BizBuySell Alternative

BizBuySell shows you businesses that are already for sale.

Serava shows you the ones that are not, yet.

BizBuySell

BizBuySell is the largest online marketplace for businesses for sale. Owners list their business, brokers upload listings, and buyers browse asking prices.

Serava

Serava is an off-market acquisition intelligence platform. We surface businesses that have never been listed, scored by exit readiness signals before any advisor gets involved.

Feature

Serava

BizBuySell

Market stage

Pre-market (no broker, no process)
On-market (listed, priced, broker engaged)

Asking price dynamics

No anchor price, you define the terms
Seller has set an asking price and expectations

Competition for targets

Proprietary access, no auction
Multiple buyers see the same listings

Typical multiple vs. market

Below-market (no advisor fee priced in)
At or above market (broker adds 8-12% to cost)

Target universe size

1M+ businesses, 37 industries
~65,000 active listings at any time

AI fit scoring

Owner tenure signal

Revenue estimate per target

Self-reported by seller/broker

Cost for buyers

Free
Free to browse; paid tiers for contact info

Owner outreach facilitation

Coverage geography

US, Canada, UK
Primarily US

New targets added

Monthly (9 registry sources)
As owners/brokers list

Bottom line

BizBuySell is useful for understanding what is publicly available at what asking prices. Serava is for buyers who want to find the right business before it goes to market, which is when the best deals happen.

Common questions

Can I use both Serava and BizBuySell?

Yes. Many buyers use BizBuySell to monitor what is publicly listed (and understand market pricing) while using Serava for proprietary off-market sourcing. The two complement each other, on-market for benchmarking, off-market for deal quality.

Why are off-market businesses better acquisitions?

No anchor price, no auction, no broker fighting for the highest number. An owner who has never publicly listed their business has not committed to a specific exit expectation, which gives buyers flexibility on structure, price, and timing that is impossible in a brokered process.

Does Serava have any listings from brokers?

No. Serava sources data from public government registries (NPPES, SBA loans, contractor licenses, Companies House) and map data. None of our targets have been submitted by sell-side advisors. The off-market position is structural, not just a marketing claim.

What industries does Serava cover that BizBuySell does not?

BizBuySell covers whatever owners choose to list. Serava has systematic coverage of 37 specific industries including healthcare (dental, veterinary, physical therapy, behavioral health), financial services (RIA advisory), and home services (HVAC, pest control, plumbing). Coverage is consistent across geographies rather than dependent on seller participation.

Try the off-market alternative

Free for buyers. No subscription. Full access from day one.