TradeExit Guide

Free business valuation calculator

Pick your trade, enter revenue and SDE, and get a low-high range built from that trade's published multiples, adjusted for the factors buyers actually price. The range shows on screen; email is optional.

Updated 2026-09-23 · 2 sources · By the TradeExit Guide team

Trade business valuation calculator

Applies the cited SDE multiple band for your trade, then positions you inside it using recurring revenue, customer concentration, owner dependence, years operating and trend. Educational estimate, not an appraisal.

Pre-tax profit + one owner's pay and perks + interest + depreciation + one-time costs. Not sure? Use the SDE calculator.

Educational estimate, not an appraisal or an offer. Ranges come from published closed-sale data and broker/adviser reports cited on each trade page; the adjustment weights are our own documented heuristic (see Editorial policy). Real estate, inventory and working capital are excluded.

Get the full valuation brief (printable)

Your inputs and range, the cited multiples behind it, the buyer type active at your size, three changes that move the multiple, and next steps - on this page, ready to print or save as a PDF.

We are not a broker and do not share your details with buyers. Your download appears instantly on this page; we contact you later only if you tick the box. Delete anytime via the contact page.

Your brief is below. We do not share your details with buyers or brokers.

Valuation brief: -

Prepared with the TradeExit Guide valuation calculator (tradeexitguide.com). Educational estimate, not an appraisal or an offer.

Your inputs

Annual revenue-
SDE / owner cash flow-
Recurring / contract revenue-
Largest customer share-
Owner hours per week in the work-
Years in business-
3-year trend-

Result

Estimated value range-
Implied SDE multiple-
Cited SDE multiple band for this trade- to -
Full cited range in dollars-
Implied multiple of revenue-
Most likely buyer type-
Pricing basis-
Source of the band-

What moves your multiple

  • Recurring revenue (you: -). At 25%+ the calculator moves you up the band; at 50%+ further. Maintenance agreements, contracts and memberships count.
  • Owner dependence (you: -). Under 20 hours a week in the field or chair helps; under 10 helps most. Buyers pay for a business that runs without you.
  • Customer concentration (you: -). Keep any single customer under about 15% of revenue.

Next steps

  1. Recast your earnings line by line with the SDE calculator (tradeexitguide.com/tools/sde-calculator/).
  2. See what you would keep after taxes and fees with the after-tax proceeds calculator (tradeexitguide.com/tools/after-tax-proceeds-calculator/).
  3. Read your trade's valuation page for the sources behind the band and the drivers buyers cite.
  4. If you have an offer, compare it on guaranteed cash, not headline price (tradeexitguide.com/guides/unsolicited-pe-offer/).
  5. Before you sell, get a formal valuation from a credentialed appraiser or an experienced intermediary.

Ranges come from published closed-sale data and broker/adviser reports; adjustment weights are our own documented heuristic. Real estate, inventory, working capital, debt and taxes are excluded.

How the estimate is built

StepWhat we doWhy
1. Cited bandEach trade has an SDE multiple band from closed-sale data or dated reports (listed on each trade page).Asking-price multiples overstate what businesses sell for.
2. Position scoreStart at the middle; recurring revenue 25%+ / 50%+ adds; concentration over 15% / 25%, owner field hours over 20 / 40, under 3 years, or declining sales subtract.These are the discounts buyers and lenders cite most.
3. RangeYour range spans 40% of the band around your score, times your SDE.A point estimate would claim precision the data does not have.
4. Size checkAbove $1M SDE we flag EBITDA-based pricing and show the larger-deal ranges.PE and strategic buyers switch methods at scale.

What the calculator leaves out

Real estate, inventory, working capital, debt and taxes. Use the after-tax proceeds calculator to see what you would keep. The adjustment weights are our own heuristic, disclosed in our editorial policy.

Frequently asked questions

Is this calculator accurate?

It is as good as the published data for your trade, which is solid for trades with hundreds of closed sales (landscaping, HVAC) and thin for others (veterinary, funeral homes). Each trade page shows the sources and sample.

Do I need to give my email?

No. The range shows instantly. Email is only asked for if you want the printable valuation brief, which appears on the page right away.

Sources

  1. BizBuySell - Business valuation multiples by industry (sold Q3 2021-Q2 2026) (accessed 2026-09-23)
  2. IBBA / M&A Source / Pepperdine Market Pulse, Q2 2026 highlights (accessed 2026-09-23)
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