Accounting Practices for Sale: Explore the Practice Marketplace

Practice Marketplace by Karbon is a platform specifically tailored for bookkeeping and accounting firm owners to connect in a secure, streamlined environment.

Think of it as the 'Zillow for the accounting profession'. Firms can list their businesses for sale, and potential buyers can browse, filter, and connect based on various criteria.

Practice owners who aren't quite ready to buy or sell can connect with a Karbon Certified Expert via the Partner Directory.

Karbon Certified Experts can help you:

Optimize workflows
Guide you through the sales process
Provide strategies for a successful transition, including tips for maintaining client relationships, your client base, and cash flow during the process
Learn from their own stories of firm mergers and acquisitions

Each Karbon Certified Expert’s listing on the Partner Directory includes:

Information about them and their experience in accounting practice sales
Their mission and vision
Services they provide
The industries they primarily serve
Software specializations
Testimonials and reviews

The Practice Marketplace was established to connect high-performing accounting firms and facilitate life-changing outcomes for those who have invested so much into them. You can sign up as an accounting firm seller, buyer, or both.

For many firm owners, the hope of a successful exit is their next major milestone. They want to move into a greater career with a larger firm, retire, or are just ready for an exciting change. They want their employees and clients to be set up well, they want to have a great life after leading their firm. The Practice Marketplace can help them do this.

Meanwhile, there are firm leaders who want to scale their practices quickly. The Practice Marketplace enables them to do this so they can reach their goals. Karbon is already working with the best firms in the world—firms that are easy to integrate into larger firms and hit the ground running.

If you are only interested in buying, you can skip the seller profile setup section. Similarly, if you only intend to sell, you can skip the buyer profile. If you are interested in both, you can complete and apply for both profiles.

Each listing includes a firm’s:

Location
Work mode (remote, in office, or hybrid)
No. of offices
Range of full time employees (FTEs)
No. of partners
Range of total employees
Percentage of employees who are outsourced
Range of annual revenue
Growth rate
Accounting services provided
Main revenue sources
Software type
Fee structure
Percentage of recurring billing
Tenure
State of technology adoption
Karbon verification confirmation

Each listing also includes a few words from the owner and their answers to a questionnaire about their intentions.

No, you don’t need to be a Karbon customer to view anonymous listings. However, you will need to be a Karbon customer to make an inquiry and connect with a seller.

Only Karbon firms are allowed as buyers on the Practice Marketplace. If you plan to implement Karbon in the future, you’re welcome to complete your account now. A member of our team will reach out to discuss your goals, answer questions, and review payment and implementation options with you. There’s no commitment until after your initial conversation with us.

The Karbon Verified designation is a badge given to profiles of accounting firms that actively use Karbon. If your firm is Karbon Verified, a tick symbol will appear on your profile, showing others that you're a verified user. Firms not using Karbon will still be listed but without the tick.

If your firm begins using Karbon later, you can request an upgrade to Karbon Verified by contacting support@karbonhq.com.

Before listing your firm for sale, you’ll need answers to the following questions:

What percentage of your firm’s work falls under tax compliance, tax planning/tax advisory, bookkeeping, audit, and financial consulting
If applicable: tax return split in revenue between personal and business returns
Your firm’s revenue this calendar year
Your firm’s primary revenue source (e.g. tax preparation, audit, bookkeeping, etc.)
Last year’s growth rate
Your firm’s percentage of recurring billing
Your firm’s fee structure
What is the state of your firm, technology wise today (progressive, moderate, or traditional)
How do you envision your life, post sale?
What is your #1 reason for selling?

This is a great opportunity to reflect on your firm as it stands today, its growth potential, what you want your future to look like, and how you want your loyal clients and staff managed in the process.

Both firm owners and brokerage professionals can list a practice on the Practice Marketplace.

Firm owners can list their own practice directly.
Brokers may list a practice on behalf of a firm, but only in close consultation with the firm owner.

To maintain trust and transparency, we encourage listings to use a business email address that matches the firm’s domain (e.g. janedoe@firmname.com).

Generic or mismatched emails (e.g. janedoe@gmail.com or janedoe@brokerage.com) may be flagged for review.
Our team verifies that the person submitting the listing is authorized and legitimate.

All buyer requests will be sent to the email address associated with the listing, so accuracy is essential.

Confidentiality is a top priority within the Practice Marketplace. Selling firms remain anonymous until they choose to reveal their identity.

Here’s how it works:

Seller profiles are displayed with limited, non-identifiable details, such as general location (e.g. country and state) and revenue range.
Interested buyers can submit a request to connect, which is sent directly to the seller.
The seller reviews the buyer’s profile and decides whether or not to accept the request.
Only if the seller approves the request will their firm name and contact information (typically email) be shared with the buyer.
If the seller declines the request, no identifying information is ever revealed.

This process ensures that sellers maintain full control over when and with whom they share their identity.

The role of the Practice Marketplace is to facilitate the initial connection of these firms by providing a secure and transparent platform, ensuring people are connected with the right buyers in preparation for a smooth transition.

People looking to buy a firm can filter their search by key criteria such as a seller’s intent, the date a firm was listed for sale, and a firm’s location, number of employees, or revenue.

Once you submit a request, the selling firm receives a notification both via email and within the Practice Marketplace. This notification includes your buyer profile and firm name, giving the seller an opportunity to review your information and decide if they’re interested in connecting.

The seller can either accept or decline your request:

If accepted, you’ll receive a notification with their firm name and contact details, and you’re free to reach out and schedule an introductory conversation.
If declined, you’ll also be notified, and no further information will be shared.

This process ensures that sellers remain in control of their privacy until they’re ready to engage.

New listings are added to the Practice Marketplace monthly, year-round. While there are seasonal fluctuations—such as fewer tax-focused firms listing during busy periods like tax season—other firm types, including full-service and CPA practices, continue to list throughout the year.

Karbon recognizes the accounting industry is undergoing a major shift, and we’re committed to supporting firms ready to sell. While we can’t control how many or which firms choose to list, we serve a network that reaches tens of thousands of firms, and new opportunities arise regularly.

We recommend checking back often, as the market will naturally go through cycles of seller markets and buyer markets, much like the housing industry.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Karbon's Practice Marketplace, and who is it for?

How does the platform support both buyers and sellers of accounting practices?

How do I search for and evaluate accounting practices for sale?

What information is available in each listing, and how detailed are the financials or client rosters?

Do I need a Karbon account to view or inquire about listings?

What is the Karbon Verified designation, and how does it work?

Can I speak directly with sellers or their representatives?

Are financing options or deal structuring support available through Karbon?

What information do I need to prepare before listing my practice for sale?

Who can list a practice—owners, brokers, or both?

How is confidentiality handled throughout the selling process?

What are the fees or costs involved in listing a practice?

How does Karbon match buyers with relevant practices?

What happens after I submit interest in a practice?

How frequently are new listings added to the Practice Marketplace?

Can I list a practice even if I don’t use Karbon software?