Comparable Company Analysis That Benchmarks Against Real Sales
Businessappraisal benchmarks your estimate against how similar businesses have sold, so a number never stands alone. You enter your industry and size, and it shows the typical multiple range for comparable companies so you can see whether your figure is high, low, or right in the middle.
Last updated July 2026
Estimated business value
Method breakdown
What moves this number
Estimate, not a certified appraisal. Your figures are not stored.
In short
Comparable company analysis estimates the worth of a business by looking at the multiples that similar businesses sold for, then applying those ranges to your own figures. Businessappraisal matches your industry, size, and profitability to comparable-sale ranges, so a home-services firm might benchmark near 2x to 3x SDE while a SaaS company benchmarks nearer 4x to 6x revenue. It places your estimate inside the peer range rather than presenting an isolated number. This is an educational estimate to help you compare, not a certified appraisal or financial advice.
What you get
Comparable sales, for founders, buyers, and sellers
Benchmarked, not isolated
Your estimate is shown inside the range comparable businesses sold for, so you immediately see if it looks high or low.
Multiples by industry
Different sectors trade at different multiples, and Businessappraisal uses the range that fits your industry rather than a one-size number.
Matched on size and profit
Comparables are drawn from businesses of similar revenue and profitability, so the benchmark is relevant to yours.
Sanity check for other methods
Comparable sales cross-check your revenue, EBITDA, and DCF estimates so a single method never stands unchallenged.
How it works
From your numbers to a value range in four steps
Enter your financials
Provide your industry, revenue, and profitability so Businessappraisal can find relevant comparable-sale ranges.
AI applies the benchmark
It matches your profile to how similar businesses have sold and pulls the typical multiple range for that peer group.
Get the value range
You see where your estimate falls inside the comparable range, framed as an educational estimate.
Understand the drivers
See which peer traits lifted or lowered the benchmark so you know why your business sits where it does.
Questions
Comparable sales questions people ask
What is comparable company analysis?
It values a business by looking at the multiples similar businesses actually sold for, then applying those ranges to your own numbers. Instead of arguing about theory, it anchors the estimate in observed transactions: if home-services firms your size trade at 2x to 3x SDE, that band is the honest starting point for yours.
How do you find comparable sales for a small business?
Brokers and buyers use transaction databases built from reported business sales, matched on industry, revenue size, and profitability. As an owner you rarely see those databases directly, which is why a benchmarking tool matters: Businessappraisal matches your profile to comparable-sale ranges and shows you where your estimate sits inside the peer group.
Why do valuation multiples differ so much by industry?
Because industries differ in how predictable and transferable their earnings are. Recurring software revenue survives an ownership change almost intact, so it commands high multiples. A restaurant depends on location, staff, and daily execution, so it trades lower. The multiple is essentially a price on the durability of the earnings.
Are comparable sales enough to value a business on their own?
They are a strong anchor but a weak sole method, because no two businesses are truly identical and reported deal terms hide earnouts and seller financing. Use comparables to sanity-check an earnings-based estimate: when the multiple methods and the peer benchmark point to the same range, the number is defensible.
More valuation methods
Businessappraisal provides an educational estimate for informational purposes only. It is not a certified appraisal or financial advice. For a formal valuation, consult a credentialed appraiser.
See what your business is worth
Enter your numbers and get an estimate from three methods in minutes, benchmarked against comparable sales, with the drivers explained.