Business brokers typically charge a commission based on the final sale price, most often in the 10% to 12% range for small to mid-sized businesses. For very small deals (under $500,000), fees can run higher, sometimes 12% to 15%, since brokers still invest significant time regardless of deal size.
Larger transactions often use the “Lehman Formula” or a modified version: a sliding scale where the percentage decreases as the sale price increases (for example, 10% on the first million, 8% on the second, and so on).
Some brokers also charge an upfront retainer or marketing fee, ranging from a few thousand dollars up to $10,000 or more, which is usually credited against the final commission at closing.