You can get started from any budget, but the sweet spot you want to work with is
$100,000–$1,000,000. At this range, you're buying real businesses with proven profits, clean systems, and room to scale — without the risks of unproven side-projects.
Here’s how the market breaks down:
- $100–$10K (Avoid): Tempting price, but mostly low-quality clones of trending ideas with no real traction.
- $10K–$30K (Watch): Business ideas with initial profit or traffic signals. Highest risk, prone to scams. Hard to predict whether they will grow or fail.
- $30K–$100K (Start): Micro online businesses — typically solo founder–run, side hustle, still high-risk. Often new or unstable, but with the right operator, they can be high-ROI turnaround opportunities.
- $100K–$1M (Best ROI zone): Established businesses with product-market fit, stable revenue, basic team and quick scalability via marketing, CRO, or automation.
- $1M+ (Premium): Requires deeper capital and due diligence, but offers more cash flow.
Also, plan to have
50-100% extra for:
- Marketing, tools, inventory, or operations
- Migration costs, tech help, legal review
- Cover force majores
Most deals are priced at
2x–5x annual profit, meaning you can
recoup your investment in 1–5 years if well-managed.
Final answer: To buy a solid, scalable online business, you should have at least
$200,000 in liquid capital. This covers the acquisition and basic post-sale operations, but
does not include your living expenses.
Important: Never buy a business with your last money, hoping it will save you — it's a gamble, not a rescue plan. In 95% of cases, you'll fail.