Connected?

Here's what to verify next

VibeSandbox makes the introduction — the deal is yours to close. Here's what both sides need to check before any money changes hands.

The process

01

First message

A buyer reaches out via the VibeSandbox relay. The message is forwarded to your email with the buyer's address included. Reply directly.

02

Basic verification

Share ownership proof and key metrics (MAU, MRR, operating costs). Trust needs to be established here before moving forward.

03

Due diligence

Tech stack review, Analytics access, code inspection, customer data scope, legal issues. Use the buyer checklist below.

04

Price negotiation

VibeSandbox doesn't get involved in pricing. Common frameworks: SDE (Seller's Discretionary Earnings) or MRR multiple (typically 12–36x).

05

Asset transfer

Transfer domain, code, accounts, and documentation in sequence. Confirm payment before transferring, or use an escrow service (Escrow.com).

06

Handover

A two-week minimum handover period is strongly recommended. Put seller availability for post-sale questions in writing.

SELLER

What buyers will ask

Buyers will ask for all of this. Having it ready speeds up the process and signals you're serious.

🔑Proving Ownership

Domain meta tag

If you have access to your app's <head>, this is the fastest proof. Drop a temporary verification meta tag at the buyer's request.

App Store / Play Store developer name

Show that the "Developer" field on your store page matches your name or company. Screenshots work.

GitHub repository

Public repo: verify that commit author email matches your contact email. Private repo: invite the buyer as a collaborator temporarily.

Stripe / payment dashboard

If you have revenue, a Stripe dashboard screenshot (sensitive fields masked) proves both income and account ownership at once.

📋Prepare These in Advance

MAU / DAU

Monthly and daily active users. An Analytics dashboard screenshot is enough — no need for raw exports.

MRR / total revenue

Monthly recurring revenue or total revenue to date. Ranges are fine ($1k–$3k/mo). Buyers just need a ballpark.

Monthly operating costs

API costs + hosting. Buyers need this to calculate profit after acquisition. Be specific.

Tech stack

Which AI models, frameworks, and databases you use. Buyers use this to estimate how hard it will be to maintain.

Maintenance burden

How much hands-on time it takes each month. "Set and forget" vs "needs daily attention" — be honest.

Reason for selling

The first thing every buyer asks. Prepare a clear, honest answer upfront — it builds trust faster than any metric.

📦Assets Included in the Sale

Domain

Confirm whether domain transfer is included and which registrar (Namecheap, GoDaddy, etc.) it lives on.

GitHub repository

Agree on transfer method upfront — ownership transfer, fork, or zip delivery. Ownership transfer is cleanest.

Social media accounts

Twitter/X, LinkedIn pages, and follower equity. Note: personal accounts may not be transferable.

Customer database

Check GDPR and privacy law requirements before transferring. Email list transfers may require explicit user consent.

Docs / SOPs

Operating guides, prompt documentation, API key inventory. Often the most valuable asset after the code itself.

BUYER

Questions to ask

Don't open with price. Work through these in order and build trust first.

Did you actually build this?

The most important question. Verify via domain access, App Store developer name, or GitHub commit history tied to their contact email.

Are there real users? How active are they?

Ask to see MAU, session count, and retention in an Analytics tool. Active users matter more than registered accounts.

How does it make money?

Understand MRR, payment method, and churn rate. "No revenue" is an honest answer — but if so, ask why people use it anyway.

What are the monthly operating costs?

AI API costs can spike fast with usage growth. Get the current cost breakdown and ask what happens when users 10x.

Which AI models does it depend on?

Deep lock-in to a specific model is a risk if it gets deprecated or repriced. If there's fine-tuning, ask whether training data is transferable.

Why are you selling?

One of the most telling questions. Burnout, new project focus, need liquidity — make sure the reason makes sense and doesn't hint at a hidden problem.

What does handover look like?

Two-week transition minimum is standard. Understand the documentation level and whether the seller is reachable for urgent questions post-sale.

Are there any legal or compliance issues?

Check third-party API terms of service compliance, copyright, privacy policy, and data usage rules. AI apps often have data ingestion edge cases.

Red flags

If you see any of these, slow down and reconsider before going further.

HIGHRefuses or keeps delaying ownership verification

HIGHOffers to show Analytics "later" or "after we agree on price"

HIGHClaims revenue verbally with no screenshots or documentation

HIGHNo GitHub repo, or commit history is only a few days old

MEDDoesn't know their monthly operating costs

MEDClaims no customer data exists but reports high MAU

MEDNo documentation at all ("it's all in my head")

MEDReason for selling keeps changing or stays vague

MEDPushes for price agreement before sharing due diligence materials

VibeSandbox is not a party to any transaction. We provide discovery and the first introduction only. Deal terms, asset transfer, and payment are entirely between seller and buyer. Consult a lawyer or M&A broker for high-value deals.

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