SaaS valuation multiples and an AI business value estimator
Pick what you are selling or buying, enter monthly recurring revenue and get an indicative value range in seconds. Refine it with growth, churn, margin, age and owner time to see which factors move the price, and why.
How the estimate is built
The estimator starts from a base multiple band for the category you choose. It then moves within that band, or slightly beyond it, based on growth, churn, margin, size and owner dependency. The output is always a range with a low, mid and high value, never a single number.
For subscription products with steady recurring revenue, the multiple is applied to annual recurring revenue (ARR). For smaller products where the owner does much of the work, buyers usually price on seller's discretionary earnings (SDE), which is profit plus the owner's pay. The estimator tells you which basis it used.
The bands below are general indicative ranges we derive from public market data, such as publicly reported deal summaries and published marketplace reports. They are a starting point for a conversation, not a measured price for any business.
Indicative SaaS valuation multiples by category
| Category | Basis | Indicative range |
|---|---|---|
| AI SaaS with recurring revenue | ARR | about 2x to 6x |
| AI agent or automation product | ARR or SDE | about 2x to 5x ARR, or 2.5x to 4.5x SDE |
| AI-built app | SDE | about 2x to 4x |
| AI-built website or content product | SDE | about 2x to 3.5x |
| Micro SaaS | SDE | about 2.5x to 4.5x |
| .ai domain with product | SDE plus domain | depends on the product and on comparable domain sales |
| .ai domain without revenue | comparable sales | not modelled by revenue multiples |
Ranges are indicative and general. Real deals land outside them in both directions, depending on terms, buyer fit and the quality of the numbers.
What moves the multiple up or down
Each factor shifts the estimate within the band. The result page shows each one as a bar so you see what helped and what held the range back.
Growth.
Steady year over year growth moves the range up. Flat or falling revenue moves it down.
Churn.
Low monthly churn signals durable revenue and lifts the range. High churn lowers it, because buyers price the revenue that stays.
Gross margin after model and hosting costs.
AI products carry inference and hosting costs that generic SaaS does not. A healthy margin after those costs lifts the range. A thin one lowers it.
Size.
Larger revenue attracts more buyers and usually earns a higher multiple than very small revenue.
Age.
A longer track record reduces risk. A business under one year old gets a cautious adjustment.
Owner dependency.
Many owner hours per week mean the buyer is buying a job as well as a business. Fewer hours lift the range.
Verified numbers carry more weight
A range built on self-reported numbers is only as good as those numbers. When a seller connects a payment processor and analytics through Revenue verification, buyers see the same metrics with a source badge, and the range becomes a fair starting point for an offer.
Valuing a .ai domain without revenue
A .ai domain with no product or revenue cannot be priced with revenue multiples. Its value depends on comparable domain sales, length, clarity and demand from buyers building in that space. The estimator does not invent a number for it. It explains this and routes you to list the domain, where buyers make offers. See AI domains for sale for how domains are listed.
What this estimate is and is not
The estimate is indicative. It is not an appraisal, not a fairness opinion and not investment advice. Acquisitions is a listing and deal-workflow platform, not a broker-dealer and not an investment adviser. Use the range to prepare for a conversation, and agree the price with the other side, with your own advisers where you need them.
From range to deal
After the estimate, a seller can turn the inputs into a listing draft and a buyer can compare the range with Verified AI business listings. Both can review the SaaS due diligence checklist to see what the other side checks before a price is final. Plans and limits are on Pricing for buyers and sellers.
FAQ
Yes, the first estimate and one refinement are free and need no account. More refinements, the comparable bands and the valuation memo open after you create your account. Paid plans include a set number of estimates per billing period.
The bands are general indicative ranges derived from public market data, such as publicly reported deal summaries and published marketplace reports. We do not present them as measured prices and we do not publish figures for specific private deals.
Buyers price larger recurring revenue products on ARR and smaller owner-run products on seller's discretionary earnings. The estimator picks the usual basis for your category and size and tells you which one it used.
Inference and hosting costs can take a large share of revenue in AI products. Two products with the same revenue can leave very different profit to a buyer, so margin after those costs moves the range.
No. It is an indicative estimate, not an appraisal and not investment advice. A lender or court usually needs a formal valuation from a qualified professional.
No. The estimate runs in your browser. Inputs are saved to your account only when you create one, and they stay private until you choose to list.
Not with revenue multiples. The estimator explains that domain-only value depends on comparable sales and routes you to list the domain so buyers can make offers.
See where your AI business lands
Enter your category and monthly revenue and get an indicative range in seconds.