What multiple should I use to value my mobile app?

Start with profit if you can show costs clearly. Flippa sales data for H1 2026 puts app businesses around 2.6× annual profit on average, and about 5.5× in the top quartile. Stable, verified subscription apps sit toward the higher end; declining or hard-to-prove revenue sits lower. Cross-check with revenue multiples and live asking prices on AppAcquire.

Should I value on revenue or profit?

Prefer profit (owner earnings) when the cost base is honest and transferable. Use revenue when margins are thin, costs are messy, or buyers will not trust your add-backs. Many listings show both so buyers can do either math.

Does a Verified badge change valuation?

It does not change the formula, but it reduces buyer risk. Verified revenue from a connected source usually supports a firmer asking price and faster conversations than seller-reported numbers alone.

Can I sell an app with no revenue?

Yes, but price it as an asset with users, code and store history rather than with a revenue multiple. Be explicit about what it earns today, and expect a lower absolute price.

Is asking price the same as what I will get?

No. Asking price is where you start. Closing price depends on due diligence, negotiation and how clean the handover looks. Pricing close to proven comps shortens that gap.

How to Value a Mobile App for Sale (2026)

By AppAcquire · 6 October 2026 · 9 min read

Valuing a mobile app is not the same as valuing a venture-backed startup. Most small iOS and Android sales are asset deals: a buyer pays for the store listing, the users, the revenue and the code, then takes over. This guide walks through the methods buyers actually use, how to build a defensible number, and how to check it against live asking prices before you list.

Key takeaways

Start with trailing twelve months of profit or revenue, then apply a multiple that matches how stable and proven that income is.
Profit multiples are the cleaner signal when costs are clear; revenue multiples are a fallback when margins are thin or hard to verify.
Verified, recurring revenue supports a higher multiple than seller-reported or one-off sales.
An asking price is a starting point. Live comps and a payback check stop you from pricing yourself out of the market.

What you are actually putting a price on

For most indie and small-studio apps, the buyer is purchasing assets, not shares in a company. That usually means some mix of the store record (reviews, rankings, bundle ID or package name), source code, backend accounts, brand assets and the users who already pay. Anything not written into the deal is not included, so the valuation has to match what will actually transfer. For the handover itself, see how to transfer an app between developer accounts.

If you are selling a whole company rather than the app alone, tax, contracts and liabilities change the math. The multiples below still help as a sanity check, but talk to an accountant before you lock a structure.

The three methods buyers use

Serious buyers rarely invent a number from thin air. They pick a method that fits the quality of your data, then cross-check it.

Method	Formula	Best when
Profit multiple	Annual profit × multiple	You can show clean costs and steady earnings
Revenue multiple	Annual revenue × multiple	Margins are thin, or profit is hard to prove
Payback	Asking price ÷ monthly profit	You want a plain “months to earn it back” check

A revenue or earnings multiple is simply the price divided by a year of revenue or profit. A 2× revenue multiple means the asking price equals two years of revenue. Profit multiples usually run higher in absolute terms than revenue multiples for the same app, because profit is only part of revenue.

Build the base: trailing twelve months

Buyers want a trailing twelve-month (TTM) figure, not a single good month. Pull store proceeds or connected billing data for the last 12 months, then separate:

Gross revenue before Apple or Google take their cut.
Proceeds / net store revenue after the platform fee.
Owner earnings after hosting, ads, freelancers, tools and any salary you would still need after the sale.

For a solo founder app, “owner earnings” is close to seller’s discretionary earnings: profit plus add-backs that a new owner would not pay (your personal salary above a market rate, one-off legal fees, unused software). Do not add back costs a buyer must keep paying. Inflated add-backs are one of the fastest ways to lose trust in due diligence.

Say whether your listing number is revenue or proceeds. Apple and Google keep a share of every sale before you are paid, and buyers will notice if the figure jumps when they open App Store Connect or Play Console.

Pick a multiple that matches the risk

Marketplaces publish ranges rather than one magic number. Flippa sales data for H1 2026 puts app businesses at about 2.6× annual profit on average, with the top quartile around 5.5×. Revenue multiples for small apps often sit lower, commonly in a rough 1× to 3× band when revenue is proven and not booming. Use those as fences, then move inside them based on quality.

What usually supports a higher multiple

Recurring subscriptions with measurable retention, rather than one-off IAPs or ads alone.
Verified revenue from a connected source such as RevenueCat, Stripe, TrustMRR or Play Console, not typed figures.
12+ months of stable or growing monthly revenue without a one-off spike carrying the average.
Low owner effort: simple support, stable code, few fragile dependencies.
Diversified users and income across countries or channels.

