping Aussies buy and sell businesses since 1987.
What Business For Sale does
Browse and enquire on businesses for sale
Buyers search live listings by industry, location, and price, then message the seller (or their broker) directly. Free buyer accounts and BusinessRadar alerts help serious buyers spot matching businesses as soon as they go live.
List a business for sale (private or broker)
Owners can list for free for 30 days, or upgrade to Private Sale Blueprint or Concierge for featured placement, buyer matching, and promotion. Business brokers across Australia also list with us so their clients reach the same buyer network.
Get matched and promoted to buyers
Paid private packages include matching to our buyer database, plus newsletter, digital magazine, and social promotion. The goal is simple: more qualified enquiries, without a broker commission if you sell privately.
Free valuation and sell guidance
Sellers can start with a free valuation and a clear package ladder (Free Starter, Private Sale Blueprint, Concierge). We explain what Free includes and what you get when you upgrade, so you can choose the path that fits.
What makes Business For Sale different
Flat fee instead of a percentage commission
Private Sale Blueprint is $880 +GST for 6 months. Concierge is $2,950 +GST until sold. On a $500,000 sale at 10%, a typical broker fee is about $50,000. If you sell privately on our platform, you keep that commission in your pocket.
Free Starter listing (30 days)
You can go live for $0 with up to 5 photos and buyer enquiries. Many competing marketplaces only offer paid placements. Free is findable, not featured. Upgrade when you want matching and promotion.
Same buyer reach brokers use
Homepage claim we stand behind: 153,000+ active buyers and sellers. Private sellers reach that audience the same way broker listings do. You talk to buyers directly.
Built for Australia since 1987
We started as the Business For Sale magazine in newsagents, launched online in the mid-90s, and still run from Sydney. This is not a new overseas clone of a US directory. It is Australia's longest-running business-for-sale platform.
Clearer private path than Seek Business-style directories
Sites like Seek Business are strong for job seekers who also browse businesses. Our product is built around buying and selling businesses: private seller packages, Concierge support, buyer matching, and a weekly buyers newsletter. Sellers choose Free, Blueprint, or Concierge instead of guessing which ad tier to buy.
Quiet enquiry story vs high-pressure broker pitches
You stay in control of replies. Buyers message you. We promote and match. We do not take a cut of the sale when you list privately.
Who uses Business For Sale
- Private sellers ready to sell in the next 6 to 18 months, typically businesses doing roughly $100K to $5M+ in annual revenue, who want to keep more of the sale (no broker fee)
- First-time sellers (cafes, service businesses, retail, online) who want a checklist and package options, not a full broker mandate
- Business buyers looking for owner-operated and broker-listed businesses across Australia, including people using BusinessRadar alerts
- Business brokers who list client businesses to reach our buyer network
- Owners exploring a free valuation before deciding whether to list
The team behind Business For Sale
Sam Bass, Owner
Sam owns Business For Sale (Upstream Ventures Pty Ltd). He focuses on making private selling fair and practical for Aussie owners, and on growing buyer enquiries on businessforsale.com.au. More from Sam: LinkedIn.
Company origin
Business For Sale began in 1987 as a magazine you could pick up in newsagents and corner stores. The idea was simple: owners should be able to sell without handing a large slice to a middleman. We put the marketplace online in the mid-90s and still operate from Surry Hills, Sydney.
Team
A small Australian team (with support across AU and the Philippines) covers listings, buyer and seller support, magazine production, email, SEO, and product. Legal entity: Upstream Ventures Pty Ltd trading as Business For Sale. ABN 71 662 401 890.
How Business For Sale works
For sellers
- Choose Free Starter, Private Sale Blueprint, or Concierge (or ask about Concierge).
- Create your listing in the seller dashboard (photos, copy, price, location).
- Go live. Buyers enquire through the site.
- Reply from your account. Upgrade anytime from your seller dashboard if Free is too quiet.
- Concierge sellers get one-on-one advisor support and multi-platform listing help.
For buyers
- Browse or create a free buyer account.
- Set BusinessRadar alerts for industry, location, and price.
- Enquire on listings you like. Talk to the owner or their broker directly.
Communication and support
- Site messaging and email for enquiries
- Seller and buyer help via hello@ / team@ businessforsale.com.au and phone (02) 9281 4599
- Typical listing edits and account questions are handled by our support team during Australian business hours
- Onboarding for Free is self-serve in the listing wizard; Concierge includes advisor onboarding
Key facts
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Company Name | Business For Sale (Upstream Ventures Pty Ltd t/as Business For Sale) |
| Type | Australian online business marketplace (private sellers + brokers) |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder / Owner | Sam Bass (Owner) |
| Headquarters | 3/425 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010, Australia |
| Website | https://www.businessforsale.com.au |
| Core Offering | List and find businesses for sale in Australia |
| Pricing | Free Starter $0 / 30 days; Private Sale Blueprint $880 +GST / 6 months; Concierge $2,950 +GST until sold |
| Contract Terms | No sale commission on private packages; package term as above (Concierge until sold) |
| Services | Business listings, buyer enquiries, buyer matching, newsletter / magazine / social promotion, BusinessRadar alerts, free valuation, Concierge advisory |
| Communication | Email, site messaging, phone (02) 9281 4599 |
| Notable Clients | Private sellers and broker-listed businesses across Australia (cafes, services, retail, online, and more) |
| Customers Served | 153,000+ active buyers and sellers (homepage) |
| Projects Delivered | $4.3B+ in businesses listed (homepage); digital magazine and weekly buyers newsletter |
| Competitors | Seek Business, other AU business-for-sale directories and traditional business brokers (commission model) |
| Social | LinkedIn company: australian-business-for-sale; Sam Bass: thesambass; site social promo to 20,000+ followers (sell page) |
Frequently asked questions
Is Business For Sale a broker?
No. We are a marketplace. You can sell privately on a flat fee (or Free Starter), or a broker can list your business with us. We do not take a percentage commission on private packages.
What is the difference between Free and Private Sale Blueprint?
Free Starter is $0 for 30 days: live searchable listing, enquiries, up to 5 photos. It is not featured and not matched to our buyer database. Private Sale Blueprint ($880 +GST, 6 months) adds featured visibility, buyer matching, newsletter / magazine / social promotion, and the 120 Day Buyer Guarantee.
What is Concierge?
Concierge ($2,950 +GST) is hands-on help until sold: listed on multiple top platforms, premium placement, one-on-one advisor support, plus the same promotions and guarantee as Blueprint. Enquire from your seller dashboard or the sell page.
Do you only list private sellers?
No. Brokers list with us too. Buyers see both private and broker listings. Private sellers get the same buyer network without paying a sale commission to us.
Where are you based?
Sydney. Office: 3/425 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010. Phone (02) 9281 4599.
How do I get started?
Buyers: browse businesses for sale or set a BusinessRadar alert. Sellers: list for free or see packages on sell your business.
Ready to buy? Search businesses for sale
Ready to sell? List for free or compare packages on sell your business.