BridgeBook
    Free valuation tool

    Business valuation calculator built on sold deals.

    This free calculator estimates what your business would actually sell for: a low, mid, and high range built from sold-transaction multiples, not asking prices. Enter your industry and earnings and get your range in about 2 minutes.

    Talk to a dedicated advisor
    Example

    A range,not a guess.

    HVAC company: $20,000,000 in sales, $5,000,000 in profit$25,401,875

    Market estimate

    $19,400,000Conservative$28,130,000Upper estimate

    Example from this calculator. Not your valuation.

    Every estimate
    Sold-deal data onlyAbout 2 minutesFree and privateNo obligation
    What it is

    What a valuation calculator actually does.

    A business valuation calculator estimates market value by applying an earnings multiple from comparable sold businesses to your SDE (seller's discretionary earnings) or EBITDA. The multiple depends on your industry and your size: larger earnings command higher multiples because more buyers can finance and professionally operate the business.

    How it works

    How the calculator works.

    Three steps, about 2 minutes.

    1. A brick shop with its bay door open on the workshop, boxes waiting by a van to be loaded

      Tell us what you built

      Your industry, sales and earnings. No documents needed.

    2. A report showing a low, middle and high range, a ledger and a level balance scale on an office desk

      See your honest range

      Low, mid and high, from what similar businesses actually sold for.

    3. A dedicated advisor in a library, seen from behind, inviting you to the empty chair

      Choose your next step

      Talk it through with a dedicated advisor, or start your listing. No obligation.

    Below roughly $2,000,000 of earnings the calculator values on SDE, the basis Main Street buyers actually use. Above that it converts to EBITDA with a market general-manager salary and applies EBITDA multiples, the way lower-middle-market buyers underwrite. From $250,000 of SDE your industry's range rises with size, and above $1,000,000 it blends into EBITDA pricing.

    The size curve

    What multiple does a small business sell for?

    The size curve from closed-deal data. Market Pulse groups deals by sale price; these are the SDE multiples in each group, across all industries.

    Worked example: a business with $650,000 of SDE at the typical 3.01x multiple for its size prices around $1,955,599, inside a sold-comp band of roughly $1,521,867 to $2,511,080.

    Sale priceLowTypicalHigh
    Under $500,0002.00x2.57x3.30x
    $500,000 to $1,000,0002.57x2.80x3.30x
    $1,000,000 to $2,000,0002.80x3.00x3.30x
    By industry

    Business valuation multiples by industry

    A sample of the verified sold-comp bands the calculator applies (Main Street size band shown). The full reference lives on our valuation multiples by industry page.

    Sources: sold-transaction data only. IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse Q1 2026, BizBuySell sold-comp benchmarks and Insight Report, and the Pepperdine Private Capital Markets Report (accessed July 6, 2026). Asking prices are never used. Dataset v2026.11.0, last refreshed 2026-11-02. Methodology approved by Legend Atty, BridgeBook founder (53 businesses sold, $105,000,000+ in total value).

    IndustryBasisLowTypicalHigh
    HVAC servicesSDE1.99x2.58x3.33x
    PlumbingSDE1.66x2.24x3.15x
    Electrical contractingSDE1.75x2.80x3.30x
    Dental practicesSDE1.60x2.48x3.37x
    Home health agenciesSDE2.22x3.00x3.63x
    Home careSDE2.46x2.77x3.08x
    E-commerce brandsSDE2.60x3.30x4.00x
    Amazon FBASDE2.00x2.22x2.65x
    SaaS and softwareSDE2.40x3.12x4.00x
    ManufacturingSDE2.04x2.77x3.59x
    Staffing agenciesSDE2.04x2.93x3.22x
    Lawn care and landscapingSDE1.70x2.63x3.01x
    Honest numbers

    Why our range can come in lower than you expected

    The number you hope for isn't always the number your deal can close at. Our multiples are clamped to sold-transaction bands, so the calculator cannot inflate your number. We quote what closes: if the honest range is lower than you hoped, you find out now, in about 2 minutes, instead of nine months into a listing that stalls. And when your business supports the top of the band, the data shows that too.

    When you need a defensible number for a real transaction, partner buyout, or planning decision, start with the calculator and then get a professional business valuation built from current comparable sales.

    Before you start

    Frequently asked questions.

    Accuracy, multiples, SDE or EBITDA, and why the range can come in lower.

    How accurate is a business valuation calculator?
    A calculator gives a credible market range, not an appraisal. Ours applies earnings multiples from sold transactions (IBBA Market Pulse closed deals, BizBuySell sold comps, and the Pepperdine Private Capital Markets survey) to your industry and size band, so the range reflects what comparable businesses actually sold for. Buyer-specific factors like customer concentration, owner dependence, and deal structure move the final number, which is why the output is a low, mid, and high range rather than a single figure.
    What multiple do small businesses sell for?
    BizBuySell sold data puts small businesses at about 2.0 to 3.3 times SDE, with 2.57 times as the middle. The multiple rises with the size of the sale: IBBA Market Pulse closed deals run about 2.8 times SDE for sales of $500,000 to $1,000,000 and 3.0 times for $1,000,000 to $2,000,000. So from $250,000 of SDE the calculator raises your industry's range, up to 1.32 times at $1,000,000. Above roughly $2,000,000 of earnings, buyers price on EBITDA instead of SDE.
    Does the calculator use SDE or EBITDA?
    Both, chosen by size. Below roughly $2,000,000 of earnings it values on SDE (seller's discretionary earnings), which is how Main Street buyers actually price owner-operated businesses. Above that threshold it converts to EBITDA with a market salary for a general manager and applies EBITDA multiples, matching how lower-middle-market buyers underwrite.
    Is the calculator really free?
    Yes. Your range and your exact number are free. We ask for your name, email and cell to send your number. There's no fee and no obligation.
    Why might the estimate come in lower than I expected?
    Our multiples are clamped to sold-transaction bands, so the calculator cannot flatter you. The range it gives is the range deals like yours actually close in, which is the number worth planning around.
    How much can I sell my business for?
    Multiply your SDE by your industry and size multiple. A business with $650,000 of SDE at the typical 3.01 times multiple for its size prices around $1,955,599, with a sold-comp band from roughly $1,521,867 to $2,511,080. The calculator does this against current sold-transaction data for your specific industry and adds the drivers that push you toward the top or bottom of the band.
    By industry

    Industry-specific calculators

    Trade and practice multiples differ from the all-industry curve. These calculators apply your industry's own sold-comp band.

    Read next

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    Know your real number in about 2 minutes.

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