What usually pulls the multiple down

Declining revenue, high churn, or a single viral month inside the average.
Heavy dependence on one ad network, one paid channel or one country.
Undocumented code, outdated SDK targets or a contractor who is not staying.
Revenue the seller cannot show live at the source.

Industry write-ups on app valuation make the same point: the multiple is a judgment about durability, not a grade for how hard you worked to build the app.

Check the number against live comps

A multiple without context is a guess. Compare your draft asking price with what other sellers are asking right now on AppAcquire:

Apps for sale: 108
Verified revenue: 17
Median asking price: $10,000
Median revenue / month: $127
Added in 30 days: 40

Listings	Counted	Median asking multiple	Middle half of listings
All apps with revenue	28	2.1×	1.4× to 5.0×
Verified revenueRevenueCat, Stripe or TrustMRR	7	2.9×	1.7× to 6.5×
Seller-reported revenue	21	1.9×	1.3× to 4.2×

Asking price divided by annual revenue (monthly revenue × 12), for apps reporting at least $100 a month. These are prices sellers ask, not confirmed sale prices.

For category-level detail and price bands, open the market data page or read what small apps actually sell for. Remember these are asking prices, not closed sales. Buyers still negotiate once due diligence starts.

Pre-revenue and very small apps

If the app earns little or nothing, buyers price the optionality instead: a working codebase, store history, ratings and users they can grow. Expect a lower absolute price and more weight on proof of ownership and buildability. Be honest in the listing. Overstating “potential” without metrics is the fastest way to stall a deal. Some buyers still want these apps; they just will not pay a revenue multiple for revenue that is not there.

How to defend the asking price

Show the source. Connect RevenueCat, Stripe, TrustMRR or Play Console so the listing shows verified figures. On AppAcquire that also helps you earn the Verified badge.
Explain the trend. A short note on why revenue rose or fell beats a silent chart.
List what is included. Code, accounts, domain, support window. Ambiguity gets priced as risk.
Run the tools. The app value calculator gives a baseline from your inputs; the payback calculator shows how long a buyer waits to earn the price back.

If you are on the other side of the table, use the due-diligence checklist before you accept any multiple at face value.

A simple worked example

Suppose an iOS subscription app shows $2,000 a month in verified proceeds after Apple’s cut, and about $1,400 a month left after hosting, tools and support. Annual owner earnings are roughly $16,800. At a mid-range 3× profit multiple, a fair asking band sits near $50,000. At 2×, nearer $34,000. If comparable verified listings on AppAcquire ask closer to 2× revenue (~$48,000 on $24,000 annual proceeds), you can see whether your profit-based ask looks aggressive or conservative before you publish.

Subscription metrics such as retention and LTV matter because they tell a buyer whether that $2,000 month is likely to repeat. RevenueCat's guide to subscription metrics for mobile apps is a useful checklist of what sophisticated buyers skim for.

Set the price, then list it

Lock a TTM profit and revenue figure you can prove.
Choose a multiple that matches risk, then sanity-check with market comps and the value calculator.
Write the listing around evidence, not adjectives.
List your app on AppAcquire. Listing is free for a limited time, with no commission when it sells, and connecting a revenue source helps serious buyers trust the number.

Browsing before you list also helps. See apps for sale with verified filters, or skim similar categories so your ask sits in a range buyers already recognise.

Frequently asked questions

What multiple should I use to value my mobile app?: Start with profit if you can show costs clearly. Flippa sales data for H1 2026 puts app businesses around 2.6× annual profit on average, and about 5.5× in the top quartile. Stable, verified subscription apps sit toward the higher end; declining or hard-to-prove revenue sits lower. Cross-check with revenue multiples and live asking prices on AppAcquire.
Should I value on revenue or profit?: Prefer profit (owner earnings) when the cost base is honest and transferable. Use revenue when margins are thin, costs are messy, or buyers will not trust your add-backs. Many listings show both so buyers can do either math.
Does a Verified badge change valuation?: It does not change the formula, but it reduces buyer risk. Verified revenue from a connected source usually supports a firmer asking price and faster conversations than seller-reported numbers alone.
Can I sell an app with no revenue?: Yes, but price it as an asset with users, code and store history rather than with a revenue multiple. Be explicit about what it earns today, and expect a lower absolute price.
Is asking price the same as what I will get?: No. Asking price is where you start. Closing price depends on due diligence, negotiation and how clean the handover looks. Pricing close to proven comps shortens that gap.

Ready to sell?

List your app on AppAcquire and reach serious buyers. Connect a revenue source to earn the Verified badge and rank ahead of unverified listings.

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Sources

Further reading and references used in this guide. Links open in a new window and are not affiliated with AppAcquire.

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