Is Flippa Legit? The Honest Truth About Buying and Selling Websites

Here's the short answer: Yes, Flippa is a legitimate company. They've been around since 2009, have facilitated over $400 million in sales, and have 4.3 stars on Trustpilot from nearly 2,900 reviews. But here's what nobody tells you upfront—Flippa has a serious scam problem, and if you don't know what you're doing, you can lose thousands of dollars.

Let me break down exactly what you're getting into.

What Is Flippa?

Flippa is the oldest and largest online marketplace for buying and selling websites, apps, domains, and online businesses. Think of it like eBay, but for digital assets. Anyone can list their website or business for sale, and anyone can browse and buy.

That open-marketplace model is both Flippa's strength and its biggest weakness.

The Good: Why Flippa Works

Flippa has some genuine advantages that keep it as the dominant player in this space:

For sellers, this means access to the largest marketplace. For buyers, it means more options at every price point.

The Bad: Flippa's Scam Problem

Here's where I need to be direct: Flippa's reviews are polarizing. While Trustpilot shows 4.3/5 stars, Sitejabber shows 1.6/5 stars. That gap tells you something important—experienced users who know how to avoid scams have good experiences. Newcomers often get burned.

Common scams on Flippa include:

The key thing to understand: Flippa doesn't verify listings under $50,000. That means the majority of listings on the platform are essentially unvetted. You're trusting seller-provided information at face value.

One reviewer on Sitejabber reported losing $18,000 on a scam purchase. Another lost $1,500 despite doing due diligence. These aren't isolated incidents.

Flippa Fees: What You'll Actually Pay

Flippa's pricing structure is more complex than it should be. Here's the breakdown:

Seller Fees

On top of listing fees, you pay success fees when your business sells:

For businesses valued at $100K+, you can use Flippa's brokered service, which costs $999 upfront plus success fees.

Buyer Fees

Browsing is free, but you'll hit some costs:

How to Protect Yourself on Flippa

If you're going to use Flippa—especially as a buyer—here's how to avoid getting scammed:

1. Verify Everything Yourself

Never trust screenshots. Ask for:

If a seller won't provide access, walk away.

2. Check the Seller's History

Flippa has a feedback system. Look at:

First-time sellers with no history should be approached carefully.

3. Use Escrow

Always use escrow services for any meaningful purchase. Yes, it adds fees. It also means your money is held until you verify you actually received what was promised.

4. Avoid "Starter Sites"

These are almost always a waste of money. They're templates with no traffic, no revenue, and no real value. If you want a starter site, you can create one yourself for less.

5. Ask Questions—Lots of Them

Legitimate sellers answer questions thoroughly and provide documentation. Scammers get evasive, aggressive, or push you to close quickly. If something feels off, it probably is.

6. Do Your Own Due Diligence

For anything over a few thousand dollars, consider hiring a professional to review the business. Check the domain history, backlink profile, content originality, and financial records.

Who Should Use Flippa?

Flippa is best for:

Flippa is NOT ideal for:

Flippa Alternatives to Consider

If Flippa's open marketplace model makes you nervous, here are some alternatives:

The trade-off is simple: vetted marketplaces have fewer listings and higher fees, but lower risk. Flippa has more options and lower entry fees, but you're doing quality control yourself.

My Bottom Line on Flippa

Flippa is legitimately one of the most useful marketplaces for digital assets—if you know what you're doing. The platform itself isn't a scam. But it's an open marketplace where scammers operate freely at the lower price points.

If you're selling, Flippa gives you access to the largest buyer pool in the industry. Just price your listing fairly and be prepared to answer questions.

If you're buying, go in with eyes wide open. Do thorough due diligence on every deal. Use escrow. Verify everything independently. Don't trust screenshots. And if a deal looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

The platform has come a long way in cracking down on fraud, especially for listings over $50,000 where they do actual verification. But for the sub-$50K market where most buyers operate, you're largely on your own.

Check out Flippa's marketplace here to browse current listings—just remember everything we've covered about protecting yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Flippa safe to use?

Flippa as a platform is safe and legitimate. However, some sellers on Flippa are scammers. Use escrow services, verify all claims independently, and do thorough due diligence before any purchase.

Does Flippa verify listings?

Flippa verifies listings priced above $50,000. Listings below that threshold only go through automated verification (connecting Google Analytics), which is easy to manipulate. Buyers must verify lower-priced listings themselves.

What percentage does Flippa take?

Flippa charges sellers a listing fee ($29-$699) plus a success fee (3%-10% depending on sale price). Buyers pay escrow fees (0.89%-3.25%) and optionally $49/month for premium membership.

Are there scams on Flippa?

Yes. Common scams include fake revenue screenshots, inflated traffic using bots, and stolen content. These are more common on lower-priced listings. Always verify traffic and revenue claims with direct dashboard access.

How long does it take to sell on Flippa?

According to Flippa, the median closing time for deals under $50K is 15 days. Deals between $50K-$250K average 49 days. Larger deals ($250K+) average 73 days.