Why is selling a website project so hard?
Because a website project is a virtual asset. Its value depends on numbers, code and processes that a buyer can hardly judge from the outside – and sellers rarely see their own project objectively.
I’ve been building and running my own startups and web projects for many years – I’ve been online since 1999. Inevitably, some projects you eventually stop loving, or they simply aren’t profitable. So you think about selling – and find out it’s harder than expected.
A website project is a website, online shop, app or digital startup that can change hands as a whole: domain, content, code, customers and revenue. I’ve often been on both sides, as buyer and as seller, and I kept running into the same three hurdles: trust, valuation and code.
Hurdle 1: How do buyer and seller build trust?
The trust problem exists on both sides.
- The buyer thinks: why would anyone sell a startup if it’s valuable? The usual answer – “no time or no motivation any more” – may well be true. But to a buyer who wants to invest exactly that time and motivation, it doesn’t sound convincing.
- The seller worries: the prospect will look at everything and simply copy the business model without paying.
I see this all the time in Facebook groups and on other platforms: someone wants to sell a project but won’t even share the URL. First, an NDA – a non-disclosure agreement – has to be signed. That’s understandable from a legal point of view, but it means many potential buyers drop out.
My approach: build trust with the person first, and invest time in it. Have a coffee, go for lunch, get to know each other – and only talk business once the trust is there.
In practice, these also help:
- Release details step by step: first the niche, rough size and URL, then figures and logins after the NDA.
- Read-only access to analytics and Search Console instead of screenshots.
- An escrow service for payment, so neither side has to go first.
Hurdle 2: What is a website project worth?
That’s genuinely hard to say. From the seller’s side, the project is unique, well thought-out and brilliant – so why didn’t it take off as planned? Anyone who has built a startup knows the love for their own “baby”. And who wants to admit their baby is ugly? That’s why founders sometimes arrive with price expectations that simply aren’t realistic.
Equally, it’s hard for buyers to see everything as it really is. Most ask about revenue first, then traffic, and use a multiple to arrive at a total price.
Worked example: a website makes €1,000 profit a month. At a multiple of 24 months’ profit, it would be worth €24,000.
That isn’t a fixed rule. I’ve seen projects sell for many times that, and others that weren’t worth even one month’s profit. Value is in the eye of the beholder. These factors push it up or down:
| Increases value | Decreases value |
|---|---|
| Stable income over several years | Fluctuating or falling revenue |
| Visitors from several channels | Dependence on a single channel, such as Google |
| Little ongoing effort | The project depends on the founder personally |
| Clean, documented code | Undocumented code, outdated software |
| Own brand and repeat customers | One-off visitors only |
In 2026 there’s one more factor: AI answers on Google and in ChatGPT resolve many questions directly, without anyone clicking through to a website. Buyers therefore look more closely at how heavily a project relies on search clicks. To see how visible a project is on Google and in AI search, enter its address in my free SEO Compass and answer a few short questions: within a few minutes you’ll see where its biggest levers are.
Hurdle 3: Is the code ready for handover?
The third hurdle: many founders coded fast and “dirty” while building. For the buyer, that code is then hard to make sense of. I’ve bought plenty of projects myself and found again and again that not a single line was documented.
That’s understandable – nobody expects to sell their project when they start. The simpler the tech, the smaller the problem: for a high-converting landing page it barely matters; for a complex software-as-a-service platform – software customers use online on a subscription – it’s critical.
How do you prepare to sell your website project?
- Get your numbers in order: revenue, costs and profit for the last 12 to 24 months, with proof.
- Show traffic sources: analytics and Search Console, broken down by channel.
- Document processes: what needs doing each week, who does it, which service providers are involved?
- Organise code and access: repository, hosting, domain, email, payment provider, social media accounts.
- Check contracts: can agreements with suppliers, partners and customers be transferred?
- Value it realistically: get a second opinion before you name a price.
What should you check when buying a startup or website?
- Check the numbers: access to the real accounts, not screenshots.
- Check the traffic: where do visitors come from? Were there drops after recent Google updates?
- Check the domain: history, old content, backlinks. A domain with a questionable past can cost rankings.
- Check the workload: how many hours a week does it really take?
- Check the tech: have the code reviewed by whoever will maintain it.
- Agree the handover: how long will the seller support you after the sale?
How do you hand over a website without losing rankings?
A new owner, by itself, changes nothing about Google rankings. The danger comes when the domain, URLs or content are changed after the takeover without redirects. If you plan to rebuild the site after buying it, treat it like a relaunch – my guide to a website relaunch shows how.
Want to sell or buy a website project?
If you’re thinking about selling your startup, website or shop – or you’re looking for a project to buy – write to me using the form below. I’ll give you my honest take on the situation.
How I approach online business models myself is covered in my article on virtual startups. You can read more about me on my about page, and more articles on the blog.
