Right Value Report by Business For Sale
Know your value is right before you list.
Find out what your business is worth in about a minute. We check your numbers against 30 years of Australian business listings. Get your value range now and a free PDF report by email.
Free. About a minute. No account, no phone number.
Australia's original business for sale site since 1987.
Most online calculators use rules of thumb. Right Value Report uses 30 years of Australian business listings.
Eight quick questions: your industry, state, yearly profit and how the business runs. No financials to upload, and it takes about a minute.
We compare your numbers with 30 years of Australian business listings, including private sellers who only list with us. Your range is based on what similar businesses are listed for.
See your value range, best estimate and payback straight away. Add your email and we'll send a free PDF report showing what lifts or lowers your value and what to do next.
Step 1 of 8
No match, pick Other
Regional values are usually within about 10% of city values.
Profit before tax, plus your own wage.
A franchise adds 10%. The franchise company still has to approve the buyer, and the years left on the agreement still affect the value.
Want the full report? Add your email and we will send a free PDF showing what is lifting or lowering your value.
PDF, 6 pages
Your estimate
Indicative value:
Includes equipment and a normal level of stock. Excludes cash, debtors and debts.
Best estimate: ()
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Browse similar businesses for saleIndicative only, not a formal valuation. This calculator gives a general estimate based on published industry ranges and the numbers you enter. It isn't financial, tax or legal advice. Every business is different, so speak to your accountant or a qualified business valuer before you set a value or make a decision.
We turn your yearly profit into an indicative value range for your industry.
Indicative ranges on owner's earnings for a business under $300,000. At $300,000 or more, add 0.25x to the low end and 0.5x to the high end. A franchise adds 10%. Includes equipment and a normal level of stock. Excludes cash, debtors and debts. Regional values are usually within about 10% of city values. Not a survey and not a formal valuation.
| Industry | Indicative multiple | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe and coffee shop | 1.0x to 1.75x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Restaurant | 1.0x to 1.75x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Takeaway | 1.0x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Other food and drink (bakery, butcher, juice bar, catering) | 0.75x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Retail shop (general, clothing, home and garden, outdoor, tech) | 1.0x to 1.75x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Liquor store | 3.0x to 3.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Newsagency and lotto | 1.5x to 2.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Supermarket | 2.25x to 3.25x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Post office | 2.5x to 3.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Service station | 1.25x to 1.75x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Laundromat | 2.0x to 2.75x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Hair, beauty and personal care | 1.0x to 1.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Medical, dental and allied health practice Larger practices are usually valued after paying a manager wage. | 2.0x to 4.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Gym | 1.75x to 2.25x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| NDIS home care | 1.0x to 1.25x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Childcare centre (smaller centre) This range is for a smaller centre. | 1.75x to 3.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Education and tutoring | 2.0x to 3.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Trades and home services (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, pest control) | 1.0x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Construction and building | 1.0x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Cleaning (commercial and residential) | 1.5x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Equipment hire | 1.5x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Professional and business services (legal, consulting, marketing) | 1.0x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Accounting practice These businesses usually sell on a multiple of revenue or recurring commissions, so get a specialist valuation. | Specialist valuation | Revenue or commissions | Indicative |
| Financial planning These businesses usually sell on a multiple of revenue or recurring commissions, so get a specialist valuation. | Specialist valuation | Revenue or commissions | Indicative |
| Mortgage broking These businesses usually sell on a multiple of revenue or recurring commissions, so get a specialist valuation. | Specialist valuation | Revenue or commissions | Indicative |
| Insurance broking These businesses usually sell on a multiple of revenue or recurring commissions, so get a specialist valuation. | Specialist valuation | Revenue or commissions | Indicative |
| IT services and software | 2.5x to 5.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Online business and ecommerce | 1.5x to 2.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Transport, courier and logistics | 1.0x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Manufacturing | 1.75x to 2.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Import, export and wholesale | 1.5x to 2.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Automotive | 1.0x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Accommodation and tourism (leasehold, no freehold) Freehold property, management rights and hotels are valued differently. This range covers the leasehold business only. | 2.25x to 3.5x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Not sure / other industry | 1.0x to 2.0x | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Pets | 1.0x to 2.0x (general range) | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Boat and marine | 1.0x to 2.0x (general range) | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Entertainment, leisure and recreation | 1.0x to 2.0x (general range) | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Advertising and promotions | 1.0x to 2.0x (general range) | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
| Agricultural and farming Farms are usually valued on land and assets. | 1.0x to 2.0x (general range) | Owner's earnings | Indicative |
How we set these ranges. These are indicative ranges for owner-operated Australian businesses, measured against owner's earnings (profit plus one working owner's wage and add-backs). There is no public database of Australian small business sale multiples, so we combined published Australian broker and valuer guidance with Business For Sale's own industry guides, and checked them against 30 years of Australian business listings. Larger businesses, freehold property, management rights and farms are valued differently. Ranges were reviewed in October 2026 and are updated yearly. Includes equipment and a normal level of stock. Excludes cash, debtors and debts. Owner's earnings of $300,000 or more use a slightly higher band. Regional values are usually within about 10% of city values.
The payback period is the value divided by the yearly owner's earnings. It tells a buyer how many years of those earnings it would take to earn back the value. For many owner-operated Australian businesses it lands somewhere around 1 to 2.5 years. A shorter payback is better for the buyer. A longer one can still be fair when revenue is steady, the lease is secure and the business does not rely on one person. If you would need to pay a manager to do your job, the real payback is longer, because that wage comes out of the earnings.
Worked example. A cafe with $120,000 of owner's earnings and a best estimate of $165,000 has a payback of 1.4 years.
Most Australian owner-operated small businesses sell for about 1 to 2 times their yearly owner's earnings (profit plus one working owner's wage and add-backs). Where yours sits depends on your industry, how much the business relies on you, how steady and recurring the revenue is, your lease and the quality of your financials. Use the calculator above for an indicative range, then speak to your accountant or a valuer for a formal figure.
As an indicative guide on owner's earnings: cafes, restaurants and many shops often sit around 1.0x to 1.75x, hair and beauty around 1.0x to 1.5x, and trades and home services around 1.0x to 2.0x. Childcare and health practices are often higher. Larger practices are usually valued after paying a manager wage. See the full table on this page. These ranges come from published Australian broker and valuer guidance and are not a formal valuation. Regional values are usually within about 10% of city values.
Owner's earnings (often called seller's discretionary earnings, or SDE) are your net profit before tax, plus the wage and super you pay one working owner, plus interest, depreciation and any one-off or personal costs run through the business. It shows a buyer what the business would earn them if they ran it themselves. Use the 'Help me work it out' option in the calculator.
The payback period is the value divided by the yearly owner's earnings. It tells a buyer how many years it would take to earn back what they paid. For many owner-operated Australian businesses it lands somewhere around 1 to 2.5 years, depending on the industry and the risk. A shorter payback is better for the buyer. If you'd need to pay a manager, the real payback is longer.
No. The calculator gives an indicative estimate only, based on published industry ranges and the numbers you enter. It isn't financial, tax or legal advice. For a sale, a tax event or a dispute, speak to your accountant or a qualified business valuer.
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