DealPilot vs. hiring a business broker

DealPilot helps you start the sale process privately and understand your options before you commit to a broker, buyer conversation, or paid advisor. Here's how the two approaches actually compare.

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The quick answer

  • Use DealPilot if you want to privately understand what your business is worth, get buyer-ready materials prepared, and stay in control of who you talk to and when.
  • Consider a broker if your deal is complex, distressed, highly relationship-driven, or you'd rather have a person run the entire process for you.

Side by side

Cost model

DealPilot

Free to start, then simple flat prices — never a cut of your sale price.

Traditional broker

Usually a commission taken out of your sale price when it closes.

First step

DealPilot

A free, 5-minute estimate — no meeting, no commitment.

Traditional broker

Usually a call or meeting before you see any numbers.

Seller control

DealPilot

You decide what to share, with whom, and when, the whole way through.

Traditional broker

The broker typically runs outreach and buyer conversations for you.

Privacy

DealPilot

Nothing about your business is public unless you choose to publish it.

Traditional broker

Varies by broker — ask how your business will be marketed before you sign anything.

Buyer-ready materials

DealPilot

Available as an add-on once you're ready — you keep the underlying numbers.

Traditional broker

Usually included, prepared by the broker's team as part of their service.

Best fit

DealPilot

Owners who want to understand their options privately before involving anyone else.

Traditional broker

Complex deals, or owners who want someone else to run the entire process.

How broker fees usually work

Most traditional business brokers charge a commission — a percentage of your final sale price, often paid at closing — and some also ask for a retainer up front just to take you on as a client. Percentages vary a lot by broker, industry, and deal size, so treat any specific number you hear as general market context, not a universal rule. DealPilot works differently: our prices are flat and shown up front, so the amount you pay doesn't change based on what your business ultimately sells for.

Where DealPilot helps

  • A free, private estimate of what your business is worth — about 5 minutes, no commitment.
  • A full written valuation report in plain English, starting at $245 flat — no commission, no surprise fees.
  • A seller launch kit to get buyer-ready documents prepared, including the professional sales document buyers expect (called a CIM, short for confidential information memorandum).
  • A private deal room to manage buyer conversations and documents once you're ready, including confidentiality agreements (NDAs) and offer paperwork (like the letter of intent, or LOI).

Where a broker can still be right

  • Complex negotiations with multiple moving pieces.
  • Specialized industries where a broker already has buyer relationships.
  • Distress, litigation, or unusual financing situations.
  • You want someone else to run the entire process for you, start to finish.

Common questions

Do I have to choose right now?▾
No. Most owners start with the free estimate just to see where they stand — you can decide about a broker, a buyer conversation, or anything else later, with real numbers in hand instead of a guess.
Can I use DealPilot before hiring a broker?▾
Yes. Many owners use DealPilot's free estimate and preparation tools first, so they walk into any broker conversation already knowing what their business is worth and what buyers will ask for.
Will my business stay private?▾
Yes. Your estimate and any information you enter are private by default. We never list your business or share your name publicly unless you take a specific action to publish or share it.
Is this legal or accounting advice?▾
No. DealPilot helps you understand your numbers and options, but it doesn't replace an attorney, a CPA, or a licensed broker. For contracts, taxes, or anything with real legal weight, loop in a qualified professional before you sign.

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No card, no commitment, and nothing about your business becomes public. See where you stand in about 5 minutes.

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